Redmine

h1. Time tracking

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h2. Introduction

Time tracking allows users to track how many hours of work are logged to a specific issue or project. Each time entry of "spent time" can be categorized by activity, and further explained with comments. By filling time estimates, project managers are able to produce better suited project planning as well as follow individual user's progress. 

Time tracking is always related to a user, thus it can be used to track how many billable hours this user has accomplished. See the [[RedmineTimelogDetails|spent time details]] or [[RedmineTimelogReport|spent time report]] pages for more information.

h2. Installing/Configuration

Time tracking is a standard module of Redmine and can be enabled/disabled for each project in the *Modules* section of the new project form, or the *Settings* tab of an existing project.

h2. Logging time on an issue

You can log time on an issue by clicking !/images/time_add.png! *Log time* from the issue details view.

p=. !log_time.png!

You can also log time when updating an issue.

p=. !Update_LogTime.png!

h2. Logging time at project level

You can log hours at project level by leaving the issue field empty.

h2. Accepted time formats

Estimated and spent time can be entered using either separated hour and minutes or combined in the following formats:

# Separated: hour and minutes as an integer using standard time format: *@1h@*, *@1 h@*, *@1 hour@*, *@2 hours@*, *@30m@*, *@30min@*, *@1h30@*, *@1h30m@*, *@1:30@*

# Combined: as a fraction of hours in decimal time format using either period (.) or comma (,) as decimal separator: *@1.5@*, *@1,5@* (equals to @1h30@)

h3. Decimal time format

When entering estimated or spent time values in Redmine using "decimal time format":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_time you have to be aware that Redmine will also show accumulated time values in decimal time format.

Consider the following example:

* in a project you have 4 issues with the following spent time values: *1.00*, *0.10*, *0.15*  & *0.40*. Now in the Spent Time reports (Project overview -> Spent time -> [Details | Report]) you will see the accumulated total of the decimal values of 1.65 hours (1 hour 39 minutes), not a separate accumulation of the hour and minutes after the decimal point (which would yield an incorrect value of 2.05 hours).

* _Explanation_: this is intended behaviour since the four spent time values are entered in decimal time format. The values are interpreted as follows: 

** 1.00 decimal equals 60 minutes (1 hour)

** 0.10 decimal equals 6 minutes

** 0.15 decimal equals 9 minutes

** 0.40 decimal equals 24 minutes

** 1.65 decimal equals 99 minutes

** 2:05 hours (125 minutes) equals 2.0833333333333335 (est.) in decimal notation

Due to rounding of the decimal values to two decimals done when showing an accumulated value there can possibly be a tiny difference (as can be seen from the 2:05 example above).

Some references:

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_time

* http://www.springfrog.com/converter/decimal-time.htm

h2. Logging time via commit messages

With the *Enable time logging* option turned on (see _Application settings -> Repositories_), developers can log time against an issue via their commit messages using the following syntax (hours must be preceded with an issue id):

  Fixed something, #435 @1h30

This commit message will log 1h30 on issue !#435.

If you encounter a problem with this, ensure that under _Application settings -> Repositories_, make sure that *Activity for logged time* is set to something other than 'Default' and use a format similar to the below in your commit message.

  refs #435 @1h30