How to create a custom Time Tracker Tool in 5 minutes
· This tool will display an window and will ask you for your input on what are you working on.
· After that it will save the input in a csv file, along with the time stamp
· This will be beneficial in order to know what you worked in the previous day when you have your Daily Scrum Meeting for example
- In the desired folder, Open a Notepad and copy paste the following:
Const ForReading = 1, ForWriting = 2, ForAppending = 8, CreateIfNeeded = true
set fso = CreateObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”)
set file = fso.OpenTextFile(“TimeTrackerLog.csv”, 8,true)dim fname
fname = inputbox((“What are you working now?”)
file.writeLine(Now)
file.writeLine fname
Make sure you set “Save as type” : All Files and you save the notepad file with the .vbs extension
Once you will open the vbs script, the TimeTrackerLog will be created and it will be populated with your input and with the stamp date.
This is how will look the Excel file ( actually is a csv)
How to make sure that your script runs automatically?
2. From Control Panel, find Schedule Tasks under Administrative Tools and open it
3. From top right section, click on Create Task :
4. From General tab, enter a suggestive name : eg: Time Tracking Task
5. Navigate to the second page named : Triggers and click on New button
6. Add the following settings : Weekly, Repeat task every : 15 minutes (you can ajust anytime the time. This is the trigger when this window to be displayed :
7. Navigate to the third tab named : Actions and click on New :
8. Enter the following Script location, and very important in Start in you should mention where the csv file is saved — preferably in the same location with the script)
Click OK
9. Navigate to the forth tab
· Unselect : Stop if the computer switches to battery power
10. Navigate to the last tab named : Settings
· Uncheck :”Stop the task if it runs longer than”
11. Finally Click OK
Notes:
1.TimeTrackerLog.csv must be closed in order for the script run without no error . This is how it looks the yhe error
2. To edit the time trigger or any other settings you have to open again Control Panel → Administrative Tools → Schedule Tasks
3. Select the task and click the Properties
4. To disable this, click on Disable from Selected Item section ( see below)
5. If you cancel the window when will prompt, in the CSV file will be saved the time stamp and a blank row.
