A client timesheet should identify the project, reporting period, work performed, duration and billing treatment. If the client must approve it, include a clear review status and a way to refer to individual entries.
The template below is designed for supporting detail. It complements a narrative client time report, which explains progress and decisions, without forcing the client to reconstruct every hour from prose.
Put the reporting boundary at the top
Copy this header into your reporting document:
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Client and project | Alder — Product launch |
| Reporting period | October 19–23, 2026, inclusive |
| Prepared by | Project lead |
| Duration unit | Decimal hours |
| Commercial basis | Hourly, subject to agreed scope and approval |
| Review status | Prepared for review; not yet client-approved |
| Version | 1 |
These are illustrative details, not a real client record. Replace them with the actual agreement and reporting period. If the project is fixed fee, state that the hours explain effort and do not automatically determine the charge.
Use rows the client can question precisely
Give each entry a stable reference. A question about “entry A-103” is easier to resolve than a question about “the third design item,” especially after sorting or revising the report.
| Ref | Date | Person or role | Work performed | Hours | Billing treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-101 | Oct 19 | Designer | Prepared product-page layout options | 2.50 | Eligible for billing |
| A-102 | Oct 20 | Developer | Implemented approved layout | 3.25 | Eligible for billing |
| A-103 | Oct 21 | QA | Tested checkout on agreed browsers | 1.50 | Eligible for billing |
| A-104 | Oct 22 | Designer | Corrected an internal layout error | 0.75 | Agency absorbs |
| Total | 8.00 |
The example contains eight hours of delivery effort and 7.25 hours eligible for billing, subject to the agreement and required approval. Keeping the absorbed work visible internally prevents the project’s cost from disappearing.
If you omit non-chargeable rows from the client-facing version, label the report as billable-only. Preserve the full internal record.
Add a billing summary only when it helps
For an illustrative uniform rate of $120 per hour, 7.25 eligible hours produce $870 before taxes, expenses or adjustments. The arithmetic should match the selected detail rows.
When rates differ, group the summary by the relevant rate and service. Do not apply a blended rate casually if the agreement specifies separate rates. Mark previously invoiced work so a cumulative project report does not look like a request to pay for it again.
Use the same precision policy as the invoice. The decimal-hours guide explains why a display such as 0.33 should not replace a more precise underlying duration during calculations.
Make approval an explicit response
Add a short review block: reviewer, response date, accepted entries and disputed entry references. If the client raises a question, record the issue and outcome without erasing the original submission.
“Sent” and “approved” are different statuses. Do not treat silence as acceptance unless that is the agreed process. Also distinguish internal approval from client approval; they may be separate steps with different purposes.
When issuing a corrected version, explain what changed. A stable reference and a version number let both parties understand whether a duration, description or billing treatment was revised.
Inspect the actual file before sending
Check that filters have not left out a person or included another client. Confirm that the total matches the intended period. Remove internal cost rates, private notes and unrelated project data from the client-facing output.
Time Trakkr’s reporting exports can supply the underlying entries. Use this template to organize the review, then follow your agreed billing process. For product options, see reporting and invoicing.
Common questions
Is a timesheet the same as an invoice?
No. It supports the record of work. The invoice applies the agreed charges and payment details.
Should the client receive every internal note?
No. Share accurate, relevant descriptions and any detail required by the agreement. Preserve internal records separately and review the export before sending it.
