Show HN: Timelite, a simple time tracking solution | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: Timelite, a simple time tracking solution

github.com

109 pointsovershard34 comments

This is something I've been casually working on here and there for a need I had. I use a variety of project management solutions and they all track time differently, some don't even track time at all, and it's sometimes not very well implemented. I just wanted a way to track time quickly separate from my project management system that I can then enter later to make sure my time is accurate.

Hilariously, I've also used this for janky speed run time tracking while gaming since you just hit enter and it keeps going, it's not very good at that but it works...

This is pretty cool. We use some awful enterprise software for timesheets (Deltek) and its frustrating enough that I only enter information once per week. During the week I use my outlook calendar, creating events corresponding to projects and hours worked.

A nice feature would be to export the Timelite log into an ical file or directly into calendar.

I do want to add exports to json+csv, not sure how much more use ical export would be but I can add it to the list.

Do you use Maconomy? If so, we're in the same boat (perhaps even company). Me and a friend wrote a Python script that can automate some of the Maconomy features such as submitting timesheets. I've personally integrated this with my own journal system within Vim. Let me know if you're interested in learning more about it (karl.yngve@lervag.net).

You should add a confirmation to the "CLEAR" button. It's too easy to accidentally wipe the whole log. It would also be nice to download the log as CSV -- this can be done with pure JS.

Add a confirmation sounds like a good idea. CSV exports are definitely on the menu, pretty easy to add.

It's especially true when editing a tag. I thought I could cancel the editing by clicking the cross button, instead it deleted the log.

Very good point here, that's definitely bad design on my part, I'll fix it.

This looks very nice! I like the minimalism.

Somewhat off-topic, but where I work we don't need timesheets - so as an employee my main use-case for time tracking is actually to track my overtime. However most services seem to focus on the employer perspective - which is probably a reasonable product strategy.

So does anyone know a good solution for overtime tracking? Currently I'm using Nokotime in combination with a self-written node.js script that calculates my overtime per week / in total. While I love Nokotimes' UI I would consider switching if there was a tool/service that made the overtime thing easier.

> Where I work, VanNoppen Marketing (https://www.vannoppen.co/), they let me code stuff on my free time and do whatever I want with it.

When you say "free time", do you mean "free time at work", or just in general?

Just in general, I've had jobs that "owned everything I thought of or created" while working for that company. My currenty employer does that have such an arcane policy which I am thankful for.

why do i need to complete a captcha and run security scans to access your co website? weird.

I'm going the plug Clockify as a happy (unaffiliated) user. It's free for small users, and has a good reason for how they make money anyway (it's just advertising for them, they make their money from big customers like Google, IBM, PwC). They have everything and the kitchen sink, but you don't have to use it. For example, open an email or a Google calendar event or a Github issue and they've added "start tracking a new task" inline.

https://clockify.me/customers

Clockify is definitely a good solution, I have a larger project for group time tracking that I'm working on called Timestrap https://github.com/overshard/timestrap/ too.

The point of Timelite is to not compete with things like this but to be a lightweight quick time tracking solution. It in no way is a Clockify replacement, and if your entire company and development process goes through Clockify then Timelite may be a useless tool for you.

I use Clockify for personal stuff. Is Timelite competing with that?

Nope, not in any way. There's a use for larger solutions like Clockify even if it's just personal stuff and not with a group. I just want a small timer with a log sometimes though and that's what Timelite is for. Clockify is a perfectly fine solution for that too if you need it's features.

Cool. I know it can get annoying that people post competing things on Show HN. Congrats on your project.

Since I was procrastinating writing timesheets and it was hard to estimate the hours worked weeks back from git commits, slack and Skype history, I hacked thyme to recognize my screensaver/lockscreen, put it into crontab and now I have visual logs about time my workstation was unlocked, which Windows were active and can recreate the timesheets much more easily.

That's a pretty cool hack, would love to see some kind of write up on it!

That's pretty cool! This is pretty simple and minimalistic.

I've been working on my own different take on time tracking too (https://maesure.com) which asks you periodically what you're doing and builds a picture of the day from that.

I thought about periodically asking what you're doing too but I'm not sure I like the intrusion of it? Time tracking is definitely something people forget about though and just let go from time to time.

https://github.com/davidecavestro/jttslite

I find toggl convenient to use simple multi/project time tracking

https://toggl.com

Especially with it's desktop app

wakatime has been my go to for this type of thing.

Overkill. Use https://timewarrior.net instead.

That's very cool.

Timewarrior is overkill, an automatic background time tracker is even less overhead.

Really? What about a mind-reader!!? :-D

Timewarrior automatically tracks your time using [start][1] and [stop][2] commands. It also works like a Stopwatch[3], no start command needed.

[1] https://timewarrior.net/docs/timew-start.1.html

[2] https://timewarrior.net/docs/timew-stop.1.html

[3] https://timewarrior.net/docs/stopwatch.html

Timewarrior requires a manual to learn its features.

- https://timewarrior.net/docs/

- $ timew help

- $ timew [command] help

Once learned you won't need them anymore. ;-)

This is great--just what I was looking for

i cant trust this based on your employers website - which can not be accessed without a weird capthcha "Why do I have to complete a CAPTCHA? Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property." like, wtf? and you guys build websites? lol. no thanks.

I think this is actually a cloudflare thing https://community.cloudflare.com/t/getting-cloudflare-capcha...

I don't know why, but I click away those sites when this happens.

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