Search / filter / pick previous tracking to go on tracking the same item for improved grouping

[markus]

So this will be a bit difficult to explain, but I give it a try.

I am using Toggl with Chrome extension as I am basically working to 95% in Chrome. Toggl allows to add a project and tags to group items. But actually the entires are also grouped by the very same description.

Situation - I am troubleshooting an issue of a client I do ongoing maintenance for. I want to see how much time this cost me but it’s not one event. I am working on this on serveral different days. This can be bug fixing, implementing new features for a client, etc.

Description: Troubleshooting XYZ
Tag: charge-in-q4
Project: clientname-ongoing

Now this is a task that goes on and off over several days or even taking longer than a week. I would like to always book it to the very same “ticket”. It’s not actually a ticket, right, but if I always pick the exact same description then I can later easily see all entries accumulated about “Troubleshooting XYZ”. So my “workaround” to see the total of all the time entires related to this single troubleshooing ticket is to always use the very same Description text.

The result will be, instead of having 10 different entries in the report about this, I will be able to see the total of the troubleshooting “ticket”.

I don’t know how else I could do it, because I don’t want to add a new “tag” or a new “project” for each troubleshooting ticket.

This all works, when I pick the very exact same description text. But how to get to it to have the very exact same description text each time. I am very busy, multitask permanently, I will not remember.

In the Chrome extension I can start tracking by selecting previously tracked items. However, it only shows the last 9 or 10. I can also start typing to get some previously tracked items. But exactly here I am looking for an improvement.

If my item is not in the previously tracked item list, I can’t pick it. The search/auto suggestions works somehow arbitrary. I didn’t figure out what it looks up.

I kind of look for a search or filter that allows me to search / filter / pick previous trackings to pick the exact same description text so I can add up more tracked hours to the same “ticket” (and in the end to get the desired grouping).

I hope it makes sense to you, I think it’s a really nice and useful use case.

Let me know what you think of it please

Thanks
Markus

[Veljko]

Markus, thanks for another detailed suggestion

Considering you use the Track browser extension most of the time, the options here are a bit limited in terms of features, how many past entries are visible in the extension pop-up, and how autocomplete search works.

If you would consider using the web app, which you can have as a pinned tab in the browser, for example, you can use the Favorites feature to pin a timer as a favorite in the app, at the top of the Timer page, and just click on that every time you want to track time with the same exact details.

If we are focusing only on the extension at the moment, your suggestion will be noted as a feature request and shared with the team. I hope we can meet your needs better in the future. Thanks for helping us with suggestions, and keep them coming!

[markus]

Yes, I know of that feature in the web app, I also tested the macOS app, but for now I prefer the Chrome extension. However, what you suggested is not actully an ideal workaround. I think there is a limit due to the space from what I remember when I checked the feature last time (probably max. 10). That means I have additional management effort to pick/update the 10 tasks I might need repeatedly.

Of course this all hugely depends on the business, the tasks, the desired tracking.

Even when having a simpler job and doing only 5 different tasks regularly for 8 different clients, it’s already 40 different entries I would want to book on. Instead of favorites I could get the start link of all entries, and manage those in a filterable spreadsheet (column A description, column B start link) - but it’s still all a lot of workarounds, additional effort … it’s not maintainable for a busy person.

I understand searching all entries can be a performance hog.

But I also know you reached a lot and have smart people, so fingers crossed that ther will be a way to introduce something like that.

[markus]

I just saw this one at Everhour when trialing it - I think that’s a good reference for that particular feature. It’s so simple, search and basic filter to go on tracking previous tasks.

I am not sure about the community rules in here, but I think it can be a useful hint on how this could be done from a UX point of view

[Veljko]

Thank you for sharing that! It’s a great example! You’re not breaking any rules; this is a free community of people passionate about productivity. The only rules we have are to be polite to others.

Thanks again! Sharing with the product team