How to Track Your Time in Inbox
What is TimePad?
TimePad is where you record and manage the time you spend working on a thread. It allows you to accurately log your start and end times, select your work role and work type, and document your work notes — all in one convenient panel.
TimePad is also enhanced with Magic AI, which can automatically generate a professional, concise summary of your work based on the conversation in the thread. This makes logging time faster, more consistent, and ensures every entry is clear and complete.
How It Works
TimePad makes it simple to accurately track and record the time you spend working on a thread. You can start the timer manually, let it run automatically based on your preferences, and then use Write Entry — powered by Magic AI — to generate a professional, well-written summary of your work.
Using the Timer
When you begin working on a thread:
- Click the play button (▶️) to start tracking your time.
- The timer will begin counting automatically in hours, minutes, and seconds.
- When you’re finished, click Write Entry to generate your time log.
With AI powered Time Entries, Magic AI automatically analyzes the conversation in the thread and creates a clear, concise description of the work performed. You can review the generated note, make any edits, and then save it — ensuring every time entry is accurate, professional, and consistent.
Automated Settings
To enable automation, go to: Click your name in the bottom left → Preferences → TimePad
From there, you can configure the following options:
Setting | Description |
Start the timer when I reply to a thread | Automatically begins tracking time whenever you send a reply. |
Open TimePad when I start the timer | Opens the TimePad panel as soon as tracking begins, so you can adjust details or add notes. |
Stop the timer when I close a thread | Ends the active timer automatically when you close the thread, ensuring accurate logging. |
Remind me to add a time entry when I close a thread | Prompts you to save your time entry before closing, preventing missed logs. |
Automatically pause TimePad when I navigate away from a thread | Pauses your timer if you switch threads or leave the page, and resumes when you return. |
These options let you customize how TimePad fits into your workflow — whether you prefer to track time manually or have it handled automatically behind the scenes.
Entering Time Worked
To easily enter time, click on the “00:00:00” or the time currently displayed. The input field is highly versatile — you can type shorthand entries such as:
30→ logs 30 minutes130→ logs 1 hour and 30 minutes
The system intelligently interprets these inputs, making manual time entry quick and efficient.
Modifying Start and End Times
After entering time, you can adjust both the Start time and End time by clicking into their respective input fields. Make your edits, then press Return (Enter) to save them instantly.
Adjusting Time with Arrow Keys
For precise adjustments, click into the timer input field and use the ↑ Up and ↓ Down arrow keys. Each press increases or decreases the time by 15-minute intervals, allowing for fine-tuning without retyping the full value.
Fields Overview
Here’s a breakdown of the available fields and how each one works:
Field | Description |
Start time | The time your work began. This can be set manually or auto-filled when starting the timer. |
End time | The time your work ended. Updates automatically when you stop the timer, or can be adjusted manually before saving. |
Work Role | The role you performed during the work (e.g. Customer Support, Technician, Consultant). This value is pulled from the board defaults in your PSA. |
Work Type | Specifies how the work was performed (e.g. Remote, Onsite, Administrative). This is also pulled from the board defaults in your PSA. |
Notes | A text area to document what you worked on. You can include details for billing, troubleshooting, or internal context. Supports rich text formatting, links, and attachments. |
Resolution (optional) | Checking this box marks the thread as resolved when the time entry is saved. |
Save button | The Save button provides several options for how the entry is stored: • Save Internally – Saves the entry within Thread only. • Save Externally – Pushes the entry to your connected PSA (e.g. ConnectWise). • Save Externally & Email Contact – Saves the entry to your PSA and sends the note as an email to the customer contact. The default action for this button can be set in Thread Admin → Workspace. |
Best Practices
- Use Write Entry whenever possible to generate high-quality, standardized notes.
- Always include a brief note describing the work done.
- Ensure your Work Role and Work Type match the defaults for your PSA board.
- Use the Resolution checkbox when your work fully addresses the thread’s issue.
