Hi,

For time tracking I believe there are many tools available out there... An example is a free tool available if you had Sharepoint server (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsserver/sharepoint/wssapps/default.mspx). You can view an example at http://sharepoint.yamabiz.com/TimeSheet/default.aspx. You also have templates written for Outlook (custom forms), OneNote 2003, etc...

In order to have an offline solution you must create a separate database that will track any changes. Database can be as simple as saving a XML form, Access, or even comma-delimited files. When there is no connection to DB or you can't ping your server then start using the offline database. Every time you reconnect to the database or you can ping your server then check offline database synchronization. It can be as simple as checking offline database for a flag telling you whether the database has been used offline if it is on then synch it with your production database and turn it off and if it isn't turned on then do nothing and begin using production database. 

As a consultant I always billed hourly; however, I never wrote descriptive activities of what I was doing hourly. Instead I reported daily or weekly activies. Further I never accepted or rather refused to work less than 40 hours a week and a minimum of 12 weeks. My contract agreements reflected if I were to finish the project before the 12 weeks period I would get paid the difference.

Thanks,

Yama Kamyar

-----Original message-----
From: "Joe Mele" joemele@...
Date: Fri, 01 Sep 2006 07:12:39 -0700
To: going_independent@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [going_independent] What do you use to track time and bill clients?