Overview
Logging time on tasks is one of the most important components of work in Limble. It is critical for reporting, performance metrics, and so much more.
One of Limble’s powerful features is the automatic task timer, which records how long a a task is open to help users more accurately track their time.
By default, Limble users can manually adjust time spent on a task. It is highly recommended that you allow your users to edit their time. If you remove this capability from them, the time may be less accurate, and your super user or manager may need to spend more time adjusting time records.
However, the ability to manually log and edit time can be disabled.
This article will cover how to log time manually, and how to use the task timer to automatically log time on behalf of users.
Table of Contents
Why is Manually Logging Time Preferred?
When a user pulls up a task, the task timer will keep track how long that the task has been open for. At the bottom of your task, you will see it keeping track of the time.
If a user exits a task or leaves the Limble app, the task timer will stop tracking time and default back to 0 when the user re-enters the task. If a user unknowingly keeps the task open, the task timer will continue to log time, even if no action is being taken. For these reasons, we highly recommend allowing users to log their own time.
How to Manually Log Time Spent on Tasks
A user has two options to log time: 1) by completing a task or 2) logging time without closing out a task.
Log Time By Completing a Task
By clicking "Complete" on desktop, or the green checkmark button on mobile, which will bring them to the Complete Task window to complete and close out the task.
In the new window, the time tracked by the task timer will be carried over for the user to use when calculating how long it took them to complete a task. Their time will auto-populate in the hours and minutes field.
A user can manually adjust this time by entering it in the minutes or hours field.
(Note: Users can use the "+" button to increase time and the "-" button to decrease time. Minutes change in increments of 5, and hours change in increments of 1.)
Once satisfied, click "Complete."
Log Time Without Closing Out a Task
By clicking the green action button, and selecting the log time icon from the expanded list of options, a user can log time without completing the task. This is helpful is a user partially completed the work and wants to come back at a later time, or another user is working on the task with them.
In the new window, the time tracked by the task timer will be carried over for the user to use when calculating how long they've been working on the task. Their time will auto-populate in the hours and minutes field.
A user can manually adjust this time by entering it in the minutes or hours field.
The user will then be asked to describe their work under "What was done on this Task?"
Once satisfied, click "Record Time."
The task will remain open, and the user's time and work record will be added to the task.
How to Prevent Users from Being Able to Edit Time
It is highly recommended that you allow your users to edit their time. However, the ability to manually log and edit time can be disabled.
You can do this by going to Settings > Roles.
Select the role you wish to edit, such as "Technician."
In the search bar, type in "183" to find the correct permission.
Uncheck the box next to “Override Automatic Task Timer #183.”
Once disabled, time tracked by the task timer will auto-populate and will not be editable by the user.
If the user closed out the task or left it open too long, only a user with permission to edit time spent on tasks, such as a manager or super user, would be able to make changes.
(Note: you can not disable time logging privileges for individual users, this can only be done by role.)
Remind Users to Log Time
If you are not allowing users to manually log their time, it is recommended that you turn on more frequent reminders to log time for more accurate time spent on tasks.
Go to Settings > Configuration and scroll down to General Task Settings.
Under "Remind to Log Time if Task Viewed longer than. . ." adjust the length to your length of time from the dropdown menu. If a user has a task open longer than the time you select here, they will be prompted to log their time.
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