The sooner you record your work time, the more accurate is your timesheet data. Ideally, time should be recorded immediately upon completion of each task, but in reality, people tend to forget about filling in timesheets or are just reluctant to do so.
In office environment, manual systems are mostly used for timekeeping. However, they are not always the best solution when high accuracy is in question. Good news that they can be complemented with an automatic timer that integrates into the browser and counts hours spent on work in web applications and sites.
How browser extensions work
Browser extensions and plugins are additional components built in the web browser that perform specific tasks of work routine. Timekeeping extensions are basically timers that count how many hours and minutes have been spent on websites, pages, and web applications.
Mostly, browser time logging extensions are a part of time-tracking systems with more robust functionality than just tracking work time. Exact data on how much time has been spent on specific work assignments is synced with the system and used for reporting, billing, and productivity analysis.
Some project management solutions also include browser extensions for recording time spent on work. The recorded data can be used for monitoring work progress, identifying possible delays and other issues, analyzing the proportion between estimated and actually spent time, detecting whether changes are necessary, and many other project management steps. The degree of accuracy of this data defines the relevance of decisions made on its basis.
Speaking of accuracy, time log errors are possible even with the timer recording method. For example, forgetting about stopping the timer is a common thing in a hectic routine. To prevent inaccurate records from getting logged to the system, timer extensions are usually provided with the ability to edit the counted time manually.
Tools with Time Tracking Extensions
There are various tools for timekeeping, work management and project management that include time-tracking browser extensions. Mostly, extensions are offered for Google Chrome as one of the most popular web browsers. Here’s a list of some helpful Chrome extensions that allow employees to track time directly from the websites and apps they are using at work:
1. actiTIME
actiTIME Timer extension for Chrome simplifies the timekeeping process. It is a part of a robust work management solution, designed to help you track work hours from the web browser and web apps you’re using at work. It is a convenient tool to automatically count work time and sync it with your actiTIME account. For example, if you’re working on an issue in Jira, just start the timer when you take on the assignment, and stop it when work is done. Adjust recorded time if necessary, and log it for a task in actiTIME.
2. TrackingTime
This extension is also a part of a timekeeping tool that helps collect accurate work time data. This data is synced with the user’s TrackingTime account and used for calculating work time and billable amounts, preparing reports on how time is allocated within teams, analyzing the most time-consuming parts of work, etc.
3. Simple Time Tracker
This time-tracking extension is an autonomous tool that helps individuals analyze their productivity. It works for office employees, self-employed individuals, freelancers, students, and anyone who is working on their performance and needs accurate data on how time is spent. The extension can track time for specific tasks and summarize the results — its functionality is very basic, as its name suggests.
4. Elorus
Elorus extension is a component of an online invoicing software tool. It counts work time that can be later used for calculating billable amounts, keeps time-tracking history, and allows monitoring teams’ results. This tool works for small teams, freelancers, and self-employed professionals who bill their customers on the basis of time-track data.
5. Clockify
Clockify timer for Chrome works a part of the time-tracking system and helps improve performance at work. It allows to keep track of work hours, detects idle time, includes reminders, and has a Pomodoro timer designed for working on productivity and defeating distractions. Automatic start/ stop and reminders help reduce the inaccuracy of time logs.
Originally published at https://www.actitime.com.
