Automated Time Tracking

[Jim]

I've run across at least three different time tracking applications that monitor the computer activity and monitors what applications and documents have been utilized and some of the more advanced apps, can group this time under user defined projects.

For example, if you were working on a project for company XYZ and had a Photoshop document called "XYZ.psd", you could have these packages report to you have much time was spent on this document, and get a descent estimate as to how much work was done.

Obviously they can't track offline activities, but you can enter those manually.

Here's an example of the type of reporting I am referring to:


Here are the automated products that I have found thus far:
Spherical Timesheet
Smart Worktime Tracker
CaptureWorks

What's also useful about these packages is that they monitor all computer activity, so you can finally see an exact number as to how much time you are wasting reading StevePavlina.com and browsing the web in general.

Does anyone know of any open source time tracking packages that can automate my time tracking?

[Henry]

Here's a more simple one. It's in Web 2.0 goodness too.

Time Tracker - A Personal Time Management Application - The Form Assembly

[Jim]

Originally Posted by Henry

Here's a more simple one. It's in Web 2.0 goodness too.

Time Tracker - A Personal Time Management Application - The Form Assembly

It's OK, but the point of the initial candidates is that they system watches for you (what applications you run, what documents are open, etc) and then automatically calculates how much time was spent on each project.

Give the tracker above, you'd have to manually enter each project that you're on, and then you switch to email, so you have to stop the timer and then start it for email, and then you make adjustments to some source so you have to manually stop and start the timer again.

It's a huge leap in productivity to just let the computer figure out where you're spending your time.

[Henry]

Originally Posted by Jim

It's OK, but the point of the initial candidates is that they system watches for you (what applications you run, what documents are open, etc) and then automatically calculates how much time was spent on each project.

Give the tracker above, you'd have to manually enter each project that you're on, and then you switch to email, so you have to stop the timer and then start it for email, and then you make adjustments to some source so you have to manually stop and start the timer again.

It's a huge leap in productivity to just let the computer figure out where you're spending your time.

Oh I see. You want to track the time spent on each application. That's SWEET. Which one was your favorite of the 3 apps?

[Jim]

So far I have only played with CaptureWorks, but I am seriouosly considering its purchase.


I had NO IDEA I spent that much time on the web. Even when I break it down by sites relevant to my work vs those that aren't, I'm wasting a lot of time.