Want to verify hours worked on hourly projects? Use Guru’s Time Tracking tool to help you stay on top of billable hours. Time Tracking helps Freelancers automatically record time spent on projects and tasks as well as helps Employers visually confirm work activities and progress. The tool captures screenshots randomly within ten minute intervals so all work progress is visually confirmed, preventing any payment questions.
How does Time Tracking work?
- Freelancers download Time Tracking to their computer.
- As the Freelancer works on a project, the Time Tracking software records work activities. If needed, Freelancers can make edits to the recording by changing task descriptions and deleting non-essential activities. They can also manually add activities that don’t require the computer, including: research, reading, conference calls and discussions.
- All work activities recorded are automatically added to the Work Room’s Time tab.
- Once time is recorded in the Time tab, Employers can review the Time Tracking calendar for hours and work activities logged for the day, week or month.
Is Time Tracking a requirement?
No, Time Tracking is completely optional. However, if you do not have an established working relationship, Time Tracking can bolster your communication and trust for time-based projects. Additionally, the combination of Time Tracking and SafePay provides air-tight payment protection.
Freelancers, want to test drive the Time Tracking tool? Create a Sample Project, and download Time Tracking to your computer.
20 Comments
This looks as though it will be very useful, especially as you have noted when working with employers for the first time. Thanks!
can we use the tracker for employees. For example When I get a fixed project I still want my employees output how much time they spent on a project. So with tracker in hand I can see the performance as well of the employees
is it possible? I mean it should not necessary be hourly project.
Hi,
The time tracker software can be download on July 8? and were I can find the downloadable time tracker?
The minimum hourly rate in Guru is $8? or other employer charge lower than $8?
Thanks,
Hello Jeremie,
Thanks for reaching out. Yes, the Time Tracker software will be available on July 8, 2012. Freelancers will be able to download the Time Tracker client from the Project Work room.
In terms of minimum hourly rate, the site minimum rate is $8.00 USD. The site will prohibit Freelancers from entering a rate smaller than this amount. I hope this helps!
Seems reliable and trustworthy.
How do you turn off the time tracker when you are finished with the project for the day?
Hello, Sandra.
When you install Time Tracker, an icon will be added to your tray or to your desktop. You can access the Time Tracker menu by clicking the icon on your desktop or right-clicking the icon in your tray.
To turn Time Tracker off, open the menu and select either “Suspend” or “Log Out.”
For more information, please visit: https://www.guru.com/help/freelancer/workroom-tools-freelancer
WHEN I right click on my icon, it does not go to menu nor does it give me the option to log out.
Hmmm..That’s odd. What happens when you double click the desktop icon?
You need to update the icon for the time tracker program. The one that is used is very low quality. I have a dark blue task-bar from my theme on Windows 7. The Guru icon, if added to the task bar, is almost completely invisible due to blending in with the background. Even on the start menu it looks bad – like it is a DOS era icon with very low resolution.
Note that I’m NOT talking about the running task icon here, but the normal icon for the application. The gray color just doesn’t work well with a lot of background colors. Since the taskbar is NORMALLY going to be a dark color, the taskbar icon should be a light color. The desktop icon isn’t as bad, but the principle holds true. The “running task” icon for the program is better, but still might not be high contrast enough.
Hi Joel!
Good eye! As the designer, I cringed when I found the pixelated icons. I am not sure how they snuck by but, rest assured, I have a fix in progress. Please bare with us as we package the icons with the next release. Thanks for the feedback!
Lauren
Any chance for Microsoft TFS Integration or at least some sort of webservice API for 3rd party developers?
TIA
Jeremy
I found the time tracking utility useless without having an option to add more users/contractors in our team, I am running a company and I cannot give my main user account username and password to anyone, I have contractors work for me from remote locations, and if I want them to track a time on a particular project then I cannot use the time tracking software, in guru panel, there must have be an option to add additional users to your account to which we can assign different projects
warm regards
Ghayas
Hello Ghayas,
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. Regarding multi-user accounts, we are aware that many users have been eagerly awaiting the availability of this feature for some time. You may be happy to know that this project is on our development schedule for 2012, and we anticipate that this functionality will be in place late 2012, or early 2013.
Without a doubt, this is a complex project that touches many functional facets of the site. As such, we want to ensure that it is executed smoothly and implemented without hiccups. I’m sure you can appreciate why we don’t want to rush things along in this regard.
In the meantime please continue to share your thoughts on our recent enhancements, and thanks for bearing with us during our development process.
Best regards,
Jason
One of the issues of most time tracking software is that they doesn’t respect the personal privacy of the individual. Capturing screenshots can unintentionally reveal private matters…whether that’s because the person happen to have taken a brief break or because a reminder popped up.
I’d love to see Guru.com integrate with software from CreativeWorx. (Full disclosure I’m the founder & CEO.). CreativeWorx TimeTracker is a unique approach to the problem of capturing how time is spent…it automatically captures and intelligently associates the effort with job codes so that accurate timesheets are produced in real time. Given that this is the perfect tool for freelancers (especially creative professionals because of integration with the Adobe Creative Suite), it’d be great to see this integrated with guru.
Didn’t know this existed. Must try it
I have looked everywhere and not found the Timetracker download. where is it?
Hi, once you sign in to Guru go to the Jobs tab, click on the job for which you want to track time. You will find the option to download the time tracker tool on the left (bottom). Please note that the time tracker tool is only available for hourly jobs.
Is there a way to remove the completed projects from Job selection list in time tracker? Over the time, it builds up the list and difficult to select the job.
Hi Siva, unfortunately this feature is not available on the Time Tracker. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused.