More Accurate Time Tracking With Toggl.com

    Toggl.com logoToggl.com is an online time tracking tool created by an Estonian software development service firm Apprise. The service popped up on our screen via ArcticIndex registration.

    The UI of Toggl is clear, and pleasant and fast to navigate. To start recording time for a new task is dead simple, just type in a client and a task name, and toggle the icon to start tracking. Tasks can be set to be billable. Different projects and clients can also be set up to organize the work. In addition to web site and iGoogle widgets, there is also a desktop client available, with just recently launched offline support.  Reports are available with a variety of different filters.

    Toggl screenshotThe business model is based primarily on selling the premium SaaS version, while there also are some ads included in the free one. The free version is quite versatile already, allowing up to 20 users with unlimited projects, clients, and tasks. Premium version offers some nice advantages for bigger projects and businesses, for example ability to set hourly rates for projects, access to better statistics and reporting – and notably integration connections. Currently premium version is said to include Basecamp, iCal, and RSS reader integration. To be able to tie in the tool nicely as part of any slightly bigger organization a connection to some other project/billing/invoicing system is most likely needed. This aspect would need probably a bit more options to boost the offering.

    The Toggl.com team launches new features requested by the users in a bi-weekly development cycle. It is stated that Apprise built the tool first for internal use but found it so useful that they published it. Thus it seems the developers eat their own dog food and use Toggl to track the developement of the service.

    The main target users of Toggl are identified as programmers, graphic designers and consultants, but I don’t see why anyone willing to keep track of their time could not use the service. After all, they say that in order to better manage your time spending you should be aware (i.e., keep track) of where your time really goes. The old fashioned way was to keep pen and paper around and write down your activity every 15 minutes..Toggl could be a tool making it easier and more accurate.