Track Time for a Contact

The Track Time feature mainly serves as a tool for monitoring time spent for a given task on various contacts. The user can track the amount of time spent working on a contact. This feature allows management to know where project resources are being used.

  • To Track Time for a contact, click on CRM > Contacts.
  • Then double-click on a contact or click on the Contact Details icon from the contact list.
  • On the Contact summary screen, you will find the track time feature.

    contacts tracktime

Add Estimates/Duration

With Estimates, the supervisor can set estimated time for the task.

  • Initial estimate entered will be the First estimate.
  • Estimates entered after that will be shown as Final estimate.
  • If the user enters only one estimate then that estimate will be shown in both first and final estimate.
  • In the track time window, users can also enter the time spent on a task manually.

Few things to understand about setting up Estimates.

  • Admininistrators can set their own estimates as well as for other users.

  • Administrators can edit or delete estimates for other users.

  • Users can set estimates only for themselves.

  • Users can edit own estimates set by the Administrator.

Add First Estimate

To add the first estimate:

  1. Click on the Add button on the contacts summary page in track time window.

  2. A new window displays on the screen. Select the Estimate radio button.

  3. Enter the date,notes and the estimated duration for the task.
  4. Click Save.

Add duration manually

To record the hours spent on a task for the contact manually:

  1. Click on the Add button.
  2. Select the Spent radio button.

  3. Enter the date, notes and duration of the task.
  4. To check the steps for including the time spent in the timesheet on a task by a contact, click here.
  5. Click Save.
  6. To see the details of estimate time, time spent on a task and time left, click on the details button.

Add Final Estimate

The user can increase the estimated time, if while working they realize that the estimated time mentioned is not enough.

To add Final estimate:

  1. Click on the Add button.

  2. Click Estimate radio button.

  3. If the first estimate entered was 5 hours, and if the user wants to increase the estimate by 2 hours more, then the Final estimate entered will be 7 hours. Final estimate will be the total of the first estimate and the second estimate.

  4. The track time window will show the first estimate, final estimate, the actual time spent on the task and balance hours

    contacts view time

  5. The spent hours will be subtracted from the final estimated hours.
  6. If the user realizes that the estimated time required for a task is less than the mentioned Final estimated time, the user can enter the estimate again which will be the Final estimate.
  7. Check the example given below.
  8. The user has entered first estimate of 5 hours, time spent on a task is 2 hour.
  9. But the user wants to increase the estimate by 2 hours, so the second estimate entered is 7 hrs.

  10. But the user realizes that the total time required for the task is only 4 hours, then again the user enters the estimate of 4 hours which will be the Final estimate.

  11. The total time spent will be subtracted from the third and final estimate.
  12. Users can edit the work notes by clicking on the icon. Please, note the users can change the estimate and the time spent on tasks.
  13. Delete the work notes by clicking on the icon.

Timer

This section describes how to track time for a contact in two ways:

Start Timer button inside the Track Time widget

  1. Click the Start Timer button.

  2. The timer on the menu bar will start recording the time.

  3. After the work on the task is complete, click the Stop Timer button inside the track time widget.

  4. The track time window will display.

  5. Enter the work notes.
  6. To learn about Include in timesheet feature, click here.
  7. Click Save.
  8. Users can also reset the time by clicking on the Reset Timer button.

The Timer widget on the menu bar

  1. Click on the Timer on the menu bar to start the timer.

  2. A screen will display where the user needs to select the application and entity for which time is to be tracked.

  3. Click Start.
  4. The timer will start recording the time for the selected application.
  5. After the work on the task is complete, click on the timer on the menu bar to stop the timer.
  6. The track time window pop-up will show up with the duration.
  7. Enter the work notes and select the user name working on the task.
  8. To learn more Include in timesheet feature, click here.
  9. Click Save.
  10. Users can also reset the time by clicking on the Reset Timer button.

Include in Timesheet

Contacts module has a provision of including the tracked time directly in the Timesheet module of OfficeClip. Time is recorded in two ways in OfficeClip Timesheet:

  1. Periodic mode: In this mode, the time is recorded manually where user enters the working hours and work details in the timesheet and saves it.

  2. Check-in Check-out mode: In this mode, user clicks on the Check-in button when they start working on a task and click Check-out after finishing the work. This Check-in Check-out system will automatically record the work hours in the timesheet.

Similarly, if you want to include the time recorded for a contact in the timesheet, it will be recorded depending on the timesheet mode you are using.

  • Periodic mode:
    1. If the user is using the timesheet in the Periodic mode, after stopping the timer in the contact module and if the user selects the Include in Timesheet option, the track time screen will look like:

    2. The duration is recorded in the Duration box, users need to enter the work notes and select the Project and Service Item from the dropdown.
    3. Click Save.
    4. Check the time getting recorded in the timesheet.

  • Check-in Check-out mode:
    1. If the user is using the timesheet in Check-in Check-out mode, after stopping the timer in the contacts module and if the user selects the Include in Timesheet option, the track time screen will look like:

    2. The Check-in Check-out time gets recorded automatically.
    3. Enter the work notes and select the project and service item from the dropdown.
    4. Enter break hours, if any.
    5. Click Save.
    6. Check the time and work notes recorded in the timesheet.

Admin

  • With the Admin screen the Administrator decides what features the track time window will show.

  • Click on the Admin button.

  • The Administrator needs to check mark the features which are to be displayed.