BetterFlow Team

ARTICLE

DeskTime integration: how automatic tracking verifies manual timesheets

February 05, 2026

3 min read

BetterFlow Team

DeskTime integration: how automatic tracking verifies manual timesheets

Automatic time tracking and manual timesheets each solve half the problem. Automatic tracking (via tools like Desktime) captures what applications were used but not why. Manual timesheets explain the work but rely on human memory and honesty. Combining them creates a verification loop where each validates the other.

At BetterQA, we integrated Desktime data with BetterFlow timesheets because our clients wanted accountability without surveillance. The result is a system where discrepancies trigger review, but routine entries flow through automatically.

How the verification loop works

The basic flow:

Desktime tracks active applications throughout the day
Employee submits manual timesheet entries for the same day
BetterFlow compares automatic and manual data
Matches are approved automatically; discrepancies are flagged for review

A "match" does not require exact agreement. If Desktime shows 7.5 hours of activity and the timesheet shows 8 hours, that is reasonable (breaks, meetings without computer use). If Desktime shows 4 hours and the timesheet shows 8 hours, that warrants investigation.

Configurable thresholds

Different organizations have different tolerance for discrepancy:

Strict mode: Flag if manual exceeds automatic by more than 10%
Standard mode: Flag if manual exceeds automatic by more than 25%
Lenient mode: Flag if manual exceeds automatic by more than 50%

Strict mode suits organizations billing clients for every hour. Lenient mode works for teams where much work happens in meetings or away from computers.

Understanding discrepancies

Not all discrepancies indicate problems. Common legitimate causes:

Meetings: Time in conference rooms does not register as computer activity

Mobile work: Desktime tracks desktop only; phone calls and tablet work are invisible

Thinking time: Some roles involve analysis that does not show as app activity

Client site visits: Work at client locations may not be tracked

The review process asks employees to explain discrepancies, building a dataset of legitimate exceptions that can be accounted for in future analysis.

Project-level verification

Beyond total hours, BetterFlow can verify project categorization:

Desktime categorizes applications (development tools, browsers, communication, etc.). Manual timesheets assign time to specific projects. If someone logs 6 hours to "Development - Project Alpha" but Desktime shows 4 hours in IDEs and 2 hours in browsers, the categorization might be questioned.

This helps catch honest mistakes: logging time to the wrong project, miscounting hours spent on different tasks, or forgetting to switch project context when moving between tasks.

Automatic timesheet suggestions

Rather than waiting for discrepancies, BetterFlow can suggest timesheet entries based on Desktime data:

"You spent 3 hours in VS Code yesterday. Would you like to log this to Project Alpha?"
"Desktime shows 2 hours in Slack. Categorize as: [Meetings] [Communication] [Break]?"

Employees can accept, modify, or reject suggestions. Over time, the system learns individual patterns and improves suggestions.

Privacy balance

The integration preserves privacy principles:

Desktime data is summarized (3 hours in browser) not detailed (which websites)
Employees see their own data before managers do
Flagging is based on discrepancy patterns, not specific activities
The goal is verification, not surveillance

About BetterFlow

Built by BetterQA, a software testing company. BetterFlow integrates with Desktime to provide verification without surveillance. Automatic data validates manual timesheets while respecting employee privacy.

Sources & References

Published by BetterQA, an ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certified company with 8+ years of experience in software quality assurance. According to research by McKinsey, data-driven project management improves team productivity by up to 25%. Last updated on February 22, 2026.