For those using agile methodologies, estimating the amount of work for each task is essential.
This practice helps track project progress, improve metrics, and ensure adequate planning and re-evaluation of the remaining work.
Enabling Time on Tasks
To use the Time estimates feature, go to your organization's Settings, navigate to Time tracking, and turn on the Time on tasks toggle.
This will enable time tracking and estimates for all projects. If you don't need this feature for some projects, open the project's sidebar, go to Edit project, and turn off Time on tasks for that specific project.
Using Time Estimates
Entering a time estimate for each task helps you track how much time is needed until project completion. In your task list, you'll see the remaining hours for each task or the entire task list.
Entering the Initial Estimate
When creating a task, you'll enter an Initial estimate, which changes to Time to complete once the task is created.
The Time to complete field will count down the hours until the task is finished.
Note: It’s recommended not to alter the Initial estimate. However, if necessary, you can edit it by selecting Edit , but this change won’t update the Time to complete.
How Time to Complete Works
The Initial estimate field converts to Time to complete when the task is created. After creation, these fields function separately to:
Preserve the initial estimate value.
Allow updates to the time needed to complete the task.
Tracking time on tasks deducts hours from Time to complete while the Initial estimate remains fixed. You can manually update Time to complete if the estimated time changes.
Including Subtasks' Estimates and Tracked Time
Tick the option Include subtasks to update time components, considering subtasks' values.
To estimate only the subtasks, set the parent task's Initial estimate to 0.
Fields for Tracking Estimates
The following fields provide insight into tracking time on tasks. Set up a Table or a List view and add these fields:
Initial estimate
Forecasted time needed to complete the task.
Time to complete
Current estimated time needed to complete the task. Counting down starts from the Initial estimate and continues as people track time. If needed, this field can be used for re-estimations along the way.
Worked time
Total time tracked on the task (includes unapproved time entries).
Estimate at completion
The total projected time needed to complete the task. This is a sum of Time to complete and Worked time.
Variance at completion
Difference between the Initial estimate and Estimate at completion. It shows how accurate the Initial estimation was.
Practical Example
Imagine you are managing a software development project. You have a task called "Develop Login Feature" with an Initial estimate of 20 hours. As your team works on this task and logs their time, the Time to complete will decrease accordingly.
For instance:
Initial estimate: 20 hours
Worked time: 5 hours
Time to complete: 15 hours (initial estimate minus worked time)
Estimate at completion: 20 hours (worked time plus time to complete)
Variance at completion: 0 hours (initial estimate minus estimate at completion)
If the team realizes the task will take longer, you can manually adjust the Time to complete.
For example, increasing it to 25 hours updates the Estimate at completion to 30 hours (worked time plus new time to complete), showing a Variance at completion of -10 hours.
Client Visibility
Clients can never access Worked time.
Clients with access to budgets and timesheets (Client Managers) can see the Initial estimate and Time to complete.
Clients without access to budgets and timesheets (Client Staff) cannot see these time estimates.
