DeskTime

Automatic time tracking software that monitors productivity by tracking applications and websites used. Famous for the 52/17 rule research showing top 10% of productive employees work for 52 minutes then break for 17 minutes.

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About this tool

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.

Surveys

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Information

Websitedesktime.com

PublishedMar 20, 2026

Tags

3 Items

#automatic #productivity-monitoring #analytics

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