Toggl – Track Your Time Anywhere

by Sharon Hurley Hall on Oct 14, 2009 - 1 Comment
Toggl – Track Your Time Anywhere
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Toggl is a time tracking application. One of the features that makes it different from many others is the number of ways you can use it. You can use Toggl on its own website, which includes a small timer on the top left of the screen. You can use the desktop timer for Linux, Windows or Mac. You can use it on your Google home page or you can embed the Toggl code on virtually any website. Wherever you put it, all your data is collected and fed back to your online account.

It’s easy to get started with Toggl. When you first start using it, there is a sample task in your account. Just edit the description and the project name and indicate whether it’s billable to start timing your first task. To switch tasks, just add a new task by clicking on the link provided. With the desktop client, this did not always work seamlessly. Though the task was timed, it didn’t feed into the account.

One of the great features of Toggl is the wealth of stats provided, which you can filter by client, project, task and more. All reports can be exported to PDF or CSV, making your data portable. Toggl works well for both freelancers and those managing large teams. Extended features are available to those subscribing to paid versions of the service. Overall, Toggl is a useful tool and its portability makes it a good entrant into the time tracking sphere.

Practical Uses:

  • Manage timings for large company projects
  • Let clients see how much time you have spent on their freelance project
  • Discover whether you are working hard or hardly working
  • Collect performance reports for colleagues based on the work they have actually done
  • Streamline client billing by having an accurate record of timings

Insider Tips:

  • Keep track of tasks without hassle by subscribing to the tasks RSS feed
  • Run Toggl on the desktop with the handy client for Windows, Mac and Linux
  • Embed the timer on your company’s intranet by grabbing the code
  • Track time from anywhere by embedding the Toggl gadget on your iGoogle page or using the web interface
  • Use filtering to run reports on specific projects, clients or tasks

What we liked:

  • Getting started with Toggl was very easy
  • The taskbar icon makes it easy to see whether you are timing tasks or not
  • The task stats are a great way to see how you spend your time
  • There are excellent tools for filtering tasks in the team view

What we didn’t like:

  • It was easy to accidentally change the name of a task/project
  • The new task link is far too small
  • Automatic task saving doesn’t always work

Alternatives:

Company Info:

  • Launched: June 2006
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: Talinn, Estonia
  • Founded by: Alari Aho
  • Web site: http://www.toggl.com

Costs:

  • Free
  • Various plans from $5 to $99 per month; 30 day free trial for paid accounts

One Comment

  1. dave says: August 21, 2010 • 04:51:12

    True Time Tracker – really great and free time tracking software – http://www.truetimetracker.com/

    Reply

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