Entering time to an event will allow you to track progress for a job, or task. This time can then be used to automatically raise ian invoice for any of the contacts that are set up on the event.

Note that time billing must be enabled on your account. If you don't have the timer ticking in the job, please contact Pearl to request time billing.

To enter time for a job

There are a number of ways to allocate time spent working on a job.

Method 1 : Open the event to start the timer

• You can have multiple events open in different browser tabs if you need, and you can pause and restart the timer as you need.
• Use the buttons to enter time, type time in directly, or use the "copy time" button to add some time into the main time box.
• Save the event to save the time.
• Add "time notes" if required to justify this particular time chunk, for example "preparing spec".
• The time notes can later be pulled in to an invoice, independently of the main event notes.

Method 2 : Allocate time from the Call Manager

• Open the call manager from anywhere in Pearl using the blue telephone icon. This feature is only available with a CRM licence.
• Choose the job from the "bill to" menu and save the call manager window. Any notes you enter here will also be added to the job notes.

To bill from time on a job

Pearl will allow you to raise quotes and invoices (orders) directly from time added to a job or task.

1. Open the event, and click "Timesheet/bill client"
2. Select the times that you wish to bill for, choose the contact, the bill rate and click "Bill"

To enter time to a contact

1. Ensure that your CRM screen is set to display the timer and timesheet icons in the Home->My preferences screen.
2. Select a customer using the contacts quick search box
3. Click the clock icon to open the time window
4. Use the buttons to add time, or type it in directly. Add notes if you like.
5. Save the time. You can open multiple timer windows a the same time if required.

To bill from time on a contact

1. Find the contact using the quick search box and click the timesheet icon .
2. Tick the rows that you wish to bill for, choose a bill rate and click "Bill".
3. This will create a quote that you can then simply post to accounts in order to raise an invoice.

To cancel time billed

If you wish you can unlink the quote from the time, allowing you to bill the time again, perhaps including more time at a later date. Note that this will not delete the quote, you will have to do that manually. Open the timesheet for the contact, select the rows you wish to unbill, then click "un-bill".

Setting up your system

You can set each contact to have a default bill rate in the financial information tab in the contact edit screen.

You can also choose to bill using minimum time periods (6 minute units for example). This setting is in the Setup->Company defaults screen.