FreshBooks Time Tracking Skill

Manage FreshBooks time entries using the fb CLI tool.

Prerequisites

Always run this preflight before any time logging or entry mutation:

command -v fb >/dev/null 2>&1
fb auth status --format json
fb cache status --format json

If fb is missing:

• Stop and tell the user to install the FreshBooks CLI binary first.
• Do not continue with auth or logging commands until fb is available.

If both fb and ./fb are available:

• Prefer ./fb when working inside this repository to preserve project-local behavior.
• Otherwise use fb.

Deterministic Auth State Machine (Minimize Back-and-Forth)

Use fb auth status --format json and branch exactly once per blocker:

1. If config_exists is false:

   • Ask once for both values in one message: client_id and client_secret
   • Run:
     • fb auth setup --client-id ID --client-secret SECRET --format json
     • fb auth url --format json
   • Provide auth URL and request one value only: full redirect URL (https://localhost/?code=...)

2. If config_exists is true and tokens_exist is false:

   • Run: fb auth url --format json
   • Ask only for full redirect URL

3. After redirect URL is provided:

   • Run: fb auth callback "REDIRECT_URL" --format json
   • If response contains "business_selected": false:
     • Ask only for business ID, then run fb business --select ID --format json

4. If tokens_exist is true but business_id is null:

   • Run: fb business --format json
   • Ask only for business ID, then run fb business --select ID --format json

5. After auth completion:

   • Re-run: fb auth status --format json
   • Proceed only when config_exists=true, tokens_exist=true, and business_id is set.

Question Minimization Rules

• Ask at most one targeted question per true blocker.
• Never ask permission questions (e.g. "should I proceed?").
• Never ask for values that can be derived from API data.
• Batch credential asks together when setup is missing (client_id + client_secret).
• For OAuth completion, ask only for the full callback URL.
• For business selection, ask only for the business ID.
• If a command fails, show the concrete error and ask only for the single missing input needed to continue.

Client/Project/Service Resolution Rules

• Before logging, resolve resources in this order:
  1. fb clients --format json
  2. fb projects --client "Name" --format json
• Services are project-scoped. Always resolve service from the selected project's services array.
• Never depend on fb services alone for logging decisions.
• If multiple clients exist and user did not specify one, ask once for client name.
• If project is ambiguous, ask once for project name.
• If service cannot be inferred from user intent, ask once for service name.

Dynamic Context

Current auth and cache state:

!fb auth status 2>&1

!fb cache status --format json 2>&1

Agent Rules

When executing fb commands:

• Always use --format json for parseable output
• Always use --yes to skip confirmation prompts on mutations
• Always pass explicit flags (--client, --duration, --note, --id) — never rely on interactive prompts
• Always use --id for edit and delete commands
• Parse JSON output to extract entry IDs, totals, and status
• After each mutation (log, edit, delete), run one verification read (fb entries ... --format json or fb status --format json) and report the result.

Important: Services are project-scoped and MUST always be specified when logging time. fb services may return empty — services are embedded in project data. Use --service "Name" with the service name from the project (visible in fb projects --format json under the services array). Common service names: Development, Research, General, Meetings. Infer the service from context clues in the user's request (e.g. "development work" → "Development", "a meeting" → "Meetings"). If the service cannot be inferred, ask the user before logging.

Command Reference

Check Status

fb status --format json              # Hours summary (today/week/month)
fb entries --format json             # Current month entries
fb entries --from YYYY-MM-DD --to YYYY-MM-DD --format json  # Date range

Log Time

fb log --client "Client Name" --project "Project" --service "Service" --duration HOURS --note "Description" --yes --format json
# --project is required when multiple projects are possible and should be supplied for deterministic automation.
# --date is optional; --client, --duration, --note, and --service are required.
# IMPORTANT: Always include --service. Infer the service from context (e.g. "development work" → "Development",
# "meeting" → "Meetings", "research" → "Research"). If unsure, ask the user. Never omit --service.

Edit Entry

fb edit --id ENTRY_ID --duration HOURS --yes --format json
fb edit --id ENTRY_ID --note "New note" --yes --format json
fb edit --id ENTRY_ID --service "Meetings" --yes --format json
# Edit preserves all existing fields — only specified flags are changed

Delete Entry

fb delete --id ENTRY_ID --yes --format json

List Resources

fb clients --format json
fb projects --format json                   # Includes project-scoped services in response
fb projects --client "Name" --format json   # Filter by client; services array shows available services
fb business --format json

Cache Management

fb cache status --format json   # Check cache freshness
fb cache refresh                # Force refresh

Workflows

Log multiple entries for one date (batch mode)

1. Ensure auth is valid via the auth state machine above.
2. Resolve client/project/services once:
   • fb clients --format json
   • fb projects --client "Name" --format json
3. Execute all fb log commands in sequence (same date) with explicit flags:
   • --client, --project, --service, --date, --duration, --note, --yes, --format json
4. Verify in one command:
   • fb entries --from YYYY-MM-DD --to YYYY-MM-DD --format json
5. Return:
   • created entry IDs
   • per-entry duration and note
   • total hours for the date

Recovery flow for common failures

• No config found:
  • Run auth state machine step 1.
• Could not find 'code' parameter:
  • Ask user to paste full redirect URL including query string.
• Multiple clients found. Use --client:
  • Ask once for client name, then continue.
• Multiple projects found. Use --project:
  • Ask once for project name, then continue.
• Service not found:
  • Refresh project list for selected client and pick service from that project.
• Missing required flags in non-interactive mode:
  • Re-run command with explicit required flags; do not switch to interactive prompts.

Response Contract

When reporting results to the user:

• Include what command(s) were run.
• Include key IDs and totals (entry ID, duration, date range, total hours).
• If verification fails, state exactly what failed and the next corrective action.
• Keep output concise and machine-checkable when possible (prefer JSON-derived facts, not guesses).

Log hours for today

1. fb clients --format json — get available clients
2. fb projects --client "Name" --format json — get projects and their services
3. fb log --client "Name" --project "Project" --service "Service" --duration 2.5 --note "Work description" --yes --format json

Check how many hours logged today

fb status --format json

Parse today.total_hours from the response.

Edit the most recent entry

1. fb entries --from TODAY --to TODAY --format json — get today's entries
2. Find the entry to edit, get its id
3. fb edit --id ID --duration 3 --yes --format json

Full auth setup (new user)

1. fb auth setup --client-id ID --client-secret SECRET --format json
2. fb auth url --format json — show URL to user
3. User authorizes and provides full redirect URL (https://localhost/?code=...)
4. fb auth callback "REDIRECT_URL" --format json
5. If response shows business_selected: false: fb business --format json then fb business --select ID --format json