iTookOff Paid Leave Tracker

A user sent me this fantastic example with the following email:

Great app! This is the way I used to keep track of vacation time before iTookOff app came along. :

A user wrote in showing the timesheet that iTookOff replaced.

Due to some unforeseen issues with iOS4 1.6 has been pushed back a bit. There may be a small service release coming soon and then several other small updates while the codebase is updated. Thanks again for your patience everyone!

It’s not done yet, as it’s another rather large update. However, I have started gathering together an almost final list of changes that will be in 1.6. For the most part, 1.6 won’t be released until all of this is in and tested.

• 3 new leave categories with the option to enable or disable them. disabling removes them from the front page.
• updated settings screen which is easier to navigate.
• better instructional information for each setting.
• show adjustable summation of time as a badge on the application icon (red number on the icon).
• prediction screen that shows current actual usage of time versus predicted usage at a specified date.
• countdown to accrual in notification area.
• use-it-or-lose-it notification when you are 60 days away from your anniversary.
• adjustable weekends so the calendar will skip over them when entering blocks of time.
• a handful of public American holidays that you can turn on and off. More to come in maintenance releases.

There is a ton of code behind the scenes that I am also wrapping up into this update. I am getting ready to localize it internationally for 1.7 so the groundwork for that is being written. This is not an exhaustive list, I’m sure there’s more than a handful of features I’ve added that escape me right now. Sorry for the delays.

Anyone have any ideas for iTookOff using the newly announced features in iPhone OS 4? I, for one, am really looking forward to having access to the calendar and the local notifications.

What I am currently envisioning is iTookOff chiming up the morning of accrual to tell you to open the app. Also, backing up your data to your iPhone calendar and maybe re-importing days if you lose them?

Any other ideas?

My apologies, 1.5.2 broke something in the settings screen.Basically when inputting time in days the time was being construed as raw hours. This should be fixed in 1.5.3, sorry for the version churn.

If you haven’t done so, please avoid changing settings if you use “days” until 1.5.3 comes out. You may lose your allotted time banks. A fix has been pushed to apple. Sorry again!

iTookOff 1.5.2 has been removed from sale in the app store.

A bug was located in 1.5.1 where if you setup yearly accrual in the same year that it is supposed to accrue, it may not work. A patch has been uploaded to Apple for review and should be approved this week. There is also a bug where the app will crash when you try to edit the name of the  fourth leave category.

Thanks Malcolm and Luke!

For those affected by the year accrual bug who would like to trigger accrual after updating to 1.5.2, set the anniversary date to tomorrow’s date, close the app and re-open it tomorrow. Accrual should trigger then. You will be able to set the anniversary date back after successful accrual.

It is April 1st, 2010. Today you will not be able to believe anything you read on the internet. Instead of a trick, here are eight free download codes for iTookOff 1.5.1.

If you use one, leave a comment which one worked for you.

1. HT9LKLMYNANY
2. Y9RK4NLWLPPF
3. NHF6MP6HWAAM
4. 6KNRKP6MEWK3
5. JK7EKL3YEHWW
6. NL6T697KYPW9
7. TXYKLPH6J7HL
8. 7WEAYATJ3PLX

This blog doesn’t receive much traffic so there’s a good chance one of these will work. I’ll remove them when they expire.

Version 1.5.1 has been uploaded to Apple for review. You should be receiving your update next week sometime. This is a maintenance release to fix some bugs from the 1.5 update. Backup your data before updating!

• Text on archive page now says “earlier than” not “later than” to eliminate confusion.
• Rounding bug on settings page when toggling enter type back and forth
• Heading now gets updated on the table when time is added.
• News page URL moved to new www.itookoff.com address.

I’ve been busy working on 1.6 in a different branch. It’s coming along nicely and there should be screenshots next week.

UPDATE 3/30/2010: update approved

As iTookOff builds in popularity, I get a lot of emails from customers with a ton of great suggestions and excellent feedback. Apart from the great reviews it gets in the app store, I also get a lot of compliments and thanks that I’d like to share:

“Love your app.” -CG

“Great job on a useful app.” -CKE

“Just downloaded the update.  I’m very impressed!  The new look and features are great!  Thanks so much!” -LG

“This is a really nice app. I truly find it to be very helpful. Thanks.” -VA

“Love the new version.” -JW

“Just to say congratulations for an excellent release. You have created one of the best apps for its content and quality.” -JT

“I like the new home page changes. … Keep up the good work, thanks!” -AGW

“Just what I needed.” -SC

“I have been using the previous version which was good, now your latest version with the calendar is even better, a great app that is focused and functional – well done.” -GG

“I’ve been using  iTookOff and I rather like it” -DH

“Nice new interface. Thank you” -NF

“A lot of my friends at work are downloading this program after I told them about it” -RS

“I LOVE the new calendar interface.” -GC

“Amazing update, I’m well glad I bought the app! Great work” -HR

“This is a great app” -JT

“Thanks for building this app!” -GG

“Wonderful program with tons of potential. Keep up the good work.” -DM

“I love this application…” -TS

My thanks to everyone who uses and enjoys iTookOff. Emails like these make the development worth it. It’s grown from a very simple tabulation tool to a high quality and useful application which continues to grow. Thank you!

With regards to this article on wired: Developers, Websites Respond to iPhone App Payola Story

I have submitted iTookOff for consideration from some of the blogs mentioned and I was never propositioned for money. I was never reviewed by them either. My personal stance on the paid app review policy is that I just don’t believe in paying for a review. If it works for others that’s cool, it’s just not my preference. I’m sensitive to both sides of the argument so I can’t take sides either way. I do, however, feel that if an app review is paid for, it should be mentioned in the review.

I appreciate all those who have given iTookOff reviews both favorable and unfavorable. The more feedback the better.