Time Doctor: Time tracking and productivity for remote teams

What is Time Doctor?

Time Doctor is a time management software and productivity monitoring designed for remote teams and freelancers to better organize yourself.

It offers detailed time tracking, activity monitoring, and project management features to help organizations increase efficiency and optimize work time management.

Time Doctor is for businesses of all sizes, from small teams to large businesses, looking to improve productivity and better manage work time.

Since its launch in 2012, more than 83,000 businesses have used Time Doctor around the world, including Better Business Bureau, Verizon, and Thrive Market.

Time Doctor Features

Time Doctor is a time management and productivity tracking solution designed for remote teams and freelancers.

It offers a range of features aimed at improving work efficiency while providing detailed analyses of everyone's time usage.

Here's a detailed and numbered exploration of Time Doctor's main features, along with a critical review for each.

1. Time tracking

Time Doctor allows accurate tracking of time spent on projects and tasks with ease of use.

• Manual or Automatic Trigger: Users can start and stop the timer manually or set up automatic tracking.
• Task Categorization: Allocate the time monitored to specific tasks or projects for easier management in order to better organize yourself

This feature is essential for businesses looking to optimize their team's time management. However, the discipline required to start and stop the timer can be a challenge for some users.

2. Detailed reports

Time Doctor generates detailed reports that provide insights into how time is spent by team members.

• Productivity Analysis: Get reports on the time spent on specific applications and websites.
• Customizable reports: Filter data by user, project, or period for targeted analyses.

Detailed reports are a wealth of information for the continuous improvement of productivity. Nonetheless, interpreting data may require a thorough analytical understanding.

3. Screen Capture and Activity Tracking

Time Doctor offers the ability to take captures and track activity levels for increased productivity monitoring.

• Intervalley Screenshots: Set the frequency of captures for a visual overview of the work done.
• Activity Level Measurement: Evaluate activity based on keystrokes and mouse movements.

While this feature can build trust between employers and employees, it raises concerns about privacy and trust within the team.

4. Website and Application Tracking

Time Doctor monitors the use of apps and websites to help identify potential distractions.

• List of Apps and Sites Used: Get an overview of how apps and browsers are used during the workday.
• Productivity alerts: Get notified when non-productive sites are used for extended periods of time.

This feature is useful in encouraging better time management. However, it requires a balanced approach in order not to be perceived as intrusive.

5. Integrations

Time Doctor integrates with a wide range of tools and platforms for a unified user experience.

• Extensive compatibility: Integrate with CRMs, project management tools, and communication platforms like pivotal tracker, help scout, asana, Microsoft to do, etc.
• Workflow Automation: Simplify processes by connecting Time Doctor to your existing tools.

Integrations increase the versatility of Time Doctor, making the platform more powerful. However, the effectiveness of these integrations depends on the quality of the implementation and the compatibility of the systems.

6. Absence Management and Scheduling

Plan and track absences, holidays, and work schedules for better team organization.

• Absence Calendar: Manage leave requests and view planned absences.
• Flexible Scheduling: Set up work schedules to suit team needs.

This feature makes it easier to manage human resources, although its success depends on the regular updating of information by users.

7. Mobile app

Time Doctor offers a mobile application designed to allow time tracking and task management on the go.

• Remote Time Tracking: Users can start, stop, and manage time tracking right from their mobile device.
• Access to Key Features: The app provides access to productivity reports, captures, and alert settings, among others.

The mobile app extends the functionality of Time Doctor, providing greater flexibility and convenience for mobile users.

8. Browser extensions

Time Doctor offers browser extensions for seamless integration with the most used web browsers, making it easy to track time directly from the browser.

• Browser integration: Activate time tracking and get quick access to Time Doctor's features without leaving your browser.
• Multi-Browser Compatibility: Available for Chrome, Firefox, and other popular browsers, allowing for a consistent user experience regardless of which browser you choose.

Browser extensions simplify the use of Time Doctor for users who are frequently online, seamlessly integrating time tracking into their daily workflow.

Confidentiality and security

Time Doctor has multi-level compliance protocols and policies.

All data is protected by robust SSL encryption and stored on high-end servers located in secure data facilities. The service provides daily backups, ensuring you reliable recovery in the event of an accident.

Enabling captures is optional and will only capture activity during time intervals. Nothing will be followed if you are on break or if you are not in work mode. Data access is provided for troubleshooting purposes only.

Time Doctor does not store your credit card information. All transactions are carried out using Stripe's secure encryption. Additionally, your account is protected by a strong password policy and two-factor authentication.

The company is ISO 270001 certified and has extensive internal corporate policies. It complies with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), HIPAA protocols, and has a third-party partner that regularly performs security and penetration tests.

Customer support

Based on our experience and other user reviews, Time Doctor's customer service is average at best. Some users received quick responses, while others received slow and confusing email responses.

When we reached out to the support team for our evaluation of Time Doctor, we were only able to get in touch via email and live chat.

As expected, the live chat is much faster, and we were helped the same day. The agent even offered to join a Zoom call to help us out. These services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Monday through Friday.

Time Doctor also has a help center with detailed guides and comprehensive video tutorials.

Pricing

While there is no free version of Time Doctor, there is a 14-day trial version. Here is its price according to the options below:

• Basic - $7/month, including activity tracking and one month of storage
• Standard - $10/month, including payroll, 60+ integrations, and 6 months of storage.
• Premium - $20/month, including payroll, integrations, video screenshot, and unlimited storage.

Time Doctor's paid plans vary depending on the size of your team.

How do I set up Time Doctor?

Almost any computer with an Internet connection can use Time Doctor - the task manager is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Registering, installing, and setting up multiple users takes less than 5 minutes.

Any employee or collaborator you invite to use Time Doctor will receive an email telling them how to set up the software quickly and easily.

The Time Doctor interface is also extremely user-friendly.

When you run the software, you'll see a small black bar that attaches to the bottom or side of your screen.

This bar shows you what task is in progress and gives you a countdown of the time you spent on the task in question, as well as the time you have been scheduled for the day. If you find this feature distracting, simply close it and you'll be stuck.

It even allows you to organize your daily activities in order to properly plan your day.

You can move your tasks and projects around according to your meetings or appointments for a given day.

For example, put Basecamp tasks you're working on next to Google Calendar meetings in the same folder.

Alternatives to Time Doctor

1. monday.com

monday.com is a versatile work management platform that adapts to a multitude of professional needs, ranging from project management to time tracking. Its modular approach allows teams of all sizes to customize workflows and improve collaboration and productivity.

Features

• Project and task management: Create, assign, and track the progress of tasks and projects with customizable boards.
• Time tracking: Integrates time tracking features directly into tasks and projects for accurate management of effort and resources.
• Workflow automation: Automates repetitive tasks to save time and reduce errors.
• Integrations: Connects to a wide range of third-party tools, including communication, CRM, and finance software.

Pricing

• Paid plans

Compared to Time Doctor, monday.com offers a more comprehensive solution for work and time management, integrating time tracking into a project and task management platform.

2. Toggl Track

Toggl Track is a flexible and user-friendly time tracking tool designed to help freelancers, teams, and businesses of all sizes manage their work time more effectively.

Features

• Simple time tracking: An intuitive interface to start and stop tracking in one click.
• Detailed reports: Customizable reports that provide valuable insights into how time is spent.
• Multiple integrations: Easily connects with over 100 tools and applications.
• Offline time tracking: Ability to track time even without an internet connection.

Pricing

• Free plan: Available for teams of up to 5 members.
• Paid plans: Start at $10 per user/month, offering advanced features for businesses.

Compared to Time Doctor, Toggl Track places a greater emphasis on simplicity and accessibility, making it ideal for freelancers and small teams looking for a hassle-free time tracking solution.

3. RescueTime

RescueTime is a time management and productivity analysis tool that works in the background to automatically measure time spent on apps and websites.

Features

• Automatic time tracking: Measures the time spent on activities without starting a timer manually.
• Productivity goals: Allows you to set productivity goals and monitor progress.
• Alerts and distraction blocking: Features to help minimize distractions and focus on work.
• Detailed reports: Insights into daily habits and recommendations to improve productivity.

Pricing

• Limited Free Plan: Offers basic time tracking and goal management features.
• Premium Plan: Starting at $12/month, including detailed activity tracking, alerts, and blocking of distracting sites.

RescueTime differs from Time Doctor in that it automatically tracks time, making it less intrusive and ideal for individuals and professionals looking to improve their personal productivity.

FAQs

Is Time Doctor Safe?

Yes, Time Doctor is safe. It protects personal data and uses APIs and OAuth for integrations without requiring user passwords.

Why does Time Doctor take screenshots?

Time Doctor captures screens to provide statistics on keyboard/mouse activity. These captures may be removed for privacy.

Does Time Doctor work offline?

Yes, Time Doctor works offline, saving work that is synchronized once online.

Does Time Doctor slow down devices?

It depends on the device and other software that is running. Some Mac users may experience performance issues or inaccurate tracking.

Final Verdict

Overall, Time Doctor is a great all-in-one time tracking software. It allows you to know who is working on which project, how much time they spend on each task, and to see their productivity rate.

In summary, Time Doctor proves to be a comprehensive tool for productivity tracking and time management, offering a wide range of features from accurate time tracking to detailed reports, activity monitoring, and integrations with other tools.

While each feature brings significant added value to team management and productivity optimization, the optimal use of Time Doctor requires a balance between surveillance and privacy, as well as careful adoption by all team members.