So I have no idea if this is the right platform for this discussion. Please let me know if this doesn’t belong here.
I’ve been using OF on and off in the last year and for some tasks, I find it really excellent. It does however lack a feature that I could really use. Basically, I need to be able to “right click” on a task and tell OF that I’m currently working on a task, or even to begin timing a task. I’ve been using Toggl a lot to time myself on tasks and it’s especially useful for recording my hours when working on contract or doing other large tasks/projects, and I’m wondering if anybody has any ideas how to combine OF with the functionality I’m thinking of. Toggl has a “task” mode where you can set checklists, but I can’t always rely on reliable internet connections, and I also prefer OmniFocus’ GTD method.
It is a great idea to have some way to integrate OF with some app that could add timing for the projects I´m working on, or in OF itself.
I would love if some other developer made an app that could speak with OF that collected this information and presented it visualized in a lovely way (outside the OF UI). This could actually be a service that the Omni group offered to it´s users (if there is enough customer that would be interested in something like this), I would subscribe to something like that. Otherwise it sure is something for all the programming genius on the forum to look into.
Thank your for initiating this discussion
Kindest regards
I use Vitamin-R. It offers time tracking, but as a function of defining the time slices you want up front. In other words, I will tell it that I want to work on Task X for 25 minutes. It will offer timers, messages, sounds, etc. as I work on the task. When the timer goes off, I can extend the time slice or complete it.
With non-MAS Vitamin-R, and non-MAS OF 2 Pro, you can drag a task from OF into the definition of your time slice in V-R and it will complete the task in OF’s database automatically if you complete it in V-R.
You can look at logs and graphs of your work, too.
Poke around the Web site a bit. The developer is super responsive and helpful. I own two other products of his and will continue to be a customer.
For something where I want to check billable hours, and per-app timers that all work in the background, I use Timing for Mac, which I also like.
I’ve been thinking about this same thing all week. I use OfficeTime for iOS, and only recently had the bright idea to try to (at least somewhat) match my Categories and Projects in OfficeTime to Projects in OmniFocus, so I can easily know what Office Time Category to track when I’m working on an OF project.
But an app that did both? Or if OF offered a tight integration to a time tracking app? That would be sweet.
I do use Vitamin R-2, and I love the program when it comes to timebox/pomodoros. But I would love an app that worked as a integrated time tracker, preferably something that was as integrated as Vitamin R-2.
In my case I don´t have the need for tracking the time for invoices, as much as tracking time to help myself from working more then I get paid for, like a preventive work against burning out.
I bought TicToc for mac, since it have applescript support. I´m thinking that then there would be possibilities to log the time stamps for task I´ve been doing in certain contexts with a script. Since more or less all my work is with a computer I rather have a work-specified contexts defined from energy (hi energy, medium and completely toasted), so I thought that that idea could work. I´ve noticed that there is a few time-tracking apps that have applescript support, and maybe that could be a solution. Any thoughts on that?
I want to add my vote to this feature request….that when I start working on a task in my OF, a timer starts. I’m using Toggl to track my billable project hrs and REALLY would like to be able to do so within OFocus. If there is already some integration via script, please let me know ASAP!
I have found this very useful ( on iPad & iPhone ). Have been searching for something similar for desktop with Omnifocus integration. Haven’t found one yet. But it works beautifully - if only I had omnifocus integration too …
Because OF2 doesn’t have time tracking, my colleague and I use OfficeTime. Available on iOS and Mac with wifi sync. The developers said they were having some issues with cloud syncing. That will be hopefully resolved in a future update.
I tend to use it on my iPad. My friend loves using it on both his iPhone and Mac. A built-in timer with pause and resume, reports that shows percentage of time between different categories (Admin work, field work, research work, etc.). Multiple projects.
OfficeTime doesn’t have the task management features of OmniFocus. But I do use it to perform time tracking and activity reporting. OF 2’s lack of a built-in time clock necessitates the need for an external time look such as 30/30, Pomodor, or other tools.
I’ve been using Vitamin-R as a Pomodoro app – it’s the best I’ve seen. I’ve also used aTimeLogger for time tracking, but it’s pretty basic and limited. Ideally, I’d like to more seamlessly integrate OmniFocus with the other two apps – i.e., use a time tracking app to keep track of how I employ time, and Vitamin-R when I need to focus on a particular task.
There used to be a script that allowed users to that starts a new Toggl task (the time tracking app) named after the selected Omnifocus task. Unfortunately, the script no longer exists! Has anyone else found a new script or means of doing this?
I’ve been in touch with the original creator of the Omnifocus2toggl script, and he sent me the script that he produced. It’s a workflow script, and thought it could be set up through the Services shortcuts. I don’t have enough technical knowledge to know how to do that – or even know how else to manipulate the script.
I am uploading the script below so that others can see how to use it, and amend the script, as needed.
Also, can someone can advise how to set it up as a Services shortcut (or use it in some other similar capacity)? Thank you!
Interstitial - which is for tasks of 5 mins or less
15 Minutes - which is for tasks under 15 mins
Part of my game plan is to get things done that only take very little time - because I know they’ll soon be over.
However, I have to populate the durations myself.
For repeatedly rescheduled (once done) tasks such as “vacuum the stairs” what’s proposed here could help automate setting the durations.
There are also tasks that should only take 5 mins, say, such as “freshen the bathroom” where I could also use “you have exceeded the time budget” nudges from OF (or some integrated tool).
I really liked Eggscellent otherwise, unfortunately OF freeze every time Eggscellent is looking for flagged tasks, and I loose a few seconds/sometimes minutes. The sun does not stop shine from that, but it bugged me out a little.
Instead I just bought the app Focus (https://masterbuilders.io) after I emailed with the developer, that said they are looking into a way of a deeper integration with OF. Right now you can drag and drop tasks, even multiple tasks into it. It´s something like an updated pomodoro-timer with a clean UI.
Still waiting for a good tracking/timing and still would love that feature direct in of.
I switched from Omnifocus to Todoist for this exact same reason (they have a nice integration with toggl). However, if there ever is a timer integration with Omnifocus, I’d come right back.
