Task Timing Software: Know the Answer to "How Long Will This Take?"

Our office will be moving next month and to make the move as smooth and cost effective as possible we created a spreadsheet to store price quotes for movers, new carpet, new equipment that we will need, and general "to do" lists. Last week, a colleague of mine e-mailed me the spreadsheet to update with information that I had gathered to format and print for our next meeting. When he asked me how long it would take I answered, fairly accurately, "About forty-five minutes."

While that one was not a difficult question to answer, it made me think back to when we first started this project and were listing all of the things that we had to do, from getting quotes to packing boxes. When asked how long it would take us to prepare for the move, I did not have a well-founded answer. I often felt this way about larger projects and wished I could be more confident in my predictions. I felt that it would be too cumbersome to manually log time spent on each project so I turned to software.

I am pleased to report that task timing software is not only out there, but has some great features such as differentiating between active time worked on a file and downtime and some even have networking capabilities.

Task timing software is a type of program that can be as simple as a freeware virtual stopwatch with a memory function or just a small part of complex multi-user project management software (which typically costs hundreds of dollars). My goal was simply to start timing my tasks so that when my boss or colleagues wanted to know how long a project took or will take I could answer them without feeling like I was guessing.

Aside from boosting the confidence of others in your performance by being able to give them accurate information as to how long a task will take, task timing software is also a great tool to increase productivity. Keep in mind how long projects actually take and you can fit the day together like a puzzle when planning future schedules.

Many task timing software programs are accurate because they have an active time feature that tells the user how long work is being done on the piece rather than simply how long the window is open. For example, time spent typing or using spell check is recorded as active time, but when the user goes to lunch or checks her e-mail the downtime feature turns on and a different clock begins.

Task timing software can then create charts of how time is spent and create charts and graphs that will add professionalism and overall sharpness when added to presentations and reports. These charts are also great in presentations to investors. Showing that the company values time and deadlines is key to the investors seeing returns.

Even the basic freeware task timing and project management programs can make a big impression to investors, colleagues, and superiors. It is really up to the user how large a role time management should play in a business. I try to use a cost benefit analysis before implementing any new software by comparing the time it will take away from my regular tasks to use to the benefit that it will bring to my employer and myself.

Time Recorder 4.28 (Free)

A very basic freeware stopwatch program is Time Recorder 4.28. While it has limited features it is free, which makes it a good choice for someone who is on a very tight budget and is not sure about the whole idea.

Clock Shop Lite ($20)

I like Clock Shop Lite because the program opens with the file that the user chooses it to monitor. Clock Shop Lite is programmed by file name, has the active/downtime feature that I mentioned above, and it goes for $20. While the graphics are not particularly high-tech looking, the functionality is still pretty good.

VIP Task Manager ($300 - $600)

For the serious user VIP Task Manager does everything from keeping track of timesheets, allowing five users to enter their hours, and produces all sorts of useful forms. But... that sophistication comes with a price of $300 - $600 depending on the version.

The best advice is to shop around after gauging your needs. I recommend starting out by downloading any of the free programs or a trial version of one of the more advanced versions, writing down how long you think a task will take, and timing yourself to gauge your own task timing prediction capabilities. That way at least you will know if you need to keep a closer eye on the clock.