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Poll: The main way I keep track of my work schedule is through:
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Aug 27, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "The main way I keep track of my work schedule is through:".

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Diarmuid Kennan
Diarmuid Kennan
Ireland
Local time: 17:05
Member (2006)
Danish to English
+ ...
White board Aug 27, 2018

I have a white board on the wall of my home-office, so I can see at a glance what projects I am working on and when the have to be delivered.

Julio Madrid
 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 18:05
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
Email Aug 27, 2018

then I print out the PO and put in the tray with ongoing projects, + as a back up reminder, I note it on my paper calendar.

To try and keep it all in my head would be impossible and drive me crazy.


 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 18:05
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
A sheet of paper under the keyboard Aug 27, 2018

Same idea, more or less, as Diarmuid's white board. I have just never set up a white board. I also have sheets of paper going back for years in a drawer as records.

José Henrique Lamensdorf
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 17:05
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Spreadsheet Aug 27, 2018

I can’t keep it all in my head: I can have anything up to 10 or 15 jobs scheduled for a single week or 1 job lasting for months, so I have a simple spreadsheet template for every month containing: date of assignment, my reference number, client name, project reference, language combination, translation or edition, number of words or hours, deadline, invoice number and a column for observations, namely if there are any special requirements. I also print out the PO or the email and keep each in... See more
I can’t keep it all in my head: I can have anything up to 10 or 15 jobs scheduled for a single week or 1 job lasting for months, so I have a simple spreadsheet template for every month containing: date of assignment, my reference number, client name, project reference, language combination, translation or edition, number of words or hours, deadline, invoice number and a column for observations, namely if there are any special requirements. I also print out the PO or the email and keep each in a clear plastic folder in the correct date order on my desk. So far, it has worked fine…Collapse


Angie Garbarino
 
Jan Truper
Jan Truper  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 18:05
Member (2016)
English to German
Spreadsheet Aug 27, 2018

Company Name / Project Name / Due Date / Wordcount / Rate / PO Number / Amount (USD or EUR)

Angie Garbarino
 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 14:05
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
A 3x5" ruled card, folded crosswise Aug 27, 2018

Christine Andersen wrote:

Same idea, more or less, as Diarmuid's white board. I have just never set up a white board. I also have sheets of paper going back for years in a drawer as records.


The thick card never folds 100% flat, so it won't get shuffled with any other papers on my keyboard drawer.

I simply jot the client's name, the deadline, the currency & amount, and the payment date. When I deliver a job, I strike through the client's name & deadline. When I get paid, I strike through the amount and payment date. When I reach the bottom of the card (fits 18 jobs), I copy the remaining jobs' data to the inside and reverse the fold, or to a new card. (I never use all 4 "pages" generated by the fold.)

This is sufficient reference for me to quickly find all e-mails, files, invoices, etc. relevant to any client on my system.

Sample line:
John Doe AUG 28 $647.20 AUG 30

Currrencies: (blank) = domestic, BRL / $ = USD / E =EUR / C - CAD / L = GBP

[Edited at 2018-08-27 10:49 GMT]


 
Ada Mirasol Navarro
Ada Mirasol Navarro  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:05
Member (2017)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Diary and spreadsheet Aug 27, 2018

I combine a dairy where I note the projects (reception date, wordcount, amount and deadline) with different colours so as to mark reception and deadline, with an spreadsheet that includes the same information plus invoicing information.

I usually get bigger projects rather than 1000-2000 words projects, but nonetheless it's useful to check availability.


 
John Fossey
John Fossey  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 13:05
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
Folder name Aug 27, 2018

I name job folders with a job number that incorporates the date, client, number of words and due date, so I can see at a glance in the parent folder what jobs are underway, how big they are and when they are due. Once completed (including invoicing), I move the folder to a "Completed jobs" folder, into a subfolder in the client's name.

For clients with monthly billing, I move the job folder to a "Billed monthly" folder, and on the last day of the month go through it to bill the clie
... See more
I name job folders with a job number that incorporates the date, client, number of words and due date, so I can see at a glance in the parent folder what jobs are underway, how big they are and when they are due. Once completed (including invoicing), I move the folder to a "Completed jobs" folder, into a subfolder in the client's name.

For clients with monthly billing, I move the job folder to a "Billed monthly" folder, and on the last day of the month go through it to bill the clients, then when done move the job folders to the client subfolders in the "Completed jobs" folder.

I have tried various other methods of keeping track, but they all end up seeming more complicated.

[Edited at 2018-08-27 12:20 GMT]
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Ricardo Suin
JPMedicalTrans
 
Gibril Koroma
Gibril Koroma  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 13:05
French to English
+ ...
Email Aug 27, 2018

I try to keep it as simple as possible. Backed by two hard copy files. Ongoing and Completed.

 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 14:05
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Spreadsheets and e-mail Aug 27, 2018

I have all detailed info, statistics, accounting, invoices, etc. in Excel spreadsheets. I do intend to compile all of it in a single executable software, as long as I make it. There is no way I'm paying for a software for simple controls that require only simple erithmetics. But it would be great to have it all in a single database+software, because I do enter the same data in different spreadsheets, and that's not necessary.

Ritu Bhanot
Joe Ly Sien
 
Niina Lahokoski
Niina Lahokoski  Identity Verified
Finland
Local time: 19:05
Member (2008)
English to Finnish
+ ...
Email + calendar + db Aug 27, 2018

For work in progress, I use Thunderbird and its calendar extension that allows me to create tasks from emails. I have the tasks listed in a side panel and as soon as I finish a task I tick it off. In the email program I also highlight the handoff emails so I can find them easily. At the end of each month I copy everything into my OpenOffice project database, where I also keep track of invoices and their payment status.

[Edited at 2018-08-27 20:03 GMT]


 
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Germany
Local time: 18:05
English to German
In memoriam
Google calendar Aug 27, 2018

I'm using the Google calendar. I enter a short project name and the word count (or another value that gives me an idea of the amount of work) into an entry at the date and hour of the deadline. That way, I have a rough idea of my workload for the whole week and I can see if I can take on more projects or not.

A particularly cool thing in the Google calendar is the ability to see two time zones at the same time. I am located at CET but several agencies are located at EST and give me
... See more
I'm using the Google calendar. I enter a short project name and the word count (or another value that gives me an idea of the amount of work) into an entry at the date and hour of the deadline. That way, I have a rough idea of my workload for the whole week and I can see if I can take on more projects or not.

A particularly cool thing in the Google calendar is the ability to see two time zones at the same time. I am located at CET but several agencies are located at EST and give me their deadlines in EST.
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Philippe Etienne
Philippe Etienne  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:05
Member
English to French
one in 25 Aug 28, 2018

using business management software? I thought such programs specifically designed for translators would be more widespread.

Back in 2005, switching from formula-loaded Excel lists to Translation Office 3000 made my life much simpler and my admin much more automated, reliable and organised, without redundant or duplicated info. But obviously there are many ways to handle one's admin.

Philippe


 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 18:05
French to English
bit of paper and spreadsheet Aug 28, 2018

I have a spreadsheet to keep track of everything,

company name - file number - file name - wordcount - deadline - payment status

and I keep a bit of paper to hand with the jobs to be completed, I make the list when I stop working at the end of the day, then the next day I don't have to scratch my head trying to remember what needed to be done. I also note things in my paper diary when I need an overview of the whole week. The paper list will also have items not relate
... See more
I have a spreadsheet to keep track of everything,

company name - file number - file name - wordcount - deadline - payment status

and I keep a bit of paper to hand with the jobs to be completed, I make the list when I stop working at the end of the day, then the next day I don't have to scratch my head trying to remember what needed to be done. I also note things in my paper diary when I need an overview of the whole week. The paper list will also have items not related to work.
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Poll: The main way I keep track of my work schedule is through:






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