Running a timer
Start, stop, and check what's currently tracking.
The fastest way to log time is to start a timer when you start working and stop it when you're done.
Start
Click Start timer in the sidebar (or press S). Pick the project, type a short description of what you're doing, and confirm.
A timer can run as long as you need. There's no auto-stop after a certain number of hours.
What's running
While a timer is running, you'll see a green pulse in the bottom of the sidebar with the elapsed time and the project. Click it to view the entry, or use the stop button next to it.
Stop
Click the stop button in the running-timer card, or press S again. The entry is saved with the elapsed duration and the rate it locked in when you started.
One timer at a time
Hourdini runs at most one timer per user. If you start a new timer while one is already running, we'll prompt you to stop the previous one first. Your time isn't lost; the running entry just gets stopped at that moment and saved.
The same rule extends to sessions. If a session is active, the timer won't start until you end or pause the session. If you go the other way (timer running, then you start or focus a session), the timer auto-stops when the session takes over. See Sessions for when you'd reach for one of those instead.
Tagging while you work
You can attach tags to a running timer from its detail card. Tags don't change the rate, just how the entry shows up in lists and exports. See Tags.
When to use a timer vs. log it manually
Use a timer when you're starting work right now. If you're catching up at the end of the day or backfilling work from yesterday, log the entry manually instead; it's quicker.