> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fentufsm.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Time Tracking
> Track technician labor hours on work orders and tasks
## Overview
The Time module displays a comprehensive log of all technician work time entries. These entries are created automatically when technicians use the work timer on tasks, or can be entered manually for retrospective adjustments. Time entries track working hours, travel time, expenses, and link directly to work orders, tasks, customers, and assets.
Time entries are the source of truth for labor hours. Every task worked, every work order completed, and every customer visit creates a time entry that tracks who did the work, how long it took, and what it cost.
## When to Use Time Tracking
Access the Time module when you need to:
* Review all technician labor hours across work orders
* Verify time logged against work orders and tasks
* Manually create time entries for work done offline
* Adjust or correct automatically-created time entries
* Analyze labor hours by technician, customer, or job type
* Export time data for payroll or billing purposes
* Track expenses incurred during service calls
* Monitor working time vs travel time patterns
***
## Where Time Entries Come From
Time entries are created in two ways:
### 1. Automatic (from Mobile/PWA Apps)
Most time entries are created automatically when technicians use the **Work Timer** feature in the Fentu PWA or Mobile Technician apps. When technicians clock in and out of tasks in the field, the system automatically creates time entries with:
* Technician name
* Start and end times from the timer
* Working time calculated in minutes
* Work notes (mandatory)
* Links to work order, task, task line item, and customer
* Marked as chargeable by default
For details on how technicians use the work timer, see the **PWA Technician** or **Mobile Technician** documentation.
### 2. Manual Entry (from FSM Web UI)
Dispatchers and managers can create time entries manually when needed:
**When to Use:**
* Recording work done before timer feature was available
* Adjusting time that wasn't logged properly
* Adding administrative time or non-task work
* Correcting timer mistakes
**How to Create:**
1. Navigate to **Service Management → Time**
2. Click **New** button
3. Fill in required fields
4. Save the entry
***
## Time Tracking List View
### What You See
The Time list displays all time entries across your organization:
| Column | Shows |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name** | Auto-generated name "Work Timer — \[Asset]" or a custom name |
| **Resource** | Technician who performed the work (links to their profile) |
| **Task** | Task this time is logged against (links to task detail) |
| **Notes** | Detailed work notes. Mandatory for timer-created entries |
| **Start Time** | When work began (date and time) |
| **End Time** | When work ended (date and time) |
| **Working Time** | Total time worked in minutes. Auto-calculated by timer |
| **Travel Time** | Time spent traveling to / from job site (minutes) |
| **Pause Time** | Break time to subtract from working time (minutes) |
| **Work Type** | Classification of work performed |
| **Customer** | Customer for whom work was performed. Links to customer record |
| **Work Order** | Work order this time applies to. Auto-populates customer when selected |
| **Asset** | Individual line item on the task (specific asset or work item) |
| **Branch** | Branch location where the work was performed |
| **Signature** | Customer signature (captured via mobile / PWA apps) |
| **Image 1–4** | Up to four photos documenting work (captured via mobile / PWA apps) |
### List Features
Filter time entries by branch location using the branch dropdown at the top of the page. Only shows entries for the selected branch.
Use the search box to find specific entries by name, technician, task, or work order number. Narrows results in real-time.
Click **Columns** button to show/hide additional columns:
* Customer
* Work Order
* Task Line Item
* Type (work classification)
* Working Time
* Travel Time
* Pause Time
* Expense Amount
* Notes
* Remarks
* Chargeable status
Export all visible time entries to Excel for analysis, payroll processing, or billing. Respects current filters and column selection.
***
## Creating and Editing Time Entries
### Creating a New Time Entry
When you click **New**, you'll see a form with the following fields organized by section:
### Time Entry Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
| ------------------ | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Customer** | Lookup | Customer for whom work was performed. Links to customer record. |
| **Work Order** | Lookup | Work order this time applies to. Auto-populates customer when selected. |
| **Task** | Lookup | Specific task within the work order. |
| **Task Line Item** | Lookup | Individual line item on the task (specific asset or work item). |
| **Employee** | Lookup | Technician who performed the work. Required field. |
| **Branch** | Lookup | Branch location where work was performed. |
### Time and Duration
| Field | Type | Description |
| ----------------------- | --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Start Time** | Date/Time | When work began. Hidden when editing timer-created entries. |
| **End Time** | Date/Time | When work ended. Hidden when editing timer-created entries. |
| **Working Time** | Number | Total time worked in minutes. Auto-calculated by timer. |
| **Travel Time** | Number | Time spent traveling to/from job site (minutes). |
| **Pause Time Quantity** | Number | Break time to subtract from working time (minutes). |
| **Break Time** | Text | Description of breaks taken. |
| **Working Time Label** | Text | Custom label for working time display. |
### Work Type
| Field | Options | Description |
| -------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Type** | Dropdown | Classification of work performed:
• **Corrective Cluster** - Emergency/breakdown repairs
• **Preventive Cluster** - Scheduled preventive maintenance
• **Combined Cluster** - Mix of corrective and preventive
• **Combined Fault** - Multiple fault repairs
• **Combined Incident** - Multiple incident responses
• **Incidental Maintenance** - Minor unscheduled work
• **Installation** - New equipment installation
• **Preventive OHA** - Preventive maintenance with overhaul
• **Online Service** - Remote/online support
• **Fault** - Single fault repair
• **Support Contract** - Work under service contract
• **Incidental Support** - Ad-hoc support work |
### Documentation
| Field | Type | Description |
| -------------- | --------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Notes** | Text Area | Detailed work notes. **Mandatory** for timer-created entries. Describes what was done. |
| **Remarks** | Text Area | Additional comments or special instructions. |
| **Chargeable** | Checkbox | Is this time billable to the customer? Checked by default for timer entries. |
### Additional Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
| ------------------------ | --------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Expense Amount** | Number | Dollar amount of expenses incurred (materials, travel, etc.). |
| **Signature** | Signature Field | Customer signature (captured via mobile/PWA apps). |
| **Image First - Fourth** | Image Upload | Up to 4 photos documenting work (captured via mobile/PWA apps). |
***
## Time Entry Detail View
When you click on a time entry from the list, you'll see all the details organized in sections:
### Detail View Sections
Shows the complete work context:
* **Customer** - Who the work was for
* **Work Order** - Which job this time applies to
* **Task** - Specific task within the work order
* **Task Line Item** - Individual work item or asset serviced
* **Employee** - Technician who performed the work
* **Branch** - Location where work was performed
**Why this matters:** Full linkage allows you to analyze time by customer, track labor costs per work order, and see which assets require the most maintenance time.
Time breakdown and calculations:
* **Start Time** - When work began
* **End Time** - When work finished
* **Working Time** - Net time worked (minutes)
* **Travel Time** - Time spent traveling (minutes)
* **Pause Time Quantity** - Break time deducted (minutes)
* **Break Time** - Description of breaks
* **Type** - Classification of work performed
**Duration Calculation:** Working Time = (End Time - Start Time) - Pause Time
Work notes and remarks:
* **Notes** - Detailed description of work performed (mandatory for timer entries)
* **Remarks** - Additional comments or special circumstances
* **Chargeable** - Whether time can be billed to customer
**Best Practice:** Notes should explain what was done, not just repeat the task name. Example: "Replaced compressor bearings, cleaned condenser coils, tested system under load" instead of "Maintenance work."
Additional information captured via mobile/PWA:
* **Expense Amount** - Out-of-pocket costs incurred
* **Signature** - Customer signature (if captured on-site)
* **Photos** - Up to 4 images documenting the work
**Usage:** View photos and signatures that technicians captured in the field.
Complete audit trail showing:
* When entry was created
* Who created it (technician or admin)
* All modifications made
* Who made each change
* Field-by-field change log
**Accountability:** History prevents disputes about time entries and shows when adjustments were made.
***
## Recognizing Timer-Created Entries
Time entries created by the work timer (from mobile/PWA apps) have these characteristics:
* **Name:** Auto-generated as "Work Timer - \[Asset Name]"
* **Type:** Set to "effort"
* **Chargeable:** Checked by default
* **Notes:** Always filled in (mandatory before timer stops)
* **Start/End Times:** Hidden when editing (timer data is authoritative)
When editing timer-created entries, Start and End Time fields are hidden to preserve timer accuracy. If times need adjustment, modify the Working Time field directly or create a new manual entry.
***
## Common Time Tracking Scenarios
### Scenario 1: Reviewing Daily Technician Time
**Goal:** See what technicians worked on today
**How:**
1. Go to **Service Management → Time**
2. Filter by branch if needed
3. Sort by Start Time (most recent first)
4. Click on entries to see detailed notes
5. Export to Excel for reporting
**Analysis:** Compare working time vs estimated time on tasks to improve future estimates.
***
### Scenario 2: Verifying Time Before Payroll
**Goal:** Ensure all technician time is logged accurately
**How:**
1. Filter by date range for payroll period
2. Export to Excel
3. Sum working time by technician
4. Cross-reference with scheduled work orders
5. Identify missing time entries or discrepancies
**What to Look For:**
* Gaps in time coverage (days with no entries)
* Unusual working time amounts (very short or very long)
* Missing notes or documentation
***
### Scenario 3: Correcting a Timer Entry
**Goal:** Technician forgot to stop timer, now shows 8 hours instead of 2
**Options:**
**Option A - Edit the Entry:**
1. Find the time entry in the list
2. Click to open detail view
3. Click **Edit**
4. Modify Working Time field to correct minutes
5. Add a remark explaining the correction
6. Save
**Option B - Delete and Recreate:**
1. Delete the incorrect entry
2. Click **New** to create manual entry
3. Fill in correct start/end times
4. Copy notes from original entry
5. Save
Option A is faster, but Option B creates a cleaner audit trail showing the entry was recreated manually.
***
### Scenario 4: Analyzing Labor by Customer
**Goal:** See how much time we spend on specific customers
**How:**
1. Export all time entries to Excel
2. Create pivot table with:
* Rows: Customer
* Values: Sum of Working Time
3. Convert minutes to hours (divide by 60)
4. Sort by total hours descending
**Insights:**
* Which customers require most labor
* Whether contract pricing covers actual time
* Which customers have longest travel times
***
### Scenario 5: Finding Time for a Specific Work Order
**Goal:** See all labor hours logged against work order WO-2026-045
**How:**
1. Use search box to search "WO-2026-045"
2. Or use Columns button to add Work Order column
3. Filter/sort to find entries
4. Sum Working Time for all matching entries
**Use Case:** Calculating total labor cost for job costing or billing verification.
***
## Time Entry Actions
Modify time entry details. Note: Start/End times hidden for timer-created entries to preserve accuracy.
Remove incorrect or duplicate time entries. Creates audit trail of deletion.
Export filtered time entries for external analysis, payroll processing, or billing.
Click links to Customer, Work Order, Task, or Resource to see full context.
***
## Tips and Best Practices
Make it a habit to review time entries weekly:
* Check for missing entries (technicians who forgot to log time)
* Verify notes are filled in completely
* Look for unusually long or short entries
* Confirm travel time is being tracked separately
**Why:** Catching errors early makes corrections easier and improves data quality for billing and payroll.
Require technicians to write meaningful notes:
* ✅ Good: "Replaced worn drive belt, adjusted tension, tested motor operation"
* ❌ Bad: "Maintenance"
* ✅ Good: "Diagnosed faulty relay, replaced part #R-4429, confirmed heating cycle"
* ❌ Bad: "Fixed heater"
**Why:** Detailed notes help with warranty claims, repeat visits, and customer communication.
Train technicians on when to use each Type:
* **Fault** - Emergency breakdown requiring immediate response
* **Preventive Cluster** - Scheduled maintenance per service contract
* **Installation** - New equipment setup
* **Support Contract** - Work covered under maintenance agreement
* **Incidental Maintenance** - Minor unscheduled repairs
**Why:** Consistent classification enables accurate reporting on preventive vs corrective work ratios.
Always log travel time in the Travel Time field, not working time:
* Helps optimize technician routing
* Shows impact of service area geography
* Identifies jobs where travel exceeds working time
* Supports billing if travel is separately charged
**Why:** Travel is often non-billable overhead. Know how much time is lost to travel.
For major work, ensure time entries include:
* Detailed work notes explaining what was done
* Photos (if captured via mobile/PWA)
* Customer signature (if obtained on-site)
* Expense amounts for materials purchased
**Why:** Complete documentation prevents billing disputes and supports warranty claims.
Not all time should be marked chargeable:
* **Chargeable:** T\&M work, billable service calls, installations
* **Non-Chargeable:** Warranty repairs, rework, goodwill service, work under all-inclusive contracts
**Why:** Accurate chargeable tracking is essential for profitability analysis.
Track expenses incurred during service calls:
* Parts purchased at local supplier
* Mileage or fuel costs
* Parking fees
* Equipment rental
**Why:** Captures full job cost, not just labor. Can be billed back to customer or tracked as overhead.
When reviewing or verifying time entries:
* Open time entry detail view
* Review work notes for what was done
* Check supporting photos (if available)
* View customer signature (if captured)
* Reference history for when entry was created and by whom
**Why:** Complete documentation supports billing accuracy and resolves disputes.
***
## Common Questions
Time entries created by the work timer have Start and End Time fields hidden during editing. This is intentional.
**Reason:** Timer data is the authoritative record of when work actually occurred. Allowing edits would compromise this accuracy.
**If you need to adjust:** Modify the Working Time field directly (in minutes), or delete the entry and create a new manual entry with correct times.
**Notes:** Describes the actual work performed. This is mandatory for timer entries and should detail what was done, parts replaced, issues found, and results.
**Remarks:** Additional context like special circumstances, why extra time was needed, customer requests, or internal notes about the job.
**Example:**
* **Notes:** "Replaced failed capacitor on outdoor unit, tested system operation, confirmed cooling"
* **Remarks:** "Customer requested we return next week to check filter. Ordered replacement on account."
Look at the **Name** field:
* Timer entries: "Work Timer - \[Asset Name]" (auto-generated)
* Manual entries: Custom name or empty
Also check the **History** tab:
* Shows who created the entry
* Timer entries created by the technician via mobile/PWA
* Manual entries created by dispatcher/admin in web UI
This depends on your system permissions. Generally:
**Technicians:** May be able to edit their own entries for a short period after creation
**Dispatchers/Managers:** Can edit any time entry
**Admins:** Full edit and delete access
**Best Practice:** Lock time entries after a certain period (e.g., end of work week) to prevent retroactive changes.
**Option 1 - Estimate and Create Manually:**
1. Dispatcher creates manual time entry
2. Estimates start/end times based on work order schedule
3. Adds note: "Entry created manually - timer not used"
4. Saves entry
**Option 2 - Technician Self-Reports:**
1. Technician provides start/end times
2. Dispatcher creates entry with reported times
3. Notes indicate self-reported vs timer data
**Prevention:** Train technicians to start timer as first step when arriving at job site.
**For Timer Entries:**
Working Time (minutes) = End Time - Start Time - Pause Time
System calculates automatically when timer stops.
**For Manual Entries:**
You enter Working Time directly in minutes, or the system can calculate from Start/End times you provide.
**Travel Time** is tracked separately and not included in Working Time calculation.
The Type field classifies the kind of maintenance work:
| Type | When to Use |
| -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| **Corrective Cluster** | Emergency repairs, multiple related breakdowns |
| **Preventive Cluster** | Scheduled preventive maintenance tasks |
| **Combined Cluster** | Mix of preventive and corrective in one visit |
| **Fault** | Single equipment failure repair |
| **Installation** | New equipment or system installation |
| **Preventive OHA** | Preventive maintenance with overhaul |
| **Online Service** | Remote support or monitoring |
| **Support Contract** | Work under service agreement |
| **Incidental Maintenance** | Minor unscheduled repairs |
**Why it matters:** Reporting on Type helps you understand your maintenance mix - are you mostly reactive (faults) or proactive (preventive)?
Yes, if you have appropriate permissions:
* Select time entry from list
* Use delete action
* Confirm deletion
**Warning:** Deletion is permanent and creates an audit trail. Better to edit incorrect entries than delete them.
**Use deletion for:**
* Duplicate entries (technician started timer twice)
* Test entries created during training
* Entries created in error on wrong work order
***
## Related Documentation
Time entries link to work orders for complete job costing and labor tracking.
Tasks break down work orders into assignable units. Time is tracked at the task level.
View all time entries by technician for productivity and performance analysis.
Service requests generate work orders, which generate tasks, which technicians log time against.