Understanding how work is accomplished begins with understanding how time is measured. ActivTrak organizes time tracking into a clear hierarchy—think of it as nested containers, where each level provides more specific details about how the workday is spent.
ActivTrak uses two primary time measurements that overlap but serve different purposes: Work Time captures your complete business contribution by combining digital productive work with Offline Meetings, while Screen Time measures all digital activity by combining Productive, Unproductive, and Undefined computer usage.
This layered approach enables you to move beyond simple time tracking, gaining meaningful insights into work patterns, collaboration styles, and productivity rhythms across your team. The definitions below will help you confidently interpret and communicate these metrics to stakeholders at every level.
Using these metrics effectively
Understanding these time metrics enables you to make informed, data-driven decisions about productivity, workload balance, and workplace efficiency. Remember that different roles naturally have different time breakdowns - a customer service representative's collaboration time might naturally be higher than a software developer's, and productive hours may vary between office-based and field teams.
For the most accurate insights, ensure your applications are properly classified and consider your team's unique work patterns when interpreting these metrics.
Definition
The time when a user is actively engaging with applications through keyboard input, mouse clicks, or other interactions. This represents hands-on work and direct engagement with tasks.
Measurement
Automatically captured when ActivTrak detects keyboard activity, mouse movements, clicks, or other input interactions. Active Time tracking continues until the configured threshold for inactivity is reached (2 minutes by default), at which point ActivTrak switches to Passive Time.
Example
Sarah is typing an email in Outlook, clicking through Excel spreadsheets, or navigating between browser tabs. All of this counts as Active Time because she's directly interacting with her computer. Whether she's productively working on a presentation, checking social media during a break, or exploring a new tool that hasn't been classified yet, any keyboard or mouse activity generates Active Time.
Some places to find it
As a component of Screen Time components (e.g., Productive Active, Unproductive Active, Undefined Active), Active Time is found in Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User.
Definition
Time spent in meetings, messaging, chat applications and other communication tools. Represents teamwork, coordination and knowledge-sharing activities through digital communication platforms.
Measurement
Time spent in applications classified as "Chat & Messaging" or "Meeting Software" categories. Navigate to Insights Configuration to adjust the activity categories considered part of Collaboration Time.
Equation
Collaboration Time = Productive Time - Focused Time - Multitasking Time
Example
Time spent in Zoom meetings, Slack conversations, Microsoft Teams calls or using other communication platforms for work collaboration. This includes video calls, instant messaging, and meeting software where productive exchange of ideas, decision-making, and collective problem-solving occurs.
Some places to find it
Focus & Collaboration, Personal Insights and Impact Analysis.
Definition
Time spent in applications directly tied to your primary business functions and responsibilities. This represents work that's closest to driving revenue or delivering your organization's main value proposition.
Measurement
Sum of time spent in applications classified as "Core" categories, as defined by managers in your organization's Activity Alignment configuration.
Equation
Core Activity = Productive Time - Non-Core Activity
Example
A software developer's Core Activity includes hours spent in code editors like Visual Studio, version control systems like Git, and development environments. For a marketing professional, it might include time in CRM systems, design software, and content management platforms.
Some places to find it
Activity Alignment, where you can analyze how much productive energy goes toward your most business-critical functions versus supporting activities.
Definition
Uninterrupted time spent working in a single application without switching to other programs. Indicates deep work periods and concentrated effort on specific tasks without multitasking or collaboration activities.
Measurement
ActivTrak captures Focused Time by identifying periods when a user remains engaged in a single application without switching to other programs, excluding time spent in applications classified as collaboration tools (like chat, messaging, or meeting software).
Equation
Focused Time = Productive Time - Collaboration Time - Multitasking Time
Example
An analyst spending 2 uninterrupted hours building a financial model in Excel, or a writer working on a document for 90 minutes without switching to other applications or receiving notifications.
Some places to find it
Focus & Collaboration, Personal Insights and Impact Analysis. Focused Time is a key metric for productivity optimization.
Definition
Periods when tracking stops completely after the Passive Time limit expires and no computer input is detected. Represents time away from the computer or extended breaks.
Measurement
Begins after the configured Passive Time period ends (5 minutes by default) and no computer activity is detected. This prevents skewed data from extended breaks, lunch periods, or times when someone steps away from their desk.
Example
Someone steps away for a 15-minute break. The first 2 minutes count as Active Time, the next 3 minutes as Passive Time, and anything beyond 5 minutes becomes Inactive Time.
Some places to find it
Schedule Adherence. Inactive Time doesn't count toward any productivity metrics, keeping your data focused on actual work periods.
Definition
Time characterized by rapid switching between multiple applications. Shows periods of handling multiple priorities or tasks simultaneously.
Measurement
ActivTrak identifies Multitasking Time by detecting rapid switching between productive applications within short time windows, indicating periods of divided attention.
Equation
Multitasking Time = Productive Time - Focused Time - Collaboration Time
Example
A project manager rapidly switching between email, project management software, and chat applications to coordinate team activities, or a customer service rep handling multiple customer inquiries simultaneously.
Some places to find it
Focus & Collaboration, Personal Insights and Impact Analysis.
Definition
All screen-based activity that isn't work-related or has yet to be categorized as work-related. Represents time not directly contributing to business objectives.
Measurement
ActivTrak measures Non-Business Time by combining two distinct categories of screen-based activity that don't contribute to business objectives. The system automatically calculates this by adding together Unproductive Time (applications and websites classified as personal or entertainment-related) and Undefined Time (applications that haven't been categorized yet by administrators). This measurement helps distinguish between intentional work activity and other digital behaviors, providing insights into work-life balance patterns and revealing opportunities to improve activity classification accuracy.
Equation
Non-Business Time = Unproductive Time + Undefined Time
Example
A user spending 30 minutes checking social media during lunch (Unproductive Time) plus 15 minutes exploring a new software tool that hasn't been classified yet (Undefined Time). Neither activity contributes to business objectives in that moment, but both reflect the reality of modern work patterns.
Some places to find it
Focus & Collaboration. Non-Business Time helps identify opportunities for better work-life balance and improved activity classification accuracy.Definition
Productive time spent in supporting applications that enable your core work but aren't directly generating your primary business outcomes. These activities include email, calendar management, internal communication tools, administrative software, and general business applications.
Measurement
Time spent in applications classified as "Productive" but not categorized as "Core" activities by managers in Activity Alignment configuration.
Equation
Non-Core Activity = Productive Time - Core Activity
Example
A software developer spending time in email, HR systems, or expense reporting tools—necessary for work but not their primary coding responsibilities. Non-Core Activity isn't less important; it's the infrastructure that makes core work possible.
Some places to find it
Activity Alignment. The balance between Core and Non-Core activities reveals interesting patterns about organizational efficiency and role clarity.
Definition
Productive work that occurs outside a defined work schedule.
Measurement
ActivTrak calculates Productive (Non-Scheduled Hours) by measuring productive activities that fall outside the work schedule configured in your account settings.
Equation
Productive Time = Productive (Scheduled Hours) + Productive (Non-Scheduled Hours)
Example
Marcus finishes a presentation at 8 PM on Wednesday evening, reviews documents at 6 AM before his workday officially starts, and catches up on project planning on Saturday afternoon. All of these activities occur outside his company's default 9 AM to 5 PM Monday-Friday schedule and count as Productive (Non-Scheduled) because they happen beyond defined business hours while still advancing work objectives.
Some places to find it
Schedule Adherence and Schedule Adherence Trends.Definition
Time spent in scheduled Offline Meetings or appointments that don't involve computer applications, captured through calendar integration.
Measurement
Imported from calendar systems through ActivTrak's calendar integration to account for in-person meetings, phone calls, and other offline work activities that don't leave digital footprints.
Equation
Offline Meetings = Work Time - Productive Time
Example
In-person client meetings, phone calls with customers, strategy sessions in conference rooms, or walking meetings that contribute to productivity but don't involve screen sharing or digital collaboration tools.
Some places to find it
Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User. Working Hours reports when calendar sync is enabled, helping provide a complete picture of Work Time allocation. Offline Meetings bridges the gap between digital activity tracking and the reality that valuable work happens both on and off screen.
Definition
Time when you're viewing or consuming content without active input (typing, clicking). Recognizes that valuable work often happens without keyboard or mouse input, such as reading documents, watching videos, or listening in meetings.
Measurement
By default, ActivTrak starts capturing Passive Time after 2 minutes of no computer input. This threshold acknowledges the difference between someone stepping away briefly versus someone settling in to consume content or participate in a meeting.
Example
Rebecca joins a Zoom meeting and initially shares her screen (Active Time), then a coworker starts sharing their screen and Rebecca stops interacting with her machine to listen (becomes Passive Time after the configured threshold). Other examples include reading industry reports, watching webinars, or reviewing training materials.
Some places to find it
As a component of Screen Time components (e.g., Productive Passive, Unproductive Passive, Undefined Passive), Passive Time is found in Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User.
Definition
Time when you're actively engaging with applications classified as work-related through keyboard input, mouse clicks, or other interactions. Shows hands-on work and direct engagement with work-related tasks.
Measurement
ActivTrak captures Productive Active Time by detecting keyboard and mouse activity within applications and websites classified as productive or business-related. This represents the hands-on creation, communication, and task execution that drives business results.
Equation
Productive Active = Productive Time - Productive Passive
Example
Actively typing in Microsoft Word, clicking through a CRM system, or navigating a work-related database while providing keyboard and mouse input. This is the "doing" part of digital work that generates direct output and engagement.
Some places to find it
Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User. Appears as the darker shade of teal in productivity visualizations, making it easy to compare hands-on work versus information consumption across your team.
Definition
Time when you're viewing or consuming content without active input (typing, clicking) within applications classified as work-related. Represents legitimate work that happens while engaged with productive applications but without keyboard or mouse interaction.
Measurement
ActivTrak captures Productive Passive Time when users are engaged with productive applications but haven't provided keyboard or mouse input for the configured threshold (2 minutes by default). This occurs while still actively consuming work-related content.
Equation
Productive Passive = Productive Time - Productive Active
Example
Jose is reading a lengthy industry report in a PDF, watching a training video, or listening to a client presentation in a Zoom meeting without touching his keyboard or mouse. All of these activities advance business goals and count as Productive Passive Time because they occur within productive applications while consuming work-related content.
Some places to find it
Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User. Shown as the lighter shade teal in productivity visualizations, helping distinguish between hands-on work and information consumption.
Definition
Time spent in applications that have been classified as work-related. Includes both active and passive engagement with work tools that directly contribute to business goals.
Measurement
ActivTrak measures Productive Time by tracking activity within applications and websites that have been classified as work-related or business-focused in your account's activity classifications. Administrators define these classifications by categorizing each application and website as either productive, unproductive, or leaving them undefined. The system captures both active engagement (when users are typing, clicking, or providing input) and passive consumption (when users are viewing content without input) within these productive applications, combining them into total Productive Time.
Equations
Productive Time = Productive Active + Productive Passive
Productive Time = Core Activity + Non-Core Activity
Productive Time = Collaboration Time + Focused Time + Multitasking
Time
Productive Time = Productive (Scheduled Hours) + Productive (Non-Scheduled
Hours)
Example
Total time spent in work applications like email, CRM systems, productivity software, business websites, project management tools, and documents—regardless of whether the user is actively typing or passively reading. The key factor isn't whether someone's hands are moving, but whether the activity serves a business purpose.
Some places to find it
Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User. Central to most productivity analysis and foundational to understanding how work gets done.
Definition
Productive work that occurs during a defined work schedule.
Measurement
ActivTrak calculates Productive (Scheduled Hours) by measuring productive activities that fall within the work schedule configured in your account settings.
Equation
Productive Time = Productive (Scheduled Hours) + Productive (Non-Scheduled Hours)
Example
Sarah writes code from 9 AM to 11 AM, attends a team meeting at 2 PM, and responds to customer emails at 4 PM on a Tuesday. All of these activities occur within her company's 8 AM to 5 PM workday and count as Productive (Scheduled Hours) because they happen during defined business hours while advancing work objectives.
Some places to find it
Schedule Adherence and Schedule Adherence Trends.Definition
Total time spent actively using computer applications, including Productive, Unproductive, and Undefined Time. Does not include Inactive Time.
Measurement
ActivTrak measures Screen Time by continuously monitoring all digital activity through its lightweight agent installed on users' computers. The system captures every moment when someone is actively using computer applications, regardless of productivity classification. This includes all keyboard and mouse interactions, application usage, and website visits across the three main categories: Productive, Unproductive, and Undefined Time. The measurement automatically excludes Inactive Time periods when users exceed the configured inactivity threshold and step away from their computers for extended breaks. This comprehensive approach provides the complete digital activity baseline used to calculate productivity percentages and understand overall computer usage patterns.
Equation
Screen Time = Productive Time + Unproductive Time + Undefined Time
Example
All digital activity during the workday - productive work, personal browsing, and unclassified applications - but excluding periods when someone steps away from their computer for extended breaks (Inactive Time).
Some places to find it
Schedule Adherence, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User.
Definition
Scheduled periods when an employee is not expected to work, such as vacation days, sick leave, holidays, or personal time off. These periods are excluded from productivity calculations and time tracking metrics.
Measurement
ActivTrak measures Time Off through integrations with HR systems. Once imported, ActivTrak automatically excludes these periods from all productivity calculations and workforce analytics, ensuring that scheduled absences don't negatively impact performance metrics or skew team averages.
Example
Scheduled vacation days, sick leave, personal days, or company holidays that are marked in HR systems. When someone uses paid time off through ActivTrak's PTO integration, those hours are acknowledged but kept separate from work performance metrics.
Some places to find it
Definition
Time when you're actively engaging with applications through keyboard input, mouse clicks, or other interactions within applications that haven't been classified as either productive or unproductive. Represents opportunities to improve tracking accuracy through proper classification.
Measurement
ActivTrak captures Undefined Active Time by detecting keyboard and mouse activity within applications and websites that remain in the default "Undefined" classification category. This occurs when users are actively working in applications that haven't yet been categorized by administrators as productive or unproductive.
Equation
Undefined Active = Undefined Time - Undefined Passive
Example
Using a newly installed application that hasn't been categorized yet, actively exploring a new software tool that the team is evaluating, or spending time on websites that haven't been classified as productive or unproductive. This might include typing in a new project management tool before it's been classified or clicking through a vendor's demo site.
Some places to find it
Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User. Provides clear opportunities to improve classification accuracy by identifying and categorizing undefined applications that your team is actively using. Often reveals new tools your team is adopting that should be classified.
Definition
Time when you're viewing or consuming content without active input (typing, clicking) within applications that haven't been classified as either productive or unproductive. Represents opportunities to improve tracking accuracy through proper classification of applications where passive consumption occurs.
Measurement
ActivTrak captures Undefined Passive Time when users are engaged with unclassified applications but haven't provided keyboard or mouse input for the configured threshold (2 minutes by default). This occurs when users are consuming content within applications that remain in the default "Undefined" classification category.
Equation
Undefined Passive = Undefined Time - Undefined Active
Example
Reading a lengthy document in a new PDF viewer that hasn't been classified yet, watching a demo video on a vendor's website that's still undefined, or listening to a webinar in an unclassified application without touching the keyboard or mouse. All of these activities involve content consumption within applications that need categorization.
Some places to find it
Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User. Often reveals new content consumption patterns and tools your team is using that should be classified as either productive or unproductive.
Definition
Time spent in applications that haven't been classified as either productive or unproductive. Represents opportunities to improve tracking accuracy through proper classification.
Measurement
ActivTrak captures Undefined Time when users interact with applications and websites that remain in the default "Undefined" classification category. This occurs when administrators haven't yet categorized these applications as productive or unproductive in the account's activity classifications. The system tracks both active engagement (keyboard and mouse input) and passive consumption (viewing content without input) within these unclassified applications.
Equation
Undefined Time = Undefined Active + Undefined Passive
Example
Time spent in newly installed software, unrecognized applications, or websites that haven't been categorized as productive or unproductive. This might include exploring a new project management tool before it's been classified, browsing a vendor's demo site, or using industry blogs that haven't been categorized yet. Often reveals new tools your team is adopting.
Some places to find it
Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User. Provides clear opportunities to improve data accuracy by identifying and classifying applications that your team is actively using.
Definition
Time when you're actively engaging with applications classified as non-work related through keyboard input, mouse clicks, or other interactions. Shows hands-on engagement with personal or entertainment activities during work hours.
Measurement
ActivTrak captures Unproductive Active Time by detecting keyboard and mouse activity within applications and websites that have been classified as unproductive or non-work related in your account's activity classifications. This represents direct interaction with personal activities like social media, entertainment sites, or online shopping.
Equation
Unproductive Active = Unproductive Time - Unproductive Passive
Example
Actively typing posts on social media, clicking through online shopping sites, playing games, or browsing entertainment websites while providing keyboard and mouse input. This is the "doing" part of personal digital activities during work time.
Some places to find it
Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User. Appears as the darker shade of purple in productivity visualizations, making it easy to identify periods of active personal browsing versus passive consumption.
Definition
Time when you're viewing or consuming content without active input (typing, clicking) within applications classified as non-work related. Represents personal digital consumption that doesn't require keyboard or mouse interaction.
Measurement
ActivTrak captures Unproductive Passive Time when users are engaged with applications classified as unproductive but haven't provided keyboard or mouse input for the configured threshold (2 minutes by default). This occurs when users are consuming personal content within entertainment sites, social media platforms, or other non-work applications without actively interacting.
Equation
Unproductive Passive = Unproductive Time - Unproductive Active
Example
Reading posts on social media without scrolling or clicking, watching entertainment videos without pausing or adjusting settings, or browsing news articles during a break without typing comments or clicking links. These activities involve consuming personal content within unproductive applications while remaining at the computer but not providing input.
Some places to find it
Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User. Appears as the lighter shade of purple in productivity visualizations to distinguish from active personal browsing. Helps identify patterns of passive personal consumption versus active engagement with non-work content.
Definition
Time spent in applications classified as non-work related, such as social media, entertainment sites, or personal browsing. Includes both active engagement and passive consumption of personal content during work hours.
Measurement
ActivTrak measures Unproductive Time by tracking activity within applications and websites that have been classified as unproductive or non-work related in your account's activity classifications. The system captures both active engagement (when users are typing, clicking, or providing input) and passive consumption (when users are viewing content without input) within these personal applications, combining them into total Unproductive Time.
Equation
Unproductive Time = Unproductive Active + Unproductive Passive
Example
Combined time spent on social media, entertainment websites, online shopping, games, and other non-work activities during business hours. This includes actively posting on social platforms, browsing news sites, shopping online, or watching videos, as well as passively reading posts or watching content without interaction.
Some places to find it
Productivity Trends, Daily Work Metrics and Productivity by User.
Definition
Total time contributing to business objectives, calculated as the sum of Productive Time and Offline Meetings. Represents your complete work contribution, including both digital and non-digital activities.
Measurement
ActivTrak measures Work Time by combining productive digital activity with offline meetings captured through calendar integration. This comprehensive approach recognizes that valuable work happens both on and off your screen. The system tracks all productive computer usage while calendar integrations capture in-person meetings, phone calls, and other offline work activities that don't leave digital footprints but still contribute to business objectives.
Equation
Work Time = Productive Time + Offline Meetings
Example
Your morning might include responding to emails (Productive Time), attending a Zoom call (also Productive Time), then walking to a conference room for a strategy meeting (Offline Meetings). All of this contributes to your Work Time because it advances business objectives, whether you're presenting slides on screen or brainstorming ideas on a whiteboard.
Some places to find it
Schedule Adherence and Daily Work Metrics. Work Time serves as the baseline measurement because it captures the complete picture of how you spend your professional hours, helping identify patterns in work-life balance and overall productivity.