2020 Review of BigTime IQ Time and Billing

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From the 2020 reviews of Time & Billing systems.

BigTime IQ Time and Billing Software is well-suited for professional services firms, including CPA firms. BigTime IQ offers both affordability and scalability, with three plans available. Designed as a stand-alone time and billing application, BigTime IQ offers seamless integration with QuickBooks and Lacerte Tax applications.

BigTime IQ offers excellent reporting options in the Report Center.

BigTime IQ is a cloud-based application that provides easy time tracking, billing and invoicing, expense tracking, project management, and DCAA timekeeping features. Unlimited timers are also available in BigTime IQ, with the application offering a mobile app that syncs with the main application. BigTime IQ offers an intuitive user interface, with all data entry screens easily navigated.

BigTime IQ includes daily and weekly timesheet views. Users are able to create a custom work week if necessary, with weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly timesheet submission periods available. The application also offers automatic time entry rounding, with users able to lock timesheet periods to eliminate unauthorized changes.

BigTime IQ includes more than two dozen timesheet formats. A default timesheet format is automatically installed with the application, although users can change the default timesheet to better suit the needs of their firm. A mobile app is also available for on-the-go time tracking in which users are able to sync their recorded time with the application. In addition to tracking time, the mobile app also lets you snap a photo of an expense, which can later be added to any invoice or expense report.

BigTime IQ users can choose to customize invoice formats as needed, with a template editor included in the application. Numerous invoice options are available in BigTime IQ including time/expense invoices, monthly/recurring fee invoices, estimate based/fixed fee invoices, and a custom invoice option.

BigTime IQ supports multiple billing rates, with users able to set up a base rate for each client, as well as custom rates, with the custom rates able to be assigned to all staff, or just specific staff members. Flat rate, staff, and activity billing is available in the application, with time and materials invoicing available as well. Users can easily create an invoice as a draft, with the option to edit any draft invoice prior to finalizing. Invoices can be printed and mailed, or emailed to clients from BigTime IQ.

BigTime IQ offers excellent reporting options, with more than 150 standard reports included in the application. Report categories in BigTime IQ include Personal Reports, Job Reports, Staff Reports, Client Reports, Time/Expense Detail Reports, Task Management Reports, and System Management Reports. A reporting wizard is available in BigTime IQ, allowing users to easily customize any report, copy and edit an existing report, or create a report from scratch.  In addition, all BigTime IQ reports can be exported to Microsoft Excel or Word for further customization or saved in the application as a PDF. 

BigTime IQ offers excellent integration with a variety of third-party applications including QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online. BigTime IQ also integrates with Lacerte, Zapier, and Salesforce, and integration with Google Apps is also available.

BigTime IQ offers a searchable knowledgebase that includes a product introduction guide, as well as a step-by-step feature guide including short instructional videos. A YouTube channel is also available offering product demos and short webinars. Product support is available via email only during regular business hours, as is online chat support.  Premier subscribers are offered additional support options including extended support hours and access to the priority support queue. 

BigTime IQ is scalable, with three plans currently available:  Express, which is designed for 5 users and offers time tracking and mobile access, and currently runs $10 per user, per month with a minimum of 5 users; Pro, which is a 10-user system and includes budget and expense tracking, and currently runs $30 per user, per month with a minimum of 5 users; and Premier, which includes extended, priority support, and unlimited data retention and is currently priced at $40 per user, per month with a minimum of 10 users. BigTime IQ offers a free, 14-day trial for those interested in giving the product a test-drive before purchasing, with no credit card required. 

2020 Overall Rating: 5 Stars

Strengths:

·        Affordable for firms of any size

·         Easy product setup

·         Integrates with QuickBooks and Lacerte applications

Potential Weaknesses:

·         Limited integration with other applications

·         Probably not the best fit for larger firms due to limited integration options