Overview
DeskTime is an automatic time tracking software that monitors productivity by tracking applications and websites used during work hours. The company is famous for research discovering the 52/17 rule - that top 10% of productive employees work for 52 minutes then break for 17 minutes.
Features
- Automatic Tracking: Tracks apps and URLs without manual timers
- Productivity Calculation: Categorizes activities as productive, unproductive, or neutral
- Screenshots: Optional screenshot monitoring (configurable frequency)
- Project Time Tracking: Assign time to specific projects
- Shift Scheduling: Create and manage employee schedules
- Absence Calendar: Track vacations and time off
- Invoicing: Generate invoices from tracked time
- Custom Reports: Detailed productivity and time reports
- Mobile Apps: iOS and Android for mobile tracking
- Offline Tracking: Continue tracking without internet
The 52/17 Rule
DeskTime research in 2014 found:
- Top 10% most productive employees work for 52 minutes
- Then take 17-minute breaks
- This 75/33 work-rest ratio (updated research) is optimal
- Regular breaks prevent burnout and maintain focus
Productivity Categories
- Productive: Work-related apps (development tools, design software, email)
- Unproductive: Time-wasting sites (social media, entertainment)
- Neutral: Could be either (browsers, Slack)
- Custom Rules: Define your own productivity categories
Privacy Options
- Private Time: Users can mark periods as private
- URL Masking: Hide specific websites from reports
- Screenshot Controls: Employees can disable during private work
- Transparent Tracking: Employees see what's being tracked
Benefits
- Understand actual time allocation
- Identify productivity patterns and distractions
- Improve time estimates with historical data
- Reduce time theft and non-work activities
- Data-driven insights for productivity improvement
Use Cases
- Remote team productivity monitoring
- Freelancers tracking billable hours
- Agencies monitoring project time
- Companies measuring productivity trends
Integrations
- Jira for project tracking
- Google Calendar
- Asana and other project management tools
- Zapier for custom integrations
Pricing
DeskTime offers:
- Lite (Free): 1 user, basic tracking
- Pro: $7 per user/month, full features
- Premium: $10 per user/month, includes screenshots
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Free trial available on paid plans.
