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Time and Expense

Use timers

You can use the Time Entry Inline Timer or Desktop Timer to track the time you spend on a job or task.

Time entry inline timer

Use the Time Entry Inline Timer for activities not directly related to a project, task, or phone call. You can use use the Inline Timer for those activities, but the Desktop Timer may be more effective.
The Timer Entry Inline Timer
Start
 Start button with a green arrow button appears in each time entry transaction. After you select the
Start
 button, it will change to a Timer Entry Inline Timer
Stop
 Stop button with red square button button. When you select
Stop
, the application enters the time elapsed time since you selected Start in the
Hours
 box.
You can start and stop the timer on the same transaction as many times as needed. Each time you start and stop the timer, Practice CS records the date, the start time, the end time, and the elapsed time for the timed segment. It also shows the total time accumulated by the timer.

Desktop Timer

Use the Desktop Timer to track time outside Practice CS. The timer remains in the foreground of your Windows desktop. You can minimized or maximize the Timer, and transfer the time you record directly to a Practice CS time transaction.
There are 3 methods for opening a desktop timer: Manually, by clicking the
Solution
 link in a project or task, and by starting a phone call.
  • Open and start the Desktop Timer Manually:
    • Right-click the Practice CS Icon Practice CS icon: a red button with a timer in the Windows system tray, then select or double-click
      Desktop Timer
       from the context menu.
    • Use the Desktop Timer Start Start button with green arrow. and Stop Stop button with red square. buttons to control the timer.
  • Open and start the Desktop Timer from the Solution link on a project or task:
    • Go to
      User Preferences
      .
    • On the
      Time & Expense Entry
       tab, mark the
      Start Timer for Projects
       checkbox.
  • Open and start the Desktop Timer For a Phone Call (applies to Client Management Module):
    • Go to
      User Preferences
      .
    • On the
      Time & Expense Entry
       tab, mark the
      Start Timer for Phone Calls
       checkbox.
    • To start a phone call, you can either:
      • Select
        Add
        , then
        Phone Call
         from the main tool bar.
      • Select 
        Call Now
         in a
        Scheduled Phone Call
        .
      • Select
        Return Call
         in a
        Phone message
        .
  • Post Time from the Desktop Timer to a Time & Expense Entry Time transaction
    • Stop the timer if it's running.
    • Make sure you have selected
      Maximize
      .
    • Select the Post button on the timer you wish to post.
    • Complete the transaction.

Monitor timers

You can monitor active
Time Entry Inline Timers
 and
Desktop Timers
 on the
Staff Dashboard
 and
Firm Dashboard
.
Staff can view their own active timers in the Daily Time section on their Staff Dashboard:.
Administrators can view the active timers for all staff in the Staff Active Timers section of the
Firm Dashboard
.

Stop and delete timers

  • Stop a timer:
    • Select the Stop button.
    • To stop active timers, go to the
      Firm Dashboard
      , then in the
      Staff Active Timers
       section right-click the timer and select
      Stop Timer
       from the context menu.
    • Select the timer to go to the
      Daily Time
       section of the Staff Dashboard. Select the
      Stop
       button .
  • Deleting a timer
  • Open the
    Desktop Timer
     and
    Maximize
     it.
  • Right-click the timer entry and select
    Delete Timer
     from the context menu.

This article applies to:

  • Product: Practice CS

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