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STime (5.1) Online Manual

© 2002-05 by Bruce Richards

Click image to download a demo STime is a time card record keeping application for calculating the number of hours worked and gross pay for a given pay period on Palm OS PDA.

Originally based on BTime 2.0 (BTime has been discontinued). This version calculates the gross pay for each time card entered. The pay rate has been moved to the timecard screen to accommodate users that work shift work and get different rates of pay depending on which shift they are working.

STime has the ability to store pay-ending dates to filter the timecards and calculate the hours worked based on how it is filtered.

Each timecard record can store notes if desired.

Version History:

Version 5.1 adds the following feature: Preferences can be turned off (this will eliminate the flashing on some devices when adding a new time card entry).

Version 5.0 adds the following new features: Preferences can now be stored for start time, end time, pay rate, lunch/break minutes and pay type. Added additional theme color. Edit rates, pay types and lunch/break minutes by tapping the field labels.

Version 4.2 adds the following new features: When adding new time cards and pay dates they will now display in descending order (last one first). Added alternating row colors to the tables (user selectable). Added Pay Type when exporting to Memo pad.

Version 4.1 adds the following new features: When creating/editing time cards you can now select a Pay Type from a drop down list. New Pay Type database added. Pay Type added to View All screen.

Version 4.0 adds the following new features: When creating/editing time cards you can now select lunch minutes and rates from a drop down list. New lunch minutes database added. New rates database added. Calculations change automatically when new rate or lunch minutes are selected. Reverse sort the timecard database. Palm OS 5 compatible.

Version 3.2 adds the following new features: When creating a new record the currently displayed rate will be carried over. Purge the database of entries older than 30-days. Purge the database of records older than 60-days. And export the database to Memo pad. These new features are accessed from the Options menu of the Add/Edit Timecard screen. Also, when changing views on the View All screen it will now recalculate the totals automatically without having to tap the [ReCalc] button.

Version 3.0 adds the following features: Color themes. Re-sort the database. Delete the timecard database. Sort the pay dates in ascending or descending order. And delete the pay date database. These new options are accessed from the menus. When setting a filter on the View All screen it will now hold until you change it.

Version 2.0 corrects a problem of calculating hours if the work hours span past midnight. This was made possible by adding an End Date to do the calculation. If you are upgrading from version 1.0 you should have no problems with existing data already on file. However if you find the hours or gross calculating strangely find the offending record add an End Date and tap the [Calc] button to recalculate the hours correctly.

Installing:

Hotsync the STime Installer.prc file to your PDA.

You will see an icon called InstStime in the PDABruce category.

Select this icon to install and launch STime. Several files will be extracted from the archive and the archive will delete itself.

STime will automatically run once the installer has completed.

When you exit the program you will see the STime program icon.

Prior to installing

After installing

When you start STime the number of days remaining for the evaluation screen appears. Once you register (purchase) the product this screen will no longer show.

The Copyright splash screen is the second screen that displays. Tap the Register button for information on purchasing this program. After the 30-day trial you will no longer be able to use the program. If you purchase before (or after) the 30-days expire you will be able to just hotsync the registered version over the evaluation copy and all of your data will be saved.

Copyright

The first screen that appears (registered version) is the Enter Timecard screen. Before entering any time cards you need to set up some pay-ending dates and pay rates.

Select Paydates from the menu to add/edit your pay ending dates. (see below)

Select Rates from the menu to add/edit your pay rates. (see below) You can also tap the Rate label to bring up the add/edit dialog.

Select the PT button to add/edit your pay types. (see below) You can also tap the Pay Type label to bring up the add/edit dialog.

Select Lunch Mins from the menu to add/edit the minutes you take for lunch. You can also tap the Lunch label to bring up the add/edit dialog.

Once you have the pay ending dates, pay rates, lunch minutes and pay types entered, set up your preferences by selecting Preferences (see below) from the Help menu of this screen. Once you have your defaults configured return to this screen and start entering your time cards.

Tap the New button and fill out the screen. If you have set up your default values they will automatically be inserted for you when you tap the New button.

The Start Date field defaults to the current date. Tapping in the date field will allow you to select a date from the Palm calendar.

Tap the Start time and enter the time you started work this day. Remember to select AM or PM.

The End Date field defaults to the current date. Tapping in the date field will allow you to select a date from the Palm calendar.

Tap the End time and enter the time you finished work this day. Remember to select AM or PM. NOTE: If your workday spans past midnight select the correct start/end dates to calculate the hours correctly.

Select the Down Arrow in the Lunch field to select the number of minutes you took for lunch.

Select the Down Arrow in the Rate field to select the pay rate for this time card.

The calculation is automatic but if not tap the Calc button and the hours and amount will automatically calculate.

Select the Down Arrow in the Pay ending field to select the pay ending date.

Select the Down Arrow in the Pay Type field to select the pay type.

Enter notes if you choose in the space provided.

Use:

  • New - to create a new time card entry
  • < - to view the previous time card
  • > - to view the next time card
  • Del - to delete the current time card
  • All - to display all time cards
  • Rates - to add/edit your pay rates
  • PT - to add/edit your pay types
  • Calc - to calculate the hours worked and amount of pay for those hours

From the Options menu of this screen you can select to purge the database of all entries over 30 days old, purge all entries over 60 days old or delete the entire database. This would be useful for starting a new year.

The database can be sorted in ascending or descending order. If you want to view the database in ascending order you will have to select that sort option each time you add a new time card entry.

You can export all time card entries to the Memo Pad application in comma-delimited format. Once you hotsync your handheld the comma-delimited data will be available in your Palm Desktop to copy and save for use with Excel or anything else you choose.

Time card view

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Menu View

The Preferences screen is where you enter default values for use with STime. These values can be changed while entering the time card information.

Check the Use Defaults check box if you want to use these default values. Note: On some devices multiple flashes may be visible if you use the default values when adding a new time card.

Tap the Start time and select the time you normally start work. Remember to select AM or PM.

Tap the End time and select the time you normally get off work. Remember to select AM or PM.

Select the Down Arrow in the Rate field to select your normal pay rate. You can tap the Rate label to edit your rates.

Select the Down Arrow in the Lunch/Break field to select your normal lunch/break minutes. You can tap the Lunch/Break label to edit your rates.

Select the Down Arrow in the Pay Type field to select your normal pay type. You can tap the Pay Type label to edit your rates.

Use:

  • Done - to return to the add/edit time screen
The View Paydates screen will display all pay dates you have entered.

Note: Pay dates are sorted into this list when created. If you change one it is possible that it will no longer be in sorted order. If that happens, either delete the entry and add it again or re-sort the database.

If you are sorting in ascending order you will have to re-sort the database each time you add a new record.

You can delete the pay date database.

Use:

  • Add New - to add a new pay date
  • Back - to return to the add/edit time screen
The Edit Paydates screen allows you to enter your pay ending dates for filtering the timecards.

Enter the pay ending dates in the following format for best results YYYY/MM/DD. This field will be used to filter the time cards so you can get a total of the hours worked for a particular pay period. You do not have to use this format, you can create your own.

NOTE: If you intend to use the printed reports available at the www.pdabruce.com you must use the YYYY/MM/DD format.

Use:

  • Next - to view the next pay date
  • Prev - to view the previous pay date
  • New - to create a new pay date
  • Del - to delete the current pay date
  • Done - to return to the pay dates View All screen
From the pay dates menu you can select to sort the pay dates in ascending or descending order. You can also select to delete all of the pay ending dates at once from this menu. This would be useful when you start a new year.

Pay dates menu

The Edit Rates screen allows you to add/edit and delete rates of pay.

Use:

  • New - to add a new rate of pay
  • Edit - to change a rate of pay
  • Del - to delete a rate of pay
  • Sort - will sort the rates in ascending order, tapping the sort a second time will sort the rates in descending order
  • Up/Down - to move a rate up or down in the list
  • Done - to return to the add/edit time card screen
Rate screen

Rate edit

The Enter Lunch Minutes screen allows you to add/edit values you will use for lunch/breaks.

Use:

  • New - to add a new lunch value
  • Edit - to change a lunch value
  • Del - to delete a lunch value
  • Sort - will sort the lunch values in ascending order, tapping the sort a second time will sort the lunch values in descending order
  • Up/Down - to move a lunch value up or down in the list
  • Done - to return to the add/edit time card screen
The Enter Pay Types screen allows you to add/edit pay type descriptions.

Use:

  • New - to add a new pay type
  • Edit - to change a pay type
  • Del - to delete a pay type
  • Sort - will sort the pay types in ascending order, tapping the sort a second time will sort the pay types in descending order
  • Up/Down - to move a pay type up or down in the list
  • Done - to return to the add/edit time card screen
The View All screen displays the time cards and the total hours worked based on the pay end filter.

Select the down arrow of the Filter field in the menubar to select the pay end date to display for. Only the time cards for that pay ending date will appear in the table. Enter your hourly rate of pay. Tap the ReCalc button to total the hours and gross.

Once you set a filter and exit the application it will remember the last filter option you set. Tap the ReCalc button to be sure that you are viewing the correct total.

To change the alternating row color select Set Row Color from the Options menu of this screen. The color choice you select will remain until you change it again or reinstall STime.

Use:

  • Filter down arrow - to select the pay end date to display for
  • Enter Time - to add/edit time cards
  • ReCalc - to compute and display the Total Hours and Total Gross after changing filter date
All records view

Filtered view

Cost: FREE