ClickTime Connections let your organization connect external tools like Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Jira, and GitHub to ClickTime. Once connected, employees can use the Connections panel in Day View to review tracked events or activities and turn them into time entries more quickly.
Important: ClickTime Connections are only available when your account meets specific setup requirements. Connections are currently used from Personal > Day View, where employees can open the Connections panel from the left side of the page.
Jump to
- What ClickTime Connections are
- Before you begin
- Plan Availability and User Scope
- Where to find ClickTime Connections
- Set up a Connection
- Connect Google Calendar
- Connect Microsoft Outlook
- Connect Jira
- Connect GitHub
- Use Connections in Day View
- Enable Smart Matching
- Duration Matching
- Auto-Import
- Turn Off Connections and AI Recommendations
- Troubleshooting
What ClickTime Connections are
ClickTime Connections bring activity from supported external tools into ClickTime so employees can create time entries with less manual work.
Depending on which Connections are enabled for your organization, employees may see:
- Google Calendar events
- Microsoft Outlook calendar events
- Jira issues and activity
- GitHub issues and activity
These items appear in the Connections panel within Day View, where users can review tracked activity and create time entries from it.
Before you begin
For ClickTime Connections to appear on the Company > Integrations page, your account must meet all of the following requirements:
- Clients cannot be hidden in time entry
- Tasks cannot be hidden in time entry
- No required custom fields can be set for time entry
- Sub-jobs must be disabled
- Required stopwatch on time entries must be disabled
- DCAA compliance mode cannot be enabled
If your account does not meet these requirements, the Connection cards will not appear under Company > Integrations.
If you meet the requirements and would like to move forward, Connections will need to be enabled on your account by a ClickTime Support Team member. Please reach out to support@clicktime.com to get started.
Plan Availability and User Scope
Subscription: Connections and AI features are available to organizations on a Team plan or higher, including the Nonprofit Team plan. If you're not sure which plan you're on, contact Support at support@clicktime.com and we'll confirm.
User scope: Connections is enabled at the company level, not per user. Once enabled, all users will be able to see the feature — it can't be limited to a subset of users. Employees who don't want to use it simply don't connect their accounts or import activity.
Where to find ClickTime Connections
ClickTime Connections involve two different areas of ClickTime:
- Reach out to ClickTime Support (support@clicktime.com), there is a ClickTime controlled permission your account needs to be added to for Connections and Smart matching
- Admins set up Connections from: Company > Integrations
- Employees use Connections from: Personal > Day View
After a Connection has been enabled, employees can open the Connections panel from the left side of Day View.
Set up a Connection
Each supported Connection is set up from the Company > Integrations page. Your organization can enable more than one Connection at the same time.
Currently supported ClickTime Connections include:
- Google Calendar
- Microsoft Outlook
- Jira
- GitHub
Once enabled, employees will see activity from whichever supported tools are active for their organization.
Connect Google Calendar
Connecting Google Calendar allows calendar events to appear in the Connections panel in Day View.
Google Calendar is connected through a ClickTime app in the Google Workspace Marketplace. A Google Workspace admin installs the app once, then completes the connection from ClickTime. Other users do not need to install anything and will not see this step when using Connections.
To connect Google Calendar:
- Go to Company > Integrations.
- Locate the Google Calendar card and click Connect.
- In the Connect Google Calendar window, click Install ClickTime app. The Google Workspace Marketplace opens in a new tab.
- In the Marketplace, install the ClickTime app, then return to the ClickTime tab.
- Enter the email address you used to install the app.
- Click Connect.
When the connection is complete, the Google Calendar card shows an Active status, and a Disconnect option becomes available.
- Add this Google Workspace admin as an Administrator in ClickTime
- Have them complete the connection steps above
- Once the connection is in place, if this individual no longer needs to access ClickTime, inactivate their user (the connection will remain in place)
Connect Microsoft Outlook
Connecting Microsoft Outlook allows Outlook calendar events to appear in the Connections panel in Day View.
To connect Microsoft Outlook:
- Go to Company > Integrations.
- Locate the Outlook card.
- Click Connect.
- Enter the required Tenant ID, if prompted.
- Complete the Microsoft sign-in and approval flow.
Important: The person setting up the Outlook Connection must have the appropriate Microsoft administrator privileges. Some organizations may see a Microsoft approval message indicating that admin approval is required before the Connection can be completed.
Connect Jira
Connecting Jira allows Jira issues and activity to appear in the Connections panel in Day View.
To connect Jira:
- Go to Company > Integrations.
- Locate the Jira card.
- Click Connect.
- Enter your Atlassian subdomain, if prompted.
- Complete the Jira / Atlassian OAuth authorization flow.
After setup is complete, users can review relevant Jira activity directly from the Connections panel in Day View.
Connect GitHub
Connecting GitHub allows GitHub issues and activity to appear in the Connections panel in Day View.
To connect GitHub:
- Go to Company > Integrations.
- Locate the GitHub integration card.
- Click Connect.
- In the GitHub authentication window, click Connect.
- If prompted, select the GitHub account or organization where you would like to install ClickTime.
- Review the requested permissions, choose the repositories you would like ClickTime to access, and click Install & Authorize.
Once setup is complete, GitHub activity can appear in the Connections panel within Personal > Day View, where users can create time entries manually or use Smart Matching and Auto-Import when enabled.
Use Connections in Day View
After one or more Connections have been enabled, employees can use them from Personal > Day View.
- Open Personal > Day View.
- Click Connections from the left side of the page.
- Review the tracked items shown in the panel.
- Select an item and click Add Time Entry.
- If Auto-Import is enabled for your organization, click Auto-Import to import all eligible Connections activity at once.
- Review the project, task, hours, and other entry details.
- Save the time entry.
Depending on the active Connection, users may see tracked items under sections such as:
- Events for calendar-based activity
- Activities for Jira-based items
Items that have already been used to create time entries may display an Imported indicator in the panel.
If more than one Connection is enabled, users can see activity from multiple tools in the same Connections panel.
Enable Smart Matching (BETA)
Smart Matching is an optional feature that uses AI to suggest which ClickTime Project and Task should be used when a user converts a connected event or activity into a time entry.
To use Smart Matching, AI recommendations must be enabled for your account. Before you can turn on AI recommendation under Company > Preferences, ClickTime Support needs to enable this feature for your account. Please reach out to support@clicktime.com when you are ready to proceed.
Once ClickTime Support has enabled this, perform the following:
- Turn on the AI recommendation setting in Company > Preferences
When Smart Matching is enabled:
- ClickTime can suggest up to three Project matches
- The top Project match is preselected
- ClickTime can also suggest up to three Task matches
- If a user changes a suggested Project or Task, the system can learn from that selection over time
Smart Matching is optional. Connections can still be used normally without it, and users can manually select their Project and Task when creating time entries.
How does Matching Work?
Smart Matching uses a sophisticated matching system to automatically connect calendar events to the correct ClickTime Project and Task. This system processes events through a series of "Tiers" moving from high-confidence historical matches to AI-assisted predictions.
The platform evaluates events against six distinct tiers to find the most accurate match. The process stops as soon as a strong match is identified.
| Tier | Name | Description | Confidence |
| 1 | Your History | Matches based on a recurring meeting you have personally classified before. | Very High (99%) |
| 1.5 | Colleague History | Matches based on how a teammate has previously classified the same shared meeting series. | High (90%) |
| 2 | Exact Name Match | The calendar event text matches a job name exactly, word-for-word. | Very High (98%) |
| 2.1 | Keyword Match | Keywords in the event match a job name, job notes, or client information. | High (80-90%) |
| 2.5 | AI Tiebreaker | Used when multiple jobs match at the same level; AI selects the best fit based on context. | Moderate-High |
| 3 | Meaning Match | AI compares the overall concept of the event (e.g., "Client Onboarding") to available jobs. | Moderate (70%+) |
| 4 | AI Best Guess | A final attempt where AI makes an educated guess based on weak matches and event details. | Lower (60%+) |
For every event, Smart Matching provides a prediction that includes up to three suggested jobs and a suggested task.
- Accepting Predictions: Users can accept a match with a single click from the connections modal. Once accepted, future occurrences of that meeting are automatically matched at Tier 1.
- Rejecting Predictions: If a prediction is incorrect, users should reject it and select the correct job manually. This provides immediate feedback to the system, improving the accuracy of the very next classification.
- Low Confidence: Tier 3 and Tier 4 matches may show a low confidence score, indicating the system is making an educated guess that requires closer user review.
- No Match: If the event text is too vague (e.g., "Sync") or unique, the system may not find a match. In these cases, the user must classify the event manually.
Duration Matching (BETA)
Duration Matching is an enhancement to Smart Matching that estimates how much time was spent completing work in supported connected applications, such as Jira and GitHub.
Unlike a calendar event, which has a scheduled start and end time, Duration Matching estimates the amount of actual work effort behind an activity. This helps imported time entries arrive with a more realistic duration and reduces the amount of manual editing needed before saving.
When available, Duration Matching can help:
- Estimate actual work effort rather than elapsed time.
- Use supported activity from connected applications to suggest a duration.
- Work alongside Smart Matching to recommend a Project, Task, and estimated hours for imported activities.
- Avoid counting the same work twice when related activity appears in more than one connected application, such as a Jira issue linked to a GitHub pull request.
Users can review and adjust the suggested duration before saving their time entry.
Auto-Import (BETA)
Auto-Import is a ClickTime AI for Connections feature that imports eligible Connections activity into the time entry grid with one click. When enabled, the Auto-Import button appears in Personal > Day View where Quick Day would normally appear.
Auto-Import is controlled at the company level. Administrators can enable it from Company > Preferences > Time Entry Controls by selecting Replace Quick Day / Quick Week with Auto-Import within Time Entry.
To use Auto-Import:
- Open Personal > Day View.
- Click Connections from the left side of the page to review tracked activity.
- Click Auto-Import.
ClickTime imports eligible Connections cards into the time entry grid. Cards import in the order they appear in the Connections sidebar. During the import, the grid is temporarily unavailable until the import is complete.
After import, the time entries appear in the grid and imported cards display an Imported status in the Connections sidebar.
Auto-Import imports Connections cards that have at least one Smart Match, such as:
- A Client or Project match
- A Task match
- A Duration match
Cards without a match remain in the Connections sidebar so users can review and add them manually. If the time entry grid already has an entry that matches a Connections card, ClickTime keeps the existing entry and imports only non-conflicting cards.
If a user deletes an auto-imported time entry, the original card returns to the Connections sidebar so it can be added again if needed.
Turn Off Connections and AI Recommendations
If you no longer want to use Connections, Smart Matching, or Auto-Import, you can disable them at any time. There are three levels of "off," depending on how far you want to go:
- Stop AI recommendations (Smart Matching): Go to Company > Preferences > General Information and clear "Enable ClickTime to Utilize AI for Intelligent Data Recommendations." Connections will still appear, but ClickTime will no longer suggest Projects or Tasks.
- Turn off Auto-Import: Go to Company > Preferences > Time Entry Controls and clear "Replace Quick Day / Quick Week with Auto-Import within Time Entry." This restores Quick Day / Quick Week.
- Disconnect a tool entirely: Go to Company > Integrations and select the connected integration. A Disconnect button becomes available for any tool that's currently connected — click it to revoke ClickTime's access to that tool. Its activity will stop appearing in the Connections panel.
Troubleshooting
Why don’t I see Google Calendar, Outlook, Jira, or GitHub under Company > Integrations?
Check the account requirements listed in the Before you begin section above. If any of those settings are not met, the Connection cards will not appear.
Why are employees not seeing the Connections panel in Day View?
Confirm that the Connection has already been enabled from Company > Integrations, and make sure the employee is using Personal > Day View.
Why aren’t all of my calendar events showing up right away?
After a Connection is enabled, syncing begins right away, and events appear in the Connections panel as they are brought over. Because events sync in the background, it can take some time for all of them to appear, particularly for larger organizations with a high volume of events. If some events are not visible immediately after connecting, allow the sync some time to continue and they should keep populating.
Why is Outlook asking for admin approval?
Some Microsoft environments require tenant-level approval before the Outlook Connection can be authorized. In those cases, the person completing setup must have the necessary Microsoft administrator access.
Why am I being asked for a Tenant ID when connecting Outlook?
Some Outlook setup flows require the Microsoft Tenant ID to identify the organization during connection.
Why am I being asked for a subdomain when connecting Jira?
The Jira Connection may require your Atlassian subdomain so ClickTime can connect to the correct Jira instance before authorization.
Why don’t I see the Google Workspace Marketplace step when connecting Google Calendar?
The Marketplace app install is completed once by a Google Workspace admin. Other users do not install anything and will not see this step. If you are an admin and the Install ClickTime app button does not open the Marketplace, confirm you are signed in with your Google Workspace admin account.
Can my organization enable more than one Connection?
Yes. Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Jira, and GitHub can be enabled independently, and users can see activity from whichever supported Connections are active.
Why don’t I see Auto-Import in Day View?
Auto-Import appears only when your organization has enabled Replace Quick Day / Quick Week with Auto-Import within Time Entry in Company > Preferences > Time Entry Controls. If Auto-Import is not enabled, your organization may still see Quick Day / Quick Week instead.
Why were some Connections cards not imported?
Auto-Import only imports cards that have at least one Smart Match, such as a Client/Project, Task, or Duration match. Cards that do not have a match remain in the Connections sidebar for manual review.
What happens if I delete an auto-imported time entry?
Deleting an auto-imported entry returns the original card to the Connections sidebar so it can be added again if needed.
Why isn’t Smart Matching available for my account?
Smart Matching requires AI recommendations to be enabled in Company > Preferences and also requires an internal enablement step by ClickTime Support. If you have already enabled the setting in Company Preferences and still do not see Smart Matching, please contact Support.
Can I connect an on-premises Exchange server instead of cloud-based Outlook?
Connections is built around cloud-based Microsoft 365 / Outlook. If your organization runs an on-premises Exchange server, compatibility needs to be evaluated by your own IT team against the Outlook requirements in the setup section above, since that side of the authentication is internal to your environment. If your IT team confirms the environment is supported, follow the standard Outlook connection steps.
Comments
0 comments
Article is closed for comments.