Timesheet Template - Database Buttons

This blog is a step-by-step guide on creating a timesheet in Notion using database buttons.

You'll be able to keep track of the time spent on each task by clicking a button to start recording time and another to pause recording.  You'll be able to see the time spent on each time and the total time spent working on a project.

⭐Don't have time to create the timesheet yourself? Buy the ready-made template for $5 here⭐

There is an accompanying YouTube video 👇

Step 1 - Create the databases

Adding Database Buttons to Record Time

The next stage is to add the buttons to the Tasks database, they will be used to start and pause the time recording for each task.

The Work Button

This button will create a new timesheet record and set the start property the timesheet record to the time and date you clicked the button.

This relates the new timesheet record to the task you clicked the work button for.

The Pause Button

This button will pause recording the time on a task by giving active timesheets an end date.

Note: because of a current limitation with Notion's button functionality you cannot select only the timesheet record related to a task.  So the pause button will pause all active timesheets without an end date.

We only want to edit pages in the Timesheet database that do not have an end date - so we have to set a filter for this

Calculating Time

Next we are going to create a set of properties that record the time spent on each task.  Starting with a property on the Timesheet database that calculates the time spent for each timesheet record.  

Note: Notion formulas are case sensitive, so when you are creating the properties make sure the property name is exactly the same as written in the blog.  If they aren't you won't be able to copy and paste the formulas into Notion the formulas won't work when you copy and paste them into your Notion.

Calculating Time for Each Timesheet Record

if(empty(prop("End")),dateBetween(now(),prop("Start"),"minutes"),dateBetween(prop("End"),prop("Start"),"minutes"))

⚠️ If the End and Start properties aren't highlighted in grey in your Notion, this means that the properties cannot be found.  Make sure you have created them and named them correctly.

Calculating the Total Time Spent on each Task 

The next formula will calculate the total time spent on each task by summing all the associated timesheet records.

map(prop("Timesheet"), current.prop("Time (minutes)")).sum()

Add some tasks and test the buttons.  Your databases should look something like this:

Converting the Time to Hours and Minutes

We now have the total time spent on each task in minutes, but it's better to have the time in hours and minutes.  The next formula shows you how to create this.

(prop("Time (minutes)")/60) == 0 ? "00:00" : format(floor(prop("Time (minutes)")/60)) + "hr " + format((prop("Time (minutes)"))- (floor(prop("Time (minutes)")/60) *60)) + "mins"

The formula will look like this when you paste it into Notion 👇

Adding a Completed Button

The next step is to  add a completed button to the Tasks database so you can automatically set the end date of a task.

The button will give the task an end date

Test that the button works and the task is given today as the end date.

Add the Timesheet Status Property

At the moment you don't know if you're recording time against a task, unless you look at the timesheet and see which records are running.  The next step will add a status property that works out if you're recording time against a task, have paused time or if the task is completed.  It'll even give some warning messages.

ifs(empty(prop("End Date"))==false and map(prop("Timesheet"),current.prop("End")).filter(empty(current)).length() > 0,"6. Completed with open time recording! ⚠️",empty(prop("End Date"))==false,"4. Completed ✅",empty(map(prop("Timesheet"),current)),"1. Not Started ❌",map(prop("Timesheet"),current.prop("End")).filter(empty(current)).length() == 1,"3. Running ⏱️",map(prop("Timesheet"),current.prop("End")).filter(empty(current)).length() > 1,"5. More than 1 timesheet recording time! ⚠️","2. Paused ⏸️")

The formula will look like this when you paste it into Notion 👇

👩‍🏫Explanation:

The formula uses the ifs() function - here is the logic to explain what the formula is doing.

You can change the values set for each option

Start Date Formula

This property calculates the start date of a task by retrieving the start date of the task's first timesheet:

map(prop("Timesheet"),current.prop("Start")).sort().first()

The formula will look like this when you paste it into Notion 👇

Optional Projects Database

Follow these steps if you want to link tasks to a project and track the total time spent on each project 

map(prop("Tasks"),current.prop("Time (minutes)")).sum()

The formula will look like this when you paste it into Notion 👇

format(floor(prop("Time (minutes)")/60)) + "hr " + format(prop("Time (minutes)")- (floor(prop("Time (minutes)")/60) *60)) + "min"

The formula will look like this when you paste it into Notion 👇

Test this is working by going to the Tasks database and associating each task with a project.  The tasks times will be summed and added to the total time for the projects