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Title: How Umanova Uses Data-Driven Insights to Predict Billed Project Hours

Discover how software consultancy Umanova cut timesheet processing from five days to two and built a custom client portal with Beebole's API for better forecasting.

URL Source: https://beebole.com/customer-cases/umanova

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## How Umanova created their own client portal and sped up timesheet processing by 150%

"Forecasting was a challenge - we couldn't predict how many hours would be billed in projects. Beebole helps with that."

Sunčica Likar - Umanova's Director


Umanova d.o.o. is a Croatia-based consulting and development company partnered with a Swiss company. They transitioned to [Beebole](https://beebole.com/) from a temporary Excel solution in a short period to meet client demands for structured timesheets, reduce reporting headaches, and improve project forecasting. But they didn't stop there - using Beebole's open API, they built a custom internal reporting system that delivers real-time project visibility, spots issues early on, and provides clients with clear and reliable data.

- Overview

[Umanova](https://umanova.com) needed a reliable way to track time and forecast project hours more accurately. Excel couldn't keep up with the growing number of projects, complex billing structures, and distributed teams, nor was it a reliable system to inform clients about hours worked. Now, Beebole data powers their own internal platform to understand project profitability and success; this structure and visibility made it easier to generate accurate reports and understand where project time and effort were going.

- KEY features

[Project Time Tracking](https://beebole.com/project-time-tracking)[Custom Reporting](https://beebole.com/employee-timesheet-reports)[API](https://beebole.com/help/api)

INDUSTRY - Software Consultancy
COMPANY SIZE - 11-50
HEADQUARTERS - Croatia

## The challenge: Forecasting and project visibility

Umanova supports large international clients (via a Swiss parent company) while running a distributed team across Croatia, Bosnia, and Serbia. They deliver consultancy, software development, and support - sometimes contracting developers who work directly with clients while remaining on Umanova's payroll.

As the company grew, communication with clients and project forecasting became big challenges. Before Beebole, the team relied on Excel sheets that couldn't provide real-time visibility or reliable data for predicting workloads and billed hours.

Key challenges before Beebole:

- Forecasting uncertainty: Project managers struggled to accurately estimate the number of hours to be billed per project.
- Limited visibility: Excel sheets made it hard to see where time was really being spent.
- Reporting strain: Producing reports required manual work and often resulted in errors, and there was no simple way to share hours worked with clients.
- Timesheet processing: This used to take five working days each month.
- Operational complexity: Umanova manages separate time tracking structures due to different legal and client-specific requirements, and they sought to consolidate everything into a single reporting layer.

""Since implementing Beebole in December 2023, we have standardized rates, introduced reminders, and ensured much more accurate and timely reviews. Overall, my rating for Beebole is five stars - I truly enjoy using it. It's quick, accurate, and easy to use once you get familiar with how it works.""

Sunčica Likar - Director @ Umanova

## The solution: Structure, reporting, and forecasting in one place

Umanova built upon its already structured internal processes with Beebole. They used Beebole's features to enhance forecasting, reporting, and client communication. Likar set up the system to mirror their client and project hierarchy, giving both management and project leads a clear view of time allocation. And Umanova managing partner Luka Kurelić used Beebole's open API to create their own internal reporting system and client portal.

Today, project managers record time in both Beebole and Notion, then compare results to forecast project duration more accurately. Reports that once took hours to build in Excel are now created in minutes. The best part? All of that time tracking data is also filtered into their internal program, which is shared with clients.

This internal system relies on the tracked and approved hours as a single source of truth for visibility, evaluation, and decision-making.

""Beebole is a centralized point for us. We pull everything through the API, and other applications use this knowledge as the main source of a lot of decisions.""

Luka Kurelić - Managing Partner @ Umanova

The [open API](https://beebole.com/help/api) marked the difference - Umanova's internal reporting program can process 10,000 records in 30 seconds, and Beebole serves as a reliable source of structured time tracking data within their wider operational systems.

How Beebole addressed the issues:

- Open API: Clear documentation that allowed them to create their own internal program for client relationships and instant analysis.
- Clear data structure: Beebole's customizability made it easy for them to have a clear data structure of client → project → task setup across teams.
- Accurate time capture: Employees and freelancers log hours directly in Beebole, reducing duplication.
- Billable vs. non-billable hours: Easy separation between client work and internal tasks.
- Actionable insights: Reports show where time is spent, helping inform project time allotments and budgets.
- Improved forecasting: Historical data enables better planning and more realistic project estimates.

"Clients demanded timesheets, and Beebole was already known to some of them. It gave us proper structure, which Excel couldn't," explained Sunčica.

""Beebole gave us a stable foundation for time tracking, and the API allowed us to build our own automation layer that significantly improved the way we operate. Thanks to that, we were able to scale in line with our long-term strategy, with minimal costs and great flexibility.""

Luka Kurelić - Managing Partner @ Umanova

## The implementation: Hands-on setup with helpful guidance

Likar, Umanova's director, took on the setup of Beebole herself - entering clients, projects, and tasks to build a structure that matched their workflow. While it required effort initially, Beebole's support team, especially Miguel, guided her through the process.

Now, she independently manages updates, reports, and new project setups without outside help.

What stood out:

- Straightforward onboarding: A few guided sessions made setup manageable.
- Empowered administration: Likar can now customize and update reports independently.
- Responsive support: Quick, practical help when issues arise.

On the other hand, Kurelić took care of setting up Beebole's API, which he said was a straightforward process that didn't require external assistance.

## What could your team achieve?

Join thousands of companies that have transformed the way they track time and manage projects.

[Start Free Trial](https://beebole.com/https://app.beebole.com/signup)

## The results: Faster reporting, confident forecasting, and scalable operations

Umanova's main goal was to gain better control and visibility over its projects. With Beebole, the team now builds accurate reports, identifies trends in billable hours, communicates seamlessly with their clients, and forecasts workloads with far more confidence. Plus, processing monthly timesheets went from taking an entire week to just two days - that's 150% faster.

The integration has transformed how they operate - turning Beebole into the core of their operational intelligence. The API provides them with the flexibility to customize their internal systems, scale without incurring heavy investment, and continuously adapt to new business needs.

""Beebole's API allowed us to connect everything - project time tracking data, our internal systems, and our client-facing workflows. It became a great support for how we run our operations.""

Luka Kurelić - Managing Partner @ Umanova


## Other customer stories

- InData Labs ensures accurate payments and profitability insights with time tracking - This AI-powered solutions provider utilizes Beebole to track project hours, costs, and payments more accurately. - [Read full story](https://beebole.com/customer-cases/indata-labs)
- HungaroTrial monitors project workload with Beebole and Excel - How HungaroTrial used our add-ins and API to integrate Beebole with a resource planning template on Excel.  - [Read full story](https://beebole.com/customer-cases/hungaro-trial)
- Simplify time tracking and get full visibility into project costs and budgeting - Cevotec, which once depended heavily on Excel and macros, has made Beebole the central pillar of its reporting infrastructure. - [Read full story](https://beebole.com/customer-cases/cevotec)
- How Taptu automated project workflows with a custom integration - Learn how Taptu used Beebole's open API to build a custom integration for more accurate billing and invoicing. In doing so, they streamlined their project management, time tracking, billing, and invoicing. - [Read full story](https://beebole.com/customer-cases/taptu)
- Olsys chose Beebole because of its flexibility and advanced reporting options - Olsys used Beebole time tracking data to boost PM performance, and it all started with better timesheets. - [Read full story](https://beebole.com/customer-cases/olsys)
- Avoid project overruns with highly-configurable rates and budgeting features - Even with 100+ active projects, Rancho Biosciences easily tracks hours and costs, manages budgets, and optimizes invoicing with Beebole. - [Read full story](https://beebole.com/customer-cases/rancho-biosciences)
- SIS achieved better budgeting and human resource management - Beebole provides Sports Information Services with clear insights into budgets, costs, staff availability, and PTO, saving time, money, and headaches. - [Read full story](https://beebole.com/customer-cases/sports-information-services)


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