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Letizia's avatar
Letizia A Community Member

Time Tracker and wrong amount of hours

Hello everyone!

I'm not new to Upfront, but I've just started my first hourly contract and I hope you can help me with something that happened today.

I used the time tracker for the first time ever and, when I finished to work and checked my working diary, I saw that the tracker had counted only 1/3 of the time.

Since my job mainly consists of watching and moderating video contents (so I don't type/click anything during those sessions) I have a doubt now and I wonder how the tracker works.

Does it track time while I watch videos?

Does anyone have any idea on why the tracker only recorded 1/3 of the time I spent working?

Have you ever had a similar experience?

Thanks a lot in advance! 🙂
10 REPLIES 10
Preston's avatar
Preston H Community Member

Letizia: Upwork's desktop "Time Tracker" is not a timeclock.

Meaning: It is not a program wherein you "punch in" and "punch out."

 

It tracks your activity levels.

 

And if activity levels are too low for a block of time, it DOES NOT count that block of time.

 

The program is working as it was designed to work.

 

You may need to choose between:

- using fixed-price contracts

- logging manual time, instead of using the time-tracker

- using the Time Tracker while maintaining adequate activity levels (number keystrokes and mouse clicks per minute)

Letizia's avatar
Letizia A Community Member

Thanks 🙂

Irit's avatar
Irit H Community Member

Hello Letiziz

 

The time tracker is only recording the time when there is a movement in your screen, so if you are reviewing or watching someting on the screen the time tracker will not record the time and you will need to add the hours manually. You also need to communicate this to your client. If you both agree that the hours you will work on a project, be counted with the time tracker, it advised that you communicate to him and explain the limitation with the time tracker. In my opinion, you need to let him know that adjustment is needed in order to count for the time that were not tracked by the tracker because you were watching and reviewing the vido.    

Petra's avatar
Petra R Community Member


Irit H wrote:

 

The time tracker is only recording the time when there is a movement in your screen,


This is not correct. "Movement on the screen" is irrelevant.

The activity the tracker counts is mouseclicks and keystokes.

Richard's avatar
Richard W Community Member

I'm sure Petra will correct me if I've got this wrong, but I believe you only need one keystroke or mouse click in each 10 minute clock segment (e.g. 11:20 to 11:30) for the segment to count. However, a single click in one segment will leave you with an activity level of only 1/10. For an activity level of 10/10 you need a click in each 1 minute period.

Letizia's avatar
Letizia A Community Member

Thanks Richard. 🙂

Antonia B.'s avatar
Antonia B. V Community Member

1 keysrocke/click per 10 m  wont record your 10 min.  more intense activity is requested.
if your client cannot understand the limitations so that he allows manual time ( tho that ensures no garantee for the work hours pay) or milstones  ( fixed pre funded contract parts), then you are left with only one solution... to click   which is dumb but the only way left.

Petra's avatar
Petra R Community Member


Antonia B. V wrote:

1 keysrocke/click per 10 m  wont record your 10 min.


Yes, it will.(It will, however, result in low activity levels and loss of payment protection as a result.)

 

You are also responding to a 2 year old thread.

Letizia's avatar
Letizia A Community Member

Thanks Petra! 🙂

Letizia's avatar
Letizia A Community Member

Thank you Irit. 🙂