Automatically Tracking Time

[Adam_Gibson]

Does anyone around here use 3rd party software to track their time? If so, what? For more information on what I mean, please see this thread.

[mcrump]

I use Grindstone for all my commercial time tracking.

[lbuttery]

Adam:

 

my friend uses Time Stamp

http://www.syntap.com/products_timestamp.htm

 

Lew

[Bill_Emery]

I use ManicTime, and love it. It really allows me to track my day in great detail when I'm on the computer.  It prompts me automatically to assign a category for the time spent away from the computer. 

[Richard_Morrison]

Might look at allnetic.com. Don't know how well it works in Windows 8, but then again, I have no idea what platform you're on since it isn't in your signature. (hint, hint.)

[Adam_Gibson]

Thanks all. I guess I'll put my platform in my signature, Richard. I've tried Allnetic and Manic, but found Chrometa better suited for me. Nevertheless, it lacks in certain areas, most importantly the ability to differentiate between the actual Chief files. It generically tracks various windows (Library, Rich Text, etc) which is worthless, but won't track the open file name. They tell me that since Chief Architect won't allow scripting, whatever that means, they can't track the file paths. 

 

I'll check out Grindstone and TIme Stamp. 

[zowie123]

Hi Adam, 

I'm looking for a good time tracker as well.  I was considering Chrometa until I read your post.  I feel I would benefit more from one that kept track of my computer activities as Chrometa does.  Please let me know if you find something useful.  

 

Thank you,

Barry

 

Barry at firstlinedesign  dot com

[Farrell]

So, explain what isn't good about how the timer in Chief works? You can start and stop whenever you want, enter which phase you're working on, it keeps up with the dates and times, and you can delete any entries you want, i.e., all entries from previous versions of the same plan, also, you can export the time, you don't have to use another program running in the background, so ....?

[Bill_Emery]

Project documentation and project accounting take time.  I believe that any time tracking system is only an good as the effort that I am willing to spend to make that happen.  I'm willing to take the time to create good construction documents, I'm also reluctantly willing to  thoroughly account for my time. 

 

The time tracking fairy is not going to come in after hours and do it for me.

 

I have used Chiefs time tracker in the past, and it has some significant limitations that I won't get into in this post.  I may elaborate in a subsequent post.

 

I use Manic Time, and I love it. 

 

Why?

 

·         It provides a comprehensive system for tracking by the, week, day, month, project, or phase of the project.

·         I don't have to do much to make it happen.  It just prompts me for how to attribute my time.  This could include categories such as client, contractor, type of work, job phase, etc.  I'll generally look back at the end of the day to make sure there is no unassigned time.

·         I can generate detailed reports with little effort.  I can export the data to excel for additional sorting or formatting.

·         If I take a phone call, or go to the bathroom, I'm prompted how to attribute that time when I come back to the computer.

·         The limitation that it can't see what Chief file I have open is not a significant problem, as it is part of my job to attribute the categories as I work.

·         I can use it to track my non billable time as well so I can easily see where I can improve my efficiency.

·         Manic time makes it easy to develop good habits where time accounting is concerned. It's easy, but does require a small effort.

 

I've found that if I'm not tracking my entire work day, I miss out on a lot of billable hours.  Chief doesn't track when I'm looking at the building codes, doing a beam calc,researching online, or a host of other tasks.

 

I shudder to think that I used to go back at the end of the week, and attempt to attribute my time.  It was incredibly inaccurate and definitely not in my favor.  

 

The best time trackers are not the ones that are invisible; but the ones that are the most difficult to ignore.  

[Adam_Gibson]

All good points, Bill. Maybe I'll give Manic another try. 

[Bill_Emery]

The Best time tracker is the one that gets used, and works for you.

I'm not saying that Manic time is the best, but it works for me.

[zowie123]

After extensive research this week downloading, subscribing and testing, I finally settled on this following options.  

 

My criteria was:

single user small business, timers available in the windows tray, simple client billing and expense tracking.  I also wanted a program that tracked all my computer usage so I could go back and confirm times if I lost track.

 

Only the subscriber type billing programs offer all this in one and generally cost about $15 to $30 dollars a month.  I found them all to be overkill for a small business, bulky and generally more time consuming than the task warrants. However, subscription based programs do have their place if you're tracking multiple people in multiple places.  

 

I found two in-computer programs that achieve the same results for much less cost and hassle.   

 

I settled on Fanurio for tracking time, billing and expenses. It's an efficient small program with a non intrusive timer, or multiple timers that sits in the tray.  It's robust and easy. 

 

For tracking all my activity by program daily, I settled on Visual Time Analyzer over Manic Time.  I downloaded a second browser program--Opera browser and use that exclusively for work related searches, so I can separate casual browsing from work browsing. Visual Time Analyzer allows you to create Projects/Filters so I can track only a few programs, not everyone of them. You can see them by day week month. 

 

Manic Time is amazing--very well programmed, but at this time doesn't allow simple filtering.  I wrote the programmer and he said that will come in a few months.  

 

Hope that helps,

Barry

First Line Design--Seattle

[Richard_Morrison]

 

 

 

I settled on Fanurio for tracking time, billing and expenses. It's an efficient small program with a non intrusive timer, or multiple timers that sits in the tray.  It's robust and easy. 

 

 

Thanks for digging this up! It looks like a pretty good option for one-person firms.

[zowie123]

If you need to see time entries included with the invoice, you have to tweak the template by checking off time in edit template.  Their help response is fast if you write them with a question.