For the record, I don't work for the company that makes this software and don't know anyone involved with it. Promise.

Coming from an agency world where we had to track and account for every 4 seconds of the day to maximize billing, I've resisted time tracking tools since going freelance, preferring instead to check my watch, scribble notes in margins and reference emails, txt messages and the microwave clock to piece together time spent on projects.

As business got heavier, that method worked less and less, so I finally decided to try a time tracker again. I downloaded several, all OK, but TaskTime is a delight.

I love software that's so easy to use I never have to read the accompanying manual. With TaskTime, I just launched it and started using it immediately.

Given that, you might think it's too limited to be of any real value. Not true. So far, TaskTime can do everything I need it to do.

The software has a clean interface that doesn't wreck the Mac aesthetic (and Mac users, we know how much we like things to look good).

A few key (to me) features:

Allows you to add a work session -- so even if you forgot to launch and start the time tracker, you can easily add one into the record so it's included in whatever invoice you generate.

Invoice generation -- Quick, easy and elegant.

Sync! -- I work on a laptop and a desktop and track time on both -- TaskTime lets me combine entries, again, making it easy to generate an invoice without having to go back and manually enter all the time from one machine onto the other.

Pause -- So when I get up to scarf down a bowl of chips and salsa, or when my Mom calls and wants to talk about her fish, I don't have to leave the clock running and don't have to stop a session and later start a new one.

Edit Session -- Not only can I easily change work descriptions and hourly rates line by line, I can adjust the time, so when I think a project is done but a client calls five minutes later with one more quick change, I can just go in and add the extra time to the session I just closed.

Overall, I think this is a great product and for $20 a total steal. And the free trial gives you (I believe) three weeks to check it out -- enough time to actually use it over a variety of needs.

If you're looking for a great balance between user-friendly, feature-rich and slick design, this is the one.

-- Eric Van Meter :: Freelance Writer and Writing Tutor :: Wordmoxie.com