Time
The third list within a job contains a complete list of all time entries that are associated with the job. The list of time entries for a job can be grouped by the extra information gathered for the client or the date (ascending or descending).
Within the summary at the top of the screen, a summed total of the number of hours and minutes for the combined time entries is displayed. Additionally, a total value of the combined time entries is displayed.
From this tab, the following tasks can be accomplished:
- Start clock for time entries that are not running
- Stop clock for time entries that are running
- Add new time entries
- Edit existing time entries
- Delete existing time entries
When a task is running, a red dot is displayed to the right of the time entry description. Tasks that are not running will not show the red dot.
Start and Stop Running Clock
A time entry that is not currently running can be started one of three ways:
- From the list view of time entries, long-pressing on the task will bring up a menu of available options. When the task is not running, one of the options will be to START Running Clock. When selected, this option will start the clock for the selected time entry.
- From the list view of time entries, selecting the empty recording indicator will start the clock for the selected time entry.
- While editing the time entry, there is a button to start and stop the clock for the task.
A time entry that is currently running can be stopped one of three ways:
- From the list view of time entries, long-pressing on the task will bring up a menu of available options. When the task is running, one of the options will be to STOP Running Clock. When selected, this option will stop the clock for the selected time entry.
- From the list view of time entries, selecting the red circular recording indicator will stop the clock for the selected time entry.
- While editing the time entry, there is a button to start and stop the clock for the task.
When the clock is stopped for a time entry, the application automatically updates the total hours for the time entry based on the last start time of the time entries clock. A time entry clock can be started and stopped as many times as you like, and the system will track the total running time for the task appropriately.
When a time entry is running, all views of the time entry will continually update as time progresses. Additionally, related dollar amounts will also update accordingly.
Note that the system allows more than one time entry to have a running clock simultaneously; although, the system will prompt the user when starting a second running clock to decide whether or not the previously running time entry should be automatically stopped.
Also note that when a time entry is re-started, the application can either restart the existing time entry or create a new time entry. This behavior is driven by the Auto Create Time Entry setting.
To add new time entries, press the “Add” button at the top of the list of time entries. Pressing this button will cause the Add/Edit time window to be displayed.
To edit an existing time entry, touch the time entry that is desired to be edited. Touching the time entry will cause the Add/Edit time window to be displayed.
Time Entry Form
The Add/Edit time window contains the following entry options:
- Extra Data – The title, which in the image to the right, is “WO#”, is determined by the “Extra Data” field within the Edit Client screen. The button below the title allows the selection of one “Extra Data” item to be associated with the Time Entry. This feature can be used for a variety of purposes such as for tracking: Projects, Work Order Numbers, Categories, etc.
- Start Date/Time – When selected, the date/time button will bring up a Calendar widget for selecting the date and time for when the time entry starts.
- At the top of the date/time entry dialog is an action that looks like a clock. This action will set the date and time to the current date and time when selected.
- Also, within this dialog is a checkbox that allows the user to have the system automatically recalculate the duration once the value is changed. The application will ask if they would like it to remember their selection for future adjustments.
- End Date/Time - To the right of the start button is the end time button. Similar to the start button, selecting this button will raise a date/time entry dialog for defining the end time for a time entry. Just as the start button dialog, there are options for setting the date/time to current time, and recalculating the duration upon exit.
- Run – This button starts and stops the running clock for the time entry. When the time entry clock is started, the title of the window will state that the time entry is Running, and the Run button will show green indicating that the clock is running. Time will continue to accumulate until the time entry clock is stopped. When the clock is stopped, the button will display red to indicate so, and the application will update the total hours for the Time Entry based on the last start time of the time entry clock. A time entry clock can be started and stopped as many times as you like, and the system will track the total running time for the task appropriately.
- Hours and Minutes – Entering the hours and minutes directly is an alternate means for capturing the duration of this time entry.
- Rate – The rate field is used to calculate the dollar amount to be charged for the time entered. Although this field is defaulted to the client billing rate, the value can be adjusted independently of the client billing rate on a per time entry basis. Note that if the client billing rate is adjusted after a time entry is created, the rates for individual time entries will not be back-adjusted.
- Tags – One or more tags can be typed into the tag field, comma separated, or picked from a list of tags. The tag field provides the ability to quickly attach a common descriptor to the time entry. For more details about managing tags, please see the Tag Management section of the document.
- Notes – The notes field allows additional information about the time entry to be captured.
Deleting Time
If there is a desire to delete a time entry, one can do so by long pressing on the time row in the list of time entries for a job. A dialog will be raised asking you if you want to delete the specified time entry. Selecting the Delete option will delete the time entry. If you decide not to delete the time entry, pressing the back button will cancel the deletion.
Warning: When a time entry is deleted, there is no recovery of the deleted data.