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Managing Time Entries

Time entries are the records of your tracked time. This guide covers how to view, create, edit, and delete time entries in CADENSA Mobile.

Time Entries Overview​

What is a Time Entry?​

A time entry is a record containing:

  • Date - When the work was done
  • Start Time - When you started
  • End Time - When you finished
  • Duration - Total time (end - start)
  • Project - Which project
  • Task - Which task (optional)
  • Description - What you did
  • Tags - Categorization tags
  • Billable - Whether it's billable

How Entries Are Created​

Time entries are created when you:

  1. Stop a running timer (automatic)
  2. Manually create an entry (add button)

Viewing Time Entries​

Time Entries Tab​

  1. Navigate to Time Entries
  • Tap 📋 Time Entries icon in bottom navigation
  1. View List
  • Entries displayed in reverse chronological order (newest first)
  • Grouped by date

Entry Display​

Each entry shows:

  • Duration - Bold, prominent (e.g., "2:30:00")
  • Project Name - Project color dot + name
  • Task Name - If task was specified
  • Description - Your work description
  • Tags - Small tag badges
  • Time Range - Start time → End time (e.g., "9:00 AM → 11:30 AM")
  • Billable Badge - "💵 Billable" if marked

Time Entry Card

Date Grouping​

Entries are grouped by date headers:

📅 Today
 Entry 1 (just stopped)
 Entry 2 (earlier today)

📅 Yesterday
 Entry 3
 Entry 4

📅 Monday, Jan 15, 2024
 Entry 5
 Entry 6

Creating Manual Time Entry​

When to Manually Create Entries​

Use manual creation when:

  • You forgot to start the timer
  • You worked offline without app
  • You need to add time retroactively
  • You're entering time from paper notes

How to Create​

  1. Open Time Entries Tab
  • Tap 📋 Time Entries icon
  1. Tap "+" Button
  • Located in top-right corner or bottom-right FAB (Floating Action Button)
  1. Fill Entry Details

Date (Required)

  • Tap "Date" field
  • Select date from calendar picker
  • Default: Today

Start Time (Required)

  • Tap "Start Time" field
  • Use time picker to set hours and minutes
  • Format: 12-hour (AM/PM) or 24-hour (based on device settings)

End Time (Required)

  • Tap "End Time" field
  • Must be after Start Time
  • Duration is calculated automatically

Project (Required)

  • Tap "Select Project"
  • Search or browse projects
  • Tap to select

Task (Optional)

  • Tap "Select Task"
  • Choose from project tasks
  • Or leave blank

Description (Optional)

  • Tap "Description" field
  • Type what you worked on

Tags (Optional)

  • Project tags (blue) appear automatically when a project is selected — read-only
  • Task tags (purple) appear automatically when a task is selected — read-only
  • Custom tags — tap to add your own freeform tags for this entry

Billable (Optional)

  • Toggle "Billable" switch
  • Default: follows the selected project's billable default setting (can be overridden)
  1. Save Entry
  • Tap "Save" button
  • Entry appears in list
  • Toast notification: "Time entry created"

Create Time Entry

Editing Time Entries​

Opening the Edit Screen​

The fastest way to edit an entry is with a swipe gesture:

  1. Swipe right on an entry card → a blue "Edit" button appears
  2. Tap "Edit" → the Edit Time Entry screen opens with all fields pre-filled

Alternatively:

  1. Tap the entry card to open it
  2. Use the "Edit" action from the detail view

Edit Time Entry Screen​

The edit screen lets you change every field of the entry:

FieldDetails
ProjectChange via the combined project/task selector
TaskChange after selecting a project (optional)
DescriptionFree-text description of the work
Start TimeDate + time picker (platform-native)
End TimeDate + time picker — must be after start time
Project TagsRead-only blue badges (come from the project)
Custom TagsEditable — add or remove your own tags
BillableToggle switch
Tag types in Edit screen

Project tags (blue) and task tags (purple) are read-only — they are inherited from the selected project/task and cannot be manually edited here. Only custom tags are editable.

Saving or Discarding Changes​

  • Tap "Save" — validates and saves. Duration is recalculated automatically from start/end times.
  • Tap "Cancel" or the back button — all changes are discarded.
  • Tap "Delete" — shows a confirmation dialog before permanently deleting the entry (see below).

Deleting Time Entries​

  1. Swipe left on an entry card → a red "Delete" button appears
  2. Tap "Delete" → a confirmation dialog appears

Via Edit Screen​

  1. Open the edit screen for the entry
  2. Tap the "Delete" button at the bottom

Deletion Confirmation​

Most deletions require confirmation:

 Delete Time Entry?

Are you sure you want to delete this entry?

Project: Website Redesign
Duration: 2:30:00
Date: Jan 15, 2024

[Cancel] [Delete]
Cannot Undo

Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. Make sure you really want to delete before confirming.

Date & Time Pickers​

Date Picker​

Platform-specific design:

  • iOS - Wheel picker with month/day/year
  • Android - Calendar grid with month navigation

Features:

  • Navigate by month/year
  • Tap date to select
  • "Today" shortcut button

Time Picker​

Platform-specific design:

  • iOS - Wheel picker with hours/minutes
  • Android - Clock face or input fields

Features:

  • 12-hour (AM/PM) or 24-hour format (based on device settings)
  • Minute increments (usually 1 or 5 minutes)
  • Validation ensures Start < End

Date Time Pickers

Duration Calculation​

Automatic Duration​

When creating or editing entries:

  1. Set Start Time (e.g., 9:00 AM)
  2. Set End Time (e.g., 11:30 AM)
  3. Duration Calculated Automatically (2:30:00)

Duration Display​

Duration format: HH:MM:SS

Examples:

  • 0:45:00 - 45 minutes
  • 2:30:00 - 2 hours 30 minutes
  • 8:15:30 - 8 hours 15 minutes 30 seconds

Midnight Crossing​

If end time is before start time, entry crosses midnight:

Start: 11:00 PM (Jan 15)
End: 1:00 AM (Jan 16)
Duration: 2:00:00 (crosses midnight)
Midnight Handling

The app automatically detects midnight crossing if End Time < Start Time and calculates duration correctly. The date field represents the start date.

Filtering & Searching​

Filter by Date Range​

  1. Tap Filter Icon (top bar)
  2. Select Date Range
  • Today
  • This Week
  • This Month
  • Custom Range (date pickers)
  1. View Filtered Entries

Search by Description/Project​

  1. Tap Search Icon (top bar)
  2. Type Search Query
  • Searches description, project name, task name, tags
  1. Results Update Live

Filter by Project​

  1. Tap Filter Icon
  2. Select "Project"
  3. Choose Project
  4. View Entries for That Project Only

Filter by Billable Status​

  1. Tap Filter Icon
  2. Select "Billable Only" or "Non-Billable Only"
  3. View Filtered Entries

Filters

Entry Statistics​

Daily Total​

At the top of each date group, see:

📅 Today - 7:30:00

  • Total duration for all entries on that day

Weekly/Monthly Summary​

Tap "Summary" button (top bar) to see:

  • Total Hours This Week - e.g., "35:45:00"
  • Total Hours This Month - e.g., "142:30:00"
  • Billable vs Non-Billable - Breakdown chart

Entry Summary

Validation Rules​

Required Fields​

When creating/editing entries:

  • Date - Required
  • Start Time - Required
  • End Time - Required
  • Project - Required
  • Task - Optional
  • Description - Optional
  • Tags - Optional
  • Billable - Optional (defaults to OFF)

Time Constraints​

  • End Time must be after Start Time
  • Minimum duration: 1 minute
  • Maximum duration: 24 hours (for single entry)

Error Messages​

"End time must be after start time"

  • You set end time before start time (without crossing midnight)
  • Fix: Adjust times so end > start

"Minimum duration is 1 minute"

  • Duration is less than 1 minute
  • Fix: Increase end time by at least 1 minute

"Project is required"

  • You tried to save without selecting project
  • Fix: Select a project before saving

"Invalid date"

  • Date is in wrong format or out of range
  • Fix: Use date picker to select valid date

Sync Status Indicators​

Synced Entries​

  • Green checkmark - Entry is synced to server
  • Entry is safe and backed up

Pending Sync​

  • ⏳ Orange sync icon - Entry waiting to sync
  • Will sync when online

Sync Error​

  • Red error icon - Sync failed
  • Tap entry to see error details
  • Usually due to offline or server error

Conflict Entries​

  • Yellow warning icon - Entry has conflict
  • Tap to resolve (choose local or server version)

Learn more: Offline Mode

Tips & Best Practices​

1. Add Descriptions Immediately​

After stopping timer, add description while work is fresh in memory:

  • What you accomplished
  • Issues you encountered
  • Next steps

2. Use Consistent Tags​

Create and reuse tags for easier filtering:

  • Activity types - development, testing, meeting, research
  • Clients - client-a, client-b
  • Features - authentication, payment, dashboard

3. Review Entries Daily​

At end of day, review entries to ensure:

  • All work is tracked
  • Descriptions are clear
  • Billable status is correct
  • Times are accurate

4. Batch Edit Similar Entries​

If you have multiple entries for same project/task:

  • Add same tags to all
  • Mark all as billable/non-billable
  • Update descriptions for clarity

5. Export for Backup​

Regularly export time entries for backup:

  • Settings > Export Data > Export Time Entries (CSV)

Troubleshooting​

Entry Not Appearing​

Symptoms:

  • Created entry but don't see it in list

Solutions:

  1. Check date filters (may be filtered out)
  2. Refresh list (pull down to refresh)
  3. Check sync status (may be pending)
  4. Restart app

Cannot Edit Entry​

Symptoms:

  • Tap entry but edit screen doesn't open

Solutions:

  1. Check if entry is locked (some projects lock past entries)
  2. Verify you have edit permissions for project
  3. Restart app if issue persists

Duration Shows Wrong Value​

Symptoms:

  • Duration doesn't match start/end times

Solutions:

  1. Check for pauses (timer pauses excluded from duration)
  2. Verify times didn't cross midnight unintentionally
  3. Edit entry to recalculate duration

Entry Keeps Duplicating​

Symptoms:

  • Same entry appears multiple times

Solutions:

  1. Check sync status (may be syncing duplicate)
  2. Force sync in Settings > Sync Now
  3. Delete duplicates manually
  4. Contact support if persists

Frequently Asked Questions​

Can I edit entries from other devices?​

Yes! All entries sync across devices. Edit on mobile, changes appear on web (and vice versa).

What happens if I edit an entry offline?​

Edits are saved locally and queued for sync. When online, changes sync to server.

Can I bulk delete entries?​

Currently, no. Entries must be deleted one at a time. (Feature planned for future release.)

How far back can I view entries?​

You can view all entries since your account was created. Use filters to navigate to specific date ranges.

Can I copy an entry?​

Currently, no. To create similar entry, use "Manual Create" and fill in same details. (Duplicate feature planned.)

Do deleted entries sync?​

Yes. If you delete on mobile, it syncs and deletes on web (and vice versa).

Next Steps​

Learn more about:

Track Your Time Accurately! 📊