Real-time tracking Timer for Project

[wisconsin262]

Is there a feature in or software that integrates with Project that would
allow me to use something like a stop watch timer to record and track time
spent on a project?

 

[John]

Is there a feature in or software that integrates with Project that would
allow me to use something like a stop watch timer to record and track time
spent on a project?

Wisconsin,
What exactly do you define as, "...time spent on Project"? Project
already has two main "time" trackers. There is duration (baseline,
current schedule and actual) and there is work (baseline, current
schedule and actual). Then of course there is also the time someone
(normally the project manager) spends developing and maintaining the
project plan itself.

John
Project MVP

 

[wisconsin262]

For example, in the duration column for a particular task rather than enter a
value in minutes or hours, I would rather have a start and stop button
somewhere that would then enter the duration after I complete a task. I'm
using the program primarily to keep track of time I spend on specific tasks.
And, for the sake of convenience, I'd like to just be able to track my time
with something like a stop watch but with benefit of having the time tracked
so I can go back for billing purposes and compile the amount of time spent on
various tasks. Hope that's a clarifying explanation...

 

[John]

For example, in the duration column for a particular task rather than enter a
value in minutes or hours, I would rather have a start and stop button
somewhere that would then enter the duration after I complete a task. I'm
using the program primarily to keep track of time I spend on specific tasks.
And, for the sake of convenience, I'd like to just be able to track my time
with something like a stop watch but with benefit of having the time tracked
so I can go back for billing purposes and compile the amount of time spent on
various tasks. Hope that's a clarifying explanation...

Wisconsin,
That's what the Actual Start and Actual Finish fields are for. Enter the
date, and time if desired, in the Actual Start field and Project will
adjust the Start field (schedule) to agree with reality. When a task
finishes, so the same thing with the Actual Finish field and Project
will automatically adjust the actual duration to be the working time
between the entered values.

However, be aware that duration is simply the amount of working time
between the start and finish of a task. It is NOT the amount of effort
expended to accomplish the task. The latter is the Work field. If you in
fact spend 100% of your time on a given task, then the duration and work
will be the same.

John
Project MVP

 

[Steve House]

Have you looked at the Journal tools in MS Outlook? Project is really not
very well suited as a time-and-billing or a personal time tracking
application. It's really best used to plan out and schedule a sequence of
tasks that lead to a specific, unique, deliverable or result. Projects have
a clearly defined start date and time and an observable completion point
where all the work is done and everything stops as far as that project is
concerned for all time. True, it allows you to track actual against plan
but its primary purpose is to create the plan and tracking without a plan in
place to measure actuals against is pretty pointless. You ask for a
stopwatch but in most project plans about 8 hours is the smallest duration a
task would ever have - cut it finer than that and the PM is excessively
micromanaging the resources. In short, if you need time tracking on the
hour and minute level for time-and-billing, look into a purpose-built
package like Sage Timeslips or investigate the journal in Outlook.

 

[wisconsin262]

Steve,
Thanks for the reply. The Journal entry is more along the lines of what I
was looking for with the Start timer button. I guess that will be the way to
go.
Thanks.

Have you looked at the Journal tools in MS Outlook? Project is really not
very well suited as a time-and-billing or a personal time tracking
application. It's really best used to plan out and schedule a sequence of
tasks that lead to a specific, unique, deliverable or result. Projects have
a clearly defined start date and time and an observable completion point
where all the work is done and everything stops as far as that project is
concerned for all time. True, it allows you to track actual against plan
but its primary purpose is to create the plan and tracking without a plan in
place to measure actuals against is pretty pointless. You ask for a
stopwatch but in most project plans about 8 hours is the smallest duration a
task would ever have - cut it finer than that and the PM is excessively
micromanaging the resources. In short, if you need time tracking on the
hour and minute level for time-and-billing, look into a purpose-built
package like Sage Timeslips or investigate the journal in Outlook.
--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm for the FAQs

For example, in the duration column for a particular task rather than
enter a
value in minutes or hours, I would rather have a start and stop button
somewhere that would then enter the duration after I complete a task. I'm
using the program primarily to keep track of time I spend on specific
tasks.
And, for the sake of convenience, I'd like to just be able to track my
time
with something like a stop watch but with benefit of having the time
tracked
so I can go back for billing purposes and compile the amount of time spent
on
various tasks. Hope that's a clarifying explanation...

 

[lisaniel]

yeah you do have such features to inculcate in time tracking...

Is there a feature in or software that integrates with Project tha
would
allow me to use something like a stop watch timer to record and trac
time
spent on a project?

'Online Timecard' (http://www.labortimetracker.com/