Ad agencies want to bill every minute of employee time to their clients, so they demand daily timesheets – which require each project have a unique tracking ID.
While I don’t track my time with such precision (any more), I have adapted my last ad agency’s job tracking system to my freelance practice, and while I’ve tried other methods over the years, I keep coming back to this simple, elegant system.
At the start of every year, I simply print a simple gridded spreadsheet with job numbers (each line increments by 1), and when I begin a new project, I pick up the clipboard/binder near my desk and assign that job the next number on the list (along with a start date).
The simple job tracking grid: fast, easy, and offline.
It couldn’t be simpler.
The Benefits?
Suddenly, each job comes equipped with its own unique job number, so I can simply note that number on everything associated with that job (copy files, invoices, passthrough costs, travel expenses, etc).
And because my numbering system begins with the year (”I started this year’s sheet with “2009100″ – the next job assigned will be “2009101″), I can tell at a glance which jobs have been invoiced (because yes, I do forget), which are finished, and even if a suspended job needs a tickler sent to a client.
More importantly, you’ll have a paper index of all your jobs – one that’s easy to scan, so you can tell at a glance which jobs are lagging, and which of your jobs haven’t been invoiced (yes, I have forgotten to invoice jobs in the past).
Every freelance writer develops an internal process for handling the business – and I’m sure there’s a technology-enhanced method for handling this one (if I wrote a lot of editorial, I’d probably integrate this into one of the PC or online submission tracking systems).
Still, simple offers a quality all its own (namely, it’s sustainable over the long run), and it’s hard to argue with what works, no matter how low-tech.
Click here to download the basic job-tracking spreadsheet in Excel format (.xls). Modify it to fit your process, and let us know how it works.
Keep writing, Tom Chandler.
Comments 10
I like automatic solutions more.
Ones I know of are:
- Klok: http://klok.mcgraphix.com/klok/index.htm
- Hamster applet: http://tombuntu.com/index.php/2008/08/08/hamster-time-tracking-for-gnome/
- RestueTime: http://www.rescuetime.com/
… but thankfully, since I don’t need to do such a thing, I don’t use any.
Vadim: Those look like nice time tracking solutions, but my simple paper-based process is simply a fast, easy way to identify and track jobs.
I tracked my time on projects for several years to get a sense for how long projects really required (and yes, there were some surprises, especially among the jobs I thought I was doing on a “fast and dirty” basis), but thankfully, not any more.
Another Russian pencil for you.
I love these low tech ideas. I use a similar job organizing system, with a folder on my computer for every project. Still relying on my memory to ascertain whether or not I’ve billed someone, etc. — but I’m already finding that my brain works shorter and shorter days…
I’ll give this a try and see how it works. Thanks Tom!
~Graham
I use a client code and project number and a file folder for each job. 213-01, 244-06 for example. Pretty low tech but it works.
And forget billing? Not a chance :)
I do all of this in a 8″x10″ notebook, and it has all my projects for the last 10 years.
In addition to the info you have in your spreadsheet, I also add the name of the person I worked with, when I requested payment, and when payment arrived.
The payment request and received dates are especially important. I primarily work for college textbook publishers; they always pay, but sometimes I have to prod them to do it. I wait eight weeks after the initial request before sending a reminder.
Thanks for the info!
Upload and post a template for us???
8-)
…. Ha! Teach me not to read the very end of the post!!! Thanks … am downloading now!!!
Here’s one more time tracking tool for the task:
http://www.timemanagementrocks.com/
Not only is this great for tracking your jobs, but it can be applied to nearly everything as a handy way to keep track of how your time is spend (and look for ways to become more efficient with it).
Richard´s last blog ..How To MIG Weld: A Guide To MIG Welding Techniques
Posted 26 Jul 2009 at 10:12 am (Quote) ¶Post a Comment