Select the TimeMe icon on the tool tray with a left click of the mouse. This brings up
the main program with access to a menu and tool bar as shown below. Note: (This picture is meant
as a general representation of the menu. Not all buttons on the tool bar are available at all
times. For instance, if TimeMe is timing a task, the 
button would not be
available.)
The tool bar buttons perform these functions. If you pause the mouse over a tool bar
button, TimeMe will display a hint for that button.
Select a task that you wish to time.
Stop a Task that you are timing.
Pause a Task that you are timing.
Cancel a task that you are timing.
Edit the Task/Subtask list.
Access the reporting module.
Purge history.
Edit Finished Tasks.
A quick view calendar.
The menu options used in TimeMe are as follows.
File|Close will close the form and minimize TimeMe to the tool tray.
Preferences|Running Clock will enable/disable the Running Clock.
When you select the button from the menu tool bar you will see the
following form. Note that this view shows a selected task.
Note: This option is also available by right clicking the TimeMe icon in the
tool tray and selecting the "Select task" option from the popup menu.
Select the task or subtask that you wish to time and press the "Start Timing"
button. At this point TimeMe will be reduced to an icon in the tool tray. Notice
that the icon is now a stopwatch. If you specified a Running Clock
on the menu form, the running clock appears after you close this form.
When you select the 
button from the menu tool bar you will see the
following form.
You may enter a note for the completed task and modify, if necessary, the end
date and end time for the task. You might want to change the end time if,
for example, you left for lunch and forget to end timing a task. Upon return
from lunch, you realize this and stop the task. At that point you may want to
remove an hour from the elapsed time. Pressing the "Done" button will create a
record of this task and return you to the menu.
When you select the 
button from the menu tool bar you will see the
following form.
Note that this view shows a paused task.
A list of paused tasks will appear on this form. You can select another task to time
or select one of the paused task(s) and resume timing it. If you select a paused task
the elapsed time for that task will continue at the point that it was interrupted. Please
note that the complete list of paused tasks will only appear when you are not timing
anything.
When you select the 
button from the menu tool bar, the clock is
stopped for the current task, and you are returned to the menu. At this point
you could select another task.
When you select the 
button from the menu tool bar you will see the
following form. Note that this view shows an expanded view. If an entry has a + preceding
the description you can click the + sign to expand the list and display the subtasks.
Note: This option is also available by right clicking the TimeMe icon in the
tool tray and selecting the "Maintain task" option from the popup menu.
To add a task to the list right click the first entry (labeled "Tasks") and
select "Add task" from the popup menu. A new task will be added to the list
with the description "New Task". Change the description by clicking on it
and enter your description.
To add a subtask to a task, right click on the task and select "Add subtask"
from the popup menu. Again change the added subtask description to your liking.
The contents of the popup menu change according to what you have selected.
Valid options for a task are:
Delete task(if the task doesn't have a subtask (remove the subtasks first)).
Add subtask.
Copy template. See templates. Note that the example above shows a task
named Application Template that could be copied and renamed as another task.
Start clock.
Valid options for a subtask are:
Delete subtask.
Start clock.
Please note that if you delete a task or subtask, that information is gone
forever! Any reference to it in the reporting module will display as "Unknown".
If you are not currently timing a task, you will see that the popup menu has a Start clock
option that is made available to you. You can use this when you have the need to enter a new
task or subtask and start timing it immediately.
The menu options used here are.
View|Expand all will show all subtasks under the respective task.
View|Collapse all will collapse everything to one line.
View|Refresh will reload the display.
SubTaskOrder|Alpha will display subtasks in alphabetical order.
SubTaskOrder|As Entered will display subtasks in entered order.
If you are having trouble getting the popup menu to show on a right click trying
selecting the entry with a left click first.
When you select the 
button from the menu tool bar you will see the
following form.
Selecting an entry will bring up a panel that will allow you to change the dates,
times, and your notes pertaining to this task.
When you select the 
button from the menu tool bar you will see the
following form.
Note: This option is also available by right clicking the TimeMe icon in the
tool tray and selecting the "Report" option from the popup menu.
You have many report options available to you. You may select a start
date (TimeMe remembers this). A single task may be shown by selecting from
the "Task" drop down box (default is "All Tasks"). The report may be shown
in Task, Start date, or End date sequence by selecting from the "Sort by"
drop down box (TimeMe remembers this).
If you choose the "Task" option in the sort by option, you must select a task in the
Task drop down box. This will present a summary report of the task. This is the only
time that the "Task" option is allowed.
When the report is displayed, additional options are available to you. You may
select to preview the report by pressing the "Print" button and then printing from the
following panel. The "Export" button will create a text file that can be imported into other
programs, including various email, word processor, and spreadsheet applications.
The memo portion of a task is displayed in the last column (column widths are adjustable
and TimeMe will remember this). The full memo can be displayed by right clicking on
the line containing the partial memo description.
Please note that TimeMe prints reports in the landscape mode because of the memos.
Changing the orientation to portrait may result in data not printing on the right side.
TimeMe attempts to adjust for this but your results may be varied.
When you select the 
button from the menu tool bar you will see the
following form.
Purging of task/subtask records is accomplished by selecting a task and the start
and end dates for that task. Doing this will display a list of the selected tasks.
By clicking in the first column of the displayed tasks, you will toggle a Yes/No
value for each row. Press the purge button to remove all rows that are toggled with
a Yes value. NOTE: You may wish to implement some sort of back up procedure before doing this.
When you select the 
button from the menu tool bar you will see the
following form.
Note: This option is also available by right clicking the TimeMe icon in the
tool tray and selecting the "Calendar" option from the popup menu.
Because TimeMe is so accessible, the calendar is a great tool to quickly locate
a date. When the calendar first appears the date shown is the current date. You
can travel through time by utilizing the VCR type buttons that surround the
date. The outside buttons go back/forward a year and the inner buttons go
back/forward a month. By clicking on the date description bar located between
the VCR controls you are returned to the current date.
Press the Start button on the task bar.
Select the Settings option.
Select the Taskbar option.
Select the Start Menu Programs tab.
Press the Add button.
Do one of the following.
a) Enter the path to the directory where you installed TimeMe
example- C:\Program Files\TimeMe\TimeMe.exe
b) Use the Browse button to find TimeMe.exe, highlight the application, and press
the Open Button.
Press the Next button.
Find the folder labeled StartUp and double click it.
Press the Finish button.
Press the Start button on the task bar.
Select the Settings option.
Select the Taskbar option.
Select the Start Menu Programs tab.
Press the Remove button.
Go to the StartUp folder and remove TimeMe.exe if it exists there.
Go to the TimeMe folder and delete it.
Using the Windows Explorer remove the directory where you originally installed TimeMe.
You can also remove TimeMe through the control panel applet.
How do I remove a task?.
Why don't I see all menu toolbar buttons?.
What is the running clock and how do I use it?.
Where are the settings for TimeME stored?.
What is the TimeMe.Log file?.
How does the pause function work?.
What are templates?.
Why doesn't a right click in task maintenance always do what I want?.
How do I end TimeMe?.
Why don't I always see the menu when I left click the tooltray icon?.
The reason for that is TimeMe is hidden by another window. Either minimize
or move the other window until you can see the TimeMe window.
The only way to end TimeMe is to right click the tool tray icon and select exit
from the popup menu.
If this is happening to you, select the item you wish to work with by first clicking it
with the left mouse button. This behavior sometimes shows up in the Windows Explorer
program. You may wish to run a program by selecting it but sometimes Explorer will think
that you are trying to rename the file.
Templates are used in the maintain tasks panel. You would use a template to facilitate
the entry of similar tasks. If I am an accountant, a lawyer, a contractor, or anyone who
has to keep track of hours by clients or projects, then I want to make use of templates.
My templates will have as subtasks all items that are common to all of my clients or
projects. When I need a new task, it is a simple matter of copying a template, renaming it
as needed, and then modifying it if necessary.
There are two scenarios for this.
You have been working on the Smith project for 6 hours when your boss decides it is
time for a chit chat. Before leaving your desk, you bring up the TimeMe menu and press
the pause button. Upon returning to your desk an hour later, simply select your paused
task and resume your work, TimeMe will start tracking time from the 6 hour mark.
You have been working on the Smith project for 6 hours when your boss needs you for the
Adams project. Before leaving your desk, you bring up TimeMe and pause the Smith project.
You then select the Adams project and begin timing. Upon return to your desk an hour
later, you stop timing the Adams project (one hour elapsed) and then select the Smith
project from the paused task list. TimeMe will start tracking from the 6 hour mark.
In those rare instances where TimeMe has a problem and is unable to handle the situation,
a popup dialog will be presented to you. It is important that you enter all information
leading up to the problem in the space provided. The log file will help us in pinpointing
any errors and make for a better product!
All settings (panel sizes, running clock, purge, reporting, etc)
are kept in a standard Windows INI file which is stored in the same directory
that you installed TimeMe. That file is called TimeMe.Ini. If that file is corrupted
for any reason you can delete it and it will be recreated the next time you run the
program. Of course you will lose all of those settings that you had saved.
To enable the running clock chose the Preferences option from the TimeMe main panel
(this is the one that pops up when you right click the TimeMe icon in the tool tray)
and click the Running clock option. Make sure that a check mark appears opposite the
option. From that point on, when you are timing a task, a window will appear with
your elapsed time for the task. By the way, you can place, and resize, that window
as you wish. It will be saved for the next time that you run TimeMe.
Depending on the option you have chosen, some of the buttons are disabled. For
instance, if you are timing a task, you cannot select another task. Therefore the
Select button is disabled. On the other hand, if you are not timing a task, the
Stop button is disabled.
You need to remove all subtasks for the task then access the popup menu with
a right click and select the "Delete task" option.
QC Systems
P.O. Box 1108
Glen NH 03838-1108
voice: (603 383-6194)
fax : (603 383-4954)
email: info@qcsys.com
After installing TimeMe, you need to tell it what you are interested in timing.
The following narrative will guide you through using TimeMe. We will assume that
you have installed TimeMe and it is now running on your system.
The first thing that we want to do is to display the menu by left clicking the
TimeMe icon in the Windows Tool Tray. Now select the button by right
clicking it.
The Maintain Tasks form is now displayed and shows a single entry labeled Tasks.
Right click the entry and notice that a popup menu is displayed. The only option in
the popup window is Add task. Select that option and a new entry is added. That entry
is labeled New Task and at this point you can change the description to something a little
more meaningful. Now lets add a subtask to the task that was just created. Right click
the task and select Add subtask from the popup menu. Again a new entry is added but this
time it is labeled New Subtask. Change the description to something more to your liking.
You can repeat this series of steps until you have added all of the required subtasks to
a task, or, you have created all of the task/subtask records that you presently require.
This may be a good time to review templates.
Here are a few ideas for some templates.
Law Office
Accounting Firm
Software Firm
Home Office
For those times that you are in a rush and do not have a defined task or subtask, you may
enter the task or subtask description and then select Start clock from the popup menu.
Now you are ready to use TimeMe. Close this form, return to the menu, and lets select
the button so that we can see what TimeMe can do.
You will see now see the form titled Select a Task. Select any task or subtask
(click the plus sign to expand the task) and press the Start Timing button that pops up.
If you change your mind, make another selection or cancel this form. Once you press the
Start Timing button, TimeMe will shrink itself to the Tool Tray. Notice that the TimeMe
icon has changed to a stopwatch and, if enabled, a Running Clock is displayed.
Now lets move on to the next portion of the tutorial
At some point the task is either finished or perhaps you need to hold off on what you are
currently doing and move on to something else for a short while. Left click on the TimeMe
icon (it's a stopwatch at this point) and look at the menu form that is displayed. The
button is not available but the buttons and are.
Pressing the button will display the Stop a Task form where you will
enter the notes for this task. You can also change the time at this point. When you are
finished press the Done button and you will be returned to the menu.
Pressing the button will pause the current task and allow you to start timing
another task. Doing this will cause the menu form to look like this.
When you are finished timing the next task you may select the paused task and resume
timing it. Note that you can pause multiple tasks and then restart them later.
Now let us look at the print portion of the tutorial
Pressing the button on the menu will bring you to the
reporting module. Given that you have entered and timed an assortment of
tasks, you can display them in the report module. Use the date box to start at a
specified date. Select a specific tasks, or all tasks, from the task dropdown box.
Select a sort method from the sort by dropdown box. Note that if you sort by a task,
you must select a specific task. Once you have made your selection press the first
button on the tool bar (it looks like an open book) to display the report. Once you
have a report displayed, you will notice that the other buttons are activated. Press the
print button to go to the report preview. Press the export button to create a text file
that you could use in another PC program or as an attachment in your email.
At some point you will have accumulated a number of records in your database and you
may want to purge them. The purge portion of the tutorial will cover this.
Pressing the button on the menu will bring you to the
purge module. Select a specific task from the dropdown box provided. Select
a date range using the from and to date entry fields. You will notice that the date
entry fields have a down arrow associated with them. Pressing the down arrow gives
you access to a calendar that you can use to select a date.
Once you have made your selections, the program will display a list of records that have
met your criteria. Using the mouse, click in the column labeled Delete to toggle a Yes/No
value for each row that you wish to delete. Once you have selected all of the records,
press the purge button to remove the records. The last step of the tutorial
will cover the editing of finished tasks.
Pressing the button on the menu will bring you to the
Edit Finished Tasks module. Like the purge option, you must first select a
task to work with. From the list of selected records click on the row that you wish to
maintain. This will display that record and allow you to change the dates, times and
the note field. Press the Update button to save your changes or press Cancel to exit.
This is the end of the tutorial.
Client Template
Initial interview
Letters
Phone calls
Book keeping
Client contacts
Application Template
Meet with users
Is this what you want
Is this really what you want
Initial database layout
Database review
Database changes
Programming
Show programming
Rollout
Client Template
Initial interview
Letters
Phone calls
Bookkeeping
Taxes
Client Template
Initial interview
Letters
Phone calls
Filings
Use a template to define a task and its subtasks that are used over and over.
To define a template use the word template in the task description. You may
then copy a template and change the description. Templates do not show up in
the selection form.
By checking the running clock option on the menu form Preferences|Running Clock
you will enable a running clock when a task is being timed. You can resize the form
and place it anywhere on your desktop. TimeMe will remember this position for the
next time.
If you wish to view subtasks in alphabetical order select the "Alpha" option.
This is the default. If you wish to view subtasks in the order that they are
entered select the "AS Entered" option. The current option will have a check
mark on the left side. TimeMe will remember the selected option for the next
time.
Getting Started
TimeMe Tutorial