Quick Answer
The Harvest Basecamp integration is a native connection that lets you track billable hours directly inside Basecamp to-dos to simplify project budgeting and team reporting. It is designed for operations and marketing teams at small-to-mid B2B companies who manage client work in Basecamp and need precise time tracking and invoicing capabilities from Harvest.
Harvest vs. Basecamp Comparison
| Feature / Detail | Harvest | Basecamp | Role in This Integration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Time Tracking | Project Management | Combines time tracking with project execution |
| Starting Price | $12 per user/month, billed monthly (Pro plan) | $15 per user/month, billed monthly (Basecamp plan) | — |
| Core Features | One-click timer tracking, Invoicing and online payments, Team capacity monitoring, Expense tracking and reporting, Visual project budget alerts | Message boards for announcements, To-do lists with assignees, Shared schedule and calendar, Group chat and pings, Docs and files storage | — |
| Role in This Integration | Houses the billable hours, project budgets, and invoicing engine | Houses the tasks, to-do lists, and team collaboration spaces | Provides the workspace where timers can run directly against tasks |
Why Use the Harvest Basecamp Integration
When running client projects, keeping billable hours aligned with daily task execution can quickly become a manual chore. The primary advantage of connecting these platforms is bridging the gap between daily task completion and high-level financial oversight.
By bringing Harvest timers into Basecamp, team members do not need to switch between tabs or applications just to log the time they spend on a specific client request. Project managers gain immediate visibility into how project budgets are burning in Harvest based on the work being checked off in Basecamp, leading to cleaner reporting and more accurate client invoices.
Step-by-Step Setup Guide
Step 1: Review Prerequisites
Before initiating the connection, ensure you have active administrator accounts for both Harvest and Basecamp. You will need permission to install integrations and link your projects between both systems.
Step 2: Establish the Native Integration
Navigate to the Harvest Integrations directory in your account settings to initiate the connection with Basecamp. Follow the on-screen authentication prompts to securely link your accounts, granting Harvest the necessary permissions to access your Basecamp projects and to-do lists.
Step 3: Map Projects and To-Dos
Once authorized, link your existing Harvest projects to the corresponding Basecamp projects. This mapping ensures that any time tracked against a Basecamp to-do accurately flows into the correct project budget and client profile inside Harvest.
Step 4: Test the Connection
Create a test to-do inside Basecamp, open the Harvest timer integration interface, and log a few minutes of time against that task. Verify that the time entry successfully appears on your Harvest timesheet and correctly updates the project metrics.
Step 5: Go Live and Train Your Team
Notify your team that the integration is active. Show them how to use the Harvest timer directly from their Basecamp to-dos so that time tracking becomes a seamless part of their daily routine.
Common Troubleshooting Issues
Timers not appearing in Basecamp to-dos
- Symptom: Team members cannot find the Harvest timer option next to their Basecamp to-dos.
- Likely Cause: The native integration has not been fully authorized or the specific user lacks permissions in one of the platforms.
- Fix: Revisit your Harvest integration settings, re-authenticate the Basecamp connection, and ensure the user accounts are linked properly.
Time logged to the wrong project
- Symptom: Billable hours are showing up under an incorrect client or project code in Harvest.
- Likely Cause: The Basecamp project was mapped incorrectly to the Harvest project list during setup.
- Fix: Go to your integration settings, check the project mapping configurations, and reassign the Basecamp project to its correct Harvest counterpart.
Budget alerts not updating
- Symptom: Harvest visual project budget alerts do not reflect the hours recently logged via Basecamp.
- Likely Cause: Data synchronization between the two tools is experiencing a temporary delay.
- Fix: Refresh your Harvest timesheet view, check that the timer entry was saved completely, and allow a few moments for the metrics to recalculate.
Missing to-do lists in Harvest
- Symptom: Certain Basecamp lists or tasks are not selectable when attempting to log time.
- Likely Cause: The project containing those to-dos was excluded or not selected during the initial integration sync.
- Fix: Open your integration preferences in Harvest and verify that all active Basecamp projects and task lists are checked and included in the sync.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Harvest integrate natively with Basecamp?
Yes, the connection is a Native Integration built to allow seamless time tracking directly within your project management workflows. You do not need third-party automation tools to link the two platforms together.
How do I track time on Basecamp to-dos using Harvest?
Once the native connection is established, team members can use the integrated Harvest timer directly inside their Basecamp to-do items. This records billable hours without requiring users to manually jump back and forth between applications.
What is the pricing for the Harvest Basecamp integration?
To use their native integration features, you need active subscriptions for both platforms. Harvest starts at $12 per user/month, billed monthly (Pro plan), and Basecamp starts at $15 per user/month, billed monthly (Basecamp plan).
Can I track expenses as well as time through this integration?
While time tracking is handled directly inside Basecamp to-dos, expense tracking and reporting are managed natively within Harvest. You can still track expenses in Harvest, but that specific feature operates independently of the Basecamp task interface.
Will my clients see my Harvest timers inside Basecamp?
Harvest timers and tracking features are typically visible only to internal team members who have permission to log time on the project. Client access within Basecamp remains governed by your standard permission settings.
Does the Harvest Basecamp integration support project budgets?
Yes, tracking time directly against Basecamp to-dos allows your logged hours to immediately feed into Harvest’s visual project budget alerts. This helps operations teams catch budget overruns early before they impact client profitability.
Get Started Today
Ready to streamline your time tracking and project management? Start your trial of each tool below to set up your workflow:
- Try Harvest
- Try Basecamp
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