We redesigned TimoDesk so every page of the dashboard works the same way and answers a question faster. The new design groups the sidebar by what you are trying to do, runs the whole dashboard on one date range, and gives the main tables the same sorting, filters, column settings and exports. Here is why, and what changes for you.
If you want the list of what is new instead, start with the new TimoDesk announcement. This post is about the thinking behind it.
Why did we redesign TimoDesk?
Think about the last time you opened a report to answer a quick question. You picked a date range, scanned a table, wanted it sorted by a different column, and then looked for the export button because it sat somewhere else on the last page you used.
None of that is a big problem. But small frictions add up when you repeat them every day, on every page, for every person on your team.
A time tracking dashboard grows one page at a time. A report is added here, a settings screen there, and each one makes sense when it ships. After a while the pages stop feeling like one product. We did not want to paint over that, so we set four goals and checked every screen against them:
- Find things without thinking. Navigation should be grouped by what you are trying to do, not by when a page was built.
- One page, one answer. The dashboard should answer "how are we doing?" without sending you to three other reports.
- Learn it once. Sorting, filtering, choosing columns and exporting should work the same way from table to table.
- Show people only what is theirs. An organizer, a team manager and a staff member have different jobs, so they should see different parts of the product.
How is the new TimoDesk sidebar organized?
The sidebar is where the first goal shows most. The pages you open most sit at the top: Dashboard, Projects, Members, Teams, Manual Time and Clients, depending on your role. Everything else is in named groups.
| Group | The question it answers | Pages inside |
|---|---|---|
| Activity | What happened on screen? | Screenshots, App Usage, Websites & URLs |
| Analytics | Where did the time go? | Member Timing, Time & Activity, Project Timing, Weekly Worklog, Time Calendar, Monthly Timesheet |
| Performance | Who is doing well, and who needs support? | Top Performers, Low Performers, Productivity Leaders |
| Billing | What do we owe and what did we pay? | Invoices, Deposits, Transactions |
| Support | How do I get help? | Support Requests |
| Settings | How is the account set up? | Account, plus Storage for organizers |
Two smaller decisions came from the same goal. Members and Manual Time show a count next to their link when something is waiting for you, so you do not have to open the page to check. And the sidebar collapses to give wide tables more room, then stays the way you left it the next time you open the dashboard in that browser.
How does the new dashboard work?
Our rule for the team dashboard was simple: you should not have to set the same dates twice.
So the whole page follows one date range. You pick a period at the top, and the key figures and the cards below use it. The greeting and the range stick to the top of the page as you scroll, so the picker stays within reach.
The page also runs from summary to detail. Key figures come first, then Team Day and Live Now, then Time Allocation (where the hours went), then the Performance Map and the Action Center, which lists what needs you, worst first. Organizers and Business Managers also see a Billing card with the next bill.
Staff members get a dashboard about their own time with the same look: My Day in place of Team Day, plus Time Allocation, an Activity Heatmap, My Tasks and Recent Screenshots. A staff member who later becomes a team manager does not have to learn a new page, only a wider view of a familiar one.
New users are walked through the dashboard the first time they see it. The steps are in getting started with the guided tour.
How do tables sort, filter and export now?
Most of the work in a time tracking tool happens in tables: members, projects, teams, requests and reports. This is where "learn it once" mattered most.
Sorting
Click a column heading to sort by it, and click again to reverse the order. It works this way on Members, Projects, Teams, Manual Time, Invoices, Deposits, Transactions and other list pages, so you do not have to wonder whether a table can be sorted.
Filters
On the Members and Projects pages, a Filter button opens the options for that table. Projects, for example, can be narrowed by team, member, project leader, task progress and last activity.
Each filter you apply shows as a chip above the table, so you can always see why the list is shorter than usual. Clear all in the filter panel takes you back to the full list.
Column settings
Not everyone needs every column. The Manage Columns button on the Members, Projects, Teams and Manual Time tables lets you switch columns on and off, shows how many are visible, and has a Reset to default link.
Your choice is saved to your own account. It does not change what your colleagues see.
Exports
Reports share one Export Options window. Choose PDF when you want something ready to print, or CSV when you want to open it in Excel or another spreadsheet.
The rule we held to: the file follows the dates and filters you have set, so what you see on the page is what you get in the file. You can read more about timesheets and exports, and about the reports managers check every week.
What changed in buttons, forms and confirmations?
We also wanted small interactions to stop surprising people.
Buttons now come from one set. The main action on a page looks the same everywhere, and secondary actions look secondary. Forms open in the same kind of window, with a title and one line that says what the form is for.
Confirmations tell you what will happen before you agree. Deleting a team does not just ask "Are you sure?". It says that members and managers are taken off the team and that their tracked time is kept. Approving a manual time request says the time is added to the member's timesheet as asked.
Empty pages got the same care. A page with nothing on it yet explains why and offers the next step. An empty Teams page tells you what teams are for and gives you a button to create your first one.
Our test for every screen was the same: could someone who learned one page of TimoDesk guess how the next one works?
What does the redesign mean for each role?
TimoDesk has four roles: Organizer, Business Manager, Team Manager and Staff. The sidebar and dashboard follow the role, as the roles and permissions guide explains in full.
Organizers
You see the full sidebar, including Clients, Billing, Support and Storage. The dashboard opens on the whole organization, with the Billing card next to your team's activity.
Day to day, the biggest change is that you can hand off more. Teams have their own managers and projects have their own leaders, and each of them gets a view sized to that job. Read more in team managers and project leaders access.
Business Managers and Team Managers
Business Managers see nearly everything an organizer sees, including Clients, Billing and Support, but not Storage. Team Managers see Members, Teams, Top Performers and Low Performers, and reports such as Member Timing and Monthly Timesheet for the teams they manage. Clients, Billing and Support are left out of their sidebar because they are not part of the job.
Your morning check is now one page: set the range, read the key figures, look at Team Day and Live Now, and work through the Action Center.
Staff members
Staff see a shorter sidebar: Dashboard, Projects, the Activity pages, and the Analytics pages for their own time (Time & Activity, Project Timing, Weekly Worklog and Time Calendar). Manual Time appears when your organization has turned it on for you.
The dashboard is about you, not the team. It shows your hours, your day, the tasks your time went to and your recent screenshots.
What stays the same after the redesign?
The redesign is about the dashboard in your browser. The desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux still do the tracking: time on projects and tasks, activity levels, screenshots, and app and website usage. Your tracked time and reports carry over as they were. They are just easier to find, and they share the same controls for dates, filters and exports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did TimoDesk change its design?
We wanted pages that are easier to find, a dashboard that answers common questions on one page, and tables and forms that behave the same way everywhere. Each role also sees a view sized to its job.
Where did my reports go in the redesigned TimoDesk?
Reports are in the sidebar under three groups: Activity, Analytics and Performance. Which ones you see depends on your role. Staff, for example, see the Activity and Analytics pages for their own time.
Can I hide table columns I do not use?
Yes. Use Manage Columns on the Members, Projects, Teams and Manual Time tables. Your choice is saved to your account only, so colleagues are not affected, and Reset to default brings every column back.
Do exports include my filters?
Yes. Reports share one Export Options window, and the PDF or CSV file follows the dates and filters you have set on the page. What you see on screen is what you get in the file.
Will staff members see the same dashboard as managers?
Staff get a dashboard with the same look, filled with their own time only, such as My Day, My Tasks and Recent Screenshots. Team cards such as Live Now, Performance Map and Action Center are for people who manage others.
Can I collapse the sidebar?
Yes. Use the toggle at the top of the sidebar. It stays collapsed or expanded the way you left it the next time you open the dashboard in that browser.
The redesigned TimoDesk in short
We redesigned TimoDesk around four goals: clear navigation, a dashboard that answers one question on one page, tables that behave the same way, and a view that fits each role. The result is less clicking around and fewer things to relearn.
See how it feels with your own team. TimoDesk is $1 per user per month with every feature included. Start your 15-day free trial, no card needed.
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