# Configuring the time entry form

- URL: https://www.usewisecost.com/help/time-tracking/configuring-the-time-entry-form
- Audience: Admins
- Last updated: 2026-09-19
- Part of the WiseCost Help Center: https://www.usewisecost.com/help

> Choose in WiseCost whether time is charged to a QuickBooks Project or Class, and which fields (Item, Location, Description) employees see or must fill in.

To configure what employees fill in when they log time in WiseCost, go to **Company Setup → Company settings → Time Tracking**. In the **Time Entry Form** card, choose the **Contract field** (Project or Class, never both) and then decide, field by field, what is included in the form and what is required.

**Who can do this:** an Administrator.

## Choose the contract field

The **contract** is what time is charged to: the government contract, the grant or federal award, the task order. In WiseCost exactly one QuickBooks object identifies it for Labor Distribution.

1. Go to **Company Setup → Company settings → Time Tracking**.
2. Under **Contract field**, click **Project** or **Class**.

Choose **Class** if you track contracts or awards as QuickBooks Classes. Choose **Project** if you track them as QuickBooks Projects. The contract field is always included in the form and always required.

## Choose the other fields

The table lists **Project**, **Class**, **Item**, **Location** and **Description**. Each has two switches: **Include in form** and **Required**.

| Field | What it is |
|---|---|
| Project or Class | The contract. Locked on, because every entry needs one. |
| Class (in Project mode) | Can be included as a secondary tag on top of the Project. |
| Item | A QuickBooks service item, for example the labor category or the role on the contract. |
| Location | A QuickBooks Department or Location. See [Using QuickBooks Locations](https://www.usewisecost.com/help/quickbooks-integration/using-quickbooks-locations). |
| Description | A short note about the work. |

1. Turn on **Include in form** for every field your team should see.
2. Turn on **Required** for the ones they must fill in.

[Screenshot: Time Tracking settings with the time entry form fields and internal time accounts]

## What happens next

The form your team sees in **Time Tracker** changes right away. Entries that are already logged are not modified. If you make a field required, employees cannot save a new entry without it. The most common case is ["Location is required"](https://www.usewisecost.com/help/troubleshooting/location-is-required).

Time that does not belong to a contract, such as PTO, holiday or overhead, is set up on the same tab. See [Internal and indirect time](https://www.usewisecost.com/help/time-tracking/internal-and-indirect-time).

## Common questions

### Can employees charge time to a Project and a Class at the same time?

One of them is the contract. In Project mode you can include Class as a secondary tag, so an entry carries both, but Labor Distribution allocates by the contract field.

### Should I make Description required?

That is a policy decision. Many DCAA contractors and grant recipients require it, because a description supports what the hours were for. Your CPA can advise.

## Further reading

- [How to Make QuickBooks Online DCAA-Compliant: A Step-by-Step Guide](https://www.usewisecost.com/blog/how-to-make-quickbooks-online-dcaa-compliant)