Frequently asked questions

How time tracking works

How does TimoDesk track time?

Each person runs the TimoDesk desktop app, picks a project and a task, and starts the timer. While the timer runs, the app records time, activity, apps and websites. It sends this data to the dashboard in parts of up to 10 minutes, so reports update during the day.

Does TimoDesk track anything when the timer is off?

No. The app records time, activity, apps, websites and screenshots only while a member's timer is running on a task. See What's tracked and what isn't.

Can people track time on any project?

No. Members can track time only on projects they're assigned to, against a task on that project. Organizers, Business Managers and Team Managers assign people to projects.

What happens when someone goes idle?

When there's no keyboard or mouse input for the idle timeout (5 minutes, or 3 to 60 minutes if your organization sets it), the app stops counting and asks about the idle time. Idle time is never added to tracked time. See Idle detection.

Does TimoDesk work offline?

Yes. The desktop app keeps tracking without a connection, saves the time on the computer and sends it when it's back online. Time that started more than 30 days ago isn't accepted, so connect within 30 days. See Working offline.

Activity tracking and privacy

What counts as activity?

Activity is the share of tracked seconds with keyboard or mouse input. For example, if 10 tracked minutes have input in 360 of their 600 seconds, activity is 60%. See How activity is measured.

Does TimoDesk record keystrokes?

No. The app counts the seconds with keyboard or mouse input. It never records which keys someone pressed or what they typed.

Does TimoDesk track apps and websites?

Yes, while the timer runs. It records the apps in use and for how long, plus each website with the page address (URL), page title and browser. On Linux, website tracking needs the free TimoDesk URL Tracker browser extension. See App usage.

Does TimoDesk track location?

No. TimoDesk has no GPS or location tracking, and it has no mobile app.

Can members see what's recorded about them?

Yes. Every member can see their own time, activity, apps, websites and screenshots in the dashboard. The app also tells them when an admin turns their tracking or screenshots on or off.

Screenshots

Can we change screenshot settings for each member?

Yes. Screenshots start on for every new member. Organizers and Business Managers set the screenshot interval, the screenshot alert and each member's Screenshots switch, for one member on the Members page or for several members at once on the tracking policy page.

How often are screenshots taken?

Every 3 minutes, unless your organization changes it. Organizers and Business Managers can set an interval from 3 minutes to 1 hour for the whole organization or for one member, on the tracking policy page.

Do members know when a screenshot is taken?

They can. When the screenshot alert is on, the app notifies the member right after each capture. Members can also always see their own screenshots on the Screenshots page.

Can screenshots be blurred?

No. TimoDesk doesn't blur screenshots. Who can open them depends on their role, as the next answer shows.

Who can see screenshots?

Organizers and Business Managers see everyone's. Team Managers see their teams' screenshots, project leaders see the ones on projects they lead, and everyone sees their own. See Roles and permissions.

Editing time and manual time

Can tracked time be edited?

No. Nobody can edit or delete time the desktop app recorded, including Organizers. The record stays the way the app tracked it.

Can members add time they worked with the timer off?

Yes, if an Organizer turns on manual time under Account > Manual Time. Members send a request from Manual Time in the dashboard. A reviewer approves or rejects it, unless requests are set to be approved automatically. Organizers and Business Managers can also switch manual time off for single members on the tracking policy page.

Who approves manual time?

By default, Organizers and Business Managers. The Organizer can limit it to Organizers only, or add Team Managers, who then review only their own teams. Nobody reviews their own time, but an Organizer's own time is approved right away.

Is manual time marked in reports?

The Screenshots page marks it with its own blocks, and the dashboard's day timeline shows it in its own color. Every report adds approved manual time to the member's hours. Activity averages leave it out, except on the dashboard, which still counts it as no activity. See how manual time shows in reports.

Can approved manual time be changed later?

Yes. A reviewer can change or remove approved manual time, and removed entries stay in the manual time history. Members can cancel their own requests while they're pending.

Roles and access

What roles does TimoDesk have?

Four: Organizer, Business Manager, Team Manager and Staff. You can also make Staff members project leaders on specific projects. See Roles and permissions.

Who can see a member's time and activity?

Organizers and Business Managers see everyone, and Team Managers see the teams they manage. Staff see only their own work, except on projects they lead.

Can Team Managers add or approve members?

No. Only Organizers and Business Managers can invite, add, approve, edit or disable members.

Clients and partners

Can our clients follow the work on their projects?

Yes. Organizers and Business Managers can invite clients to the read-only client portal at client.timodesk.com. Each client sees only the projects you assign and the screens you turn on, and screenshots, app usage and websites start off. See Clients.

Can clients change anything or see comments?

No. The client portal is read-only. Clients never see task comments, who is online now or who didn't track time, and websites show by site name only. See what clients can't do.

Does TimoDesk have a partner (affiliate) program?

Yes. The TimoDesk Partner program is a separate account at partner.timodesk.com, and anyone can apply. Partners share campaign links and coupon codes. They earn a fixed commission, set by TimoDesk, for each team that pays, and it goes into a balance they can withdraw. It's separate from the Referral program, which pays account credit. See Partner program.

Pricing and billing

How much does TimoDesk cost?

$1 per user per month, with every feature included. Each monthly invoice counts only members who tracked time with the desktop app in that billing cycle. Approved manual time alone doesn't make a member billable. Clients you invite to the client portal are billed on their own line.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Every new organization gets a 15-day free trial with every feature, and you don't need a card to sign up. TimoDesk doesn't bill time tracked during the trial.

Are invited people who never track time billed?

No. If a member tracks no time in a billing month, that month's invoice doesn't count them.

Do clients add to the bill?

Yes, in any billing cycle where someone tracked time with the desktop app on a project the client is assigned to. Each of those clients costs a monthly price set by TimoDesk, which the Invite a Client popup shows. Disabling a client doesn't stop the charge, but removing them from their projects does. See how clients are billed.

Who can see and pay invoices?

Organizers and Business Managers, from Invoices under Billing in the sidebar.

What happens if an invoice isn't paid?

After 72 hours unpaid, TimoDesk adds a 20% late fee. If the invoice is still unpaid 7 days after it was sent, the organization is suspended and nobody can track time until every unpaid invoice is paid and the organization is active again.

Data and storage

Where are screenshots stored?

On TimoDesk's storage by default. The Organizer can send them to your own Amazon S3 bucket or FTP server instead.

Is our data encrypted?

Yes, in transit. Traffic between the desktop app, the dashboard and TimoDesk's servers uses HTTPS. The Data Policy explains storage and access.

Can other organizations see our data?

No. Every record belongs to one organization. Inside it, each person sees only what their role allows.

Can we have our data deleted?

Yes. The organization's owner can ask TimoDesk to delete the organization. The Data Policy explains how deletion works.

Supported platforms

Which operating systems does the desktop app support?

Windows 10 and 11, macOS on Apple silicon or Intel, and Linux. See Download and install the app.

Is there a mobile app?

No. You track time with the desktop app and use the dashboard in a web browser.

What does the app need on macOS?

It needs Screen Recording for screenshots, Input Monitoring for activity, Accessibility for app and website tracking, and Notifications for idle and screenshot alerts. If Screen Recording or Input Monitoring is missing, the app shows a banner with a shortcut to System Settings. See macOS permissions.

Are there browser extensions?

Yes, 2 optional ones. The TimoDesk URL Tracker adds websites to reports on Linux, and the TimoDesk Live Team Monitor shows Organizers, Business Managers and Team Managers who's online from the browser toolbar. Staff can't sign in to it.