Track time with the built-in timer

The built-in timer is the fastest way to track time in Sandtime.io when you want the product to keep the running entry for you. Press Start tracking on the dashboard and the activity begins immediately as Unassigned - you can fill in the details while it runs.

Filling in the details

  • Name - what you are working on.
  • Project - pick one from the drop-down to move the activity out of Unassigned. See Create a project for the reported time.
  • Started at - set the exact start, by typing it or using the date and time picker.
  • Ended at - leave it empty and it fills in when you press Stop tracking, or set it yourself.
  • Duration - an alternative to Ended at. Start at 9:00 AM, enter 8h, and the end fills in as 5:00 PM.
  • Billable - whether the activity counts as billable. Projects can define this, and the switch follows the project’s setting.

When to use the timer

  • Daily task execution.
  • Focus sessions where start and stop are clear.
  • Desktop or mobile workflows where you want less manual typing.

When manual entry is better

  • Reconstructing time after the fact.
  • Entering weekend work on a specific date.
  • Fixing a missed stop or a gap from earlier in the week.

See Edit or delete a time entry for corrections, and Can I log time on weekends? for weekend work.

Where you can track

The timer is available in the web app, the browser extension, the macOS, Windows, and Linux desktop apps, the iOS and Android apps, and through the Slack integration.

Reports and timesheets work the same way with timer-based and manually created entries.

Related articles

Keep moving without going back to the help-center home page.

Can I log time on weekends?

Yes. Weekends are hidden by default in Timesheets, but you can show them and Sandtime.io remembers the preference.

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Locking and unlocking timesheets

See how manual locking, auto-locking, and unlock requests work together, how long an unlock lasts, and how to lock one person’s week.

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Use time rounding

Round time up, down, or to the nearest interval without changing the source entries. Turn it on, choose a mode, and spot a rounded value.

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Submit and approve timesheets

Employees can submit timesheets for approval, while administrators can approve or reject them from the app and notification emails.

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