Starting with a new time tracking tool can feel overwhelming, but TrackLabs is designed to get you up and running quickly. Whether you're a solo freelancer or managing a team of 100+, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start tracking time effectively in less than 15 minutes.
Let's get started!
Ready to Start Your Free Trial?
Sign up for TrackLabs and follow along with this guide. No credit card required for 2 days.
Start Free Trial →Pre-Setup Checklist
Before you begin, gather this information:
- ✓ List of team members who need access (name + email)
- ✓ Your current projects or clients
- ✓ Billing rates (if tracking billable hours)
- ✓ Decision on monitoring level (screenshots: yes/no/frequency)
- ✓ Company's work hours or flexible schedule policy
1 Create Your Account
Time required: 2 minutes
Getting started is simple:
- Visit tracklabs.in
- Click "Start Free Trial" or "Sign Up"
- Enter your:
- Full name
- Email address
- Company name
- Password (use a strong one!)
- Verify your email address (check your inbox)
- Log in to your new account
2 Download and Install the Desktop App
Time required: 3 minutes
TrackLabs works through desktop applications for accurate tracking:
- After logging in, you'll see a prompt to download the app
- Choose your operating system:
- Windows (Win 10 or later)
- macOS (10.14 or later)
- Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, etc.)
- Run the installer
- Log in with your credentials
- Grant necessary permissions when prompted (screen recording, accessibility)
3 Configure Your Workspace Settings
Time required: 5 minutes
Customize TrackLabs for your needs:
A. General Settings
- Company name: This appears on reports
- Currency: INR, USD, EUR, etc. for billing
- Time zone: Ensures accurate timestamp recording
- Work hours: Define standard business hours (or set as flexible)
B. Monitoring Preferences
Decide what level of monitoring to enable:
- Screenshots: Off / 1 per hour / 3 per hour / 6 per hour
- Activity tracking: Track keyboard/mouse activity (recommended)
- App & URL tracking: See what applications and websites are used
- Idle time detection: Auto-pause after X minutes of inactivity
C. Privacy Settings
- Blur screenshots: Automatically blur sensitive areas
- Allow manual time: Let employees add time manually
- Delete screenshots after: 30/60/90 days
4 Add Your Team Members
Time required: 5 minutes for 10 people
There are three ways to add team members:
Method 1: Individual Invites
- Go to "Team" → "Add Member"
- Enter name, email, and role (Admin/Manager/Member)
- Click "Send Invitation"
- They'll receive an email with setup instructions
Method 2: Bulk Import
- Go to "Team" → "Import Members"
- Download the CSV template
- Fill in: Name, Email, Role
- Upload the completed CSV
- All invitations sent automatically
Method 3: Share Invite Link
- Go to "Team" → "Invite Link"
- Copy the unique signup link
- Share via Slack, email, or your onboarding docs
Understanding Roles:
- Admin: Full access, billing, all settings
- Manager: View team reports, manage projects, view screenshots
- Member: Track their own time, view own reports only
5 Create Your First Project
Time required: 3 minutes per project
- Click "Projects" → "New Project"
- Fill in:
- Project name: e.g., "Website Redesign"
- Client: Who is this for? (optional but recommended)
- Billing type: Hourly / Fixed / Non-billable
- Rate: $/hour if billable
- Budget: Total hours or cost budget
- Deadline: When is it due?
- Assign team members who will work on this project
- Add tasks (optional but helpful):
- Design mockups
- Frontend development
- Content creation
- Testing & QA
6 Start Tracking Time
Time required: 30 seconds
Now for the fun part!
Automatic Tracking (Recommended)
- Open the TrackLabs desktop app
- Select your project from the dropdown
- Optionally add a task description
- Click "Start"
- Work normally—TrackLabs tracks in the background
- Click "Stop" when done or switching tasks
What Gets Tracked:
- ✓ Total time worked
- ✓ Active vs. idle time
- ✓ Applications used
- ✓ Websites visited
- ✓ Screenshots (if enabled)
- ✓ Activity levels
Keyboard Shortcuts (Time Savers!):
- Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + S: Start tracking
- Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + X: Stop tracking
- Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + A: Add manual time
7 Review Your First Report
Time required: 5 minutes
After a day of tracking, explore your data:
- Log into the web dashboard
- Go to "Reports"
- Choose a report type:
- Time Summary: Total hours by day/week
- Projects: Time spent per project
- Activity: Productive vs. unproductive time
- Team: Compare team member productivity
- Attendance: Who worked when
- Filter by:
- Date range (today, this week, custom)
- Team members
- Projects
- Clients
- Export if needed (CSV, Excel, PDF)
Quick Tips for Success
For Team Leads/Managers:
- Communicate clearly: Explain why you're using TrackLabs (productivity insights, not surveillance)
- Lead by example: Track your own time first
- Review regularly: Check reports weekly, not hourly
- Focus on patterns: Look at trends, not individual minutes
- Provide feedback: Use data to help, not punish
For Team Members:
- Start tracking immediately: Don't forget or track becomes inconsistent
- Switch projects promptly: Accurate allocation matters for reporting
- Review your own data: Understand your productivity patterns
- Communicate blockers: If stuck, note it in task descriptions
- Pause during breaks: Lunch, personal calls, etc.
Common Questions
Q: Do I need to track every minute?
No! Track focused work time. Quick 5-minute emails or Slack messages don't need individual entries—group them under "Communications" or "Admin."
Q: What if I forget to start tracking?
Add time manually afterward. Go to "Manual Entry," select the project, date, and duration. It's better to add it late than skip it.
Q: Can employees see screenshots of themselves?
Yes! Employees can always view their own screenshots. Managers can see them based on permissions you set.
Q: Does TrackLabs work offline?
Yes, the desktop app caches data locally and syncs when you're back online.
Q: Can I categorize apps as productive/unproductive?
Absolutely! Go to Settings → App Categories to customize. For example, mark Slack as productive or YouTube as unproductive based on your context.
Advanced Setup (Optional)
Once you're comfortable with basics, explore advanced features:
- Integrations: Connect with Jira, Asana, Slack, etc.
- API access: Build custom integrations
- Custom reports: Create specialized views
- Automated alerts: Get notified about overtime, missed time entries
- Client portals: Give clients read-only access to their project reports
Getting Help
If you get stuck:
- Knowledge Base: Searchable guides at tracklabs.in/help
- Video Tutorials: Step-by-step videos on YouTube
- Email Support: [email protected] (response within 24 hours)
- Live Chat: Available Monday-Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM IST
- Phone Support: +91-7006998759 for urgent issues
Next Steps
After your first week with TrackLabs:
- Review your first week's data: What insights did you gain?
- Adjust settings: Fine-tune monitoring levels, categorizations
- Set up automations: Scheduled reports, budget alerts
- Train your team: Share tips, address concerns
- Integrate with other tools: Connect your project management software
Ready to Transform Your Productivity?
Start your 2-day free trial now and follow this guide to get set up in minutes.
Start Free Trial →Conclusion
Getting started with TrackLabs takes less than 15 minutes, but the insights you gain will transform how you understand and improve your team's productivity. The key is to start simple—don't try to configure everything perfectly on day one.
Begin tracking, learn the interface, and gradually add more sophisticated features as you get comfortable. Within a week, time tracking will become second nature, and within a month, you'll wonder how you ever managed without it.
Welcome to TrackLabs—let's make your team more productive together!
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