TimeTracker/docs/features/TIME_ENTRY_DUPLICATION.md

Time Entry Duplication Feature

Overview

The Time Entry Duplication feature allows users to quickly copy existing time entries with pre-filled data. This significantly speeds up time tracking workflows when working on similar tasks or projects repeatedly.

User Stories

• As a user, I want to duplicate a previous time entry so that I can quickly log similar work without re-entering all the details.
• As a user, I want the duplicated entry to preserve my project, task, notes, tags, and billable settings from the original entry.
• As a user, I want to be able to adjust the times for the duplicated entry before saving it.

Features

Quick Access

• Duplicate buttons are available in multiple locations:
  • Dashboard: Next to each time entry in the "Recent Entries" table
  • Edit Entry Page: Alongside the "Back" button for easy access when viewing an entry

Pre-filled Data

When duplicating an entry, the following fields are automatically populated:

• Project: The same project as the original entry
• Task: The same task (if any) as the original entry
• Notes: The same notes/description from the original entry
• Tags: The same comma-separated tags from the original entry
• Billable Status: The same billable flag as the original entry

User Control

• Users can modify any pre-filled field before creating the duplicate
• Start and end times are not copied - users must set new times for the duplicate entry
• This ensures users consciously choose when the work was done

Visual Feedback

• A blue information banner shows details about the original entry being duplicated
• The page title changes to "Duplicate Time Entry" to clearly indicate the action
• Original entry details (project, task, duration) are displayed for reference

Technical Details

Backend Implementation

Route

@timer_bp.route('/timer/duplicate/<int:timer_id>')
@login_required
def duplicate_timer(timer_id):
    """Duplicate an existing time entry - opens manual entry form with pre-filled data"""

URL Pattern: /timer/duplicate/<id> Method: GET Authentication: Required

Process Flow

1. User clicks duplicate button
2. System retrieves the original time entry
3. Permission check: User must own the entry or be an admin
4. Manual entry form is rendered with pre-filled data
5. User adjusts times and modifies fields as needed
6. User submits the form to create the new entry

Security

• Permission Check: Users can only duplicate their own entries
• Admin Override: Administrators can duplicate any user's entries
• 404 Handling: Non-existent entries return a 404 error

Analytics

• Event tracking for duplication actions:
  • Event name: timer.duplicated
  • Tracked properties: entry ID, project ID, task ID, has_notes, has_tags

Frontend Implementation

Dashboard Button

<a href="{{ url_for('timer.duplicate_timer', timer_id=entry.id) }}" 
   class="text-blue-600 hover:text-blue-800" 
   title="{{ _('Duplicate entry') }}">
    <i class="fas fa-copy"></i>
</a>

Edit Page Button

<a href="{{ url_for('timer.duplicate_timer', timer_id=timer.id) }}" 
   class="btn btn-outline-primary">
    <i class="fas fa-copy me-1"></i>{{ _('Duplicate') }}
</a>

Information Banner

Displays when duplicating an entry:

<div class="bg-blue-50 dark:bg-blue-900/20 border border-blue-200 ...">
    <p>Duplicating entry: [Project Name] - [Task Name]</p>
    <p>Original: [Start Time] to [End Time] ([Duration])</p>
</div>

Template Variables

The manual entry template accepts these additional variables for duplication:

• is_duplicate (boolean): Indicates this is a duplication action
• original_entry (TimeEntry): The entry being duplicated
• selected_project_id (int): Pre-selects the project dropdown
• selected_task_id (int): Pre-selects the task dropdown
• prefill_notes (string): Pre-fills the notes textarea
• prefill_tags (string): Pre-fills the tags input
• prefill_billable (boolean): Pre-checks the billable checkbox

Use Cases

1. Daily Recurring Work

Scenario: A developer logs 2 hours of code review every morning.

Workflow:

1. Click duplicate on yesterday's code review entry
2. Adjust start/end times to today
3. Submit the form
4. Entry is created in seconds instead of minutes

2. Similar Tasks Across Projects

Scenario: A consultant has similar meeting entries across different projects.

Workflow:

1. Duplicate a meeting entry from Project A
2. Change the project to Project B
3. Adjust times and notes as needed
4. Submit to create entry for Project B

3. Template-like Entries

Scenario: A designer regularly logs similar "Client Feedback" entries.

Workflow:

1. Find any previous "Client Feedback" entry
2. Click duplicate
3. Update times and any client-specific notes
4. Submit quickly with consistent tags and structure

Testing

Test Coverage

The feature includes comprehensive test coverage:

• Unit Tests: Route access, authentication, permission checks
• Integration Tests: Pre-fill functionality, form rendering, data accuracy
• Security Tests: User isolation, admin privileges
• Smoke Tests: Button visibility, basic workflows
• Model Tests: Field availability, duplication mechanics
• Edge Cases: Missing fields, inactive projects, minimal entries

Test File

Location: tests/test_time_entry_duplication.py

Run tests:

# Run all duplication tests
pytest tests/test_time_entry_duplication.py -v

# Run specific test categories
pytest tests/test_time_entry_duplication.py -v -m unit
pytest tests/test_time_entry_duplication.py -v -m integration
pytest tests/test_time_entry_duplication.py -v -m smoke
pytest tests/test_time_entry_duplication.py -v -m security

Internationalization

All user-facing text uses Flask-Babel for internationalization:

• Button labels
• Page titles
• Information messages
• Form labels

Keys to translate:

• Duplicate entry
• Duplicate Time Entry
• Create a copy of a previous entry with new times
• Duplicating entry
• Original

Future Enhancements

Potential Improvements

1. Quick Duplicate: Add a "Duplicate & Edit Times" modal for even faster duplication
2. Bulk Duplicate: Duplicate an entry across multiple dates at once
3. Smart Defaults: Auto-fill times based on user's typical work patterns
4. Favorite Entries: Mark entries as favorites for quick access when duplicating
5. Duplicate to Today: One-click duplicate with today's date and current time

API Endpoint

Consider adding an API endpoint for programmatic duplication:

POST /api/timer/duplicate/<id>
{
  "start_time": "2024-01-15T09:00:00",
  "end_time": "2024-01-15T11:00:00"
}

Related Features

• Time Entry Templates: For completely reusable entry templates (different use case)
• Manual Entry: The form used after clicking duplicate
• Bulk Entry: For creating multiple similar entries across date ranges
• Edit Entry: For modifying existing entries

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Issue: Duplicate button not visible

• Cause: Entry may be from another user (non-admin)
• Solution: Ensure you're viewing your own entries or have admin privileges

Issue: Task not pre-selected after duplication

• Cause: Tasks are loaded dynamically via JavaScript
• Solution: Wait for the page to fully load; the task should auto-select
• Note: This issue has been resolved in the latest version - template code no longer interferes with task pre-selection during duplication

Issue: Cannot duplicate inactive project entry

• Cause: Project status changed to inactive after entry creation
• Solution: Form will render, but you may need to select an active project

Issue: Permission denied when duplicating

• Cause: Attempting to duplicate another user's entry
• Solution: Only duplicate your own entries, or request admin assistance

Changelog

Version 1.1 (2025-10-31)

• Bug Fix: Fixed issue where duplicated time entries with assigned tasks would not have the task pre-selected
• Technical: Template application code now properly checks for duplication mode and doesn't interfere with pre-filled task data
• Testing: Added comprehensive test to ensure task pre-selection is preserved during duplication

Version 1.0 (2024-10-23)

• Initial implementation of time entry duplication
• Duplicate buttons on dashboard and edit pages
• Pre-filled form with all relevant fields
• Comprehensive test suite
• Documentation and user guides
• Analytics tracking for duplication events

Support

For questions or issues with the Time Entry Duplication feature:

1. Check this documentation
2. Review the test cases for examples
3. Check the application logs for errors
4. Contact your system administrator

License

This feature is part of the TimeTracker application and follows the same license terms.