TimeLog News

TimeLog A/S Provides Mjølner Informatics A/S with a Time- and Project Management System

Bjørn Herbst — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Mjølner Informatics A/S has made an agreement with TimeLog A/S about implementation of TimeLog Project. The agreement includes among other things the add-on module TimeLog Enterprise.

TimeLog Project was chosen because of the dynamic access to time registration and the unique way TimeLog Project manages projects – from time registration to billing the individual project. TimeLog Project is expected to be fully implemented at Mjølner Informatics A/S at the end of May 2008.

Mjølner Informatics A/S reflects a typical larger IT-consultancy that works in a project oriented way. With this agreement TimeLog again proves that our software can generate energy for project oriented organizations where departments work differently with their time registration, project handling and reporting.

About Mjølner Informatics A/S
Mjølner Informatics is a Danish owned software house with an international outlook. The company delivers consultancy services and system developments at a very high level. The company is privately owned and with that independent from external commercial interests. Read more about Mjølner Informatics here.

Introduction to TimeLog Project 4.5

Katrine Grytter — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Here is a brief description of some of the new things in TimeLog Project.

TimeLog Project gives management a new range of tools to create incentives for employees. Make budgets for each employee by setting goals for e.g. external registration percent, added value and average hourly rates.

These key figures – or KPI's – are shown in a personal report, which allows the employee to follow up on the goals set for her. A central key figure can even be shown on the front page of TimeLog Project.

Budgeting and the KPI report are especially powerful for consultancies and IT-companies who bill their work.

Another big headline in version 4.5 is the work load report which shows how much work is booked for each employee in the future. The report is both faster and easier to work with, and introduces a new way of adjusting the employees' allocations. All together the work load report provides management with an overview of the company's resource allocation, and a way for project managers to adjust time schedules and allocation on their project.

Furthermore, project managers can now send emails from different parts of TimeLog Project to both internal and external recipients.

The finance department gets a longstanding wish fulfilled with customer specific hourly rates. These new hourly rates are only available for a particular customer and can be used for discounts and other special agreements, which deviates from the standard price list.

Invoices can now be exported directly from TimeLog Project as a XML-file. This feature permits a secure and simple integration with other financial systems without requiring otherworldly programming skills.

See all news and improvements in TimeLog Project 4.5

Workshop 3: Valuable Improvement of Your Skills

Anders Brandstrup — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Professional Services introduces a new workshop for experienced users which aims at improving the business value of TimeLog Project.

In a three hour workshop together with one of TimeLog's experienced consultants we will go through every aspect of your company's use of TimeLog Project. The result is a finetuning of your system which will dramatically increase the value of your solution.

With experience from more than 250 successful implementations in different businesses our consultants are capable of advising you how and where your solution can be improved.

Peder Wuth Pedersen, team manager, Professional Services:

"Workshop 3 is the opportunity to optimise the use of TimeLog Project and reap the full business value. After six months' use of TimeLog Project there are enough projects and time registrations to really benefit from the many different reports in TimeLog Project. To many this will significantly raise the value TimeLog Project imparts."

Contact Professional Services on +45 70 200 645 to learn more about Workshop 3.

Webinar I: Better Communication with Your Customers

Katrine Grytter — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In extension of February's launch of TimeLog Extranet we are hosting a free and non-committing webinar to inform about the purpose and features of TimeLog Extranet. All customers, users and other interested are welcome to participate.

The webinar is held online June 2, 2008 at 11 AM by Sascha Skydsgaard, and is expected to last about 30 min. including a Q&A session. The webinar is held in English.

TimeLog Extranet at a Glance
The objective of TimeLog Extranet is to improve the communication between your company as a supplier and your customers. By adding TimeLog Extranet to TimeLog Project, it is possible for your customers to get access to information concerning their projects, such as invoices, reports and project status.

By giving your customers access to follow the development on the work you do for them, your relationship is strengthened and becomes more transparent.

TimeLog Extranet is made with consultancies and other businesses, who wants to obtain a close relationship with their customers and other relevant stakeholders, in mind.

Webinar II: Learn to Motivate Employees Through KPI

Katrine Grytter — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of the new features in TimeLog Project 4.5 is the Key Performance Index (KPI). If you would like to be acquainted with this new report with budgeting, we are hosting another free and non-commiting webinar.

The purpose is to show how to draw budgets and use the KPI-report. Furthermore, we will demonstrate how management can motivate the employees through visualization of clearly defined objectives.

The webinar is held online June 4, 2008 at 11 AM by sales manager Bjørn Herbst and is expected to last 30 min. including a Q&A session. The webinar is held in English.

Employee Build-Up

Katrine Grytter — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The spring has come and as a fresh breath we have hired 5 new employees. Especially our consulting and sales departments have had a boost in the right direction. But also the technical powers are strengthened.

Monica Baunbæk has been hired as International Account Manager. Monica has a background within marketing and recently worked at Microsoft with outbound sales and marketing related tasks. Monica is employed in TimeLogs International Sales department

and will be working with sales within the English and Spanish speaking markets.

In the Danish department of sales we have the pleasure of welcoming Femi Islami as our new Key Account Manager. Femi is educated export engineer and has professional experience from the start-up of three companies. Femi will be working with Danish sales and online marketing.

In our Professional Service department we have the pleasure of welcoming two new employees.

Simon Ravn Joensen is our new consulting of implementation. He comes from a position with the global ERP-consulting business Maconomy. Simon already began 1st of March and is well established and already helping our customers with the configuration of TimeLog Project.

Thomas Ljungqvist is employed as an IT supporter and helps TimeLog’s customers and users with the use of our products. Thomas recently worked in a similar position with Xponcard Service Systems in Rødovre.

Finally, we have our R&D department which have been provided with extra power, in shape of Brian Løkke Borg, senior developer. Brian is going to work on the development of TimeLog Projects core source. This provides R&D with a strengthened possibility for a new view on TimeLog Project’s architecture and valuable inspiration for future expands.

How to Increase Security in a SaaS Solution

Katrine Grytter — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With simple means you are able to increase the security in an internet-application. The below mentioned advice and tips apply for not only TimeLog Project but all other SaaS solutions and most of the advice also applies for IT-systems in general.

1. Have a security policy
Have some overall guidelines for using the SaaS-solution and for handling security. Communicate your safety policy to all employees – and be sure to explain why you have these policies. Communication is especially important when having a strict policy, otherwise, employees might think of it as harassment of employees which can make them counteract the policy.

Keep the security policy as simple as possible and avoid long technical explanations. The most important thing to remember when it comes to security policies is that it should be easy to explain to the employees. A simple security policy is much better than a complex and technical oriented policy.

2. Give guidelines for passwords
Too many users have unsecure passwords. Make rules for passwords in your security policy.

In TimeLog Project’s system administration you are able to set up rules for what kind of passwords that are allowed. Make sure that simple passwords are not possible to use (e.g. few characters, same password as user name etc.) and that there are demands for the length and variation of the password.

Besides being too simple, another typical mistake is that the employees use the same passwords both in private and at work. Explain in the security policy why this is a bad idea.

3. Make sure your employees are careful when using the internet
Vast the majority of security defects is due to carelessness from the employees – and not external attacks against the company. Passwords are written on yellow post-its placed on the employee’s monitor, employees are visiting “unsecure” websites, employees are clicking on links in spam mails etc. All this increases the risk for security problems. Therefore, it is crucial to inform the employees on how to use their server and PC in a secure way.

4. Make sure to deactivate former employees’ access
Former employees can be a source for security problems. That is why it is important to deactivate former employees’ access to all IT-systems on the same day as they leave the company.

5. Avoid “master” passwords
It is a bad idea to give all employees the same password when introducing a new IT-system – or having a general password which is used in the company. It is even worse to have a specific system for making new passwords.

6. Have an updated spam filter and antivirus
Always have an updated antivirus software on all client machines and make sure that the company’s mail service is scanned for spam mail. In that way the majority of all unwanted mails is removed.

7. Only use encrypted access
TimeLog Project can be submitted to be both encrypted (https) and non-encrypted (http). In TimeLog Project’s system administration you are able to deactivate non-encrypted access. This is the default setting, however, there can be several reasons for the fact that there is opened up for a non-encrypted access. Make sure that TimeLog Project is only used via an encrypted connection unless your company has special needs that do not make this possible.

That is how easy it is – and if your company makes use of these pieces of advice, you will be able to avoid most of the security problems.

Christmas Cards Bring Joy in Pakistan

Katrine Grytter — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In 2007 we chose to send out christmas cards by email. The money saved on stamps was donated to UNICEF's World Gifts programme.

One of the gifts was a School-in-a-Box which has now been send to Pakistan and gives up to 80 children the opportunity to go to school. The box contains such as books, pencils, scissors, blackboard, chalk and other essential school equipment.

Halima is back to school

7 year-old Halima is one of many children in Pakistan who is benefitting from UNICEF's School-in-a-Box. Last July she lost both her home and school, when a flood hit her hometown Dat in southwestern Pakistan.

Halima now attends one of the two temporary schools in Dat, each of which have received a School-in-a-Box, where one of them was donated by TimeLog.

Besides the School-in-a-Box, we donated a midwife kit and a well.

Danish Novozymes benefits from using TimeLog Extranet

Jamie Matthew Schmidt — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The following paragraph is an excerpt taken from our new case study with the Danish bio-pharmaceutical company Novozymes. Read full case study

"The daily use of the add-on module TimeLog Extranet has also been positively received and is primarily used by Novozymes' management to keep tabs on projects: "It has given management a tool that enables them to continuously monitor our projects, which provides them with a solid overview of the status of the department's different projects."

Furthermore, TimeLog Project's reporting tools are often used. Especially the workload reporting tool provides the project manager with the option of getting an overview of the individual project employee's current and future workload capacity. This is often used in combination with the frequently used status reports for Novozymes' management.

New: TimeLog Extranet opens up your Projects

Katrine Grytter — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The purpose of TimeLog Extranet is to improve communication between customer and supplier or other internal or external stakeholders. By adding TimeLog Extranet, customers are able to gain insight into various information concerning their project such as invoices, various reports and project status.

This means that the relation between customer and supplier is strengthened and more transparent because it is easier for the customer to, at any time, view the progress of the projects. TimeLog Extranet's industry focus is primarily consultancy companies or other companies that have or want a close relationship with their customers or other important stakeholders.
Read more about on the TimeLog Extranet page.

TimeLog - Microsoft Gold Certified Partner

Jamie Matthew Schmidt — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This year TimeLog has achieved status of Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. There are a number of different demands that must be met in order for a company to be able to call itself part of the Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Program.

Among other, the partner company must reach certain sales targets. On top of that a potential partner must have at least three specific customer references that adhere to the strict standards set by the Microsoft Competency Center.

There are many advantages to being a part of the Microsoft Partner Program. Including a wide range of product-, marketing-, and sales tools that strengthen the partner company's competitiveness.

Read more about the many advantages to being part of the Mcirosoft Partner Program her e.

Introduction to TimeLog Extranet

Jamie Matthew Schmidt — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The purpose of TimeLog Extranet is to improve the communication between the customer and supplier. By adding TimeLog Extranet, the customers are able to gain insight into different information concerning their project such as invoices, various reports and the status of the project. This means that the relation between the customer and supplier is strengthened and more transparent because it is easier for the customer to view the progress of the projects. The industry focus is consultancy companies or other companies that have or want a close relationship with their customers.

Gaining a quick Overview

When beginning to use TimeLog Extranet, the supplier has to create a log-in for the customer and at the same time decide how much information about the project the customer should be allowed to access. After logging in, the customer is able to gain a general overview of the project by looking at invoices, milestones, registered and invoiced hours and status reports. In other words it generates a general overview of the project, time line and costs.

Access to data 24/7&

Another advantage is that the customer always has access to the data which means that the communication between the supplier and customer is further strengthened. TimeLog Extranet is very user-friendly and does not require much training. It is also easy for the customers to use even though they have never tried TimeLog Project before. All your customers need is a link and log-in details. Then they are all set to use TimeLog Extranet.

Many languages, many possibilities

TimeLog Extranet supports many different languages which is an advantage if your company deals with international customers. All in all, the main objective is to provide the customer with an extra service which improves communication and strengthens the relationship between customer and supplier. The major benefit is that the customer is able to find data about: registered and invoiced hours, registered and invoiced value, project phases, active employees, milestones, invoices and status reports. This creates a better and more transparent relationship for all parties involved.

TimeLog Extranet Hints & Shortcuts

Jamie Matthew Schmidt — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We have collected a few good tips from our support manager in our Help-Desk department, Thomas S. Gudmandsen. We hope that you can use these tricks of the trade to make the most of your TimeLog Project systems.

Better Search

If you wish to make a search for a precise letter combination which is not necessarily the first letters in the project-, customer-, or client name, here is a tip. By adding a %-sign in front of your search criterion, you will see a list where the letter combination is a part of the search result. This can help you to find exactly what you are searching for in no time. Especially in companies with many departments and projects, this can be a very useful function. NB. remember that a quick way to make a super search is by using the F2 key.

Press F1 for Online Help

For those who are not aware of it, TimeLog Project also includes an online help. This help is updated regularly, therefore, if you have run into a problem you can look for help here. You will find the online help in the top right corner in all menus or when pressing the hot key F1.

Customize your terms of payment

If your company has customers that have different terms of payment than others, for example good customers with an extra long credit, you have the opportunity to adjust that as a default in the system administration. Go to 'system administration' choose 'finance/billing' and then 'payment terms'. Now it is possible to edit the periodicity and at the same time attach a single customer to the changed payment terms.

Service announcement for installed customers

Christoffer Lanstorp — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

NB! This message is only relevant for customers with an installed TimeLog solution. TimeLog customers with a hosted solution are not affected.

As part of TimeLog's focus on continuing improvements of the services we provide to our customers, we are currently working on a TimeLog Project 5.0 release. We expect to launch it during the summer of 2008. With regard to this upgrade, the coming version of TimeLog Project will be based on routines supported only by Microsoft SQL Server 2005.

This means that, if your company has an installed TimeLog solution, you will have to decide whether you want to upgrade to a Microsoft SQL Server 2005, which is a license-based solution or whether you want to use an SQL Server 2005 Express, which is free of charge. Please note that the free SQL Server 2005 Express version has limitations compared to the license-based SQL Server 2005 version. Among other SQL 2005 Express has a maximum of 1GB RAM usage and one processor. In very rare instances this can influence your systems performance.

To find the right solutions for exactly your business, we recommend that you use the links shown below and read more about pros and cons of both options.

You can read more about the advantages of upgrading to SQL Server 2005 here: (http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techinfo/whitepapers/why-upgrade.mspx)

You can read more about the advantages of upgrading to SQL Server 2005 Express here:
(http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/express/default.mspx)

TimeLog Support

If you have any questions as to how this upgrade might influence your installed TimeLog solution, you are more than welcome to contact TimeLog Support by e-mail: support@timelog.dk or by phone: +45 70 200 645

Future Trends: TimeLog Project on your retina?

Katrine Grytter — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The opportunities presented to us in futuristic sci-fi movies are now closer than ever to being part of today’s reality. Globalization, more sophisticated technological development and increasing consumer individualization have over the last few years accelerated with lightning speed. We are part of a revolutionizing era which, based on the number of inventions per capita, is comparable to the agricultural revolution more than 10,000 years ago.

A question however remains. How will the inventions of the 21st century take shape? This question inspired us to look more closely at the hot and future trends within this development of technology and what impact this may have on the future development of TimeLog’s products and the user experience. (excerpts of the article)

From physical limitations to web-based openness

When TimeLog Project saw its first light of day in 1997 the product was built around an Access-database. Since that year product development has been swift and since 2002 the product was re-programmed into a web application. The web application concept is one of today’s hot new trends. Some of the concept’s main benefits is its ability to open up to social- and user generated possibilities much more than previously imagined.

According to the Danish knowledge center, Innovation Lab, the computer is no longer the center of the IT universe. Instead the web has replaced the computer as the new center. This means that a shift from regular software to web-based applications is occurring. The early transition from Acess to web application technology has been a great success for a company like TimeLog. Time will tell whether we are able to integrate the user generated- and open source opportunities just as quickly and efficiently.

Another concept which is gaining momentum in business circles is Software-as-a-Service (Saas). Saas is a completely new way of building IT structures. It is a mindset which combines the interaction between systems and technologies and enables the user to combine individual packages suited to his or her specific needs. This approach promotes the focus on user-generated and open source mindset and stands in stark contrast to the closed product development approach and licenses.

WEB 2.0 – Culture and Technologies

If we look at some of the tendencies within the next ten years Innovation Lab contends that focus will further shift from one-way communication to user-generated internet. In this context it is the Web 2.0 culture that is the foundation of this trend along with technologies such as AJAX, and others. (read the rest of the article here to learn more about AJAX, electronic circuits in contact lenses and tangible computing) Examples of the possibilities of this interaction can be seen in cases like Google Apps, YouTube and Flickr.

Technologies enable companies to minimize costs through for instance outsourcing, innovation and streamlining of cooperative processes, according to ComputerWorld, 29th January, 2008. In particular the Web 2.0 Technology AJAX is used to create dynamics in TimeLog Project which among other is utilized in the Super Searcher function and the TimeLog Help Desk add-on module.

TimeLog Project on your contact lenses?

One of the future bids for a new technological adventure could perhaps be based on a new discovery by American scientists at the University of Washington. They have recently been able to encapsulate electronic circuits in contact lenses. Consequently, we could within a few years be able to project systems like TimeLog Project straight on to the individual person’s retina. Hence, new concepts that can inspire sci-fi genre creators to develop new concepts that will intrigue their audience have been laid. One blink of the eye registers time, two blinks and

New faces at TimeLog

Katrine Grytter — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Once again we have expanded the TimeLog team with two new members. Our newest member is Ellinor Forje. Ellinor is going to help us improve and strengthen our Swedish profile. She is currently working as a Swedish translator on a part-time basis. Besides working at TimeLog, she is finishing a Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration.

Besides addding Ellinor to our team we have unfortunately said goodbye to our former receptionist Sofie Kaas. Sofie has moved onto new and exciting things. Therefore, we are very pleased to welcome Lasse Bertelsen as our new receptionist. With these new additions, TimeLog now consists of 20 competent and engaging colleagues.

TimeLog signs agreement with Danish Kuben A/S

Bjørn Herbst — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

TimeLog A/S has signed a company agreement with the Danish company Kuben A/S. The agreement includes buy and implementation of TimeLog Project in all of Kuben A/S’ companies.

The agreement embraces 300 new users. The solution includes TimeLog Enterprise, TimeLog CRM, TimeLog Help Desk and TimeLog KPI. It is expected that Kuben A/S' TimeLog Project solution is fully implemented by the first fiscal quarter in 2008.

The implementation of TimeLog Project is part of a larger replacement of Kuben A/S’ ERP-chain. The goal is to create a dynamic and more proactive IT infrastructure within the project-based departments of Kuben A/S. You can read more about

Kuben A/S at their website here. (Danish website)