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MetriQ Folders

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Using Folders with MetriQ's automated time logging software

 

 

Time Tracking with Folder Narration

 

 

MetriQ® uses the tried and tested metaphor of hierarchical folders to help you organize the time you want to capture. Each folder can have its own sub-folders, built to as many levels as your business requires. Yellow folders are used as structural elements, and as such cannot be used to hold icons (and therefore cannot accumulate time). Blue folders are also used for structure, but in addition can also hold icons, which is how you time in MetriQ (we recommend you review the training videos on Icons here).

If you are unsure as to how to this might work for you, think of the following way in which Folders can be used. For example, you might have a top (root) level folder called Animals. Inside Animals, you might have a collection of sub-folders called Mammals, Reptiles, Birds, Fish and Insects. Inside mammals you might have yet more sub-folders called Cats, Dogs and (if you live Australia) Dangerous. Finally into the Cats Folder you might add Icons for the cats that live around you, Tiddles, Oscar and Tom.

In exactly the same way, as described above, you can use the MetriQ folder system to help organize your own business structure in readiness for Folder narration for reporting and the creation of invoices. Typically this might start with a top level (root) folder, called Clients, perhaps Acme Inc, Alienwares and Bristol Teacups. 

Sticking with the metaphor you now might wish to create one or more Project folders for each of your Clients, for example into the Acme Inc Client folder add the following Project sub-folders.  Projectc 123; Support; Prospects.

Finally you might decide to add specific task folders to each of your projects, e.g. Development, Review and Administration.

Once you’ve created your folder structure you are now able to add your icons, such as Outlook Word, Excel, a web browser or your favorite graphics editor. Fortunately we've created a number of ways for you to quickly add icons, the simplest using the My Favorite Icons tool which will populate any Folder with a single keystroke, and can even be automated when ever a folder is opened.

Putting it together:
If you navigate to the folder Clients/Acme Inc/Project 123/Review and double click the Outlook Icon that you’ve just added, MetriQ will instantly begin to time how long you use Outlook. And of course if you navigate to another folder and return to Outlook, MetriQ will automatically track time in the new folder you've just selected while still accruing time against Outlook.

Finally, if now you open the Reporting window, you will of course see how much time you’ve spent using outlook, in total, by staff, by date, by folder or by any combination of these attributes.

 

Building Folder Structures within MetriQ 
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Building Folder Structures 
In this video demonstration, you’ll see just how easy it is to build a folder structure within MetriQ. While MetriQ provides a variety of tools to help ease this process (such as templates and import), for now this video will show you the basics and demonstrates how to build any type of structure you might require.

 

Dragging and Dropping folders within MetriQ 
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Dragging and Dropping Folders
MetriQ uses a dynamic folder structure that will allow you to change your business structure at any time an on the fly. You might want to do this if you find it helpful in constructing or modifying your business outcomes in terms of reported accrued time and costs, or because folders such as ‘Prospects’, might, once qualified become Clients, and as such would need change where in your folder hierarchy such a folder should reside. The drag and drop feature can be turned on and off from within MetriQ’s options, a security feature to prevent staff changing the structure without permission.

Creating Templates in MetriQ's personal time management software 

 

Creating New Templates
In MetriQ, Folder Templates are used to create multiple copies of the same folder structure. It is a quick and convenient way for you to add your Clients and Projects into MetriQ without having to build the structure each time from scratch. In this video you’ll be shown just how easy it is to create your own templates.

Using Templates with MetriQ, your personal time tracking software 

 

Using Templates
In this video, you will be shown how to use a MetriQ Folder Template and how to import a list of Clients ready to add your template to each Client entry.

Advanced Folder Properties, for MetriQ's personal hands free time sheet software 

 

Advanced Folder Properties
In this video you’ll be introduced to some of the advanced features of MetriQ’s folders. This includes staff assignment (for Limited Staff), Profiles (for defining a Project’s working week, Icon Time Out, Time Away etc), Budget constraints for fixed cost billing, Lockout (preventing staff from changing historical data) and global settings applicable to all folders.

 

Timing Across Folders with MetriQ's personal time capture software 

 

Timing Across Different Folders in MetriQ
Timing between Client Folders within MetriQ is easy. When you open an application in one folder MetriQ will time that application for as long as you remain on that folder. If however you change task during the day, the only thing you need remember is to tell MetriQ that you’ve changed what you are doing, and to select the new task you are just about to work on. Behind the scenes MetriQ will seamless switch context, and now all time collected as you work will be accrued by icons on the newly selected task.

Using Profiles with MetriQ's hands free time sheet software 
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Profiles
Each Folder within MetriQ has a Profile. Profiles are used to define such things as the number of working hours in the week that are available to that folder (before overtime is accumulated), or the amount of time before MetriQ goes into Time Away Mode (see also Timing Icons videos). Profiles are also used to stipulate, should you work in whole units, just how many minutes make a unit. If you wish you can use the same profile for all folders, or create different profiles for different folders depending on how you work, costs and other factors relating to the administration of MetriQ.

 

 

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."
Annie Dillard