Time Tracking in Jira: A Simple and Smart Approach
Jira is a project management tool in the Atlassian marketplace for task tracking, project planning, and team collaboration. It’s definitely one of the most popular project management software among web development teams.
While Jira shines in many respects, native Jira time-tracking features may not fully satisfy user requirements. Fortunately, third-party time-tracking tools can enhance the functionality. Timeular fills this gap with advanced time-tracking functionality and native Jira integration.
Tracking time can be simple, smart, and secure. If you want to log work hours effortlessly, create reports with one click, and ensure that timesheets are accurate, Timeular is the solution for you.
You’ve just found it!
Why do you need to log time with Jira?
Time tracking within a project management tool like Jira is essential for a project’s success, as it serves multiple critical purposes.
- It helps with accurate estimates of the time needed to accomplish the project. Essential for project planning and management, time estimation allows teams to accurately predict task or project durations, aiding in resource allocation, cost prediction, budget management, setting realistic timelines, and identifying potential risks and issues. Time-tracking tools can provide precise data for project planning and billing.
- Time tracking data provides project managers with a clear picture of the time spent on different tasks throughout a project’s lifecycle. This insight helps project managers monitor task progress and ensure that projects follow their planned schedule.
- Project management time tracking optimizes team productivity, prevents burnout, and enhances overall project success. It also helps to ensure that team members are assigned tasks in a way that optimizes their productivity, prevents overworking, and contributes to the project’s overall success.
- Last but not least, time tracking has a direct impact on revenue. Utilizing time tracking refines project budgeting, tightens cost control, and guarantees the accuracy of project billing and invoicing.
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Does Jira enable time tracking?
Yes, Jira offers its own time-tracking feature. But for those seeking a more nuanced or specialized approach, a third-party time tracking app like Timeular often becomes the go-to solution to elevate their time-tracking in Jira. The ‘time tracking provider dropdown’ feature in Jira allows users to select and switch between different time tracking providers, including third-party apps like Timeular.
Simply put, while Jira’s inherent time tracking function still serves its purpose, a dedicated app like Timeular provides a much more intuitive and seamless experience.
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How to create a time tracking report in Jira
To configure time tracking and log work time in Jira, follow these steps:
- Ensure users have permission to use the ‘Work on Issues’ option.
- Navigate to ‘Issues’.
- Click on ‘Permission’ schemes.
- Locate the time tracking permissions section and select ‘Work on Issues’, then edit the field.
- Use the time tracking provider dropdown to select a time tracking provider from the available options. Be aware of the potential data storage implications when using a third-party provider.
- Choose the users, groups, or project roles that need to log work on issues and click ‘Grant’.
Please note that exact navigation and time tracking settings might vary depending on the version of the Jira software, and any custom configurations your instance might have. Always refer to the official Jira software documentation or support for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
The limitations of Jira’s time-tracking
Although Jira does enable time tracking, this feature has several limitations:
- Limited reporting options: The Jira time tracking report provides only a narrow range of reporting options, which can hinder effective analysis and comprehension of time data.
- Complexity for beginners: New users often find the native Jira time tracker overwhelming. The time management capabilities could be made more user-friendly, especially for those primarily focused on time tracking.
- Manual operation: Users must manually start and stop the timer, which is time-consuming and increases the likelihood of errors.
- Lack of advanced features: While Jira’s native time tracking offers basic functionality, it may not meet more advanced requirements, such as advanced reporting, customizable tracking rules, or in-depth analytics.
Timeular: One of the best Jira time-tracking tools
Simple, smart and secure – Timeular is a powerful yet user-friendly time-tracking software trusted by over 50,000 users and numerous teams globally. Among other time tracking tools, Timeular stands out for its advanced features and ease of use. It serves as the ultimate project time tracker, offering a host of advantages tailored to efficient project management.
Timeular provides a Jira time tracking plugin that enables dynamic time tracking of tasks you manage in Jira.
Physical Tracker for easy time tracking
Timeular is widely known for its physical time tracking cube that sits on your desk, fostering a time tracking habit.
With the Tracker, you can effortlessly track over 1000 activities by simply flipping the dice. There is no need to navigate to your time tracking or project management tool to start or stop tracking time manually anymore.
- Note: The physical Tracker is optional. It was designed to simplify the time-tracking process and infuse some enjoyment into it.
Multiple tracking methods
Timeular provides flexibility in time tracking. You can choose the method that best suits your work style, whether it’s flipping the physical Tracker, using keyboard shortcuts, or utilizing automatic time tracking.
These methods ensure a smooth and speedy tracking experience, significantly reducing the time spent on time tracking to under 1 minute a day
Project budget under control
With Timeular, you can finally keep your project budgets in check by setting the planned hours for each project and monitoring how the time budget is spent.
Timeular will notify you when you approach certain limits, preventing overspending and ensuring accurate client billing.
Instant time tracking reports
Access versatile time tracking reports with various filters and views that offer actionable insights into productivity levels and your project’s progress. There is no need for additional costs or higher-tier plans to get a detailed time tracking report.
With a detailed time tracking report, you can easily compare the original estimate with the actual hours you and your teams spend working on the project.
Accurate time tracking reports will ensure realistic estimates for similar projects in the future.
Automated billable and non-billable hours
Timeular also works as a billable hours app that allows users to calculate billable hours automatically. To access this feature, enter your project settings and label each task as billable or non-billable.
By adding hourly rates to tasks or team members, you will let the system automatically calculate project costs when the work logs are added. Thanks to the real-time reporting features, users can easily create customer invoices by sending the data to a dedicated tool.
This simplifies project cost tracking and accurate billing, offering insights into team efficiency.
Tracking overtime
Timeular works as an overtime tracker that automatically records and reports extra hours worked, reporting overtime and deficit hours based on configured work schedules and requested leave. This feature ensures accurate accounting of time worked and overtime pay.
Leave management
Timeular serves as a leave tracking system, helping you manage various types of absence leaves to plan projects and workloads effectively.
This integration streamlines the time-tracking process and ensures accurate time allocation across projects, offering an enhanced time-tracking experience within the Jira platform.
Unlike many other time tracking apps, Timeular is GDPR-compliant and secure
- Time tracking data logged in Timeular is stored locally on your machine and NOT sent to the cloud, which makes your data secure and accessible only to you and your workspace admin.
- Timeular is fully compliant with GDPR regulations, ensuring that user data is protected and privacy rights are respected.
- As a result of Timeular’s anti-surveillance policy, users’ time entries are accessible to workspace admins only after midnight the same day to grant users full privacy.
How to track time in Jira with Timeular
Timeular integrates seamlessly with Jira. In Timeular, Jira projects are imported as “activities,” and Jira issues as “@mentions”.
To track time in Jira with Timeular, follow these simple steps:
- Create a free Timeular account.
- Set up the JIRA integration in your Timeular profile. Go to Settings > Integrations.
- Use the time tracking provider dropdown in Jira to select Timeular as your time tracking provider.
- If you are using a physical Tracker, assign the activities to a side of the cube.
- Track your time for the project.
- The time tracked can be assigned to a specific issue/work log by entering the @issue within the note section of the app.
For a more detailed description and configuration help for JIRA, read this article.
Conclusion
Time tracking in Jira provides insights into task progress, aids in efficient resource allocation, contributes to financial management, and ensures accurate client billing. Time tracking is also key in identifying inefficiencies in productivity and contributes to project success.
However, because Jira’s native time tracking feature has its limitations, such as reporting options and dashboard complexity, users are looking for alternatives to track time spent on daily tasks.
To address Jira-provided time-tracking limitations, use Timeular, which provides simple time tracking and the best Jira time-tracking integration. It enhances the time tracking experience within Jira, providing a more intuitive, efficient, and accurate way to track time spent on tasks.
FAQ about Jira time tracking
How can I track work time in Jira?
Native Jira time tracking report is a standard way of capturing time spent on tasks managed in Jira. However, in order to streamline time tracking and ensure accurate time tracking reports, it’s recommended to use dedicated time tracking apps like Timeular that seamlessly integrate with Jira.
How can I reset time tracking in Jira?
In the Jira Cloud, navigate to the specific issue and access the “Work log” inside the “Activity” section. Here, you have the option to edit or remove tracked time. The most convenient approach to manage your time tracking in this context is by utilizing Timeular.
Is Jira time tracking mandatory?
No, time tracking is not mandatory in Jira. You can disable time tracking in the account settings.