Everhour adds estimates, tracked time, and approval controls inside Basecamp projects so teams can compare planned work with actual hours.
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Use this page when a Basecamp to-do needs an hour estimate before work starts, before the task is already late or over budget. The goal is a clear planned number attached to the work item, then an actual total from logged time. That pairing lets an owner, lead, or project manager see whether the estimate held, slipped, or hid work that never reached the to-do.
Treat the estimate as the amount of focused work the assignee expects to spend on the to-do. Basecamp holds the project context, list, title, assignee, and due date; the time layer holds the effort estimate and actual hours. Keep dates and effort separate. A due date answers calendar timing, while an hour estimate answers workload and budget pressure.
Start with the smallest to-do that still has a meaningful outcome. A broad title hides analysis, production, review, and fixes in one number, so the actual total later explains very little. A tighter to-do gives the estimate a clearer boundary because the list already shows ownership and timing. Use notes for assumptions and keep scope visible in the to-do itself.
Record one estimate per to-do, then keep notes on assumptions that change the number: review cycles, unknown dependencies, client feedback, or shared QA. A useful estimate is specific enough to compare later. If three people touch the same to-do, decide whether the estimate covers total effort across all contributors or only the primary assignee's work.
Compare logged time with the estimate after the to-do is complete or at a planned checkpoint. A to-do estimated at 6 hours and logged at 9 hours has a 3-hour overrun that needs a specific reason. Scope expansion, review rework, blocked time, and late manual entries require different fixes for the next plan.
Read underruns with the same care. A 5-hour estimate with 2 logged hours can mean the work was easier than expected, the estimate included buffer, or the assignee forgot to record part of the work. Ask for the reason while the details are fresh, then update the next estimate pattern for similar Basecamp to-dos.
A one-project estimate review is enough when you need a fast answer for a small decision: expected hours, actual hours, and the variance reason. Keep the review close to the Basecamp to-do so the next plan uses the same project context. The result should say whether the work was under-scoped, changed midstream, logged late, or estimated with too much buffer.
A managed workflow becomes necessary when estimates affect staffing, billing, or future budgets across several Basecamp projects. Everhour Team Management adds lock rules, approval workflow, project assignments, and weekly capacity settings around tracked time; Everhour Project Budgeting compares task estimates with progress, remaining time, and over-estimate hours in reports. That record turns a one-project guess into planning evidence.
This content is for general information only, may not be fully up to date, and is provided without any warranty or liability.
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G2
Summer 2026
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Capterra
Summer 2026
Rated in the top time trackers across G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius — with consistent praise for ease of use, integrations, and support.
Base the first estimate on total effort rather than calendar span. Use the to-do title, assignee, due date, and notes to define scope, then set the number for hands-on work across the people expected to contribute. Split the to-do if one number covers discovery, production, review, and cleanup in a way that no one can evaluate later.
Set the estimate to match the review question. A delivery lead needs total to-do effort across contributors because variance affects staffing and budget. For capacity review, track each person's planned share separately. Label the choice before work starts; mixed definitions make actuals look wrong even when time entries are accurate.
A due date marks calendar commitment. An hour estimate marks effort demand. A to-do due Friday with an 8-hour estimate needs one full workday of capacity before Friday, while a 2-hour estimate fits into a smaller opening. Keep both fields visible during planning because deadline risk and effort risk are different problems.
Review the comparison at completion for short tasks and at checkpoints for longer work. Active review catches variance before it turns into a missed delivery window. Completed review teaches future planning. Pick one cadence per project, such as end-of-week review for open to-dos and closeout review for completed to-dos.
Start with overruns that affect staffing, billing, or the next project budget. A small variance on isolated work matters less than a repeat pattern across similar to-dos. Review underruns too, especially when they point to padded estimates or missing time. The right investigation produces a rule for the next estimate instead of a lecture after the work is done.
Everhour Team Management lets admins lock time editing after a set period or after approval, then correct entries for team members when records need cleanup. That gives the estimate review a stable close date, so actuals on Basecamp to-dos stay consistent after the team uses them for planning.
Use Everhour approval workflows, locked periods, and team policy defaults to turn Basecamp to-do estimates into reviewed time records that support cleaner planning and fewer budget surprises.
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