Technology Tools for Project and Time Management in Consultancy
Published: 10/02/2025
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This article will explore the role of technology tools for project and time management. The focus will be on explaining their impact on consultancies that are either aiming to scale or are adjusting to recent growth.
Time management is one of the key building blocks when it comes to delivering projects. In fact, project management as a concept could not exist without it revolving around smart time distribution and controlled expenditure. However, to meet today’s demands, consultancies often undergo rapid scaling and quickly find themselves incapable of living up to the standards. Both project and time management become complex tasks when the work volumes increase steeply. But fret not - there are tools to help you tackle these issues.
Further in this article, we will discuss the impact technology tools for project and time management have on consultancies. In addition to that, we will share some examples of how Timesheet Portal specifically delivers the benefits in question and what sets our platform apart from similar solutions.
The most common tool for project time management is timesheets. Consultancies, however, often utilise desktop-based time trackers too. No matter the solution, however, as long as it records the time spent on specific tasks, it is suitable for managing time when delivering a project. However, it would be an entirely different debate if we were to discuss and compare the efficiency of different tools.
Without delving too deep into that topic, the common attribute of efficient time management solutions is that they are digital and often built on a SaaS model. They are the type of tools we will be discussing further in this article.
Project management software is no longer a nice-to-have for a modern-day consultant but an irreplaceable tool. Like a construction firm can’t run without power tools, a consultancy won’t be able to function without the right equipment.
Ensuring smooth collaboration and communication outlets is crucial for consultancies, especially if they run on a hybrid model. Additionally, consultancies that employ both full-time and external workers face the challenge of bridging the gap between them. Technology tools for project and time management are perfectly suited for these tasks. However, to understand how they’re addressing the issues at hand, you need to look a little deeper than the obvious. These solutions seldom serve as means for direct communication, e.g. instant messengers. Instead, they enable collaboration by granting visibility of individual progress, overall progress, changes implemented, budget spent, time taken and other metrics. Such a centralised view leads to better efficiency and improved internal communication.
For example, using Timesheet Portal, your teams can see their work hours and focus on tasks. Additionally, they can track expenses incurred, their clock-in/out times and many more. It also speeds up various processes, such as timesheet approval. Instead of logging into the system, Timesheet Portal users can approve or reject timesheets directly from their email inbox and even add comments if needed.
As we’ve touched upon centralisation, it’s important to discuss its effect on resource allocation, another factor that’s vital for securing smooth and efficient project delivery. Consultancies often juggle several projects simultaneously with a limited workforce, therefore, being smart in task distribution, priorities, and time management is crucial. With the heightened demands of today, it can’t be done without the aid of digital tools.
The market for technology tools for project and time management is densely populated and can be hard to navigate. Thankfully, some solutions include multiple modules within one platform. For example, in Timesheet Portal, you can find timesheets, billing, payroll, holiday management, expenses, onboarding and several other features. This means you can achieve better resource allocation by employing just one tool instead of multiple.
To an extent, every business is already utilising some kind of automation. When it comes to project management specifically, a mindful addition of it, alongside optimisation over time, can truly enhance your business. Some results will be immediate, and some will manifest with time. Let’s talk about them.
The common point made in supporting automation is that it helps your teams to save time. And while it is, indeed, very important, another equally vital benefit gets overlooked. The time automation frees up should be used to analyse data that reveals opportunities and gaps and then facilitate addressing them most optimally and efficiently. The best part is you don’t have to go extra to source that data - automated processes will deliver it straight to you in a digestible format.
The ability to make informed decisions is essential in not just sustaining but scaling and growing your business. It allows you to plan ahead with accurate forecasts as a foundation, considering different possible scenarios and preparing for potential challenges beforehand. Decisions, especially based on data, will then become the stepping stone for other vital processes we’ve already discussed - resource allocation, collaborations and many others.
Adding automation to project management is a long-term solution that will help your business grow, develop, and improve practically limitlessly. Technology tools for project and time management usually include multiple automation options. How you use and shift these options is up to you—there is no ‘correct’ setup, as your optimal solution will depend on your goals, processes, and readiness. The best part is that the initial settings are not permanent and can be changed at any time.
The flexibility in determining the best setup makes automation crucial for sustaining scaling. It allows the business to be optimised in accordance with its challenges. This, in turn, makes solutions like the Timesheet Portal crucial to companies that wish to remain competitive, continue scaling, and deliver better projects over time. It’s an investment that’s guaranteed to pay off.
As we’ve discussed throughout this article, digital tools will help your efforts in both sustaining and growing a consulting business through bettering project management. As a final part, we want to zoom in on time tracking tools specifically, and the benefits they bear towards more efficient time distribution.
Although timesheets are a time-proven method of keeping track of business’ time expenditures, the traditional approach does not meet modern requirements. On top of calculating client charges and employee compensation, today, they are expected to fulfil more functions when it comes to project management. That said, neither paper timesheets nor Excel spreadsheets are fit for the job, and you need a more robust solution.
Despite its name, Timesheet Portal is more than a time tracking tool. Covering most of the project management needs, such as billing, holiday management, reporting, extensive customisation, expense management and many others, our platform grows alongside you. A hefty list of integrations expands the options for automation, as well as unlocks new data that may lead you to the next big opportunity. And, of course, the timesheets themselves are designed to accommodate the most unique needs. Being fully customisable, they can be shaped into what you need them to be, be it calculating differentiating rates or implementing time rules. Timesheet Portal puts you in control and takes you to success.
Adding digital tools to your consultancy is bound to support your project and time management efforts. Namely, SaaS technology will help you leverage them both by creating a centralised collaboration environment in which the focal point is visibility. A shared understanding of time and budget expenditure will naturally lead to better resource allocation and more efficient teamwork. Additionally, thorough time and progress tracking grants the flexibility of shifting things around to achieve the best outcomes.
Technology tools allow you to introduce partial or complete automation to your processes, both freeing up your team’s time and recording valuable information. The latter is crucial for making informed decisions when deciding the direction the stand-alone projects or the whole consultancy will be taking. From quick wins to ongoing optimisation, correct digital tools can transform your entire business. And Timesheet Portal, with its numerous modules and integrations, is certainly one of them.
Why not give it a shot? Try Timesheet Portal for free.