Abstract: A tracking system and method automatically tracks time spent by end users in different applications on the end users' computers while performing tasks. The time keeping application is integrated with at least some of the applications on the end user computers. This integration allows the time keeping application to detect and track events, such as the opening and closing of files, that signify a change in the task being performed by the end users by receiving messages directly from the other applications being used by the end user. The time keeping software may automatically suggest a categorization for the task based on at least one criteria.