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Siri and Shortcuts

Control Timesheet with your voice using Siri and create powerful automations with the Shortcuts app. Start timers, check your hours, and build custom workflows without touching your phone.

Overview​

Timesheet integrates with iOS through App Intents, providing:

Siri Voice Commands:

  • Start and stop timers by voice
  • Query your tracked hours
  • Pause and resume for breaks
  • Switch projects quickly

Shortcuts App Integration:

  • Build custom automations
  • Create multi-step workflows
  • Trigger actions based on conditions
  • Integrate with other apps

Available Siri Commands​

Start Timer​

Start tracking time on a project.

Example phrases:

  • "Start working with Timesheet"
  • "Start timer for [Project Name] with Timesheet"
  • "Begin tracking [Project Name] with Timesheet"
  • "Track time for [Project Name] in Timesheet"

What happens:

  • Timer starts on the specified project
  • If no project specified, uses last used project
  • Siri confirms the action

Stop Timer​

End the current timer and save the entry.

Example phrases:

  • "Stop timer with Timesheet"
  • "Stop working with Timesheet"
  • "Finish tracking with Timesheet"
  • "End time tracking in Timesheet"

What happens:

  • Running timer stops
  • Time entry is saved
  • Siri confirms with duration

Pause Timer (Take a Break)​

Pause the timer for a break.

Example phrases:

  • "Pause timer with Timesheet"
  • "Take a break with Timesheet"
  • "Pause time tracking in Timesheet"
  • "Pause working with Timesheet"

What happens:

  • Timer pauses
  • Break tracking begins
  • Siri confirms the pause

Resume Timer​

Continue tracking after a break.

Example phrases:

  • "Resume timer with Timesheet"
  • "Continue tracking with Timesheet"
  • "Resume time tracking in Timesheet"
  • "Resume working with Timesheet"

What happens:

  • Break ends
  • Timer continues
  • Siri confirms resumption

Switch Project​

Stop current timer and start on a different project.

Example phrases:

  • "Switch project in Timesheet"
  • "Switch to [Project Name] with Timesheet"
  • "Change project to [Project Name] with Timesheet"
  • "Work on [Project Name] instead in Timesheet"

What happens:

  • Current timer stops (if running)
  • New timer starts on specified project
  • Siri confirms the switch

Query Project Time​

Check how much time you've spent on a project.

Example phrases:

  • "How much time on [Project Name] with Timesheet"
  • "Time spent on [Project Name] with Timesheet"
  • "Show hours for [Project Name] in Timesheet"
  • "Project time for [Project Name] with Timesheet"

What happens:

  • Siri reports total time for the period
  • Includes task count
  • Works for various time periods
Natural Language

Siri understands variations in phrasing. If a command doesn't work, try rephrasing naturally or include "Timesheet" in your phrase.

Pro-Only Siri Commands​

These commands require a Pro subscription.

Work Summary​

Get a spoken summary of your hours.

Example phrases:

  • "How much did I work today with Timesheet"
  • "Work summary for this week with Timesheet"
  • "Show my hours today with Timesheet"
  • "What's my work summary in Timesheet"

What happens:

  • Siri reports hours worked for the period
  • Includes task count and earnings (if enabled)
  • Supports today, this week, this month

Log Past Task​

Quickly log a past time entry.

Example phrases:

  • "Log time in Timesheet"
  • "Log time for [Project Name] with Timesheet"
  • "Add past work for [Project Name] with Timesheet"
  • "Quick log for [Project Name] in Timesheet"

What happens:

  • Creates a time entry for past work
  • Prompts for duration
  • Saves to specified project

Log Mileage​

Track travel distance.

Example phrases:

  • "Log mileage to Timesheet"
  • "Log mileage for [Project Name] with Timesheet"
  • "Track trip for [Project Name] with Timesheet"
  • "Add mileage to Timesheet"

What happens:

  • Creates a mileage expense entry
  • Prompts for distance
  • Assigns to project

Focus Mode Integration​

Automatically start or stop time tracking when a Focus Mode activates.

  • Works with iOS Focus Filters
  • Start tracking when entering Work focus
  • Stop tracking when leaving Work focus
  • Configure the action (start/stop) and project

Shortcuts App Integration​

Create custom automations using the Shortcuts app.

Available Actions​

ActionDescriptionSubscription
Start TimerBegin tracking on a projectFree
Stop TimerEnd the current timerFree
Pause TimerTake a breakFree
Resume TimerEnd break and continueFree
Switch ProjectStop and start on new projectFree
Project TimeQuery hours for a projectFree
Log Past TaskAdd a past time entryPro
Work SummaryGet hours summaryPro
Log MileageTrack travel distancePro
Focus ModeStart/stop timer with Focus ModePro

Creating a Shortcut​

  1. Open the Shortcuts app
  2. Tap + to create new shortcut
  3. Tap Add Action
  4. Search for "Timesheet"
  5. Select an action
  6. Configure the action parameters
  7. Add more actions if needed
  8. Name your shortcut
  9. Tap Done

Example Shortcuts​

Morning Start Routine​

A shortcut that starts your workday:

  1. Play Music - Start your work playlist
  2. Start Timer (Timesheet) - Begin tracking on default project
  3. Show Notification - "Time tracking started!"

End of Day​

A shortcut that wraps up your workday:

  1. Stop Timer (Timesheet) - End tracking
  2. Work Summary (Timesheet) - Get today's summary (Pro)
  3. Show Result - Display hours worked

Project Switch​

Quick switch between projects:

  1. Choose from Menu - Select project name
  2. Switch Project (Timesheet) - Change to selected project

Automation Triggers​

Combine Timesheet actions with automation triggers:

TriggerExample Use
Time of DayStart timer at 9 AM automatically
Location ArrivalStart when arriving at office
Location DepartureStop when leaving office
CarPlay ConnectPause timer when driving
Focus ModeStart timer when Work focus activates
NFC TagTap tag at desk to start
App OpenStart timer when opening work apps

Creating an Automation​

  1. Open Shortcuts app
  2. Tap Automation tab
  3. Tap + to create automation
  4. Choose a trigger (time, location, etc.)
  5. Add Timesheet actions
  6. Configure "Run Immediately" or "Ask Before Running"
  7. Tap Done
Location Automations

For location-based automations in Shortcuts, you'll need to confirm each time unless you enable "Run Immediately." For automatic location tracking, use Timesheet's built-in Automation feature instead.

Siri Suggestions​

iOS learns your habits and may suggest Timesheet actions:

Where Suggestions Appear:

  • Lock Screen at your usual start time
  • Spotlight search
  • Siri Suggestions widget
  • Shortcuts app suggestions

Improving Suggestions:

  • Use Timesheet consistently
  • Start/stop at similar times
  • Use Siri commands regularly
  • iOS learns your patterns

Best Practices​

Voice Command Tips​

  1. Include "Timesheet" - Helps Siri route to the correct app
  2. Speak clearly - Siri works best with clear speech
  3. Use project names - Include exact project names for clarity
  4. Confirm actions - Listen for Siri's confirmation

Shortcut Design Tips​

  1. Start simple - Begin with single-action shortcuts
  2. Test thoroughly - Run shortcuts manually first
  3. Add confirmations - Show notifications for important actions
  4. Handle errors - Add "If" actions for edge cases

Automation Best Practices​

  1. Start with "Ask Before Running" - Test before making automatic
  2. Use specific locations - Precise coordinates work better
  3. Combine triggers wisely - Don't create conflicting automations
  4. Review regularly - Disable automations you don't use

Troubleshooting​

Siri Not Recognizing Commands​

  1. Ensure Siri is enabled in iOS Settings
  2. Go to Settings → Siri & Search → Timesheet and enable
  3. Try "Hey Siri, open Timesheet" first
  4. Update to latest Timesheet version
  5. Include "Timesheet" or "with Timesheet" in your phrase

Shortcuts Actions Missing​

  1. Open Timesheet app to register actions
  2. Force close and reopen Shortcuts app
  3. Restart your device
  4. Check for Timesheet updates

Automations Not Running​

  1. Check that automation is enabled
  2. Verify trigger conditions are correct
  3. Ensure "Run Immediately" is enabled (if desired)
  4. Check iOS permissions for location/time triggers

Project Names Not Recognized​

  1. Use exact project names as they appear in the app
  2. Avoid special characters in project names
  3. Try selecting from the list instead of speaking
  4. Ensure projects are not archived
Keep Updated

New Timesheet versions may add additional Siri and Shortcuts capabilities. Keep the app updated for the best integration experience.