Simplicate Integration for Freelancers

A Simplicate integration for freelancers connects your time tracking data to Simplicate's project management and invoicing system, eliminating manual data entry between tools. Simplicate is a Dutch all-in-one platform for CRM, project management, time tracking, and invoicing - and integrating it with your preferred tracking tool makes it even more powerful.

What Is Simplicate?

Simplicate is a Dutch SaaS platform (based in Utrecht) designed for service companies and freelancers. Unlike pure accounting tools like Moneybird or e-Boekhouden, Simplicate combines several functions:

• CRM: Contact and organization management
• Project management: Projects, services, and budgets
• Time tracking: Hours linked to projects and services
• Invoicing: Generate invoices from tracked hours
• Reporting: Revenue, margins, and team utilization

This makes Simplicate particularly attractive for freelancers who want one platform for their entire workflow - from acquiring a client to invoicing them.

Simplicate's Data Model

Understanding how Simplicate structures data is essential for any integration:

This hierarchy is more structured than Toggl or Google Sheets, which means integration requires careful field mapping.

Why Integrate Instead of Using Simplicate's Built-in Tracking?

Simplicate includes its own time tracking, so why would a freelancer integrate with an external tool?

Reasons to Use External Tracking

1. Better tracking UX: Tools like Toggl offer superior timers, mobile apps, and keyboard shortcuts
2. Existing habits: You've been using Toggl or Google Sheets for years and don't want to change
3. Specialized features: Idle detection, Pomodoro timers, browser integrations
4. Client requirements: Some clients mandate specific tracking tools
5. Flexibility: You might work on projects not in Simplicate (personal, pro bono)

When Simplicate's Built-in Tracking Is Enough

If you only work through Simplicate-managed projects and don't need advanced tracking features, the built-in module works fine. It saves you the integration step entirely.

Integration Options

Option 1: Manual Entry

Export from your tracking tool, then manually create hours entries in Simplicate. This works for low volumes but is tedious and error-prone.

Time estimate: 2-5 minutes per entry, depending on how much mapping is needed.

Option 2: Simplicate API

Simplicate has a REST API that supports creating hours entries programmatically. The relevant endpoints:

• GET /api/v2/projects/project - List projects
• GET /api/v2/projects/service - List services
• GET /api/v2/crm/organization - List organizations
• POST /api/v2/hours/hours - Create hours entry

Each hours entry requires:

• project_id and projectservice_id
• employee_id (your user ID in Simplicate)
• start_date and hours
• Optional: note, billable flag

Building an integration requires mapping your external data (client names, project names) to Simplicate's IDs. This is the most complex part - Simplicate uses UUIDs, not human-readable identifiers.

Option 3: Synkr

Synkr connects your time tracking source (Toggl, Google Sheets, Excel, Notion) to Simplicate as a destination. The integration handles:

1. Authentication: API key-based, configured once
2. Field mapping: Your Toggl clients map to Simplicate organizations, projects to projects + services
3. ID resolution: Synkr finds or creates the right Simplicate entities based on names
4. Duplicate prevention: Entries already synced won't be sent again
5. Review step: You see exactly what will be created before confirming

Setting Up the Integration

Step 1: Get Your Simplicate API Credentials

1. Log into Simplicate
2. Go to Settings > API Keys
3. Create a new API key
4. Note your API Key and API Secret

These credentials are stored encrypted by tools like Synkr and used to authenticate API requests.

Step 2: Map Your Data

The most important step. You need to define how your tracking tool's data maps to Simplicate's structure:

Step 3: Test with a Few Entries

Don't sync your entire history on the first try. Start with 3-5 recent entries, verify they appear correctly in Simplicate, then proceed with larger batches.

Step 4: Establish a Rhythm

Sync weekly or bi-weekly. Don't let entries pile up - it's harder to debug mapping issues when you're dealing with hundreds of entries.

Common Integration Challenges

Client Name Mismatches

"Acme" in Toggl vs. "Acme B.V." in Simplicate. This is the most common integration issue. Solutions:

• Standardize names across tools
• Configure aliases in your sync tool
• Use Simplicate's organization ID directly (less human-readable but unambiguous)

Project-Service Mapping

Simplicate requires both a project and a service for each hours entry. If your tracking tool only has "project" (like Toggl), you need a default service or a mapping rule.

Example mapping:

• Toggl project "Acme - Development" → Simplicate project "Acme", service "Development"
• Toggl project "Acme - Design" → Simplicate project "Acme", service "Design"

Rate Differences

Your hourly rate in Toggl might differ from the rate configured in Simplicate. Decide which system is the source of truth for rates, and ensure the integration respects that.

Historical Data

If you're setting up integration for the first time but have months of data in your tracking tool, be cautious about bulk-syncing historical entries. Verify a sample first, then sync in batches (month by month).

Simplicate Pricing

Simplicate's pricing is per user per month:

For a solo freelancer, the Professional plan gives you everything. It's more expensive than Moneybird but includes CRM and project management. See our Simplicate vs. Moneybird comparison for a detailed breakdown.

Best Practices

1. Keep Project Lists Synchronized

When you start a new project, create it in both your tracking tool and Simplicate. Mismatched project lists are the top cause of sync failures.

2. Use Descriptive Notes

Simplicate displays notes on invoices. Make sure your time entry descriptions are professional and informative - "Client call re: Q2 planning" rather than just "call."

3. Review Before Invoicing

After syncing hours to Simplicate, review them in the project view before generating an invoice. Check totals, rates, and descriptions. This is your last checkpoint before the client sees the data.

4. Archive Completed Projects

When a project is done, mark it as completed in both systems. This keeps your active project lists manageable and prevents accidentally logging time to finished projects.

When to Consider Simplicate

Simplicate is worth considering if you:

• Need CRM functionality alongside accounting
• Work on multiple projects for multiple clients simultaneously
• Want project budgets and margin reporting
• Prefer an all-in-one platform over multiple specialized tools
• Don't mind the higher price for the extra functionality

If you primarily need invoicing and basic bookkeeping, Moneybird or e-Boekhouden might be more cost-effective. The right choice depends on how much project management you need.