Ask HN: What do you use for time tracking

#1

Post by tronathan » Sat, Dec 24, 2011, 12:16 AM UTC

As a freelancer, its important that I accurately track and bill my time. I think a lot of us end up guessing about time on projects and tend to under-bill.

What do you use for time tracking?

(I am writing an app that 'solves' time tracking in a new way and am trying to determine which services I should target for integration. Currently supporting Harvest, what else is important?)

Please post the name of your time tracking weapon of choice so we can see whats popular.

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for time tracking

#2

Post by superchink » Sat, Dec 24, 2011, 12:31 AM UTC

Harvest here

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for time tracking

#3

Post by kroger » Sat, Dec 24, 2011, 12:36 AM UTC

I love Hamster [1], but since I switched from Linux to the Mac I haven't found anything like it.

[1] http://projecthamster.wordpress.com/about/

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for time tracking

#4

Post by dangrossman » Sat, Dec 24, 2011, 1:05 AM UTC

A pen and notepad

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for time tracking

#5

Post by ilcavero » Sat, Dec 24, 2011, 2:30 AM UTC

manic time

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for time tracking

#6

Post by damoncali » Sat, Dec 24, 2011, 2:51 AM UTC

a spreadsheet

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for time tracking

#7

Post by christocracy » Sat, Dec 24, 2011, 3:28 AM UTC

I've been giving freshbooks $20/month for the last couple years http://freshbooks.com

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for time tracking

#8

Post by brudgers » Sat, Dec 24, 2011, 4:25 AM UTC

When I track time, I like to use half days.

A half day is the most meaningful chunk of work progress and, of course, it is flexible - I hate keeping track of quarter hours or worrying about remembering that I stopped to talk to the UPS driver.

I've even written contracts with half days as the basic billing unit - and once I explain to clients that it means I may not bill them for a quick email, they pretty much get it.

I track half days with a pencil and calendar, and write a short description of what I did.

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for time tracking

#9

Post by b3b0p » Sat, Dec 24, 2011, 5:04 AM UTC

I've been using this. Print them out every week. I find them easy to keep track with since I switch tasks often.

http://davidseah.com/blog/node/the-emergent-task-timer/

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for time tracking

#10

Post by olegious » Sat, Dec 24, 2011, 5:49 AM UTC

freshbooks.com - time tracking and invoicing in one package.