Automated FreshBooks Invoicing from Clockify Time Entries (n8n)

Streamline billing by automatically synchronizing tracked billable hours into FreshBooks draft invoices using n8n.

Tools: Clockify → FreshBooks

Platform: n8n

Short Answer

Users get a fully automated bridge where every stopped timer in Clockify immediately creates or updates a record in FreshBooks. This ensures 100% billing accuracy, consistent project naming conventions, and real-time visibility into pending revenue without manual intervention.

The Problem

Manual data entry between time trackers and accounting software often leads to 'leaky' billable hours, incorrect rate applications, and administrative burnout. Small agencies and freelancers frequently lose hours of productive time simply re-typing Clockify descriptions into FreshBooks invoice lines.

The Outcome

Users get a fully automated bridge where every stopped timer in Clockify immediately creates or updates a record in FreshBooks. This ensures 100% billing accuracy, consistent project naming conventions, and real-time visibility into pending revenue without manual intervention.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. **Establish Credentials**: In n8n, go to 'Credentials' and add 'Clockify API' (using your API Key from Profile Settings) and 'FreshBooks OAuth2' (requires creating an app in the FreshBooks Developer Portal). 2. **Configure Clockify Trigger**: Add the 'Clockify Trigger' node. Set the 'Resource' to 'Time Entry' and 'Event' to 'Created'. Ensure the 'Workspace ID' is correctly selected. 3. **Add Filter Node**: Connect an 'IF' node to check if `{{ $node["Clockify Trigger"].json["billable"] }}` is equal to `true`. This prevents non-billable internal work from cluttering your accounting. 4. **Data Transformation (Duration)**: Clockify sends duration as an ISO 8601 string or seconds. Add a 'Code' node to convert this to decimal hours for FreshBooks using: `return [{ json: { hours: (item.json.timeInterval.duration_seconds / 3600).toFixed(2) } }];`. 5. **Client Look-up**: Add a 'FreshBooks' node, action 'Get Many' for 'Client'. Use a 'Filter' or n8n expression to match the Clockify client name/email with existing FreshBooks records. 6. **Logical Branching**: Add an 'IF' node to check if the FreshBooks Client ID exists. If not, add another FreshBooks node to 'Create Client'. 7. **Create Time Entry/Invoice Item**: Add a FreshBooks node. Select the action 'Create' for the 'Time Entry' resource. Map the decimal hours from Step 4 and the description from Step 2. 8. **Duplicate Handling**: Use a 'Wait' node or a 'Check Document' step if syncing in batches to ensure the same `clockify_id` hasn't been processed in the last 60 seconds. 9. **Error Handling**: Create an 'Error Trigger' workflow or use the 'On Error' -> 'Continue' setting on the FreshBooks node to catch API rate limits. 10. **Enable Workflow**: Save the workflow and toggle the 'Active' switch. n8n will now listen for the Clockify Webhook.