Frequently asked questions
Below you’ll find answers to the questions we get asked the most which include general information, the HiveDesk Client for Admin and HiveDesk Client for Team Members.
General FAQs
Not at all. HiveDesk works on Windows, Macs, and Linux. That covers more than 99% of all desktop/laptop systems.
No. HiveDesk only tracks time and activity once you have logged into the HiveDesk software AND checked into a project. Once you check out of a project, time and activity tracking stops. It’s that simple. Even if you leave the HiveDesk software running and you stay logged in, HiveDesk WILL NOT track your time and activity.
Yes. When team members have multiple monitors connected to their computer we do capture the activity on the extra monitors.
No, every plan has unlimited screenshots. Screenshots are taken automatically; you decide how often you would like them taken. The desktop tracker supports multiple-monitor setups and will take screenshots even while screen savers are active.
Activity levels and screenshots can be used to determine the productivity of remote team members. The screenshots provide proof that the team member is not using paid time to do other activities. The activity levels measure keyboard and mouse activity.
HiveDesk can generate timesheet reports, screenshot reports and daily, weekly, and bi-weekly summaries.
Admin FAQs
The activity level and the screenshots can be used in conjunction to determine the productivity of a team member. The screenshots provide proof that the remote worker is not using paid time to do other activities. The Activity Level measures how much activity the team member is doing on the computer. This ensures that members do not merely leave a single window up on their computer to create the appearance of doing work. A high activity level doesn’t guarantee productivity; likewise, screenshots with a single “productive” window do not guarantee productivity by themselves either.
The HiveDesk Client is not necessary for administrators. The functionality on the HiveDesk Client is the same for both administrators and team members and is useful for documenting working hours and taking and sending screenshots.
The HiveDesk Client can be downloaded here.
On Windows, after the installation of the HiveDesk Client, you will see an icon with the HiveDesk Logo on the Desktop. Select and double-click on this icon and the HiveDesk Client will be launched.
On Linux, execute the launch.jnlp file using the installed java wrapper.
On Macs, you will see the HiveDesk Client in your Applications folder; click to launch it.
Yes, you need a HiveDesk account in order to login to the HiveDesk Client. You can sign up for an account by clicking the Sign Up button in the top right corner of the page or clicking the Create a new account button on the login page.
Red means the Project Note is new, Gray means no Project Note has been provided, Black means the Project Note has already been read.
Click on the My Projects tab, then click on the project name for which you wish to adjust the settings. Click on the Edit Project button under the tabs. From here, you will be able to change the Screenshot Controls as well as the details of the project.
Click on the My Workers tab; under the line that says “Add New Worker”, you can enter the email address the team member(s) that you want to add.
This depends on the plan that was purchased. The listing is as follows:
Mini Plan – Up to 3 Team Members
Mini + Plan – Up to 5 Team Members
Small Plan – Up to 7 Team Members
Medium Plan – Up to 12 Team Members
Large Plan – Up to 20 Team Members
XL Plan – More than 20 Team Members
No, every plan includes unlimited hours, projects, and screenshots.
The 14-Day Free Trial is a free version of the Mini Plan. This means that you can have up to 2 team members on this plan.
Tasks are jobs with specific deadlines that you can assign to a particular team member. This task can be viewed by the team member in their HiveDesk Client. They are able to check off tasks as they are completed. Tasks can be added and edited by going to the My Projects tab and clicking on the project name for which you wish to add a task. Below the tabs, there is a button for managing tasks that can be used to add a new task or edit existing tasks.
Managers have the ability to view all of the projects created by the administrator and add team members to different projects. Managers also have the ability to create new projects and add entirely new team members.
HiveDesk can generate Timesheet Reports, Daily Work Summaries, Weekly Work Summaries, Bi-weekly Work Summaries, and Screenshot reports.
Administrators do not count towards the team member limit.
Team member FAQs
Employers will receive screenshots taken randomly by HiveDesk in timed intervals at their discretion. The employer will also get activity ratings from HiveDesk as well as information about tasks marked as completed.
Team Members are able to see the information online that is available to the employer. This can be done after logging in on the HiveDesk website by clicking the My Projects tab and clicking on the name of a particular project in order to view the work completed on that project.
The employer can enable a feature to let team members delete screenshots, but this can only happen before the screenshot is sent. There is a 15-second timer for the team member to delete that particular screenshot.
Team members can generate timesheets and work session charts online using the Reports tab.
HiveDesk can generate Timesheet Reports, Daily Work Summaries, Weekly Work Summaries, Bi-weekly Work Summaries, and Screenshot reports.
Team members must log out and log back into the HiveDesk Desktop Client in order to view new tasks and projects set by the employer. New projects can be viewed and accepted in the My Projects tab in the web application.
The HiveDesk Client can be downloaded from office.hivedesk.com/download.
On Windows, after the installation of the HiveDesk Client, you will see an icon with the HiveDesk Logo on the Desktop. Select and double-click on this icon and the client will be launched.
On Linux, execute the launch.jnlp file using the installed java wrapper.
On Macs, you will see the HiveDesk Client in your Applications folder; click to launch it.
Yes, you need a HiveDesk account in order to login to the HiveDesk Client. You can sign up for an account by clicking the Sign Up button in the top right corner of the page or clicking the Create a new account button on the login page.
Red means the Project Note is new, Gray means no Project Note has been provided, Black means the Project Note has already been read.
Administrators do not count towards the team member limit.