'TimeGuard Input' window is opened by clicking the orange star icon in the lower right-hand corner of the screen,

In the 'Record Task' tab you record the time of the tasks that you are working on. You can pause the recorded task by clicking the 'Pause' button. The length of the pause will be reduced from the total task time. When a task is paused, the switch task window  appears, allowing you to switch to another task momentarily. Clicking the 'Resume' button will restart the task, stopping the task in the 'Switch task' window.

Legend:

1. 'Record' tab: Record the time of the task you are working on.
2. 'Select employee' link is used to select the current user and log into the system. User password is required.
3. Select the current project. The client name is shown in parenthesis.
4. Rate checkbox: check or un-check to show or hide the rate and billing type (if you don't want others to see this information). In 'Application Settings'  window, you can set the default by checking or un-checking the 'Hide price in dialogs' checkbox, in the 'Money' tab.
   The rate checkbox is not available to employees and the rate field is hidden as well.
5. Task rate field: shows the rate of the task.
   Its important to understand how TimeGuard selects the rate of a task:
   1. If a 'General task-type' is selected, TimeGuard will use the project's default rate that is defined in the 'Project details' window.
   2. If a 'Project's particular task type' is selected, TimeGuard will use the rate defined for it in the 'Particular task types' section.
   3. If an employee rate was defined in the 'Employees rates'  window, TimeGuard will use this rate, overriding any other rate. 
   4. Task rates of fixed price or retainer projects will always be zero.
   5. The rate field is not visible to employees and the rate is hidden.
6. 'From' list and Time selection:  use the 'From' list it if you started the task a short while ago, or use the two time lists to select or type in the exact time.
7. 'Add a remark' link: Displays the remark text box, allowing you to add your remark to the task. Right click will show the available Auto-remarks.
   Note: remarks can be searched in the 'Activity report' using free text.
8. Manager remark text box: if a manager remark is assigned to a task type, it appears in this text box in red color.
9. Show 'Reports' window.
10. Show 'Help' index. If you select 'Help...' in the navigation pop-up menu, context sensitive help is displayed.
11. Show 'About' dialog.
12. 'Start count' button: Starts the task time counter. When the counter is working, TimeGuard's orange star icon will rotate in the Input window and in the lower right-hand corner of the screen:
    
13. Task list: Select the current task from the predefined tasks, or type in a task manually. To save time and effort, it is recommended that you create a new task type if you often use a certain task. Task types can also be used to search the activity report, while tasks you type in manually cannot be used for this purpose.
    Note: you have the option to use free text search in the 'Activity & Billing' reports, to look for tasks that contain a word or a phrase.
14. Opens the particular task types list of the selected project.
15. Opens TimeGuard Reports window, and display the project list.
16. Closes the Real-Time window (TimeGuard remains active).
17. 'Expenses' tab: Report expenses.
18. 'Manual Report' tab: report tasks which were performed away from Your PC, or ones you missed to report.

Task is running

When a task is running the available options change, and only the relevant window items are enabled.

Legend:

1. 'Pause' button: pauses the recorded task and opens the 'Switch task' window. The 'Resume' button will then be displayed, allowing you to resume the task. While the task is paused, the passing minutes are reduced from the task by adding the passing minutes to the 'reduced minutes' counter.
2. 'Stop' button: Stops recording of the task.
3. 'Task activity': Shows task's working time and activity.
4. Reduced idle time: Totals the minutes reduced from the running task.
5. 'Reduce idle' link: Opens the 'Reduce idle' dialog box. If you need to reduce time from the task click this link.
6. If the manager required progress report for the task, after clicking 'Stop' button, the progress selector is presented. The employee is asked to click the button that represents his task progress.
   
   

See also:
1. 'Navigation' pop-up menu.
2. 'Switch task' window.
3. 'Particular task types' window.
4. 'General task types' window.