RBT Supervision Tracker: how to log hours and stay compliant

Most RBTs lose hours not because they aren't doing the work, but because their tracking system is a Notes app, a paper sheet, or a spreadsheet that someone keeps promising to update "this weekend." If a BCBA audit happens, that's a stressful weekend.

Here's what a low-friction RBT supervision tracker actually needs to do.

1. Capture every billable session — fast

Logging needs to happen the same day as the session, or it won't happen at all. A good tracker:

• Has a live timer you can start/stop from a phone.
• Defaults the date, client, and category to your most recent entry.
• Lets you log a session in under 20 seconds.

2. Separate "Worked" from "Supervised"

Your service-delivery hours and your supervision hours are two different totals. Mix them up and your 5% math breaks. Use three categories:

• Worked — time spent delivering ABA services to a client.
• Direct supervision — your BCBA observed you working with a client (live or via live video).
• Indirect supervision — meetings, case review, written feedback.

3. Show the 5% number while you log, not after

A tracker that only shows compliance at the end of the month is a tracker that finds problems too late. You want a live percentage every time you open the app:

"This month: 64 worked hrs · 2.5 supervision hrs · 3.9% — needs 0.7 more hrs of supervision."

4. Export a clean monthly report

When your BCBA, employer, or the BACB asks for proof, you want a one-page PDF that shows: hours worked, hours supervised, the % achieved, and a line for your supervisor to sign. Email + print are both fine — physical signatures still hold up.

What about paper logs?

Paper works — until it doesn't. The two failure modes we see most often: (1) the log gets lost between organizations when you change jobs, and (2) the numbers never get added up until audit time. If you stick with paper, at minimum take a photo of each weekly page and back it up to cloud storage.

How HoursNest fits in

HoursNest was built for exactly this workflow. Hours entry in seconds, a live 5% compliance card on the dashboard, and a signed PDF you can email to your BCBA. Start free — no credit card required.

See also: The RBT 5% Supervision Rule, Explained.