Time Tracker deleting time?

[bigtomjp]

I did a screen share consultation with a client recently. I spent about an hour and the tracker somehow only logged 30 mintues. I figured that this was one of the usual UpWork issues since everything is always broken.

I contacted support and they informed me that Freelancers requested that the time tracker be changed to not log time with low or no activity. I had never heard of this and I certainly am not sure this is even true.

If the tracker is on and the client is paying for a consultation/conversation via online service that is visible in the screen captures, it should be loggin all time. If the client has an issue with low activity they have the ability to raise those concerns.

Where I am at is that I am losing payment protection because UpWork decided the work had no value when it did. This is not how it should work and it needs to be fixed.

[amymortensen]

This has happened to me too on conference calls.  If you do not click on the keyboard or do something on the computer like scrolling through a document or other such writing-like or data input activity you lose the time and you are not paid for calls or verbal consulting by video or voice call.  I get clients sometimes who like to talk instead of messaging or writing it all down.  It sucks that the time tracker doesn't recognize this as work and sometimes I am more than an hour on the phone (using Skype so it is on the computer but we are talking and there is no keyboard action) consulting with a client.    

[aocumen]

Hi Amy, 

I removed your double post as I can see you wanted it removed. 

[petra_r]

---

@Tom O wrote:

I did a screen share consultation with a client recently. I spent about an hour and the tracker somehow only logged 30 mintues.

---

 The tracker has always worked this way, at least during the 7 years I have been here. Only segments with measurable activity (keystrokes or mouseclicks) get counted and billed.

[aocumen]

Hi Tom, and Amy, 

I would just like to confirm Petra's post. 

The Upwork Desktop App takes screenshots when you are actively working on your laptop/computer. The App doesn't track time for periods of inactivity when there are no keystrokes or mouse clicks. So you not working on the computer where you are tracking time can be a reason for missing segments.

Additionally, adequate activity levels are necessary to qualify for the Hourly Protection. 

[bigtomjp]

This is interesting. I suppose this may have been one of the rare times I was not taking notes and was simply dispensing advice verbally. There is work going on, just not mouse clicks and keystrokes. I must have never been in a situation to have this happen before. I will be concious of this in the future.

I am concerned with the conflicting advice here that it has always been this way and the fact that support told me there was an active recent change in the time tracker. Support confirmed it used to log all time but now does not due to a high number of freelancer requests to have it how it is now. I guess the truth is still a mystery.

I do recall another one hour meeting where I did next to nothing but talk and the entire hour was logged. I will have to dig that diary up and look at it to see if I was actually clicking and taking notes at an adequate level.

[petra_r]

Ultimately it doesn't matter.

Manual time is not protected, but neither is time with low activity.

So whether it would be counted with no / minimal activity or not at all counted and you have to enter manual time, the protection is the same (none.)

I like the fact that it doesn't track inactive time. I can go for lunch without logging off or fall asleep when working late without  client waking up to a heart attack thinking I've logged 15 hours overnight...

[aocumen]

I'm sorry to hear that you've received conflicting information, Tom. I checked your support ticket and was not sure where it was stated that it used to log time. If you can please send me a screen grab of this exchange through a private message, so that we can share this to the team. Thank you!