Working with MyTime
MyTime's main window is divided into three different levels: Clients, Projects and Tasks. Start by adding a client (click the little plus-sign button below the Client column), then add as many projects as you like (using the corresponding plus-sign button once again). Now you can divide those projects into the various tasks you will be working on. You can change the variables for each task (start/end date, time, earned, rate/hr) right inside the main table. There is also space for a short description of the task.
Drawers
There are two drawers to the main window. The task drawer, opened with the little triangle in the bottom right-hand corner, summarizes the task information from the main table, has a space for notes about tasks, and allows you to attach a related folder to the task via the 'Set File...' button.
The client drawer, opened with the little triangle in the bottom left-hand corner, displays information about the client and the project. This drawer also provides space for notes about clients and projects. You can add and/or edit information directly inside the drawers; just select the part to be edited or where you want to add information and start typing.
Both drawers also have a Paid check-box. If you want to indicate that a whole project has been paid already, just check the Paid box inside the project drawer. The program will then assume that all tasks within that project have been paid in full. If a project hasn't been paid in full yet you can indicate which tasks have been paid by using the Paid check box inside the task drawer.
Preferences
Inside the Preferences you can choose a default rate/hr to be used by the program, how often you'd like the timer to be updated while you're working on a task and whether you'd like the timer to be displayed as a menu item or not. You can also turn the dock icon animation on or off and choose whether you'd like the program to check for updates automatically. You can also tell the program to save your work automatically at certain intervals.
Under the Server tab of the Preferences you can set all things concerning the server, for example, whether you'd like to share your MyTime information or whether you'd like to implement a password protection.
If you want to put your computer to sleep but still have MyTime keeping track of your working hours, just choose that option inside your Preferences. Please be aware though that when you wake your computer up again, it might take up to ten seconds for MyTime's counter to update itself. This can seem as though the counter stopped working during this time but it is just your computer waking up and checking that everything is still running and in place. (And those seconds between waking up and the timer running normally again are obviously counted and added to the total time.)
Exporting and importing
To export your work from MyTime you can choose from four different formats: .mytime, comma delimited (CSV), tab delimited and HTML templates. The .mytime format is designed to create personal backups of your work. Comma and tab delimited formats are best suited for exports to other programs such as Excel. Templates are designed for export to the web. They also work well for printing - export your selection of tasks and/or projects and then you can print the generated Safari page or email it as a PDF. You can learn more about exporting HTML templates and building your own templates here.
When you import a .mytime file (the only files importable into MyTime) the application will ask you whether you'd like to 'Replace' or 'Merge' the file. If you choose 'Replace', ALL the data will be replaced. This action cannot be undone. If you choose 'Merge', the application will merge any clients of the same name (existing and imported data) and add differing names as new clients; add any projects that do not yet appear in the projects list and add any tasks whose name do not yet appear on the task list.
Addresses in MyTime are managed through the Apple Address Book. In order to change the address that appears in the templates as your address, simply edit the Address Book address that is set as "me". The change will be reflected immediately on the next template you export.
Similarly, any client info that you want to change such as address, phone, etc. comes from the Address Book. Change it there and MyTime will automagically pick it up.
Client-Server setup through Bonjour
With the Bonjour technology built in to MyTime, any MyTime client can act as a server. The setup is very simple. Follow these steps:
For the computer that you want to act as a Server
For the computers that will act as clients
That's all there is to it. The logs will track who has done what based on the user name you entered for the client computer in the above setup.