Time logging tool

I'm looking for an application that can help me account for my work hours.

features that i'm looking for:

(essential) regular short term reminders/notifications to ensure that I'm recording time for the correct task.
easy task creation, just type a description and start recording. (rather than selecting from a list of previously created tasks)
easy correction of times recorded (move a start time back and the previous task's end time gets adjusted.)
good reporting or timesheet generation.
free / open-source so that I don't have to get approval from my employer.
(optional) it would be nice if it was portable.

Apps that i've looked at:

timepanic (www.timepanic.com): 1 2 3 4 x x
ptimer (http://www.sprinx.com/ptimer/) : 1 x x ? 5 x
ptm (http://ptm.sourceforge.net/): 1 x x 4 5 6
Grindstone 2 (http://www.epiforge.com/Grindstone2/): 1 2 x 4 5 ?

I’m hoping for a few more suggestions.
If timepanic was free it would be the front runner.
What other apps meet the requirements?

X-Dev

Posted 2010-10-06T04:53:43.397

Reputation: 131

Answers

You might want to consider task management software with time recording features.

I use http://github.com/andreashofmann/AutofocusAHK which make use of AutoHotKey scripts to manage and record tasks based on Mark Forster's AF/DWM task management methods. Meets your criteria 1, 2, 5 & 6. Less so 3 & 4.

sabre23t

Posted 2010-10-06T04:53:43.397

Reputation: 226

Compared to the other applications I've tested this application seems to be a tool to help effectively manage your to-do list rather than time logging. Sorry, it didn't really fit the bill. – X-Dev – 2010-10-06T22:45:26.897

If your needs are much more than basic task start/stop/timespent, it's true that AutofocusAHK would not really fit your bill. My needs are more of easy/visible timer while doing tasks, and basic task time used report as per http://www.sabre23t.com/articles/Tasks-2010-02-11-10-39-19.html (click on the unactioned/done buttons for different views). I've come across other task management software on Windows/WindowsMobile with a bit more extensive time recording features that I could elaborate on, if it's of interest.

– sabre23t – 2010-10-07T15:19:00.747

How about RescueTime Solo Lite which is free?

Matthew Lock

Posted 2010-10-06T04:53:43.397

Reputation: 4 254

free users don't get access to rescuetime Pace (http://blog.rescuetime.com/2009/11/13/rescuetime-for-project-time-tracking-finally/).

I'm not very fond of the active application tracking (as opposed to ask tracking) as i use the same applications to work on different tasks and projects.

– X-Dev – 2010-10-06T22:48:38.993