Pro Tools Timer

[obiwan177]

I was wondering if there is any way that Pro Tools records how long you have a session open? That way you can see exactly how many hours you've worked on a specific session, and charge your client accordingly (if you're hour based).

If not, I think it would be a great feature to implement, unless you guys do it a different way. Remembering to write down when I switch songs hasn't worked so great for me.

[daeron80]

When forgetting to log my time, I've often relied on file time stamps in the Finder (Explorer on Windows). You can always see when the session file was created, as long as it hasn't been moved to a different drive. Then you can check the Session File Backups folder to get some idea of the periods of time when the session was active (one reason I like to set it to save like 50 versions, one ever 15 mins). That should give you a pretty good idea of when you were mixing. Then you can sort the Audio and Fade folders by Date Modified to see when you were tracking and editing.

[obiwan177]

Sounds like an awesome idea, never thought of that. Thanks.

[SethAnger]

That would be a cool feature.
If you're on a mac you could use this.

http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Business/WorkTimer.shtml

I use it all the time. There is never a question of how much time I spend on a project and I can show the client how long each process takes if necessary. I store the individual timer files in the clients folder and can export to a spreadsheet. It's a wonderful free tool that has stuffed any attempt at an argument over time.
It's also great for training interns on how to accurately bid potential clients for what they do. Some of my guys just like to time themselves to see how fast they can get a decent mix together.

Hope it helps. Have a great day!