Set up a Time Tracking web app

What is Time Tracking?

• It allows you to record the time spent on tasks or projects.
• It is the electronic version of the traditional paper timesheet!

Do I need a Time Tracking software?

It is generally a good idea to keep track of your time. Remember: time is money! However, it is especially useful if you bill your customers by the hour.

Steps to create a Time Tracking web application:

There are lots of good Time Tracking software around, but we are going to use 2qip for this because it is free, easily customizable and accessible from anywhere:

- Open the 2qip web app (https://app.2qip.com) and login
- If the welcome dialog shows up, click outside to dismiss it

1. Create a folder

- Click on New Folder in the right sidebar
- Enter the name of the folder: "Time Tracking", and validate

2. Create a list of activity types

- Double click on Time Tracking in the main view
- Click on New Element in the right sidebar
- Click on Labels list
- Enter the name of the list: "Activity"
- Click on the + icon near Additional fields
- Enter the name of the field: "Hourly rate" and the type: Number
- Click on Save in the right sidebar

3. Add some custom labels to your list

- Double click on Activity in the main view
- Click on New label in the right sidebar
- Enter the name and the hourly rate of the label. For example, "Consulting" and "60".
- Repeat the last 2 steps several times with other values. For example, "Development" and "50", "Test" and "40", ...

4. Create a list of customers

- Click on Time Tracking in the left sidebar
- Click on Labels list in the right sidebar
- Enter the name of the list: "Customer"
- Click on Save in the right sidebar

5. Add some customer names to your list

- Double click on Customer in the main view
- Click on New label in the right sidebar
- Enter the name of the label. For example, "Customer A".
- Repeat the last 2 steps several times with other values.

6. Create an account to register your activity

- Click on Time Tracking in the left sidebar
- Click on Account in the right sidebar
- Enter the name of the account: "Time"
- In the field Unit value, select Hourly rate
- Click on Save

7. Create a template to generate invoices for your customers

- Click on Time Tracking in the left sidebar
- Click on Document in the right sidebar
- Enter the name of the account: "Invoice"
- In the field Data origin, select Time
- In the field Concept, select Activity
- In the field Recipient, select Customer
- In the field Tax rate, enter the tax rate in percent, for example "10"
- In the field Comment, enter for example "Thank you"
- Click on Save

Your Time Tracking application is configured! Now, to use it, proceed as follows:

- Click on Time in the left sidebar
- Click on Credit in the right sidebar or press the insert key
- Select the date, the activity and enter the quantity (in hours) and press enter. For example, "Consulting" and "3"
- Repeat the last 2 steps as much as needed
- When you are finished, click on Report in the right sidebar to get a synthetic view.

To generate an invoice, follow these steps:

- Click on Select all (or use the ctrl key) and select the records that you wish to bill
- Click on Group. All the records are now bound together
- Click on Invoice
- Complete all the necessary fields, such as the customer’s name (To) and a possible discount or comment
- Click on Save
- Click on Share and share the link with your customer

See what this looks like:

See by yourself in a live demo.