Tracking Your Time - Virtual Assistant Forums

#1 (**permalink**) 01-30-2008

Hi

I don't know what you all use or recommend, but I use Traxtime to track all my client projects. It's a great tool and I don't know what I did without it. It spits out reports with a breakdown by project, and it even has a punch in and punch out button on your desktop!

You can find out more here:

http://www.spudcity.com

Lisa

jeannedb · #2 (**permalink**) 01-30-2008

I'm using Task Coach right now, which is Open Source (aka free). http://www.taskcoach.org

Tess · #3 (**permalink**) 01-30-2008

Nice resources, thank you for sharing!

#4 (**permalink**) 01-30-2008

Thanks Jeanne, I'm looking at Task Coach right now. It has different features to Traxtime, I think I'm going to use Task Coach as well for a while and see which one I prefer. It even looks like they might complement each other.

winslowgirl · #5 (**permalink**) 01-30-2008

Now sure what I use... I'll have to look at it, but I love it.. Being able to track every second you work is soo important as a VA and I encourage anyone who hasn't used a tracking system yet, to do... You won't regret it...

Modern Marketing Support · #6 (**permalink**) 01-31-2008

Do any of these programs deduct time for you? Lets say one of my clients books me for 10 hours. Do any of these time tracking programs let me punch in 10 hours and then automatically deducts the time/counts down as I go along? (does this make sense to you)

I asked this once before and everyone says they all use excel to do this for them. I am hoping that maybe someone will come up with something that will do the deed for me. Please tell me there is a program that does this! I use MyHours and I like it but it lacks this feature that I would love to have.

Tess · #7 (**permalink**) 01-31-2008

Shari, Google came up with two solutions (I'm sure there must be more, hopefully if someone knows of a program that does this they'll pitch in with an answer - but if these are not suitable, try searching for 'track time against retainer' or 'bill time against retainer' and similar variations to find more options.)

Bill Quick appears to have a free 30 day trial with tech support and it lists billing against retainer as one of the features. It also integrates with Quick Books, but I can't find the price!

Billing Tracker also has a free trial download and lists billing against retainer as a feature. Looks like the paid product license costs just less than $100.

There's also a software directory called Capterra, where you might find more options. Here's a link to their time tracking options page.

Modern Marketing Support · #8 (**permalink**) 01-31-2008

Thanks for the info Tess! I'll go and check those out.

lisa007 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-31-2008

Tess here's the pricing on Bill Quick:

Product Price 12 Month Support Notes
BillQuick Lite 2007 $0.00 $249.00 90 days of technical support available for $95

BillQuick Basic 2007 (2 user license) $495.00 $249.00 30 days of Free technical support included

BillQuick Basic 2007 (user license 3-4) $100.00 $20.00 Price shown is per additional license

Lisa007

jeannedb · #10 (**permalink**) 02-01-2008

Originally Posted by lisataliga

Thanks Jeanne, I'm looking at Task Coach right now. It has different features to Traxtime, I think I'm going to use Task Coach as well for a while and see which one I prefer. It even looks like they might complement each other.

If anything, Task Coach is great for people starting out in the business who don't have a lot of resources (aka cash). I got the heads up on it from a women's web design group I belong to and many of them use it quite successfully.

#11 (**permalink**) 02-02-2008

Hi

Another option is Fanurio http://www.fanuriotimetracking.com It is a desktop application designed for freelancers. It can do basic project management, time tracking and invoicing.

Tess · #12 (**permalink**) 02-02-2008

Originally Posted by lisa007

Tess here's the pricing on Bill Quick:

Product Price 12 Month Support Notes
BillQuick Lite 2007 $0.00 $249.00 90 days of technical support available for $95

BillQuick Basic 2007 (2 user license) $495.00 $249.00 30 days of Free technical support included

BillQuick Basic 2007 (user license 3-4) $100.00 $20.00 Price shown is per additional license

Lisa007

Yikes - OK - scratch that one

Thanks for updating the info!

Modern Marketing Support · #13 (**permalink**) 02-05-2008

Originally Posted by lisataliga

Hi

I don't know what you all use or recommend, but I use Traxtime to track all my client projects. It's a great tool and I don't know what I did without it. It spits out reports with a breakdown by project, and it even has a punch in and punch out button on your desktop!

You can find out more here:

http://www.spudcity.com

Lisa

Thanks for the info Lisa. I downloaded the trial version yesterday and I really like it so far. It's a reasonable cost too. (I like that

#14 (**permalink**) 02-05-2008

Hi Shari,

I'm glad you're trying it out. I really like Traxtime - it's so simple, no complicated features that you're never going to use.

You know those times when you're working on one client project and another client calls you on the phone? Well, Traxtime has that handy punching in and out button on your desktop, which makes it so easy to change from project to project.

As far as I know it doesn't deduct time from retainer projects, but it's very easy to see on a daily basis how much time you've spent on each client.

Lisa

Modern Marketing Support · #15 (**permalink**) 02-07-2008

Originally Posted by lisataliga

You know those times when you're working on one client project and another client calls you on the phone? Well, Traxtime has that handy punching in and out button on your desktop, which makes it so easy to change from project to project.

Yes! Thank you.

I was going crazy using MyHours. I use Firefox and for some reason it crashes on me all the time and then I lose all my tracked time for that session.

Traxtime might just be my lifesaver!