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How Not to Do Time Tracking for Software Developers

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Re: How Not to Do Time Tracking for Software Developers

#4

I track my time, too, and my biggest complaint is how long it takes. I think it's a great idea for companies to show why time tracking matters so it doesn't feel so futile.

If in the US definitely a company fail to inform. Done properly developer salary supported by time records can help qualify some portion of the salary for the R&D tax credit. At least that's what they tell us where I slave (a $FORTUNE_500)

Where things fall apart for me is logging overhead time, like time spent waking up with the first cup of coffee while reading company emails or doing IT-ish tasks on my dev system. I have no idea how to account for those times that doesn't make a mockery of the "Other" time entry.

Re: How Not to Do Time Tracking for Software Developers

#5

I track my time, too, and my biggest complaint is how long it takes. I think it's a great idea for companies to show why time tracking matters so it doesn't feel so futile.

If in the US definitely a company fail to inform. Done properly developer salary supported by time records can help qualify some portion of the salary for the R&D tax credit. At least that's what they tell us where I slave (a $FORTUNE_500) Where things fall apart for me is logging overhead time, like time spent waking up with the first cup of coffee while reading company emails or doing IT-ish tasks on my dev system.…

I make those a pretty broad category -- "email" "time waste" (that one's just for me). If the time tracker is simplistic and intuitive enough, then it doesn't have to be a headache.

Re: How Not to Do Time Tracking for Software Developers

#6

I track my time, too, and my biggest complaint is how long it takes. I think it's a great idea for companies to show why time tracking matters so it doesn't feel so futile.

If in the US definitely a company fail to inform. Done properly developer salary supported by time records can help qualify some portion of the salary for the R&D tax credit. At least that's what they tell us where I slave (a $FORTUNE_500) Where things fall apart for me is logging overhead time, like time spent waking up with the first cup of coffee while reading company emails or doing IT-ish tasks on my dev system.…

I'm fortunate to be in a place where our time-tracking is not expected to add up to 40 (or 80) hours a week. I log the work items I do, which sometimes is six hours and sometimes is one hour a day.

Re: How Not to Do Time Tracking for Software Developers

#10
If you are an emacs/org-mode user, it's quite easy to clock in and out of tasks as you work, and generate summary reports of your time.

I've done this with good success when I was required to track my time. If I'm not required to do it, I find that I just dont bother.

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