User interface for rapid entry of timesheet data

1. A computer-implemented method for entering a time entry in a timesheet with a calendar view, wherein the computer includes a processor, the method comprising:

providing, by the computer, a row view and a calendar view of a timesheet, wherein the row view displays a date and a duration associated with a time entry in a table, and wherein the calendar view displays the time entry as an adjustable region whose geometric properties indicate the date and the duration that correspond to the time entry;

receiving from a user the time entry, which includes time-related information that is limited to the date and the duration, in the row view of the timesheet;

switching from the row view to the calendar view;

displaying, by a display coupled to the computer, the time entry received from the user as an adjustable region at a default location in the calendar view of the timesheet;

providing a control to the user for specifying the start time or the end time associated with the time entry in the calendar view;

adjusting the geometric properties of the adjustable region in response to the user specifying the start time or the end time;

receiving from the user a request to superimpose a third adjustable region over the adjustable region between a first adjustable sub-region and a second adjustable sub-region;

allowing the user to superimpose the third adjustable region over the adjustable region, wherein the third adjustable region is associated with a different financial activity than that of the adjustable region;

creating a second time entry corresponding to the second adjustable sub-region; and

creating a third time entry corresponding to the third adjustable region.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable region for the time entry displays information associated with an estimated financial activity based on one or more previous financial activities.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more previous financial activities include a most recent financial activity.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more previous financial activities include a pattern of previous financial activities.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the estimated financial activity is determined using a supervised-learning technique.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a billing mechanism which uses one or more time entries in the calendar to generate a bill for a customer based on the one or more time entries.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more time entries are used to specify time spent providing a service to the customer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more time entries specify billable or non-billable time.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a payroll-processing mechanism which uses one or more time entries in the calendar to generate one or more paychecks.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more time entries specify time worked, paid time off, or unpaid time off

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein initial values of the start time and the end time associated with the time entry are determined by a timer application that was previously activated by the user.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the one or more geometric properties of the adjustable region comprises selecting a feature of the adjustable region and dragging the feature from a first position to a second position in the calendar view of the timesheet.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the feature includes an edge of the adjustable region or a position inside the adjustable region.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more geometric properties include a size of the adjustable region or a position of the adjustable region.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time entry is in a form which is suitable for use by financial software.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the financial software includes accounting software, payroll software or income-tax software.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time entry is initialized using an estimated time entry with an estimated start time and an estimated end time.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the row view further comprises a table including one or more pull-down menus, which facilitates the user to modify parameters for the time entry using the one or more pull-down menus.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein contents of the one or more pull-down menus are determined based on a user-selected context.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein modifications to the time entry are reflected in the one or more pull-down menus.

21. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from the user a request to replicate the time entry across multiple days in the calendar view;

allowing the user to select a feature of the adjustable region, and drag the feature from a first position to a second position in the calendar view, wherein the first position is associated with the date and the second position is associated with another date; and

creating a new time entry comprising the another date and the duration.

22. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from the user a request to separate the adjustable region into a first adjustable sub-region and a second adjustable sub-region;

allowing the user to place a splitter over the adjustable region;

creating a first time entry corresponding to the first adjustable sub-region;

and creating a second time entry corresponding to the second adjustable sub-region.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

receiving from the user a request to change a position of the splitter;

allowing the user to drag the splitter from a first position in the adjustable region to a second position in the adjustable region; and

changing the first or second time entries corresponding to the first and second adjustable sub-regions based on a change in position of the splitter.

24. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

defining a parameter for multiple time entries in the timesheet;

allowing the user to adjust, for a given time entry of the multiple time entries, a geometric property of a corresponding adjustable region in the calendar view; and

adjusting the parameter for the multiple time entries based on the adjusted geometric property.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein adjustable regions corresponding to the multiple time entries are initially stacked on top of each other in the calendar until an adjustment to a geometric property of the multiple time entries is received from the user.

26. The method of claim 2 , wherein the financial activity is associated with a customer, a project, a vendor, a service item, or an employee. sub-region and a second adjustable sub-region;

allowing the user to superimpose the third adjustable region over the adjustable region, wherein the third adjustable region is associated with a different financial activity than that of the adjustable region;

creating a second time entry corresponding to the second adjustable sub-region; and

creating a third time entry corresponding to the third adjustable region.

27. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein for configuring the computer system configured to enter a time entry in a timesheet with a calendar view, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for providing a row view and a calendar view of a timesheet, wherein the row view displays a date and a duration associated with a time entry in a table, and wherein the calendar view displays the time entry as an adjustable region whose geometric properties indicate the date and the duration that correspond to the time entry;

instructions for receiving from a user the time entry, which includes time-related information that is limited to the date and the duration, in the row view of the timesheet;

instructions for switching from the row view to the calendar view;

instructions for displaying the time entry received from the user as an adjustable region at a default location in the calendar view of the timesheet;

instructions for providing a control to the user for specifying the start time or the end time associated with the time entry in the calendar view;

instructions for adjusting the geometric properties of the adjustable region in response to the user specifying the start time or the end time;

instructions for receiving from the user a request to superimpose a third adjustable region over the adjustable region between a first adjustable sub-region and a second adjustable sub-region;

instructions for allowing the user to superimpose the third adjustable region over the adjustable region, wherein the third adjustable region is associated with a different financial activity than that of the adjustable region;

instructions for creating a second time entry corresponding to the second adjustable sub-region; and

instructions for creating a third time entry corresponding to the third adjustable region.

28. An apparatus for entering a time entry in a timesheet with a calendar view comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a viewing mechanism configured to provide a row view and a calendar view of a timesheet, wherein the row view displays a date and a duration associated with a time entry in a table, and wherein the calendar view displays the time entry as an adjustable region whose geometric properties indicate the date and the duration that correspond to the time entry;

a receiving mechanism configured to receive from a user the time entry, which includes time-related information that is limited to the date and the duration, in the row view of the timesheet;

a switching mechanism configured to switch from the row view to the calendar view;

a displaying mechanism configured to display the time entry received from the user as an adjustable region at a default location in the calendar view of the timesheet;

a controlling mechanism configured to provide a control to the user for specifying the start or the end time associated with the time entry in the calendar view;

an adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the geometric properties of the adjustable response to the user specifying the start time or the end time;

the receiving mechanism further configured to receive from the user a request to superimpose a third adjustable region over the adjustable region between a first adjustable sub-region and a second adjustable sub-region;

an allowing mechanism configured to allow the user to superimpose the third adjustable region over the adjustable region, wherein the third adjustable region is associated with a different financial activity than that of the adjustable region;

a creating mechanism configured to create a second time entry corresponding to the second adjustable sub-region; and

the creating mechanism further configured to create a third time entry corresponding to the third adjustable region.

29. A computer-implemented method for entering a time entry in a timesheet with a calendar view, wherein the computer includes a processor, the method comprising:

providing, by the computer, a row view and a calendar view of a timesheet, wherein the row view displays a date and a duration associated with a time entry in a table, and wherein the calendar view displays the time entry as an adjustable region whose geometric properties indicate the date and the duration that correspond to the time entry;

receiving from a user the time entry, which includes time-related information that is limited to the date and the duration, in the row view of the timesheet;

switching from the row view to the calendar view;

displaying, by a display coupled to the computer, the time entry received from the user as an adjustable region at a default location in the calendar view of the timesheet;

providing a control to the user for specifying the start time or the end time associated with the time entry in the calendar view;

adjusting the geometric properties of the adjustable region in response to the user specifying the start time or the end time;

receiving from the user a request to separate the adjustable region into a first adjustable sub-region and a second adjustable sub-region;

allowing the user to place a splitter over the adjustable region;

creating a first time entry corresponding to the first adjustable sub-region; and

creating a second time entry corresponding to the second adjustable sub-region.

30. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein for configuring the computer system configured to enter a time entry in a timesheet with a calendar view, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for providing a row view and a calendar view of a timesheet, wherein the row view displays a date and a duration associated with a time entry in a table, and wherein the calendar view displays the time entry as an adjustable region whose geometric properties indicate the date and the duration that correspond to the time entry;

instructions for receiving from a user the time entry, which includes time-related information that is limited to the date and the duration, in the row view of the timesheet;

instructions for switching from the row view to the calendar view;

instructions for displaying the time entry received from the user as an adjustable region at a default location in the calendar view of the timesheet;

instructions for providing a control to the user for specifying the start time or the end time associated with the time entry in the calendar view;

instructions for adjusting the geometric properties of the adjustable region in response to the user specifying the start time or the end time;

instructions for receiving from the user a request to separate the adjustable region into a first adjustable sub-region and a second adjustable sub-region;

instructions for allowing the user to place a splitter over the adjustable region;

instructions for creating a first time entry corresponding to the first adjustable sub-region; and

instructions for creating a second time entry corresponding to the second adjustable sub-region.

31. An apparatus for entering a time entry in a timesheet with a calendar view comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a viewing mechanism configured to provide a row view and a calendar view of a timesheet, wherein the row view displays a date and a duration associated with a time entry in a table, and wherein the calendar view displays the time entry as an adjustable region whose geometric properties indicate the date and the duration that correspond to the time entry;

a receiving mechanism configured to receive from a user the time entry, which includes time-related information that is limited to the date and the duration, in the row view of the timesheet;

a switching mechanism configured to switch from the row view to the calendar view;

a displaying mechanism configured to display the time entry received from the user as an adjustable region at a default location in the calendar view of the timesheet;

a controlling mechanism configured to provide a control to the user for specifying the start or the end time associated with the time entry in the calendar view;

an adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the geometric properties of the adjustable response to the user specifying the start time or the end time;

the receiving mechanism further configured to receive from the user a request to separate the adjustable region into a first adjustable sub-region and a second adjustable sub-region;

an allowing mechanism configured to allow the user to place a splitter over the adjustable region;

a creating mechanism configured to create a first time entry corresponding to the first adjustable sub-region; and

the creating mechanism further configured to create a second time entry corresponding to the second adjustable sub-region.