The hours and the invoice, in one place. With GST worked out.
In most agencies the timesheet lives in one app, the invoice in another, and a spreadsheet sits between them where hours are copied, priced and checked by hand. Ancor joins the two: the team logs time against the work, a manager approves the week, and the invoice is drafted from those hours with GST applied.
Last reviewed: 23 October 2026
What does timesheet and invoicing software do for an agency?
It turns the hours your team logs into the invoice your client pays, without retyping. In Ancor, hours are logged on tasks with a timer or by hand, submitted and approved weekly, priced from the client's rate card, and drafted into a GST invoice with CGST and SGST or IGST by place of supply. Each billed hour is tied to its invoice line, so it cannot be billed twice. The same hours drive project margin, so you see what the work cost before you send the bill.
From a logged hour to a paid invoice in five steps.
- Log. A timer on every task, manual entry for the time someone forgot, and reminders for people who have not logged.
- Approve. Each person submits the week; a manager approves or sends it back, and approved weeks lock. Ancor also shows how late and how rounded each person's entries are.
- Draft. On a time-and-materials engagement, choose a date range and preview the unbilled hours and their value. Each hour is priced from the client's rate card, then your default rate card, then the project rate.
- Invoice. GSTIN, HSN or SAC codes and the CGST and SGST or IGST split are applied, and INR invoices with a balance carry a UPI QR. Credit notes reverse an invoice cleanly.
- Follow to cash. Chase drafts follow each client's payment habit, and you approve before anything is sent. Invoices, credit notes and payments export to TallyPrime as XML or CSV.
A timer app plus an invoicing app, or one record.
| Step | Timesheet app + invoicing app | Ancor |
|---|---|---|
| Hours reach the invoice | Exported or synced, then priced | Drafted from the unbilled hours on the project |
| Only approved hours billed | Depends on how the two are set up | Yes, when timesheet approvals are on |
| Hours billed once | Checked by hand | Each hour linked to its invoice line |
| GST split by place of supply | In the invoicing app, if it is Indian | CGST and SGST or IGST worked out on the draft |
| Project margin from the same hours | A third tool or a spreadsheet | Live, from cost rates |
| Fixed fee and retainers | Usually a separate process | Milestone drafts and retainer overage drafts |
| Into the books | Depends on the invoicing app | TallyPrime export; Zoho Books payments read in |
Honest limits, before you trial.
- You only need a timer. If you invoice from another system and do not need margin, capacity or approvals, a dedicated time tracker such as Harvest is simpler. See Ancor vs Harvest.
- You want GST filing and e-invoicing in the same tool. Ancor does not file returns or generate IRN e-invoices. Zoho Books or Tally handle that.
- Card payments with automatic paid status. The UPI QR has no payment gateway behind it; you record the payment when it lands.
- Expenses re-billed with markup. Project expenses count in margin but are not pulled into the invoice automatically.
Timesheets to invoices. The questions worth asking first.
Is there timesheet and invoicing software for agencies that handles GST?
Yes. Ancor keeps timesheets and GST invoicing in one system for Indian agencies. Hours are logged against tasks, approved weekly, and drafted into an invoice with CGST and SGST or IGST worked out by place of supply, HSN or SAC codes and your GSTIN. Invoices, credit notes and payments export to TallyPrime.
How do I stop billing the same hours twice?
In Ancor each billed hour is linked to the invoice line that billed it. Linked hours refuse edits or deletion, and they only become billable again if the draft is deleted or the invoice is cancelled with a credit note.
Can only approved hours be invoiced?
Yes. If timesheet approvals are switched on, only approved weeks count towards an invoice drafted from time. Approved weeks are locked, and unlocking one needs a separate permission.
Does it work for fixed-fee and retainer work too?
Yes. Time-and-materials engagements invoice from hours. Fixed-fee engagements raise milestone invoices for a percentage or an amount of the fee, never more than is left to bill. Retainers keep their own scheduled invoices with overage drafts. The hours still count against budget and margin in every model.
Does Ancor file GST returns or generate e-invoices?
No. Ancor raises GST invoices and credit notes and exports them to TallyPrime, and can read open invoices and payments from Zoho Books. Filing returns and IRN e-invoicing stay with your accountant and your accounting software.
How much does it cost?
Timesheets and invoicing are in every plan. Studio is ₹9,999 a month + GST for up to 10 people, Practice is ₹14,999 a month + GST for up to 20, and Atelier is ₹19,999 a month + GST for up to 30. One price per team, not per seat.