How do you track time ?

[wls]

Podio.com is getting a good reputation for project mgt and all sorts of other things too. Its free for the first 5 users, and allows you to adapt the apps or build your own.

[cornellc]

I've programmed my own system using Filemaker database software where myself and staff start the day by setting up a new record which asks me which project I am commencing. This records the start time of the project. When finished, I press an 'end' button which then automatically calculates the time spent and adds to the total time spent on the project. Meanwhile it immediately marks the start time of the next project asking me to specify what I am about to commence.

Built into the system are also non project related options like 'lunch' or 'unchargeable time' and so on.

How does it deal with multiple jobs done at the same time? Well if you think about it, you can't really be working on two jobs at once - you'd be fluctuating back and forth doing only one job at a time even if for a few seconds while answering the phone about another job for example.

So the idea is to be disciplined about pressing the end button every time you pause.

With experience I've found that for humans to multi-task is actually unproductive as a job takes longer to complete because every time you get back to a job you spend a little while looking back to see where you left off. Also the momentum is lost which is otherwise gained when one is fully focused on one thing. With this system of pressing the end button each time, it sub-consciously encourages you to complete a stage in full.

The other advantages of this system is that it enables you to monitor all staff's time even while away from the office, and that invoices can be automatically generated if your charge out is entirely time based.

I don't know if I am allowed to provide my contact details here. So if interested contact me at our website http://www.limevirtualstudio.com

[Emma Watt]

I use a combination of methods - my work is basically either by phone or email, plus projects done on the computer and meetings at client sites.

Phone calls I track in an Excel spreadsheet I keep open on the computer. If I take calls while I am out I try to remember to put them into the spreadsheet (a flawed method I know and often fails).

Emails and projects done on the computer are tracked using software called Chrometa - it runs in the background and keeps tabs on everything I do on the computer. Sometimes the report indicates a scarily high amount of time on stupid internet surfing (hello Facebook) but at least I know to the minute how much time I spent working on that agreement for a client, or the spreadsheet used to work out wage rates. It also keeps track of how much time I spend on each email.

Meetings - Outlook tracks that to a certain extent

[demawo]

Tried all sorts of online and custom software based time-tracking systems, but I've always returned to this simple paper based emergent task timer...

http://davidseah.com/blog/node/the-emergent-task-timer/

[djnabz]

Try 88miles.net
They are very good

[Five Star PA]

I personally had a timeclock database written that sits behind my own website and I run all my clients off that. It's great. But there is a free time and project tracking software that a few of my clients use called myhours.com check it out it's pretty groovy and very effective. But yes...you will still have to remember to start and stop the clock.

Put a reminder in your calendar that pops up at the end of every day saying "Did I log all my hours" then take the 2 minutes you need to make sure you did so each day starts off fresh!

[Tamper Evident]

I have used ClockingIT for a few projects and like it very much.

Not the most attractive of interfaces but very extensive functionality

[WAHM]

I use http://www.paymo.biz/

For Freelancers

Free time tracking software
Professional invoices & estimates
Desktop & mobile time tracking apps
No more “guestimates” for new quotes

and best of all it is FREE

[autumncs]

G day OP

I think you are a bit like me, been doing support for 13 years and until last year when I started using journeylog.co.uk on my phone. It's a GPS tracker so as you go from site to site it tracks you with time you get there to the time you leave. It's also good for the tax office. you can tag if it's for personal use or business and keeps a record of the Km's you have travelled.

I've increased my GP by 100% in the last 12 months and my customers are happy because I've decreased my billing time from 1/2 hour blocks to 1/4 hour blocks. If they have a query about the billing time I can pull up a report of all there stops in a date range. I haven't had to yet.

There support is spot on, usually get back to you in 12 hours (time difference)

This is good on site, do have anything for in house but I'm going to try some of the ones suggested here.

Regards

Tim Giles
Autumn Computer Services

[TehCamel]

thanks tim.. I've ended up going with Autotask actually it doesn't do gps and kilometer stuff, but it does all the time work I need, as well as having inbuilt CRM..