Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Consultants, remote workers, and virtual assistants; everyone has to account either for different clients, or different projects within a client`s budget.

Sometimes you have an allotted set of hours budgeted, at a fixed rate, that`ll go over many weeks, within a single project. So for example, Client A has four projects. Project 1 has been allotted 20 hours, but will take place over 10 weeks. You bill weekly. How do you track that one project and keep your billing organized?

How do YOU do this, and what software do you find the best and/or easiest to use?

I use Time Stamp which is free to download here  www.syntap.com   If you likr the software, there is a donation button.

It works well for me since I can export to an excel file to provide to my client at month end.

Jo-anne,

I`ve heard great things about myhours.com.  Does it allow for more than one user to track their time in the free version or only in the paid version?  I am looking for a tracking system to use with my outsource virtual assistants.

Have you had many problems with losing time stats because of IPs going down at all?

I`m looking at that TimeStamp, Tawnya, thanks! I don`t actually need a Web-based tracker, but can see where it`d be helpful (JoAnne`s post), and think I`d prefer something offline.

I used to have a little fast program, years ago, where I could start and stop, and put a 3-letter code for a client. It was fast, simple, and just gave me a plain list of what I did. That`s what I`m looking for in a Windows thing, where it`s just a quick way to capture time. I`ve been using a copy of TimeTiger, and I`m not yet sure if it`s what I want. (Hence the posted question.)

For any software gurus out there, here`s a feature set I`d like to find:

• I want it to load into memory, maybe down on the system tray (Windows).
• I want to click once to start timing. I should at that time either pick an existing project/client, or add a new one.
• It should click again to stop recording, and let me know on that second click if I`m still timing, and which task is being timed.
  
• I want to click a button and see at a glance how much time has been accrued between start-stop clicks, to each project.
• If possible, it`d be nice to also know the dates those time slices took place.
  

What I DON`T want is a whole slew of billing and address information! If I wanted that, I could use TimeTiger and lots of other sophisticated time AND billing programs.

I just want to know how much time I spent on each project. I`ll figure out the billing later, using paper or whatever other things necessary based on client needs.

I also don`t like having to set up a whole report through a different set of features, just to know how much time I spent. I want a fast click-report feature. :-) Okay...so I`m picky.

We use Time IQ at our studio. There is
a widget for the mac now that lets you enter your time without going to the
website. Not sure it`s exactly what you are looking for but I figured I`d add it
to the list.

Just what I needed Andy and thank you kindly for sharing!  I`ve been looking for a timetracking system for when I am working on the MAC.

I use TimeStamp, as well. It`s worked perfectly for me and I can keep it in the System Tray and click when I need to start timing a project. I`m also able to conveniently give each project a name! It`s a wonderful tool.

I was also told about Firefox/Mozilla`s TimeTracker for browsing, which can be found here: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1887/. I haven`t used it much but I do have it installed and can say it works. It tracks the amount of time you spend on browsing. Once you`ve installed this tool, a little icon stays in the bottom right hand corner of each browser. You can also set it so the only time it tracks is when you click on it.


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Elite Virtual Assistants, "Combining Today`s Technology with Yesterday`s Professionalism," Elite VAs

Has anyone used ResponsiveSoftware.com found at http://www.responsivesoftware.com/? I`ve been using the trial version of TraxTime and it`s fine but when I looked at the Responsive Software it seems to be more Windows-like rather than DOS-like (if that makes sense to any of you old DOS users).

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Laura Jo Richins, Richins Business Support Solutions, www.richinsbss.com, Freeing up your time – virtually.

Actually, that TraxTime may be the solution I`m looking for! :-) I grew up with DOS, so know what you mean, but there are sometimes certain simplicities that we get with basic programs. Sometimes moving over into a Windows-type program brings with it too many features for a particular need. I`ll try that TraxTime, I think, and thanks for the reference!