Intro to Time Tracking
Video Placeholder Duration: 4-6 minutes Topics covered: What is time tracking, logging time, viewing worklogs, reporting
What is Time Tracking?
Time Tracking lets you log hours spent on work items. Record time per task, generate reports, and understand where effort is going.
Why Track Time?
For Teams
- Understand where effort goes
- Identify bottlenecks
- Improve estimation accuracy
- Balance workload
For Projects
- Track project hours
- Compare estimated vs actual
- Bill clients accurately
- Plan future work
For Individuals
- See personal productivity
- Justify time spent
- Identify time sinks
Enabling Time Tracking
Time Tracking is a Pro-tier feature:
- Go to Project Settings
- Navigate to Features
- Toggle Time Tracking on
Once enabled, work items show time tracking options.
Logging Time
From a Work Item
- Open any work item
- Find Time Tracking or Log Work section
- Click + Log Work
Log Entry Details
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Hours | Time in hours |
| Minutes | Additional minutes |
| Description | What was done (optional) |
| Date | When the work happened |
Example
Work Item: WEB-123 Fix login bug
Time Logged:
├── 2h 30m - "Initial investigation" - Jan 15
├── 1h 45m - "Implemented fix" - Jan 16
└── 0h 30m - "Code review changes" - Jan 17
Total: 4h 45mViewing Logged Time
On Work Items
Each work item shows:
- Tracked Time — Total hours logged
- Individual log entries
- Who logged what when
Tracked Time Property
Work items display a "Tracked time" property:
- Shows total accumulated time
- Updates as logs are added
- Visible in views and filters
Worklog Reports
Accessing Worklogs
- Go to Workspace Settings
- Navigate to Worklogs section
- View all timesheet records
Filtering Worklogs
Filter by:
| Filter | Options |
|---|---|
| Users | Specific team members |
| Projects | Specific projects |
| Date Range | Start and end dates |
Exporting Worklogs
Export for external use:
- Excel — Spreadsheet format
- CSV — Universal data format
Use exports for:
- Client billing
- Payroll integration
- External reporting
Time Tracking Workflow
When to Log Time
- After completing a work session
- At end of day
- Before closing a task
- As you go (best practice)
Time Tracking Best Practices
Log Regularly
Don't wait too long:
- Log at least daily
- Better: log as you finish tasks
- Memory fades quickly
Be Accurate
Track actual time:
- Don't round up excessively
- Don't under-report
- Include all work (research, meetings, etc.)
Add Descriptions
Brief notes help later:
- What was accomplished
- Any issues encountered
- Context for the time
Review Periodically
Check your logs:
- Are you tracking consistently?
- Does time match expectations?
- Identify patterns
Time vs Estimates
Compare tracked time to estimates:
| Work Item | Estimated | Tracked | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEB-100 | 4h | 3h 30m | 30m under |
| WEB-101 | 2h | 4h 15m | 2h 15m over |
| WEB-102 | 8h | 7h 45m | 15m under |
Using Comparison
- Improve future estimates
- Identify complexity
- Find efficiency opportunities
Team Time Analysis
Aggregated Views
See time across the team:
- Hours per team member
- Hours per project
- Hours per time period
Workload Distribution
Identify imbalances:
- Who's logging most hours?
- Which projects consume time?
- Are estimates calibrated?
Billing and Reporting
Client Billing
For billable work:
- Filter worklogs by project
- Set date range for billing period
- Export to spreadsheet
- Generate invoice
Internal Reporting
For management:
- Project cost analysis
- Resource allocation
- Capacity planning
Time Tracking Tips
Make It Easy
- Log from work item detail page
- Use quick log feature
- Set reminders if needed
Team Consistency
- Agree on logging granularity
- Standardize description format
- Review together periodically
Don't Micromanage
- Track for insight, not surveillance
- Focus on trends, not individual entries
- Use data to help, not punish
Key Takeaways
- Time Tracking logs hours spent on work items
- Enable in Project Settings → Features (Pro tier)
- Log hours, minutes, and optional descriptions
- View individual work item time and workspace worklogs
- Export to Excel or CSV for billing and reporting
- Log regularly for accuracy
- Compare tracked time to estimates for improvement
- Use data for insights, not micromanagement
Course Complete!
Congratulations! You've completed Plane 201 — The Growth. You now understand:
- Estimates for planning and velocity
- Intake Forms and Email for external requests
- Epics and Initiatives for large-scale planning
- Timeline Dependencies and Milestones for scheduling
- Teamspaces for team-centric organization
- Cycle and Workflow Automation
- Project States for portfolio management
- Dashboards for visualization
- Wiki, Collections, and Wiki Pages for documentation
- Time Tracking for effort analysis
What's Next?
Ready to connect Plane with the rest of your tools? Continue to:
Next Course: Plane 202 — The Power Relay