Technology Utilization, available in select plans, helps leaders see how technology is boosting or limiting productivity across teams and individuals.
To access Technology Utilization, navigate to Executive Summaries > Technology Utilization. Watch the video below for a quick tour of Technology Utilization and read this article for additional details.
Note: Users' access to dashboards and features may vary based on account configuration. ActivTrak Admins can adjust access settings by assigning user roles and permissions.
This dashboard utilizes Insights
This dashboard is powered by ActivTrak's Insights data, which processes and analyzes historical information with daily updates. For a complete explanation of how Insights differs from Live Data, see Understanding Live Data and Insights.
Contents
Requirements
Before diving in, make sure the following are configured. Taking time to set these up correctly will ensure your data is accurate and your insights are meaningful.
- Groups (or Teams): Organize your users into teams or business units that reflect how your organization actually operates. Without well-structured groups, it's difficult to pinpoint productivity gaps or understand their impact at the department or team level. If you haven't set up groups yet — or need to update your existing ones — start with Group management before moving forward.
- Goals: Define the productivity benchmarks your groups are measured against. Setting goals at the group level allows you to track performance trends, identify areas of concern, and quantify the gap between current and target productivity. Goals should reflect realistic expectations for each team's role and work patterns. Make sure to set productivity goals before digging into your data.
Overview tab
Use the Overview tab to see which applications and websites are used most throughout your organization or within a specific team. This is helpful for assessing technology adoption and evaluating return on investment. Underutilization may indicate the need for additional training or that the tool isn't delivering the expected value.
Usage by Category and Top Applications/Sites
- Top 10 Categories by Allocation %: View the top 10 categories in which employees are spending their time. Based on a team’s function and daily responsibilities, category allocation will vary. Managers can identify deviations from the norm by understanding team roles and the tools critical to fulfilling them.
- Top Applications/Sites by Allocation %: View the top applications and websites in use across your team or organization, along with the number of employees who have used each one during the selected time period. To see the top applications and sites in a particular category, use the Category filter at the top of the dashboard.
Top Changes tab
Use the Top Changes tab to understand shifts in technology usage over time. Set the comparison timeframe using the 'Activity Date' and 'Date Comparison' filters at the top of the dashboard (e.g., compare this month to last month).
Changes in Category Allocation
While knowing the roles within a team and the tools they are likely to require is important, understanding deviations from the norm provides additional insight into when team members may be struggling with the process, tool adoption, or role alignment.
Changes in Application and Site Usage
Dig deeper to understand which specific applications and sites are trending up and down. Drastic upticks in site or application usage may reflect focus on a particular project or, conversely, increased distractions or disengagement.
Adoption tab
Refer to the Adoption tab for a closer analysis of specific categories and tools. Identify underutilized licenses to right-size tech investments and gather data to inform decisions about subscription renewals.
Use the filters at the top of the dashboard to select the category and application or site you want to analyze.
Technology Adoption
- Users with Activity During Time Range: See which employees have used a specific app/website or tools within a specific category during a given timeframe. Identify the "power users" and those with lower adoption based on usage frequency and duration. Compare individuals' metrics to the average for the team or organization (see Avg. Active Mins/Day to the top right of the 'Users with Activity' table).
- Inactive Users During Time Range: Identify un-utilized licenses that can be re-allocated or canceled to recoup costs. Alternatively, pinpoint where training may be needed to drive adoption of an essential technology.
Usage Trend
- Technology Usage Daily Trend: See the number of active users relative to total hours of usage per day for the selected category or application/site. This is helpful for deciphering peaks and valleys that may skew the averages in the Technology Adoption section above.
Third-Party Application Risk Assessment
When evaluating technology usage across your organization, pay special attention to AI tools and applications that may pose data security risks. Look for:
- Previously unused applications are suddenly showing high adoption rates
- Applications with known security issues, such as Deepseek.ai
- Usage outside normal business hours
Learn more