Is there a way to log time without an issue?

Question

We currently have an offshore team who is required to track all of their time within Jira.  In order to be able to log all of their time worked, they will create a "Task" or "Story" issue in order log time for basic activities such as meetings, planning, and other non-development work.  I would like to keep our product and sprint backlog free of these types of non-product or development related "stories" but am not sure how else they will be able to track all of their hours. Any suggestions?

Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Answer

Most places I've worked have holiday, sickness, meetings and "other reason I'm not developing" issues in projects separate from the actual work trackers.  Adaptavist have holidays and sickness separate, but the range of "development" work generally means we consider some meetings to be part of it, and we have projects for things outside project work (squad time, summit prep/attendance, travel, etc)

Some places skip the meetings/not-work type stuff and work on the 5/8ths principal and ignore most of it - given an 8 hour day, no developer will ever be coding for more than 5 hours on issues, so don't bother to ask them to log time for the other 3 - they're for meetings, coffee, comfort etc.

Max Foerster - K15t · Answer

Hi Sara,

you have to log time against an issue. There are many ways of solving your question. One of the could be a project per employee with a specific (fixed) set of issues to log time against (internal, vacation, training, travel, whatever). Or have just one general project with some issues everyone can log time against. All depending on your privacy restrictions and such. If you want to keep your Jira "free" of such issues in separate non-dev projects, you will have to use a different tool I guess.

Best, Max