Xero time tracking
and invoicing
Bill everything you did, straight out of Xero. Hour Cap is Xero time tracking for people who invoice from Xero. Track billable hours with the descriptions your clients read, then push them across as draft invoices in one click. You can also invoice fixed project fees and fixed retainer periods independently of tracked hours.
No credit card needed. Xero integration included on all paid plans.
How Xero time tracking works in Hour Cap
Connect your Xero account once, then track time as usual. When you're ready to bill, select the time entries and push them to Xero as a draft invoice. The whole time-tracking-to-Xero-invoice flow takes seconds.
Connect Xero
Authorise Hour Cap with your Xero account. Your contacts sync automatically and a setup wizard walks you through invoice defaults.
Track your time
Use the timer or log hours manually. Write detailed descriptions of the work you did. Assign time to clients and projects.
Push to Xero
Select time entries by client or date range, review the invoice preview, then push it to Xero as a draft. Review and send from Xero.
Your descriptions become invoice line items
Most time trackers give you a single line. Hour Cap lets you write detailed, multi-line descriptions on every entry. For per-entry hourly billing, those descriptions become your invoice line item text, complete with hours and rates. Grouping combines descriptions; fixed fees use project or period descriptions.
Nothing to rewrite, and no filling in details from memory weeks later.
- Rich multi-line descriptions per time entry
- Hours, rates, and amounts calculated automatically
- Descriptions flow straight onto Xero invoices
- Invoices created as drafts so you can review first
Redesigned the header navigation to support mobile breakpoints.
Tested on iOS Safari and Chrome Android. Fixed z-index layering issue with the dropdown menu.
Redesigned the header navigation to support mobile breakpoints.
Tested on iOS Safari and Chrome Android. Fixed z-index layering issue with the dropdown menu.
Invoice line items, grouped your way
Different clients want different levels of detail. Some want to see every entry. Others want a single line per project. Hour Cap gives you four grouping options so you control exactly what appears on each Xero invoice.
Set a default for your organisation, then override it per invoice when you need to. Descriptions, hours, and rates are combined automatically for hourly work. Fixed charges use a project or period description. Optional 6-, 15- or 30-minute increments round hourly entries nearest or up without changing tracked time.
Your Xero contacts, ready to go
When you connect Xero, your contacts sync into Hour Cap automatically. No re-entering client names or matching records by hand. Start assigning time to clients right away.
- Contacts sync automatically on connect
- Auto-match existing clients by name
- Create new clients in Hour Cap and push them to Xero
- Re-sync contacts any time from settings
Track retainer hours, invoice at period end
Set up an hourly or fixed-fee retainer on Team or Business. All time on its project counts towards the hours budget. Bill selected eligible time from completed hourly periods, or the agreed fee for started fixed-fee periods, including the current one.
- Weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, or custom periods
- Budget progress plus email and in-app alerts for your configured recipients
- Choose completed hourly periods or started fixed-fee periods when invoicing
- Fixed-fee projects invoice the remaining agreed fee; the target rate sets the hours budget
Full control over your Xero invoices
Configure invoice defaults once and adjust per invoice when needed. Hour Cap respects your existing Xero setup.
Choose which Xero revenue account to post invoice line items to.
Set default tax rates from your Xero account for invoice line items.
Use your existing Xero branding themes so invoices match your brand.
Map Xero tracking categories to invoice line items for reporting.
Set default payment due days. Configurable from 1 to 365 days.
Custom invoice reference prefix to keep your numbering consistent.
Who uses Hour Cap for Xero time tracking
If you use Xero for invoicing and need a simple way to track billable hours, Hour Cap bridges the gap. No complex setup, no workflow changes.
Track advisory hours and compliance work, then push invoices without leaving your Xero workflow.
Manage retainer budgets across multiple clients and bill through Xero at the end of each period.
Track time, write descriptions once, and push invoices to Xero in one flow.
Detailed time records with descriptions that stand up to client scrutiny, billed through Xero.
Log hours on the go and push detailed job summaries to Xero for billing.
Sprint-by-sprint tracking pushed directly to Xero.
Exactly what Hour Cap accesses in your Xero
Hour Cap syncs the contacts and settings used for invoicing, creates draft invoices, and reads invoice status and applied payments when you request a void. It does not access payroll or financial reports.
- Contact names of your active customers
- Inventory items marked as sold
- Tax rates and tracking categories
- Revenue accounts and branding themes
- Draft invoices, which you approve in Xero before sending
- New contacts you choose to create; deletion or voiding of eligible invoices when you request it
Frequently asked questions
How does the Xero time tracking integration work?
You connect your Xero account via OAuth2 (the same secure method used by banks). Hour Cap syncs your contacts, then lets you push tracked time as draft invoices to Xero. Invoices include hours, rates, and the full descriptions you wrote on your time entries.
Do I need a Xero account to use Hour Cap?
No. Hour Cap works as a standalone time tracker on every plan, including the free plan. The Xero integration is available on paid plans for users who want to push invoices to Xero.
Which Xero plans are supported?
Hour Cap works with any Xero subscription that includes invoicing. This covers Xero Starter, Standard, and Premium plans.
Will it change my existing Xero data?
Hour Cap creates draft invoices and contacts you choose to add. When you request a void from Hour Cap, it checks the invoice in Xero and deletes an eligible draft or voids an eligible authorised invoice. You review and send invoices from Xero.
Can my whole team use the Xero integration?
Yes. One team member connects the Xero account and it's shared across your organisation. Everyone can track time, and managers can create and push invoices to Xero. Role-based access controls who can manage the Xero connection and invoice settings.
How much does the Xero integration cost?
The Xero integration is included on Team and Business at no extra cost beyond your plan. There are no per-invoice fees or API usage charges. See our pricing page for full details.
Where can I find help with the integration?
Visit our Xero integration support page for detailed guides on connecting, configuring, and troubleshooting the integration. If you need further help, contact us at [email protected].
Start Xero time tracking today
Free to get started. No credit card needed. Connect Xero on any paid plan.