Introduction

Keeping an accurate record of "Completed" and "Remaining" time on each task is often forgotten or error prone. This simple extension allows each user to log time against each work item accurately, tracking completed time resulting in better planning.

Benefits

• The time logged updates the "Completed" time and "Remaining" time automatically.
• Waste can be recorded, monitored and reduced.
• Time can be reported more accurately against projects and time types.
• Capacity can be set accurately based on actual values.
• Remaining work automatically set when missing on new work items.
• Full REST API support allowing integration with in-house applications.
• Visualise logged time with charts and summary tables via the Analytics Dashboard.

Getting Started

1. Installation process
   • Click the "Get" above and follow the instructions
2. Setup time types
   • Under Project settings => Extension => Time Log Admin
   • Set the REST API key
     • For evaluation version only use pfcooS75dcpEekjJvdsOvsY0FIJqrsoWicnyY1GQQVby2PVwVl0KBw==
   • Add time types you want to monitor to each project. eg Development, Meeting, Test, Documentation, Lost Time, Admin etc.
   • These can be for a project or the organisation (all projects)
   • See Configuration below
3. Log Time
   • Record time to each work item using the additional tab "Time Log"
4. Time Log Summary
   • View the Time Log Summary from the left hand menu.

Features

Manage time per work item

Users quickly record time spent on each task via the "Time Log" tab.

Logging time is quick and simple and keeps the completed time on the work item updated automatically.

Time can also be logged for other team members if needed

Time Log Summary

Using the time log summary

each user can see their logged time by selecting a week, a month or any date range.

The time logged for the members within each team can also be shown. The project and user can be collapsed and expended making it easier to manage user's time also showing total time when collapsed

My Time Log

The My Time Log hub gives each user a personal weekly timesheet to review and correct the time they've logged without visiting each work item individually.

• Work items down the rows, Monday–Sunday across the columns, grouped by project.
• Each cell shows one pill per log on that day. Click a pill to edit; click an empty cell to create — the dialogue is pre-filled with the correct date and work item.
• Navigate Previous / Next / "This week" to move through the weeks — no hard limit on how far back you can go.
• Work items you have logs against this week are shown, plus any active work items assigned to you. Toggle "Show assigned work items" off for a pure logged-time view.
• The hero card at the top shows total time logged this week against a configurable weekly target, with progress bar, true percentage, and hours to go / over.
• Honours the admin settings: future-date logging, minimum comment length, lock date, and disabled time types.

Analytics Dashboard

A View Dashboard button on the Time Log Summary opens the Analytics Dashboard — a visual breakdown of the data currently shown in the summary. It uses the same date range and user filters, so you can drill from any summary view into charts and aggregate tables without re-entering filters.

The dashboard shows:

• Summary cards — total hours, active users, total entries, average hours per entry, distinct categories, and distinct work items.
• Time Trends — hours logged by user, daily and weekly trends, monthly totals, and hours split by category.
• User Breakdown — active users per month and average hours per task for the top 10 users.
• Detailed tables — per-user and per-category summaries with entry counts and share of total time.

Time Log Admin

Manage types of time

Create time types so time can be be broken down for reporting purposes and planning. Time types are accessed via the project admin menu. Under the Extensions section there is "Time Log Admin".

Only users with "Manage Project Properties" or members of "Project administrators" can amend time types.

Each Time Type can be made available to "All Projects" or by selecting a specific project from the Project: menu

The list of Time Types can then be amended as needed.

Weekly shortfall report

Spot users who logged less than their weekly target for any ISO week from a single page. Reach it via the Weekly shortfall report button on the Time Log Admin page.

• Defaults to the last completed week; navigate with Previous / Next / "This week".
• Shows each user's effective target (organisation default or personal override), logged time, and shortfall — sorted by largest deficit first. A personalised badge marks users on a per-user target.
• Scoped to active users only (those with at least one log in the previous four weeks), so leavers are not surfaced.
• Hero cards summarise users below target, total shortfall across the organisation, and average shortfall per user.
• Download CSV exports the table for further analysis.

REST API with full query support

Using the TimeLog REST API allows you to get more out of you TimeLog data. Query by any combination of filter and then pass the results to your in house reporting suite or data warehouse.

Example query using Postman

Example chart using Power BI to extract and present data

Configuration

Prevent remaining time going negative:

When set, if time remaining becomes negative it will be set to zero. When not set the user is prompted if they wish to allow the remaining to go negative.

Prevent time logging to closed items:

When set, it is not possible to log time to items that are "Closed". When not set, logging time to "Closed" items is allowed but remaining time will be unchanged as the item is closed remaining is assumed to be zero.

Allow logging of time to future dates:

When set, if allows time logging for dates in the future.

Assign task automatically:

When set, when logging the first time log and the task is unassigned, the task is assigned to the 1st time logged user.

Start task automatically:

When set, when logging the first time log and and the task is new then the task is started.

Prevent adding time to other users:

When set, it is not possible to add time to other users or amend/delete other user's times.

Allow selecting many users when logging time:

When set, it is not possible to add time to many users at once.

Prevent logging time on or before this date:

Lockdown logging so users cannot log time or change logs on or before the date entered. Format YYYY-MM-DD.

Time Log REST API Key

Your organisation secure API key. Do not share it with anyone else.

Minimum comment length

Prevent saving time if comment length is less than this. 0 to allow empty comments.

Only show current project in Summary

When set, only show the current project in the Summary.

Weekly target hours

Target hours per week shown on the My Time Log page. Non-integer values like 37.5 are supported. Set to 0 to hide the progress bar.

Include ADO days off

When enabled, ADO Capacity team and personal days off are folded into the My Time Log grid (column shading + a clickable badge linking to the sprint capacity page) and reduce the weekly target on My Time Log and the Weekly Shortfall report by the organisation's daily rate (weekly target ÷ 5) per day off. Users can override this individually from the My weekly target dialog (Use organisation default / Always include / Always exclude).

TFS 2018 and hosted Azure DevOps servers

There is some extra work to do that is documented here

If you are still having issues try authorizing your project Process to Allow permissions. For example Admin Settings -> Process -> Agile -> Settings -> Security -> Add User or Group Then Allow all permissions. (Not Inherited)

Migration of data

If you wish to migrate data into Time Log, please ask for details. We have a high volume data migration tool that can load large quantities of data really quickly.

History

Contribute

Please pass on any questions or suggestions via the Q & A section or directly to info@timelogextension.com