Time Tracking Fundamentals

Overview

Corcava's time tracking system provides precise, flexible time management through a combination of desktop application integration and manual time entry. The system is built around Time Intervals - individual records that capture when work starts, continues, and finishes on specific projects and tasks. This foundation enables accurate billing, team productivity analysis, and transparent client communication.

Understanding how time tracking works in Corcava will help you capture accurate work data, improve project profitability, and provide professional transparency to your clients.

Time Tracking Overview

What is Time Tracking in Corcava?

Time Tracking is the process of recording when and how long team members work on specific projects and tasks. The system creates detailed records called Time Intervals that capture:

Start and End Times - Precise timestamps for when work begins and ends
Project Association - Which project the work was performed on
Task Association - Optionally, which specific task was worked on
User Attribution - Who performed the work
Duration Calculation - Automatic calculation of time spent
Notes and Context - Optional descriptions and work context

Core Time Interval Concept

Time Intervals are the fundamental building blocks of time tracking:

Time Interval Properties:

started_at - When work began on the project/task
finished_at - When work ended (null for active tracking)
user_id - Team member who performed the work
project_id - Project the work was performed on
task_id - Specific task (optional, can be null for general project work)
type - Tracking type (START, CONTINUE, FINISH)
manual_time - Boolean indicating if time was entered manually
notes - Optional work descriptions and context

Time Interval Benefits: ✅ Precise Tracking - Exact start and end times for accurate billing
✅ Project Context - All time associated with specific projects
✅ Task Granularity - Optional task-level time tracking for detailed analysis
✅ Team Attribution - Clear record of who did what work
✅ Flexible Entry - Both automatic and manual time entry methods

Desktop App Integration

How Desktop Application Works

Desktop App Connection: Corcava includes a separate desktop application that connects to your web account for seamless time tracking:

Authentication Process:

Desktop App Login - Use your Corcava credentials in the desktop application
Token Generation - System creates secure authentication token for desktop app
Project Synchronization - Desktop app downloads your assigned projects
Task Integration - Access to project tasks for specific time tracking
Real-Time Sync - Time data synchronizes between desktop app and web interface

Desktop App Features:

Project Selection - Choose which project you're working on
Task Selection - Optionally select specific task for precise tracking
Start/Stop Controls - Simple controls to begin and end time tracking
Screenshot Integration - Optional screenshot capture during work (see Screenshot Management section)
Background Operation - Runs quietly while you work without interruption

Desktop App Benefits

Automatic Time Capture:

Accurate Timing - Precise start and stop times without manual calculation
Minimal Disruption - Track time without interrupting your workflow
Task Integration - Connect time directly to specific project tasks
Real-Time Updates - Time appears immediately on project boards and reports
Professional Data - Accurate time data for client billing and team analysis

Desktop App Integration Benefits: ✅ Seamless Workflow - Time tracking happens automatically while you work
✅ Accurate Data - Precise timing without manual calculation
✅ Task Connection - Direct integration with project management tasks
✅ Real-Time Visibility - Time appears immediately on task cards and reports
✅ Professional Billing - Accurate time data for client invoicing

Time Tracking Types

Available Tracking Operations

Based on code analysis, the system supports three primary tracking operations:

START Tracking:

Purpose - Begin tracking time on a project or task
Behavior - Creates new time interval with current timestamp
Previous Interval - Automatically finishes any active time tracking
Minimum Interval - Applies 10-minute minimum to previous intervals
Project Required - Must specify project for time tracking
Task Optional - Can optionally specify specific task

CONTINUE Tracking:

Purpose - Resume time tracking after a break or interruption
Behavior - Finishes current interval and starts new one
Minimum Interval Handling - Ensures previous interval meets 10-minute minimum
Seamless Transition - Creates continuous time tracking with break handling
Context Preservation - Maintains project and task context

FINISH Tracking:

Purpose - End current time tracking session
Behavior - Sets finished_at timestamp on active interval
Duration Calculation - Automatically calculates total time spent
Data Completion - Completes time interval record for reporting and billing
Notes Integration - Can add final notes and context to completed interval

Special Tracking Handling

AUTO Mode (Limited Implementation):

Defined - AUTO mode exists in the system (TrackingTypesEnum::AUTO = 4)
Default Fallback - Used as default when invalid tracking type provided
Limited Processing - Not handled in main tracking logic
Special Use Cases - Used in specific reporting scenarios
Not Primary Feature - Not a primary tracking method for regular use

Tracking Type Benefits: ✅ Flexible Control - Different tracking operations for different work patterns
✅ Automatic Management - System handles interval transitions automatically
✅ Minimum Interval Enforcement - Ensures meaningful time tracking data
✅ Context Preservation - Maintains project and task context across operations

Project-Task Integration

How Time Connects to Projects and Tasks

Project-Level Time Tracking: All time tracking must be associated with a specific project:

Project Integration Features:

Required Project - Every time interval must specify a project
Project Assignment - Users can only track time on assigned projects
Project Permission - Time tracking requires project access permissions
Project Time Totals - Individual intervals roll up to project totals
Client Association - Project time can be billed to associated clients

Task-Level Time Tracking (Optional): Time can optionally be associated with specific tasks within projects:

Task Integration Features:

Optional Task Assignment - Time intervals can specify specific task_id
Task Time Display - Task cards show total tracked time
Task Performance - Analyze time investment per task
Granular Reporting - Detailed task-level time analysis
Client Transparency - Show clients exactly what tasks time was spent on

Integration Benefits

Project Management Integration:

Visual Time Display - Tracked time appears on task cards in project boards
Real-Time Updates - Time updates immediately as work progresses
Project Analytics - Time data contributes to project performance analysis
Team Coordination - Team members see time investment across projects
Client Communication - Professional time reports for client updates

Business Intelligence:

Project Profitability - Understand time investment vs project value
Task Efficiency - Identify which tasks take longer than expected
Team Performance - Analyze individual and team productivity
Resource Planning - Use historical time data for future project planning
Client Billing - Accurate time data for transparent client billing

Project-Task Integration Benefits: ✅ Seamless Integration - Time tracking integrated directly into project management
✅ Granular Analysis - Track time at both project and task levels
✅ Visual Feedback - Time appears immediately on project boards
✅ Accurate Billing - Precise time allocation for client invoicing
✅ Team Transparency - Clear visibility into time investment across work

Time Data Structure

How Time Data is Organized

Time Interval Structure: Each time tracking session creates a Time Interval record with comprehensive information:

Core Time Data:

Timestamps - started_at and finished_at for precise timing
Duration - Automatically calculated from start and end times
User Attribution - Clear record of who performed the work
Project Context - Association with specific project
Task Context - Optional association with specific task

Additional Time Data:

Tracking Type - How the time was tracked (START, CONTINUE, FINISH)
Manual Flag - Whether time was entered manually or automatically
Notes - Optional work descriptions and context
Screenshots - Optional screenshot attachments for work verification
Currency Data - Multi-currency support for international teams

Duration Calculation and Formatting

Automatic Duration Calculation:

Real-Time Calculation - Duration calculated automatically from timestamps
Precise Timing - Calculations accurate to the second
Time Formatting - Duration displayed in HH:MM:SS format
Aggregation - Individual intervals roll up to task, project, and user totals
Reporting Integration - Duration data flows into reports and analytics

Time Display Features:

Task Cards - "Tracked Time: HH:MM:SS" display on project board task cards
Project Totals - Daily and weekly time totals for projects
User Summaries - Individual time summaries for team members
Client Reports - Professional time reports for client transparency

Data Relationships and Integration

Time Data Connections:

User Relationships - Time intervals belong to specific users
Project Relationships - Time intervals belong to specific projects
Task Relationships - Time intervals can belong to specific tasks
Screenshot Relationships - Screenshots can be attached to time intervals
Invoice Relationships - Time intervals can be marked as invoiced

Integration Points:

Project Management - Time data appears in project boards and task management
Invoicing System - Time data flows directly into invoice generation
Reporting System - Time data powers comprehensive analytics and reports
Client Portal - Time data visible to clients through portal access
Team Management - Time data contributes to team performance analysis

Time Data Benefits: ✅ Comprehensive Tracking - Complete record of all work performed
✅ Flexible Association - Connect time to projects, tasks, and business context
✅ Automatic Integration - Time data flows seamlessly to other business processes
✅ Professional Presentation - Clean, organized time data for client communication
✅ Business Intelligence - Rich data for analysis and decision-making

Getting Started with Time Tracking

Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Set Up Desktop App (Recommended)

Download and install Corcava desktop time tracking application
Log in using your Corcava credentials
Verify your assigned projects appear in the application
Test starting and stopping time tracking on a project

Step 2: Understand Project Assignment

Verify you're assigned to projects where you need to track time
Understand which projects are billable vs non-billable
Check if you have permission to track time on specific projects
Review project and task structure for accurate time allocation

Step 3: Begin Time Tracking

Select project (and optionally task) in desktop application
Click start to begin tracking time
Work normally while time tracking runs in background
Stop time tracking when finished with work session
Verify time appears on project boards and in reports

Time Tracking Best Practices

✅ Consistent Tracking - Track time consistently for accurate project data
✅ Project Accuracy - Ensure time is tracked on correct projects
✅ Task Specificity - Use task-level tracking when possible for detailed analysis
✅ Regular Reviews - Review tracked time regularly for accuracy
✅ Professional Context - Add notes that provide context for client billing
✅ Team Coordination - Coordinate with team on time tracking practices

Next Steps

Now that you understand time tracking fundamentals, you're ready to explore:

Desktop Application Integration - Deep dive into desktop app features and workflow
Manual Time Entry - Learn manual time entry through MyWork interface
Screenshot Management - Understand screenshot capture and privacy controls
Time Reports & Analytics - Master time reporting and business intelligence

Remember: Time tracking in Corcava is designed to be both automatic and flexible. The desktop application provides seamless automatic tracking, while manual entry ensures you can capture all work accurately. Understanding both methods will help you maintain complete, accurate time records for professional client billing and team analysis.