Tracking Time in Asana (2024)

Are you looking for a guide on time tracking in Asana? Let’s get to business together!

In today’s fast-paced business environment, staying ahead of the competition requires more than just hard work and dedication.

Enter Asana—the game-changing solution designed to empower teams and drive cross-team efficiency.

With its robust platform and comprehensive suite of features, Asana is able to revolutionize the way you streamline projects, automate processes, gain real-time insights, protect sensitive data, manage permissions, and align company goals.

We are here to look into tracking time in Asana, however. Let’s embark on the journey.

Tracking Time in Asana – the Basics

Time tracking is available in the app’s two more costly plans. Hence, you will not be able to access the feature in the Basic and Premium plans.

There are two ways to track time. Manual entries rely on employee memory. On the other hand, the option of time logging automates the process by tracking time spent on a task as it’s being done.

Live Timer

As we’ve stated, the app offers real-time time tracking. Using this feature has a live tracking popup connected to a specific task.

When a user clicks the popup it will take them to the task in question. Different team members can track time against the same task by clicking the Join Task button. In other words, tracking time in Asana is a collective effort.

Estimated vs Actual Time

Asana primarily focuses on project management. Hence, the time tracking feature works to support that.

Tracking time in Asana enables users to plan the time needed for any task or project. Then, the application measures the time they actually took.

This feature allows users to understand the project’s demands and their own capabilities. Moreover, it enables the management to assess time needed for similar projects in the future more accurately.

Time Reporting with Asana

There are multiple time reports Asana offers. You can view the following categories:

Estimated time by assignee
Estimated time by a group of assignees
Total actual time by section
Total actual time by custom field

Import and Export

Asana has the option of importing and exporting tracked time in CSV format. This way your team can rest assured that their time spent at work will be counted toward the goal.

Pricing

Basic Plan (free; does not offer the time tracking feature)

Unlimited tasks – Keep track of all your tasks, big or small, without any limitations.
Unlimited projects – Organize your work into unlimited projects, ensuring a structured approach to your tasks.
Unlimited messages – Collaborate and communicate seamlessly with your team members through unlimited messaging.
Unlimited activity log – Stay updated on the progress and history of your projects with a comprehensive activity log.
Unlimited file storage (100MB per file) – Store and access project-related files without worrying about storage limitations.
Collaborate with up to 15 teammates – Engage and collaborate with your team members efficiently.
List view projects – Visualize and manage your projects in a list format for easy tracking and organization.
Board view projects – Get a visual overview of your projects using board view, allowing you to track progress at a glance.
Calendar view – Plan and schedule your tasks and deadlines using the calendar view, ensuring efficient time management.
Assignee and due dates – Assign tasks to team members and set due dates for better accountability and timely completion.
Project Overview – Get a holistic view of your projects with a dedicated project overview, providing key details and progress tracking.
Project Brief – Document important project information and objectives with a project brief, ensuring clarity and alignment.
iOS and Android mobile apps – Stay connected and manage your tasks on the go with our mobile apps for iOS and Android.
Time tracking with integrations – Track and manage your time effectively by integrating with compatible time tracking apps.

Premium plan (10.99 per user, per month when billed annually, or $13.49 when billed monthly; does not contain the time tracking feature)

Timeline – Visualize project schedules and dependencies with the Timeline feature. Gain a clear understanding of project progress and optimize your team’s workflow.
Workflow Builder – Streamline and automate your team’s processes using the powerful Workflow Builder. Create customized workflows tailored to your team’s unique needs and simplify complex tasks.
Unlimited Dashboards – Keep your team informed and focused with unlimited dashboards. Customize your dashboards to display critical project information and track key metrics in real-time.
Reporting across unlimited projects – Gain comprehensive insights into your team’s performance across all projects. Leverage reporting features to analyze productivity, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
Advanced search – Quickly find the information you need with advanced search capabilities. Locate specific tasks, projects, or team members effortlessly and stay organized.
Custom fields – Tailor Asana to suit your team’s specific requirements with custom fields. Capture and track additional project information to ensure clarity and alignment.
Unlimited free guests – Collaborate seamlessly with external stakeholders using unlimited free guest access. Keep clients, partners, or contractors in the loop without incurring extra costs.
Forms – Gather structured information and streamline project intake with Forms. Create customized forms to collect data from internal or external stakeholders, ensuring efficient communication and collaboration.
Rules – Automate repetitive tasks and ensure consistency with Rules. Set up custom rules to trigger actions based on specific events, saving time and reducing manual work.
Start dates and times – Set precise start dates and times for tasks to ensure accurate scheduling and sequencing of project activities.
Task Templates – Increase productivity and maintain consistency by creating task templates. Easily replicate and standardize common workflows, saving time and effort.
Milestones – Highlight important project milestones and track their progress. Keep your team focused on key objectives and celebrate achievements along the way.
Admin Console – Enjoy centralized control over your team’s settings and permissions through the Admin Console. Manage access, privacy settings, and security requirements with ease.
Private teams & projects – Keep sensitive information secure by creating private teams and projects. Control access and ensure confidentiality within your team.

Business Plan ($24.99 per user, per month when billed annually, or $30.49 when billed monthly)

The Business plan includes everything offered in our Premium plan, and much more. Here are some of the key features you’ll enjoy:

Time tracking – Track and manage time spent on tasks and projects directly within Asana. Gain visibility into resource allocation, productivity, and project profitability.
Portfolios – Gain a comprehensive overview of all your projects in one place with Portfolios. Easily track progress, identify dependencies, and ensure alignment across your initiatives.
Goals – Set and track strategic goals for your organization with the Goals feature. Inspire ownership and drive alignment by aligning your team’s efforts with your company’s objectives.
Workload – Optimize resource allocation and balance workloads with the Workload feature. Gain visibility into team capacity, identify bottlenecks, and make informed decisions to maximize productivity.
Custom rules builder – Tailor Asana’s automation capabilities to your specific workflow requirements, further streamlining your processes.
Forms branching & customization – Create dynamic and customized forms with branching logic. Collect the right information from stakeholders and streamline data collection for more efficient project management.
Approvals – Streamline approval processes with the Approvals feature. Set up custom approval workflows, track progress, and ensure timely sign-offs for key project deliverables.
Proofing – Simplify the review and feedback process with the Proofing feature. Collaborate on creative assets, provide annotations, and streamline the review cycle for faster project iterations.
Lock custom fields – Maintain data integrity and prevent accidental changes to crucial custom fields with the ability to lock them. Ensure consistency and accuracy throughout your project management process.
Advanced reporting – Unlock deeper insights and analytics with advanced reporting capabilities. Generate custom reports, visualize data, and track key performance indicators to make data-driven decisions.
Advanced integrations – Seamlessly connect Asana with popular third-party tools and platforms such as Salesforce, Adobe Creative Cloud, Tableau, and Power BI. Enhance collaboration and streamline workflows by integrating with your preferred tools.

Enterprise Plan (custom pricing)

Building upon the robust features offered in our Business plan, the Enterprise plan includes the following advanced features and benefits:

SAML – Enhance security and streamline user authentication with SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) integration. Ensure secure access to Asana through your organization’s single sign-on (SSO) infrastructure.
User provisioning & deprovisioning (SCIM) – Simplify user management processes with SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management). Automate user provisioning and deprovisioning, ensuring efficient and secure user access management.
Data export & deletion – Maintain control over your organization’s data with the ability to export and delete data when needed. Stay compliant with data protection regulations and address data privacy requirements.
Block native integrations – Exercise control over native integrations to maintain data security and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Attachment controls – Set granular controls over attachments to manage access and ensure data security. Define permissions and restrictions for file attachments within Asana.
Custom branding – Showcase your organization’s brand identity within Asana. Customize the platform with your own branding elements, providing a seamless experience for your team.
Priority support – Receive expedited support from our dedicated support team. Get the assistance you need when it matters most, ensuring minimal disruption to your operations.

Looking for an alternative? Try Time Analytics!

While Asana is a robust project management platform, it’s essential to explore alternatives to find the best fit for your specific time tracking needs. Especially so as tracking time in Asana is available only in the costly plans.

Time Analytics, a powerful time tracking solution is a good opponent. The app offers several key time tracking features that set it apart from Asana.

Automatic Time Tracking

Time Analytics excels in automating time tracking with its simple Start/Stop system. Unlike Asana, which requires manual entry of time, Time Analytics’ accurate stopwatch automatically logs time with a single click.

This eliminates the need for manual input and ensures accurate time tracking without the need for training.

Timesheets

Time Analytics relies on timesheets to keep time logs organized. Users have the flexibility to add time entries directly in the timesheets, offering a more convenient way to track time compared to Asana.

The daily and weekly overviews in Time Analytics’ timesheets provide a clear and comprehensive view of time allocation, making it easier to manage and review time entries.

Reporting

When it comes to reporting, Time Analytics offers a wide range of accurate reports that provide valuable insights.

While Asana offers reporting features, Time Analytics excels in providing visual and clear analyses of key performance indicators.

With reports on

team productivity,
project profitability,
and client analysis,

Time Analytics enables you to make data-driven decisions and optimize your time utilization effectively.

Time Off Scheduling

Time Analytics offers an intuitive and efficient way to plan time off. Users can easily mark their vacation, PTO, and holidays, providing a clear overview of their time off.

Managers can conveniently review time off and availability anytime, streamlining the process and ensuring smooth operations.

Pricing

Time Analytics provides transparent and affordable pricing plans without user limits, making it an attractive option for businesses of all sizes.

The app offers competitive pricing along with a 14-day free trial to test its features. This pricing structure ensures cost-effectiveness while delivering the necessary functionality for effective time tracking.

Starter ($4.99 per user, per month when billed annually, or $5.99 when billed monthly)

Time Tracking on Projects and Clients – Effortlessly track time spent on projects and clients, allowing you to accurately measure productivity and allocate resources effectively.
Daily and Weekly Timesheets – Keep your time logs organized and easily accessible with comprehensive daily and weekly timesheets. Capture all billable and non-billable hours with ease.
Utilization and Overtime Tracking – Gain valuable insights into team utilization and monitor overtime hours. Optimize resource allocation and ensure efficient workload management.
Time Off and Holiday Tracking – Effectively manage time off and holidays with dedicated tracking features. Keep everyone in the loop and maintain a clear overview of team availability.
Automatic Costs Allocation – Streamline your financial processes by automatically allocating costs to projects and clients. Simplify your billing procedures and ensure accurate financial reporting.
Time and Cost Reporting – Generate detailed reports on time and costs to gain valuable insights into project performance. Make data-driven decisions and identify areas for improvement.
Performance Dashboard – Get a real-time snapshot of team performance with the performance dashboard. Monitor key metrics and track progress towards goals effortlessly.
Visual Reports – Present your time tracking data in visually appealing reports, making it easy to understand and communicate project progress and performance.
Billing and Pay (Cost) Rates – Customize billing and pay rates to align with your business requirements. Ensure accurate invoicing and maintain transparency with clients and team members.
Manager Role – Delegate responsibilities and manage team access with the manager role. Maintain control and streamline collaboration within your projects.
Exportable Reports – Export reports in various formats to share with stakeholders or integrate them into other systems seamlessly.
Data Import – Easily import data from other sources to ensure a smooth transition to Time Analytics. Consolidate your time tracking data and minimize manual data entry.
24-Hour Email Support – Count on dedicated customer support with 24-hour email assistance. Get prompt responses to your queries and technical issues, ensuring a seamless user experience.
Mobile App (Android and iOS) – Stay connected and track time on the go with the Time Analytics mobile app, available for both Android and iOS devices.

Premium ($6.99 per user, per month when billed annually, or $8.45 when billed monthly)

Starter Features – Enjoy all the features offered in the Starter plan, providing a solid foundation for effective time tracking and productivity optimization.
Invoicing (Time Billing) – Simplify your billing process by seamlessly generating professional invoices based on tracked time. Bill clients accurately, ensuring transparency and smooth financial transactions.
Revenue and Profit Reporting – Gain valuable insights into your business’s financial performance with comprehensive revenue and profit reports. Analyze project profitability and make informed decisions to drive growth.
Email Reminders – Never miss a deadline or forget to track time with convenient email reminders. Stay on top of your time management and ensure accurate and timely data capture.
Customized Onboarding – Benefit from a tailored onboarding experience, ensuring a smooth transition to Time Analytics Premium. Receive personalized guidance and assistance to maximize the value of the platform.

While Asana remains a strong project management platform, Time Analytics offers distinct advantages in terms of automatic time tracking, comprehensive reporting, efficient time off scheduling, and affordable pricing plans.

Time tracking in Asana covers the basics. However, if your primary focus is optimizing time tracking and maximizing productivity, Time Analytics presents a compelling alternative to consider.