The key to a successful invoicing potential

3Dfacto had lost overview of their billing potential – and thereby missed out on billable hours. This made them choose TimeLog Project, which also made the invoicing process more efficient.

By the end of 2004, internationally oriented software company 3Dfacto, needed an efficient time tracking and project management system.

“Before we began using TimeLog Project we used Excel. We used it for quite a while as we had trouble finding a system that fulfilled our needs. In the end we missed out on too many billable hours – this meant that we had to take action,” explains Morten Bolø, VP Professional Services, at 3Dfacto.

“In the process we also considered Microsoft® Project, but it lacked the invoicing part which we were very interested in. Also, it demanded a more advanced server environment than we were in possession of. We also looked at some other (web based) systems.”

It took almost two years from the first time 3Dfacto considered TimeLog Project until they chose to implement the system. This is a somewhat longer process than most customers experience.

“For us it was a realisation process that took several years – the system we wanted did not exist, and if it had existed it might not have been the right one anyway. The choices that TimeLog had made were good and turned out to be the right ones for us.”

Emphasis on invoicing

TimeLog Project was developed to combine web based time tracking with invoicing and project management, and especially the connection between time tracking and invoicing makes the value of TimeLog Project unique.

“It is especially the invoicing element which decided the matter for us. TimeLog Project suits us perfectly in relation to our invoicing. Previously, many of our billable hours were lost because it was difficult to make invoices. Now it is really simple and we always know our invoicing potential,” Morten Bolø explains.

According to Morten Bolø, it is now much easier to make invoices:

“You get the feeling that it is easy to track time and you always have an overview of the time consumption. That’s great.”

TimeLog Help Desk: part of a coherent invoicing system

After having used TimeLog Project for a short while, 3Dfacto chose to extend TimeLog Project with the extension TimeLog Help Desk. For 3Dfacto it was a natural continuation of working with the system, and the synergy of combining project management and support in one coherent system was noteworthy:

“By having one instead of two systems, we avoid a lot of manual typing. We save time – hours that we otherwise would have lost in the invoicing process. With TimeLog Project and TimeLog Help Desk we use just one system to register time and expenses, handle invoicing and all our support cases. The fact that we have one combined invoicing system in TimeLog Project and TimeLog Help Desk means that we have the opportunity to invoice 10-20% more today than previously; this is of costly value to us,” explains Morten Bolø.

In everyday life, 3Dfacto uses the TimeLog Help Desk extension to handle customers that need specific support.

“We use the extennsion internally to track time on the various support cases and to write down every action on each case. This information is valuable to us when we need to invoice. Especially, when we go through an invoice and have to assess which hours that are non-billable and which we can invoice. We use the module to find the right invoicing potential, ” says Morten Bolø.

In 3Dfacto all employees are allocated to their respective projects on which they track time. At the same time, they help each other across the projects – and here it is especially important that the time spent is registered on the relevant case – particularly if it is support cases.

“Previously, in the support department it was the person with the responsibility for the account who registered time on the support case even though other employees also spent time on solving the problem. By doing so, we missed out on many billable hours, but now we have improved on this part. That means a lot for our invoicing potential,” explains Morten Bolø.

After 3Dfacto implemented TimeLog Project and TimeLog Help Desk, the company has increased its invoicing potential and the accuracy hereof substantially – especially in the support department the figures have improved.