TimeTracker/docs/GETTING_STARTED.md

Getting Started with TimeTracker

A complete guide to get you up and running with TimeTracker in minutes.

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📋 Table of Contents

1. Installation
2. First Login
3. Initial Setup
4. Core Workflows
5. Next Steps

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🚀 Installation

Option 1: Docker (Recommended)

The fastest way to get TimeTracker running:

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/drytrix/TimeTracker.git
cd TimeTracker

# 2. Set a strong SECRET_KEY (required for sessions & CSRF)
# Linux/macOS:
export SECRET_KEY=$(python -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))")
# Windows PowerShell:
$env:SECRET_KEY = python -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))"

# 3. Start TimeTracker
docker-compose up -d

# 4. Access the application
# Open your browser to: https://localhost
# (Self‑signed certificate; your browser will show a warning the first time.)

# Prefer plain HTTP on port 8080 instead?
# Use the example compose that publishes the app directly:
# docker-compose -f docker-compose.example.yml up -d
# Then open: http://localhost:8080

That's it! TimeTracker is now running with PostgreSQL.

Important: The default docker-compose.yml expects SECRET_KEY to be set. You can also edit the file and replace SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key-here with a securely generated value. Never use weak or guessable keys.

Option 2: Quick Test (SQLite)

Want to try it without setting up a database?

# Start with SQLite (no database setup needed)
docker-compose -f docker-compose.local-test.yml up --build

# Access at: http://localhost:8080

Perfect for testing and development!

Option 3: Manual Installation

For advanced users who prefer manual setup:

# 1. Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# 2. Configure environment
cp env.example .env
# Edit .env with your settings

# 3. Initialize database
python -c "from app import create_app; app = create_app(); app.app_context().push(); app.initialize_database()"

# 4. Run the application
python app.py

📖 See Requirements for detailed system requirements

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🔑 First Login

1. Open TimeTracker in your browser: http://localhost:8080

2. Enter a username (no password required for internal use)

   • Example: admin, john, or your name
   • This creates your account automatically

3. First user becomes admin automatically

   • Full access to all features
   • Can manage users and settings

4. You're in! Welcome to your dashboard

Note

: TimeTracker uses username-only authentication for simplicity. It's designed for internal, trusted network use. For additional security, deploy behind a reverse proxy with authentication.

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⚙️ Initial Setup

Step 1: Configure System Settings

1. Go to Admin → System Settings (gear icon in top right)

2. Set your company information:

   • Company name
   • Address for invoices
   • Optional: Upload your logo

3. Configure regional settings:

   • Timezone: Your local timezone (e.g., America/New_York)
   • Currency: Your preferred currency (e.g., USD, EUR, GBP)

4. Adjust timer behavior:

   • Idle Timeout: How long before auto-pause (default: 30 minutes)
   • Single Active Timer: Allow only one running timer per user
   • Time Rounding: Round to nearest minute/5 minutes/15 minutes

5. Set user management:

   • Allow Self-Registration: Let users create their own accounts
   • Admin Usernames: Comma-separated list of admin users

6. Click Save to apply settings

Step 2: Add Your First Client

1. Navigate to Clients → Create Client

2. Enter client information:

   • Name: Client or company name (required)
   • Contact Person: Primary contact
   • Email: Client email address
   • Phone: Contact number
   • Address: Billing address

3. Set billing defaults:

   • Default Hourly Rate: Your rate for this client (e.g., 100.00)
   • This will auto-populate when creating projects

4. Click Create to save the client

Step 3: Create Your First Project

1. Go to Projects → Create Project

2. Basic information:

   • Name: Project name (required)
   • Client: Select from dropdown (auto-filled with client info)
   • Description: Brief project description

3. Billing information:

   • Billable: Toggle on if you'll invoice this project
   • Hourly Rate: Auto-filled from client (can override)
   • Estimated Hours: Optional project estimate

4. Advanced settings (optional):

   • Status: Active/Archived
   • Start/End Dates: Project timeline
   • Budget Alert Threshold: Get notified at X% budget used

5. Click Create to save the project

Step 4: Create Tasks (Optional)

Break your project into manageable tasks:

1. Go to Tasks → Create Task

2. Task details:

   • Project: Select your project
   • Name: Task name (e.g., "Design homepage")
   • Description: What needs to be done
   • Priority: Low/Medium/High/Urgent

3. Planning:

   • Estimated Hours: Time estimate for this task
   • Due Date: When it should be completed
   • Assign To: Team member responsible

4. Click Create to save the task

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🎯 Core Workflows

Workflow 1: Track Time with Timer

Quick time tracking for active work:

1. On the Dashboard, find the timer section
2. Select a project (and optionally a task)
3. Click Start — the timer begins
4. Work on your task — timer continues even if you close the browser
5. Click Stop when finished — time entry is saved automatically

💡 Tip: The timer runs on the server, so it keeps going even if you:

• Close your browser
• Switch devices
• Lose internet connection temporarily

Workflow 2: Manual Time Entry

Add historical or bulk time entries:

1. Go to Timer → Log Time

2. Choose entry type:

   • Single entry
   • Bulk entry (multiple entries at once)
   • Calendar view (visual entry)

3. Fill in details:

   • Project: Required
   • Task: Optional
   • Start Time: When you started
   • End Time: When you finished
   • Notes: What you worked on
   • Tags: Categorize your work (e.g., design, meeting, bugfix)

4. Click Save to record the entry

Workflow 3: Generate an Invoice

Turn tracked time into a professional invoice:

1. Go to Invoices → Create Invoice

2. Select project and fill in client details

   • Client info auto-populated from project

3. Set invoice details:

   • Issue Date: Today (default)
   • Due Date: Payment deadline (e.g., 30 days)
   • Tax Rate: Your tax rate (e.g., 21.00 for 21%)

4. Click "Generate from Time Entries":

   • Select time entries to bill
   • Choose grouping (by task or project)
   • Preview the total

5. Review and customize:

   • Edit descriptions
   • Add manual line items
   • Adjust quantities or rates

6. Save and send:

   • Status: Draft → Sent → Paid
   • Export as CSV
   • (PDF export coming soon!)

Workflow 4: View Reports

Analyze your time and productivity:

1. Go to Reports

2. Choose report type:

   • Project Report: Time breakdown by project
   • User Report: Individual productivity
   • Summary Report: Overall statistics

3. Set filters:

   • Date Range: Today/This Week/This Month/Custom
   • Project: Specific project or all
   • User: Specific user or all
   • Billable: Billable only/Non-billable only/Both

4. View insights:

   • Total hours worked
   • Billable vs non-billable
   • Time distribution
   • Estimated costs

5. Export data:

   • Click Export CSV for spreadsheet analysis
   • Choose delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab)

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🎓 Next Steps

Learn Advanced Features

• Task Management — Master task boards and workflows
• Calendar View — Visual time entry and planning
• Command Palette — Keyboard shortcuts for power users
• Bulk Operations — Batch time entry creation

Customize Your Experience

• Upload your logo for branded invoices
• Configure notifications for task due dates
• Set up recurring time blocks for regular tasks
• Create saved filters for common report views
• Add custom tags for better categorization

Team Setup

If you're setting up for a team:

1. Add team members:

   • Go to Admin → Users
   • Users can self-register (if enabled) or admin can add them
   • Assign roles (Admin/User)

2. Assign projects:

   • Projects are visible to all users
   • Use permissions to control access (coming soon)

3. Assign tasks:

   • Create tasks and assign to team members
   • Set priorities and due dates
   • Track progress in task board

4. Review reports:

   • See team productivity
   • Identify bottlenecks
   • Optimize resource allocation

Production Deployment

Ready to deploy for real use?

1. Use PostgreSQL instead of SQLite:

   # Edit .env file
   DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:pass@localhost:5432/timetracker
   

2. Set a secure secret key:

   # Generate a random key
   SECRET_KEY=$(python -c 'import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))')
   

3. Configure for production:

   FLASK_ENV=production
   FLASK_DEBUG=false
   SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE=true
   REMEMBER_COOKIE_SECURE=true
   

4. Set up backups:

   • Configure automatic database backups
   • Store backups off-site
   • Test restore procedures

5. Optional: Add reverse proxy:

   • Use Caddy or nginx for HTTPS
   • Add authentication layer if needed
   • Configure firewall rules

📖 See Docker Public Setup for production deployment

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💡 Tips & Tricks

Keyboard Shortcuts

Press Ctrl+K (or Cmd+K on Mac) to open the command palette:

• Quickly start/stop timers
• Navigate to any page
• Search projects and tasks
• Log time entries

Mobile Access

TimeTracker is fully responsive:

• Access from any device
• Mobile-optimized interface
• Touch-friendly controls
• Works in any browser

Time Entry Best Practices

1. Add descriptive notes — Future you will thank you
2. Use consistent tags — Makes reporting easier
3. Track regularly — Don't let entries pile up
4. Review weekly — Catch missing time or errors
5. Categorize accurately — Billable vs non-billable matters

Project Management Tips

1. Set realistic estimates — Helps with planning
2. Break into tasks — Makes tracking easier
3. Use task priorities — Focus on what matters
4. Review progress regularly — Stay on track
5. Archive completed projects — Keep your list clean

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❓ Common Questions

How do I reset my database?

# ⚠️ This deletes all data
docker-compose down -v
docker-compose up -d

How do I add more users?

• Enable self-registration in settings, or
• Users can just enter a username on first visit, or
• Admin can create users in Admin → Users

Can I export my data?

Yes! Multiple export options:

• CSV export from reports
• Database backup via scripts
• API access for custom integrations (coming soon)

How do I upgrade TimeTracker?

# Pull latest changes
git pull origin main

# Rebuild and restart
docker-compose up -d --build

# Migrations run automatically

Is there a mobile app?

TimeTracker is a web application that works great on mobile browsers. A Progressive Web App (PWA) version with offline support is planned.

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🆘 Need Help?

• Documentation — Complete documentation index
• Troubleshooting — Fix common issues
• GitHub Issues — Report bugs or request features
• Contributing — Help improve TimeTracker

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Ready to track your time like a pro? 🚀

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