Corporate Time Tracking Database

Corporate Time Tracking Database

Gartle Time Tracker allows getting data from trackers on end-user machines into a central corporate time tracking database.

So, managers can get measured times and costs on any application, activity, project, client, organizational unit, and business role.

Gartle Time Tracker has several synchronizing modes to get the balance between the privacy and business goals.

Gartle Time Tracker includes the source code to create a ready-to-use database.

Also, the database and a special Excel workbook allow doing day-to-day tasks like adding users and managing permissions.

Installing Database

Gartle Time Tracker supports SQL Server 2008 or higher. You can use the free SQL Server Express edition.

Also, you can install the database into Microsoft SQL Azure Database.

To install the database, execute the source SQL code from the Database folder of the downloaded package:

  1. savetodb-framework-install-en.sql
  2. application-install.sql

The SaveToDB Framework is the required component used to customize the reporting application with the SaveToDB Add-In for Microsoft Excel.

Use the TimeTracker database name to allow using the SaveToDB Add-In for Microsoft Excel as a reporting tool.

Database Roles

The database includes the following roles:

  • tt_users
  • tt_analysts
  • tt_administrators

The tt_users role includes the required permissions for end-users.

Users can use the database to record tracking data and get reports on managed trackers.

The tt_analysts role includes the required permissions to edit binding data like categories, projects, and clients.

Usually, the members of the tt_analysts role have permissions on several trackers to see the results.

The tt_administrators role includes the required permissions to manage tracker permissions (see below).

The database also has the roles of the SaveToDB Framework:

  • xls_developers
  • xls_formats
  • xls_users

The xls_users role, required to read Excel application configurations, includes all application roles.

To allow editing Excel application configurations, add a user to the xls_developers role.

See details in the SaveToDB Framework documentation.

Adding Users

To add a user, do the following:

  • Create a login in the master database.
  • Create a user in the master database.
  • Create a user in the TimeTracker database.
  • Add the user to the tt_users role.

Below is a snippet to execute the tasks:

USE master;
GO
CREATE LOGIN [<domainName>\<login_name>] FROM WINDOWS;
GO
CREATE USER [<domainName>\<login_name>];
GO

USE TimeTracker;
CREATE USER [<domainName>\<login_name>];
GO
ALTER ROLE tt_users ADD MEMBER [<domainName>\<login_name>];
GO

Managing Tracker Permissions

By default, only the tracker owner has permissions to write and read tracker data.

To allow another user to read the tracker data, add a record to the dbo.permissions table that contains two fields: tracker_id and user_name.

User and administrators can use the dbo.usp_permissions stored procedure to select data in Microsoft Excel.

Administrators can add or remove permissions.

Getting Reports

Gartle Time Tracker allows getting a wide range of reports in Microsoft Excel.

See details in the Reports section.

You can use other analytical tools to get and analyze data.