Kanban Time Tracking: What It Is and How It Works
Enhance your business with Kanban time tracking: discover what it is and how it helps streamline operations, improve planning accuracy, and control costs.
What Is Kanban Time Tracking?
Kanban time tracking is about combining workflow visualization (a Kanban board with tasks) with time measurement (how long each task takes). It gives businesses the clarity to optimize operations and deliver work more effectively.
Benefits of Kanban Time Tracking
There are many benefits of using the Kanban methodology in business workflows. Here are the ones we’d like to highlight:
Increased Transparency
Kanban displays all tasks on a board with their status, priority, and assigned team members, allowing team members and stakeholders to quickly track progress, identify bottlenecks, and understand the overall workflow.
Better Forecasting and Planning
Kanban enables more accurate forecasting and effective planning by providing clear insights into task progress, workflow capacity, and timelines.
Bottleneck Identification
By visually displaying where tasks accumulate or slow down, Kanban allows teams to address workflow issues promptly and maintain steady progress.
Improved Team Productivity
Kanban enhances team performance by streamlining workflows, limiting simultaneous tasks, and promoting efficient task completion.
Challenges Without Kanban Time Tracking
There can be challenges when a company doesn’t use the Kanban methodology. Here are some of the issues they may face:
Lack of Accountability
Tasks and responsibilities become unclear, leading to missed deadlines and lower team ownership.
Poor Project Forecasting
Without insights into task durations and workflow patterns, estimating project timelines becomes guesswork.
Hidden Bottlenecks
When work progress isn’t tracked, bottlenecks in the workflow remain invisible.
How to Implement Kanban Time Tracking in Your Team
When a company decides to implement Kanban time tracking into its teams’ workflow, it can follow the steps provided below to do it correctly:
Step 1 - Define Tracking Goals
First of all, a company should set its goals for using the Kanban methodology to its advantage.
Step 2 - Select the Right Kanban Time Tracker
Once goals are set, use a Kanban time tracker to estimate future tasks accurately with real-time data.
Step 3 - Train and Onboard the Team
Make your team understand and freely use Kanban time tracking in their everyday workflow.
Step 4 - Monitor, Review, and Optimize
Keep track of progress, review performance, and optimize workflows for maximum efficiency.
Best Practices for Kanban Time Tracking
Kanban time tracking works best when it’s consistent, automated, and focused on useful insights. By following the practices below, teams and organizations can increase efficiency, improve planning, and complete tasks on time.
Keep Tasks Manageable and Small
Break large tasks into smaller ones that can be completed in a few days or less, enhancing clarity, accelerating flow, and improving estimation.
Regularly Review Reports
When the work is done, regularly review Kanban reports to identify bottlenecks, measure performance, and improve planning.
Avoid Micromanagement
If you want to build trust, boost employee motivation, and encourage creativity, avoid micromanagement by using Kanban.
Kanban Time Tracking Tools and Software
Kanban time tracking tools, from built-in features in platforms to integrations, go beyond just showing tasks. They provide real data on effort and time, helping you bill accurately, spot inefficiencies, plan timelines, and improve workflow.
Manual vs. Automated Kanban Time Tracking
Manual Kanban time tracking: team members log the time they spend on tasks. It’s simple and flexible, making it suitable for small teams, but it can be error-prone and time-consuming.
Automated Kanban time tracking: time is automatically recorded when tasks move between columns or when timers are used. It saves effort, ensures accurate data, and provides real-time insights.
Popular Kanban Time Tracking Tools
Among the top Kanban time tracking tools you can find dedicated platforms like Kanban Tool, KanbanFlow, and Teamhood, as well as broader project management solutions like Wrike, and specialized time trackers like TMetric.
Kanban Time Tracking with TMetric
Set Up Kanban:
- In the tool you choose, create a board with columns (To Do → In Progress → Done). Each card is a task.
Integrate TMetric:
- Install the TMetric extension or use the native integration.
- Enable time tracking on tasks/cards.
Track Time:
- Start the timer when a task begins ("In Progress").
- Stop or pause when done or switching tasks.
- Move the card along the board.
Analyze & Report:
- Use TMetric reports to see time per task, team member, or project.
- Compare estimated vs actual time to optimize workflow.
Conclusion
Kanban time tracking monitors the time spent on tasks within a visual workflow. It helps teams improve productivity, plan better, and identify bottlenecks.