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Time Tracking Software for Animation Studios
Animation projects involve extensive pre-production, frame-by-frame work, and lengthy rendering processes that can be difficult to track accurately. Professional time tracking helps animation studios bill correctly for storyboarding, animation, rendering, and post-production while maintaining profitability on animation projects.
Time Tracking Built for Animation Studios
Why Animation Studios Need Better Time Tracking
Animation and motion graphics studios creating 2D/3D content, explainer videos, and visual effects.
Tracking time spent on storyboarding, concept development, and pre-production planning
Measuring hours for actual animation work, frame-by-frame creation, and rigging
Capturing time for rendering, which can take hours or days for complex projects
Documenting hours spent on revisions, compositing, and final delivery
How AgencyPro Solves Time Tracking for Animation Studios
Smart time tracking with project-level timers, billable/non-billable categorization, and team timesheets.
Track time by animation phase (pre-production, animation, rendering, post-production) for detailed billing
Monitor time spent per project phase to optimize pricing and identify bottlenecks
Categorize time by role (animator, rigger, compositor, render wrangler) for crew cost analysis
Generate reports showing time allocation across projects and phases for profitability insights
Key Benefits for Animation Studios
Capture Every Billable Hour
Multiple tracking methods — timers, manual entry, and weekly timesheets — ensure no billable work goes unrecorded. Integration with project tasks means time is always allocated correctly.
Real-Time Retainer Visibility
Monitor how many retainer hours each client has used in real-time. Get alerts before clients exceed their allocations so you can manage scope and expectations proactively.
Accurate Project Costing
Understand the true cost of every project by tracking time at the task and phase level. Compare estimated hours versus actual to improve future project pricing and estimates.
Team Productivity Insights
See billable utilization rates per team member, identify capacity for new work, and understand how time is distributed across clients and project types.
How It Works
Track Animation Phases
Start timers for storyboarding, animation, rendering, or post-production work with automatic project and phase categorization.
Monitor Render Time
Track render time separately from active animation work, as rendering often happens unattended and can take significant time.
Bill and Analyze
Export time data to invoices showing exactly what animation work was performed, with detailed breakdowns by phase and role.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do we track render time that happens overnight or unattended?
Use automated render tracking that monitors render farm activity or set up timers that can run unattended. The system tracks render time separately from active work time, ensuring all rendering hours are captured even when no one is actively working. Many animation studios bill render time at a different rate or include it in project estimates.
Can we track time separately for 2D vs 3D animation work?
Yes, you can create separate time categories for different animation types (2D, 3D, stop-motion, motion graphics). This helps you understand how much time each type takes and price your animation services more accurately. Different animation styles have vastly different time requirements and should be priced accordingly.
How do we handle time tracking for animation revisions that require re-rendering?
Track all revision time, including time spent making changes and any additional render time required. The system allows you to see time spent per revision round, helping you identify clients who require excessive revisions and adjust your pricing or revision policies accordingly. Re-rendering can be costly and should be tracked separately.
What about tracking time for rigging and character setup?
Create separate categories for technical setup work (rigging, character setup, pipeline development) versus actual animation work. Rigging can take significant time and is often billed separately or included in project setup fees. Tracking this time helps you understand the true cost of animation projects and price them accurately.
Time Tracking for Other Industries
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Pay-per-click agencies managing Google Ads, Meta Ads, and multi-platform paid advertising campaigns.
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Agencies managing social content, community engagement, and social advertising across platforms.
Time Tracking Software for Content Agencies
Content marketing firms producing blogs, whitepapers, video scripts, and editorial content for brands.
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Public relations firms managing media outreach, crisis communications, and brand reputation.
More AgencyPro Solutions for Animation Studios
Invoicing Software for Animation Studios
Professional invoicing with time-to-invoice automation, multiple payment gateways, and branded invoice delivery.
Client Portal for Animation Studios
Branded client-facing portal for project updates, file sharing, approvals, and transparent communication.
Project Management Software for Animation Studios
Agency-focused project management with task boards, deadlines, team assignments, and client collaboration.
CRM Software for Animation Studios
Client relationship management built for service businesses with deal pipeline, contact management, and client lifecycle tracking.
Reporting & Analytics Software for Animation Studios
Real-time dashboards and automated reports covering revenue, profitability, utilization, and project performance.
Recurring Billing Software for Animation Studios
Automated subscription and retainer billing with payment processing, dunning management, and revenue recognition.
Track Animation Time Precisely
Ensure every hour of animation work is properly tracked and billed. Improve your animation studio's profitability with accurate time tracking.