You can bill any time marked as billable in QuickBooks Online directly from Anchor.
Whether the entry was logged in QuickBooks Online, imported from QuickBooks Time, or synced from another time‑tracking app, you can add it to an invoice with a single click.
Here’s how to get set up and start invoicing time activities with just a few clicks.
Syncing Time Entries with Anchor
Make sure your QuickBooks Online integration is set up
Connect your Anchor account with QuickBooks Online.
In Integration Settings, turn on Display Billable Time Activities. This pulls in all existing billable time entries.
Verify time activities are marked billable in QuickBooks Online
Only time entries flagged as Billable in QuickBooks Online—whether they originate in QuickBooks Time, a third‑party tracker, or QuickBooks Online itself—will sync to Anchor.
Map Contacts and Services
Make sure every contact in Anchor is mapped to the matching customer in QuickBooks Online.
Map each Anchor service to its corresponding service item in QuickBooks Online. Proper mapping ensures each time entry shows up under the correct client and service in Anchor.
How to Bill Time Activities in Anchor
To invoice synced time activities:
Go to the Billing Hub for the relevant client.
Open the Billing Control.
Click Bill next to the applicable service.
Note: Only active services billed hourly or per unit can be linked to billable time.
Click Show Time Activities to open the billable time panel.
Select the time entries you want to include and add them to the invoice.
Each time activity will appear as a separate line item with details like notes, time duration, and service name.
Important:
Changes you make in Anchor (such as adjusting notes or quantity) won’t affect the original entry in QuickBooks Online.
Once the invoice is issued, the selected time activities become unavailable for future billing and are marked as Converted in QuickBooks Online.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What if I track time in another time-tracking tool or practice management system?
What if I track time in another time-tracking tool or practice management system?
If you're using a third-party tool to track time, just make sure the time is uploaded into QuickBooks Online as billable time activities. Once they're in QuickBooks Online and marked as billable, Anchor will automatically pull them in — no problem.
What happens if I add time activities that exceed the pre-approved amount for a service?
What happens if I add time activities that exceed the pre-approved amount for a service?
If time charges go beyond the pre-approved limit set in the agreement, Anchor will display a notice and require client approval before the invoice can be paid.
Which rate is used on the invoice—the one from Anchor or QuickBooks Online?
Which rate is used on the invoice—the one from Anchor or QuickBooks Online?
The invoice will always use the rate defined in the Anchor agreement, regardless of the rate in QuickBooks Online.
How can I remove a time entry from Anchor’s billable time panel?
How can I remove a time entry from Anchor’s billable time panel?
In QuickBooks Online, mark the time activity as non-billable, then refresh Anchor. It will automatically disappear from the panel.
What happens if the ‘Group Line Items’ setting is enabled?
What happens if the ‘Group Line Items’ setting is enabled?
In the Billing Hub, time activities are still shown as individual items. However, when the invoice is issued, multiple time entries will be grouped into one line item. You’ll still see a green link icon indicating the connection to the original time activity.
Can I bill time activities for completed services or add out-of-scope charges?
Can I bill time activities for completed services or add out-of-scope charges?
No. At this time, billing time activities isn’t supported for services marked as completed, and billable time can’t be used to represent out-of-scope work.
Can I edit scheduled but not yet issued invoices after adding time activities?
Can I edit scheduled but not yet issued invoices after adding time activities?
Yes, but with caution. Time activities in scheduled (but not yet issued) invoices remain in Open status in QuickBooks Online. If you must edit them:
1. Remove the time entry from the scheduled invoice in Anchor.
2. Edit it in QuickBooks Online.
3. Refresh Anchor and re-add the updated time entry to the invoice.