For design studios
Run creative projects.Keep the numbers clean.
Effici connects quotes, project budgets, time tracking, and invoicing in one workflow so design studios can see what each client engagement costs and earns without assembling data from separate tools.
The challenge
Design studios lose margin when creative work and financial tracking are separate.
Project briefs in one place, hours in a timer, invoices assembled in a separate app. The financial picture of a project only becomes clear after it is over.
Fixed-price projects run over without warning
Creative work tends to expand. Without real-time budget tracking, a project is often over-delivered before the team notices the hours have gone past the budget.
Invoice prep interrupts creative flow
Assembling time logs and line items into an invoice every month is tedious work that takes time away from client projects.
No clear picture of studio profitability
Without per-project P&L, it is hard to know which types of work and which clients are most profitable for the studio.
How Effici helps
Financial clarity on every creative project.
Project budgets that update as the team works
Set a budget at the start of each project. As the team logs time and costs, the project view shows actuals vs budget in real time — so you can have the client conversation early.
- Revenue and cost budget per project
- Live hours vs budget comparison
- Running margin visible throughout the project
Time tracking for every designer and role
Each team member logs hours directly against the project. Billing and cost rates per person make the P&L accurate without manual calculations.
- Per-person billing and cost rates
- Role-level time breakdown
- Billable and non-billable time separation
Quotes and proposals that become projects automatically
Draft a project quote in Effici, get it approved, and convert it to a project with the financial parameters already in place — no re-entry needed.
- Project proposal with budget frame
- One-click conversion to project
- Client data and scope carried forward
Invoices built from logged work
When a project milestone is ready to bill, Effici shows the unbilled billable work as an invoice proposal. Review it, adjust it, and send — without building the invoice from scratch.
- Invoice proposals from tracked time
- Milestone and progress billing
- Automated payment reminders
How it works
From project brief to paid invoice.
Send a quote and set up the project
Create the project proposal, get sign-off, and convert it to a project with budget parameters set from the agreed scope.
Track time and costs throughout the project
Designers log hours as they work. The project dashboard shows where the budget stands at any point.
Invoice from the work you have delivered
Generate the invoice proposal from billable work, review it, send it, and monitor payment.
Who it is for
Design studios and creative teams doing client work.
Graphic and brand design studios
Track project budgets for logo, identity, and campaign work. Invoice from delivered milestones without manual assembly.
UX and product design studios
Log research, design, and handoff hours against project budgets. See per-engagement profitability to price future work better.
Motion and video production studios
Handle production projects with multiple cost types: internal time, freelance contributors, and equipment. Keep it all in one project view.
Related features
The product areas behind this workflow.
Project Management
Budget, time, and margin per creative project.
One project view with all the financial data you need throughout a client engagement.
Learn more →Time Tracking
Studio time connected to billing.
Log hours per project and role, then turn billable work into invoice proposals.
Learn more →Project Budgeting
Budgets that track creative scope.
Set revenue and cost targets and compare them to actuals as the project runs.
Learn more →FAQ
Common questions.
Can I track time for freelance contributors on a project alongside in-house staff?
Yes. You can add any number of people to a project and set individual billing and cost rates. Freelancer costs can be logged as direct costs or as time entries, depending on how you work with them.
How does Effici handle project milestones and partial billing?
You can invoice per milestone or on a schedule. Each invoice can draw from a specific set of billable work or be a fixed amount. The project dashboard tracks what has been invoiced and what remains.
Does Effici work for studios handling multiple client projects at the same time?
Yes. Each project is independent. The portfolio view shows the status and margin of all active projects so you can spot which ones need attention.
Can I use Effici just for invoicing if I track time elsewhere?
Yes. You can enter time manually or log costs directly and use Effici primarily for quotes, invoices, and payment tracking. The time tracking is optional.