MORLEYEVANS  OfficeTime makes something that can be quite difficult very easy. If you bill for your time, OfficeTime is an essential tool that will help you keep track of what you are selling. Your time is your livelihood — make the most of it!  
(Version 1.5)

SCOTT.GARDNER  This continues to be the best time tracking software that I know of on the Mac. It does invoicing and extensive reporting, too, but I primarily use it to track retainers. I love that I can use a simple tag in the appointment name so that OfficeTime can pick it up and assign it to a project with a default rate, etc. It is very easy to use and highly flexible.

However, one issue that I've noticed is that when you migrate your data file to a new Mac, almost every appointment (not every appointment, which is strange in-and-of-itself that it wouldn't be all or none) gets duplicated in OfficeTime. This has consistently happened every time I move my data file, and I've reported it to their tech support but got a general response indicating that it's not a known problem and apparently they could not reproduce it.

As my retainer client base grows, this is becoming an increasingly more time-consuming and frustrating issue to deal with, almost to the point where I would consider another solution that doesn't have this problem even if I lose some of the great functionality and flexibility OfficeTime offers. I hope they fix it soon.  
(Version 1.4.2 r3)

REBECCA153  Can anyone please answer my question.... Is it true there is not yet a way to sync the office time program to your iphone - so that I could keep track of time whilst away from my computer? If this is true, does anyone have any suggestions of a similiar program that would sync the computer and iphone, that has the same stop and go time tracking technique?  
(Version 1.4.2)

DIARBYRAG  This is definitely the best time tracking tool, easy to customise and even easier to stop and start

tried all the others, happy with my choice   
(Version 1.4.2)

ALJUK  There are only two serious candidates for time-billing management, OfficeTime and iRatchet.

I've gone with OfficeTime because:

• It's unobtrusive - I can start stop pause and switch activities and projects from the menu bar and see at a glance whether I'm in record. With iRatchet I'd have to keep calling the app to the front, and get no proper visual feedback from the menu bar. This interferes with my thinking and workflow.

• I can set different rates for different types of task. I can't do this with iRatchet.

• I can easily call up reports on not only a per-project basis, but also across all my projects - so it's easy to see how I'm splitting my time between task types, ie. it helps me keep tabs on myself, as well as my client work.

iRatchet has a couple more features, (such as being able to set 4 different tax rates), but is less straighforward in use. I got going with OfficeTime immediately, everything's obvious and I've only read the manual for the sake of completeness, not because I had to. Not so with iRatchet.

As a web developer with a growing client list, who ducks in and out of different projects, tasks and clients all day long, and doesn't want my flow broken by project management, OfficeTime fulfils my needs perfectly.

As a final comment, the warning it gives me when I've been away from my computer for a time, and the option to keep or dump those minutes, is invaluable.

This really is a superb app and very well conceived. Kudos to the developer.  
(Version 1.3.3)

PROGRESSIVEITGROUP  I've been using OfficeTime for a few months now and cannot recommend it highly enough....

I'm a developer and use the software EVERY day and truly couldn't live without it! Before OfficeTime, I would track my time in excel, usually forgetting to record when I started or finished a project, and basically just making guesses. Now, OfficeTime makes it easy to just click the timer button once when I start a project, and again when I'm done. I don't have to enter a date and time. I don't have to think about it at all, and I always know I my billing is accurate.

Recently my windows vista laptop locked up (the problem had nothing to do with OfficeTime). I shut off my laptop (a hard-reboot), started it back up, opened up OfficeTime and was pleasantly surprised that OfficeTime was aware that it had been in-elegantly shut down, and offered to send a bug-report to technical support. [now that's good customer service!]

The program started back up without any problems, and my last session

was ended right where I left off.

The other feature I just love, is when I walk away from my laptop for any length of time, OfficeTime knows the computer has been idle and offers to deduct the minutes while I was "away" or keep them... this is a lifesaver! It allows me to be sure I don't bill customers for non-productive time.

HIGHLY recommended... Best software purchase I've made in years.... Lots of features for the cost.

www.progressiveitgroup.com  
(Version 1.3.3)

SCOTT.GARDNER  I was looking for an easy-to-use, minimal learning curve, non-bloatware time/billing app. I checked out several titles (somehow overlooking OfficeTime at first), but could not find the "right" app...either functionality that I felt important was missing (e.g., how to handle overtime billing on a retainer), or I discovered spotty functionality in the demo (e.g., iCal integration that didn't work as advertised).

In OfficeTime I found *exactly* what I was looking for. Their marketing message "deceptively simple" is dead-on.

Features I love:

1. Easy project setup and selection. The menulet is great!

2. It syncs with iCal both ways, so you can easily tag an appointment for time billing under a specific project in OfficeTime.

3. Flexible rate management (e.g., I have different support packages that provide up to a specified number of hours per month for a flat fee, and then overtime is discounted off my regular hourly rate). OfficeTime handles the set up, use, and reporting on this need fantastically.

4. A useful little "remind me" tool.

I use a separate accounting package, so I don't really use OT's invoicing capabilities, but the reporting is quite comprehensive and useful.

Feature requests:

1. Direct Google Calendar integration. It syncs seamlessly with iCal (as does Google Calendar via CalDAV), so iCal is suitable middleware as long as you remember to launch it to sync updates between Google Calendar and OfficeTime.

2. iPhone app or web interface  
(Version 1.3.3)

CHRIS H  I had been struggling at work to be able to report exactly how much I had been spending on various projects, basically estimating time spent at the end of each week.

Within days of downloading (and getting it working, which did take a bit) I was able to feed back valuable information to my boss and charge correctly to various projects.

It is excellent to use, simple and helpful. Real people respond to your emails and once I was set up, brilliant!

My only wish - Entourage 2008 integration, so I didn't have to keep manually adding my meetings to Office Time. We aren't all lucky enough to have corporate environment that works out of iCal!

In short - great software, great support - what more could you want?  
(Version 1.3.3)

MORLEYEVANS  I have used many systems to track and invoice my time over the years.

Mac OSX with OfficeTime, iCal and iPod touch seem to be JUST WHAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ALL THESE YEARS!

Many thanks!  
(Version 1.3.3)

RUSSCOMM  I'm an independent TV producer with years of experience at the broadcast level. My standards are high. So let me tell you this: I don't write reviews like this very often. On the other hand, I know excellence and believe it's important to reward and inspire it. So here goes...

I believe this software to be truly incredible....and I knew it as soon as I started using it. The user interface is intuitive. The functionality is powerfully multi-faceted, but in a way that doesn't require a degree in computer science. Clearly, a LOT of thought went into making OfficeTime easy to use AND robust. In other words, if Disney made software, THIS is kind of application they'd create: POTENT, ACCURATE, USER-FRIENDLY, and RIGHT ON THE NOSE. If you need streamlined time-tracking for client management (freelance OR corporate), then try this software. RUN, don't walk, to the download page and start using it right away. I did, and it saved me time -- and made me money. My only regret? That it wasn't available YEARS ago!  
(Version 1.3.2)