Time Tracking

Last updated: January 2026 · 5 min read

PlanItNine includes built-in time tracking to help you understand where your hours go. Whether you need to bill clients, report to managers, or just improve your planning, time tracking gives you the data you need.

Why Track Time?

Better estimates: Learn how long tasks actually take, not how long you think they take
Client billing: Generate accurate time reports for billable work
Accountability: Share time reports with managers or team leads
Self-awareness: See where your day actually goes

Starting a Timer

Each task on the Daily Board has a play button (▶). Click it to start tracking time:

Find the task you're about to work on
Click the play button (▶)
Work on the task
Click the stop button (⏹) when done or switching tasks

The timer shows elapsed time on the task and total time for the day in the header.

Pro Tip: You can only have one timer running at a time. Starting a new timer automatically stops the previous one.

Viewing Time on Tasks

Each task displays its total tracked time next to the timer button. This includes all time entries, not just the current session.

The header also shows:

⏱ Current task time: How long you've been on the current task
All: Total time tracked across all tasks today

Time Entries Panel

Click the clipboard icon (📋) on any task to view and manage time entries:

See all time entries with start/end times
Edit existing entries
Add manual entries (for time you forgot to track)
Delete incorrect entries

Adding Manual Time Entries

Forgot to start the timer? No problem. You can add time manually:

Click the clipboard icon (📋) on the task
Click "Add Entry"
Enter the start time, end time, or duration
Optionally add a note about what you did
Save the entry

Time Reports Premium

Premium users can generate time reports:

Click the Settings menu (⚙️)
Select "Reports"
Choose a date range
Filter by list if needed
Export as CSV or view on screen

Report Contents

Time reports include:

Task name and list
Date worked
Duration
Task size (Big/Medium/Small)
Notes if any

Task History

To see all time entries for a specific task:

Click the task's menu (⋯)
Select "History"
View all sessions with timestamps

This is useful for understanding how much total effort went into a project or task over time.

Best Practices

Start Before You Start: Make it a habit to click the timer before you begin any task. It takes one second and gives you valuable data.

Don't Stress Perfection: If you forget to track time, add it manually at the end of the day. Approximate time is better than no data.

Time Tracking for Planning

Use your time data to improve future planning:

If "quick" tasks consistently take 30+ minutes, they're actually Medium tasks
If you never finish your Big task, it might be too big - break it down
Notice which types of work take longer than expected

Related Guides

Start Tracking Your Time

Know exactly where your hours go and improve your planning.

Try PlanItNine Free