This page gives an example of using the software. It shows a sample database for a short period, the text reports that would be created from that database, and a timeline graphic that would be made from the database.
Example Database
Consider this database, which represents a single day:
13451.44709 0 Away
13451.45226 5 Arrive, get a cup of black tea
13451.46948 DICT Aardvark through Abacus
13451.47950 10010 Phone: Client A needs some work done on Project A
13451.53911 10020 Wrap up some work I was doing yesterday on Project B, send email to Client B
13451.55024 10020 Fix some things that popped up due to recent changes
13451.57793 10030 Making changes that Client C requested to Project C
13451.59971 5 I had a peanut butter sandwich for lunch
13451.69366 10010 Do the work on Project A that the client requested
13451.71752 10030 Continue implementing client-requested change
13451.72208 10010 Follow up with Client A, about work on Project A
13451.73526 10030 Finish the client-requested change on Project C
13451.74461 10040 Finally get back working on Project D for Client D
13451.77213 DICT Abattoir to Addled
13451.86164 10040 Phone: Client D asking about progress, Do more work on Project D
13451.88984 5 I had ramen for dinner
13451.93773 10040 Busy day, late work period on Project D
13451.99166 10040 Making good progress on Project D
13452.01637 0 Away
This data represents a rather busy day, of juggling four different projects and four different clients. On busy days, you race around from project to project trying to get as much accomplished as possible for your clients. On busy days, you have the least time to dedicate to time accounting, yet you have the most need to capture data about that time so you can bill appropriately.
First, the STOPTHAT GUI helps you by making it easy to capture data about your day. You just have to remember to make an entry every time you switch from one project to another. Making an entry is as simple as selecting the correct project, and entering a description of what you were doing.
Example STOPWHAT Output
STOPWHAT is a separate command-line program that creates text reports based on the database. It reads the whole database, converts each line into a period, and then shows you the results in different text formats.
Here is example normal output for a single day. This looks much the same as the database, but has now calculated the start date for each period, the time spent in each period, and has found the name for each project.
13451.000 to 13451.447 0.447 10:43 0 Away - (split) Away
13451.447 to 13451.452 0.005 0:07 5 Food - Arrive, get a cup of black tea
13451.452 to 13451.469 0.017 0:24 DICT Reading The Dictionary - Aardvark through Abacus
13451.469 to 13451.479 0.010 0:14 10010 Project A - Phone: Client A needs some work done on Project A
13451.479 to 13451.539 0.060 1:25 10020 Project B - Wrap up some work I was doing yesterday on Project B, send email to Client B
13451.539 to 13451.550 0.011 0:16 10020 Project B - Fix some things that popped up due to recent changes
13451.550 to 13451.578 0.028 0:39 10030 Project C - Making changes that Client C requested to Project C
13451.578 to 13451.600 0.022 0:31 5 Food - I had a peanut butter sandwich for lunch
13451.600 to 13451.694 0.094 2:15 10010 Project A - Do the work on Project A that the client requested
13451.694 to 13451.718 0.024 0:34 10030 Project C - Continue implementing client-requested change
13451.718 to 13451.722 0.005 0:06 10010 Project A - Follow up with Client A, about work on Project A
13451.722 to 13451.735 0.013 0:18 10030 Project C - Finish the client-requested change on Project C
13451.735 to 13451.745 0.009 0:13 10040 Project D - Finally get back working on Project D for Client D
13451.745 to 13451.772 0.028 0:39 DICT Reading The Dictionary - Abattoir to Addled
13451.772 to 13451.862 0.090 2:08 10040 Project D - Phone: Client D asking about progress, Do more work on Project D
13451.862 to 13451.890 0.028 0:40 5 Food - I had ramen for dinner
13451.890 to 13451.938 0.048 1:08 10040 Project D - Busy day, late work period on Project D
13451.938 to 13451.992 0.054 1:17 10040 Project D - Making good progress on Project D
13451.992 to 13452.000 0.008 0:12 0 Away - (split) Away
The database is chronological, with projects jumping all over the place. STOPWHAT calmly filters the data into being grouped by date, grouped by project, or both.
Let’s group the data by project to find out how much billable work we did today:
=================================== 0 - Away ===================================
13451.000 to 13451.447 0.447 10:43 0 Away - (split) Away
13451.992 to 13452.000 0.008 0:12 0 Away - (split) Away
=================================== 5 - Food ===================================
13451.447 to 13451.452 0.005 0:07 5 Food - Arrive, get a cup of black tea
13451.578 to 13451.600 0.022 0:31 5 Food - I had a peanut butter sandwich for lunch
13451.862 to 13451.890 0.028 0:40 5 Food - I had ramen for dinner
======================== DICT - Reading The Dictionary =========================
13451.452 to 13451.469 0.017 0:24 DICT Reading The Dictionary - Aardvark through Abacus
13451.745 to 13451.772 0.028 0:39 DICT Reading The Dictionary - Abattoir to Addled
============================== 10010 - Project A ===============================
13451.469 to 13451.479 0.010 0:14 10010 Project A - Phone: Client A needs some work done on Project A
13451.600 to 13451.694 0.094 2:15 10010 Project A - Do the work on Project A that the client requested
13451.718 to 13451.722 0.005 0:06 10010 Project A - Follow up with Client A, about work on Project A
============================== 10020 - Project B ===============================
13451.479 to 13451.539 0.060 1:25 10020 Project B - Wrap up some work I was doing yesterday on Project B, send email to Client B
13451.539 to 13451.550 0.011 0:16 10020 Project B - Fix some things that popped up due to recent changes
============================== 10030 - Project C ===============================
13451.550 to 13451.578 0.028 0:39 10030 Project C - Making changes that Client C requested to Project C
13451.694 to 13451.718 0.024 0:34 10030 Project C - Continue implementing client-requested change
13451.722 to 13451.735 0.013 0:18 10030 Project C - Finish the client-requested change on Project C
============================== 10040 - Project D ===============================
13451.735 to 13451.745 0.009 0:13 10040 Project D - Finally get back working on Project D for Client D
13451.772 to 13451.862 0.090 2:08 10040 Project D - Phone: Client D asking about progress, Do more work on Project D
13451.890 to 13451.938 0.048 1:08 10040 Project D - Busy day, late work period on Project D
13451.938 to 13451.992 0.054 1:17 10040 Project D - Making good progress on Project D
Away: 10:55
Food: 1:19
Reading The Dictionary: 1:04
Project A: 2:36
Project B: 1:41
Project C: 1:33
Project D: 4:48
All Data: 1d 0:00
Example Session
If you were working at your computer on this day, you would have your STOPTHAT GUI open, so you can add data, and your TIMEVIEW GUI open, to view the timeline graphic of the busy day. That session might look like this:
STOPTHAT and TIMEVIEW working on the current day. Click to enlarge
Notice that STOPTHAT GUI is showing the four main projects underway on this day, and they can be easily selected.
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