Klok – Time Tracking
Time management is one of the most important aspects of working on my own as a freelance designer. Keeping track of hours spent on each project is vital to running a successful business. In the past, I’d have an Excel spreadsheet for each project. I’d fill in my start time, then fill in my end time each day. I’d say at least half the time I’d forget to fill in one or the other. What was I left to do then but guess? This method wasn’t fair to me or my clients.
One simple online discovery changed everything. Klok. Not only is Klok simple to use, it’s free. Yes, 100% free.
Your time is your product. Every minute you spend working that goes unaccounted for is like giving away your product for free. Tracking your time accurately is essential to staying profitable.
In addition, knowing how much time you spend on past projects, can allow you to better estimate future projects. Do you know how much time you spend in meetings? On the phone? Promoting yourself? Making sales calls? http://klok.mcgraphix.com
I’ve grabbed a few screen shots Klok features on it’s website and posted them below. Clicking on each image will open up a larger version.
Week View: See all your projects in a handy bar graph/calendar display. Each project can be assigned a unique color.
Description: Double clicking an item allows you to be more descriptive about the specific entry. It also allows you to modify the time in case you need to make any changes.
Time Entries: See a list of all your entries and the time spent. Modifying this menu will also modify the calendar view.
Reports: See reports of what you’ve been working on as pie charts. See how you’ve been spending your time. As a side note, I like to try and keep track of everything I do, including my own business/overhead projects. For me, seeing how much time I spend in all facets of my business is helpful for time management.
If you are looking for a free way to manage your time, Klok could be the answer for you. It’s ease of use and simplicity make it worthwhile. I also challenge you to start tracking your time during the day to see how you’re spending (or wasting) it.
DOWNLOAD KLOK V1.5
Do you, as a designer or small business owner, have any other recommendations of time tracking software?
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Glad to see Klok getting some of the attention it deserves. I use Klok as a self employed game designer, and it’s helped me stay focused a ton. I actually wrote a review on my experiences of using Klok, check it out if you’d like to hear a second opinion. Also, 2.0 is on it’s way, check the developers site for more info.
Porter
April 1, 2010