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User Guide: Time Tracking System

Table of Contents

  1. For Operators
  2. For Administrators
  3. Troubleshooting
  4. FAQ

For Operators

Getting Started

  1. Login/Access: Open the application in your web browser
  2. Select Your Machine: Choose which machine/resource you're working with from the dropdown
  3. Select Work Order: Choose the work order (customer job) you're assigned to
  4. Select Operation: Once you select a work order, choose the specific operation/task

Basic Time Tracking Workflow

Starting the Timer

  1. After selecting Machine, Work Order, and Operation, the Play button will become active (green)
  2. Click Play to start the timer
  3. The timer will display in MM:SS format (e.g., "05:23" for 5 minutes 23 seconds)
  4. If more than 1 hour elapses, it displays as HH:MM:SS (e.g., "1:05:30")

During Time Tracking

  • The timer continues even if you switch between different work orders (within same machine)
  • Pause button (yellow): Pauses the timer without losing elapsed time
    • Useful for breaks or when waiting for materials
    • Click Resume to continue from where you paused
  • Stop button (red): Stops the timer and saves the time entry to the system
    • Cannot stop with 0 elapsed time (must track at least 1 second)
    • Your time entry is saved to the database with all details

Example Scenario

  1. You clock in at 8:00 AM, select Machine "CNC-5", Work Order "ACME Order #123"
  2. Select Operation "Drilling" and click Play
  3. You drill for 15 minutes
  4. At 8:15, you need to switch to Operation "Assembly" on the same work order
  5. Select "Assembly" from the Operation dropdown (timer keeps running)
  6. Continue until 9:00, then click Stop
  7. You've tracked 60 minutes total, split between Drilling (15 min) and Assembly (45 min) — recorded as 2 separate time entries

Tips & Best Practices

✅ DO:

  • Select the correct machine before starting
  • Pause if you step away from your machine
  • Stop and create a new entry when switching to different work/operations
  • Check that your name appears in the time entry (proves your work was logged)

❌ DON'T:

  • Leave the timer running during long breaks (pause instead)
  • Start a timer without selecting an operation
  • Close the browser without stopping the timer (data will be lost)

Viewing Your Time

  • Your time entries are automatically saved
  • They include: Your name, machine used, work order, operation, start/end time, and total duration
  • Time entries cannot be edited after creation (for audit compliance)

For Administrators

Machine Management

Creating a New Machine

  1. Click Admin Machines in the navigation menu
  2. Click Add Machine button
  3. Fill in the form:
    • Machine Name (required): Unique identifier (e.g., "CNC-5", "Lathe-A")
    • Description (optional): What the machine does (e.g., "5-axis CNC machine, up to 10x10" workpiece")
  4. Click Submit
  5. Machine appears in the table and immediately shows up in operator dropdowns

Editing a Machine

  1. Find the machine in the table
  2. Click the Edit button
  3. Modify name and/or description
  4. Click Submit to save changes
  5. Changes apply immediately to all users

Deleting a Machine

  1. Find the machine in the table
  2. Click Delete
  3. Confirm the deletion when prompted
  4. Machine is removed and no longer available for new time entries

Employee Management

Creating a New Employee

  1. Click Admin Employees in the navigation menu
  2. Click Add Employee button
  3. Fill in the form:
    • Name (required): Employee's full name
    • Badge Number (required): Unique badge (3-10 alphanumeric characters, e.g., "E001", "JD1234")
    • Role (optional): Job title (e.g., "CNC Operator", "Assembly Technician")
    • Department (optional): Department (e.g., "Manufacturing", "Assembly")
  4. Click Submit
  5. Employee appears in the table

Editing an Employee

  1. Find the employee in the table
  2. Click Edit
  3. Modify any fields
  4. Click Submit

Deactivating an Employee

  1. Find the employee in the table
  2. Click Deactivate (or similar soft-delete action)
  3. Employee is hidden from operator dropdowns but remains in the system for historical records
  4. To view inactive employees, check "Show Inactive" checkbox at the top of the table

Why Soft-Delete?

We don't permanently delete employees because:

  • ✅ Preserves audit trail of all historical time entries
  • ✅ Complies with labor law record retention requirements
  • ✅ Allows rehires to see their previous work history

Work Order Management

Creating a New Work Order

  1. Click Admin Work Orders in the navigation menu
  2. Click Add Work Order button
  3. Fill in the form:
    • Customer Name (required): Who is the work for? (e.g., "ACME Corp", "ABC Manufacturing")
    • Description (optional): What's the job? (e.g., "Batch of 100 widgets, priority rush")
  4. Click Submit
  5. Work order appears in the table with status "Active"

Managing Work Order Status

  1. Find the work order in the table
  2. Click the Status dropdown
  3. Choose from:
    • Active: Ready for operators to work on (default)
    • Paused: Temporarily on hold (no new time entries accepted)
    • Completed: Finished (no new time entries accepted)
  4. Click Update or confirm the change
  5. Operators see only "Active" work orders in their dropdown

Status Transition Rules

  • Active → Paused: Pause work without deleting (material shortage, priority change)
  • Paused → Active: Resume work when ready
  • Active → Completed: Mark finished when all operations done
  • Completed → Active: Can restart if needed

Editing a Work Order

  1. Find the work order in the table
  2. Click Edit
  3. Modify customer name or description
  4. Click Submit

Operation Management

Understanding Operations

Operations are individual tasks within a work order.

Example:

  • Work Order: "ACME Order #123"
    • Operation 1 (Sequence 1): "Cutting" — 2 hours estimated
    • Operation 2 (Sequence 2): "Drilling" — 1.5 hours estimated
    • Operation 3 (Sequence 3): "Assembly" — 3 hours estimated
    • Operation 4 (Sequence 4): "Quality Check" — 1 hour estimated

Creating an Operation

  1. Click Admin Operations in the navigation menu
  2. Select a Work Order from the dropdown
  3. The table shows existing operations for that work order
  4. Click Add Operation button
  5. Fill in the form:
    • Name (required): Operation name (e.g., "Drilling", "Assembly")
    • Sequence Number (required): Order (1, 2, 3...) — must be unique per work order
    • Estimated Duration (optional): Estimated minutes (e.g., "120" for 2 hours)
    • Description (optional): What the task involves (e.g., "Drill 10mm holes every 5cm")
  6. Click Submit
  7. Operation appears in the table sorted by sequence

Editing an Operation

  1. Select the work order, find the operation
  2. Click Edit
  3. Modify name, sequence, duration, or description
  4. Click Submit

Deleting an Operation

  1. Select the work order, find the operation
  2. Click Delete
  3. Confirm when prompted
  4. Operation is removed

Multi-Page Navigation

  • Operator Page: Where operators track time
  • Admin Machines: Manage machine inventory
  • Admin Employees: Manage employee roster
  • Admin Work Orders: Create and manage work orders
  • Admin Operations: Create and manage operations within work orders

Click the buttons in the navigation menu to switch pages.

Troubleshooting

"Play Button is Disabled"

Cause: You haven't selected a machine, work order, or operation yet.

Solution:

  1. Make sure "Machine" dropdown is selected
  2. Make sure "Work Order" dropdown shows a selection
  3. Make sure "Operation" dropdown shows a selection
  4. Once all three are selected, Play button will turn green and become clickable

"Cannot Create Machine — Name Already Exists"

Cause: You tried to create a machine with a name that already exists.

Solution:

  1. Go to Admin Machines
  2. Check if a machine with that name already exists
  3. Use a different name or edit the existing machine instead

"Cannot Create Employee — Badge Already Exists"

Cause: Badge number is already assigned to another employee.

Solution:

  1. Go to Admin Employees
  2. Search for the badge number
  3. Either use a different badge or deactivate the old employee first

"Time Entry Not Saving"

Cause: Possible causes—browser quota exceeded, connection lost, or JavaScript error.

Solutions:

  1. Check browser console (F12 → Console tab) for error messages
  2. Try refreshing the page
  3. Close and reopen the browser
  4. Clear browser cache and storage (Advanced Settings → Clear browsing data)
  5. Ensure you have adequate disk space on your computer

"Timer Keeps Running After Closing Browser Tab"

Cause: You didn't click Stop before closing.

Solution:

  • Always click Stop before navigating away
  • If you accidentally closed, the time entry may not have been saved
  • Your next session will start fresh

"Cannot Delete Work Order"

Cause: The work order has existing time entries.

Solution: This is by design (audit trail preservation):

  • You can change the status to "Completed" to indicate it's finished
  • Time entries are preserved for compliance
  • If absolutely necessary, deactivate employees instead of deleting work orders

FAQ

Q: Can I edit a time entry after I stop the timer?
A: No, time entries are immutable once created (audit compliance). If there's an error, contact your administrator.

Q: Can I use the timer on my phone?
A: The system is optimized for desktop browsers. Mobile browsers may work but are not officially supported.

Q: What happens if I lose internet connection?
A: The timer will continue running locally. Your time entry will save once you regain connection (automatic sync).

Q: Can operators see time entries from other employees?
A: No, operators only see their own time entries and available work orders/operations. Administrators can see all entries.

Q: Is there a backup of all time entries?
A: Time entries are stored in your browser's local storage (IndexedDB). You should:

  • Regularly export data through admin reports (if available)
  • Keep regular browser backups
  • Contact IT for data export requests

Q: Why can't I deactivate a work order instead of deleting?
A: You can! Change its status to "Completed" in the Status dropdown. This preserves history while removing it from active work.

Q: How is timer accuracy maintained?
A: The timer uses the browser's high-resolution clock (Date.now()). Accuracy is within ±2 seconds for sessions up to 8 hours.

Q: Can I have the same operation sequence number in different work orders?
A: Yes! Each work order has its own sequence numbering. WO#1 can have Op Seq 1,2,3 and WO#2 can also have Op Seq 1,2,3.

Last Updated: November 12, 2025
Version: 1.0.0