Time Tracking Terminology Guide
Understanding time metrics in Flowace helps you accurately track work hours and productivity. This guide explains key terms organized by category.
Attendance Metrics
Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
Total Hours | Complete time tracked on the system, including both active and idle time | 10 hours total = 7 hours active + 3 hours idle |
Expected Hours | Minimum active hours required per day or shift | Standard 8-hour workday requirement |
Active Hours | Time when user shows keyboard/mouse activity on the system | 7 hours of continuous system interaction. |
Missing Hours | Gap between expected hours and actual active hours worked | Expected 8 hours, worked 6 hours = 2 missing hours |
Idle Hours | Time when user is away from the system with no keyboard/mouse activity | Lunch breaks, meetings without laptop use. Learn more about idle time → |
Productivity Metrics
Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
Productive Hours | Time spent on work-related apps and websites based on productivity ratings | Designer on Figma, Developer on VS Code, Writer on Google Docs |
Unproductive Hours | Time spent on non-work apps and websites | Netflix, YouTube, social media (unless job-related) |
Neutral Hours | Time spent on apps/websites that could be work | File Explorer, email clients, web browsers |
Task & Project Time
Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
Time on Tasks | Hours logged to specific assigned tasks or projects | 3 hours on "Design homepage mockup" task |
Non-Task Time | General work time not assigned to specific tasks | 2 hours on emails, admin work, ad-hoc activities |
Alternative Time Recording
Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
Manual Entries | Self-reported time added for work done away from the computer | Reading physical documents, client site visits, whiteboard sessions |
Meeting Entries | Time automatically synced from calendar integrations | Google Calendar or Outlook meetings added to timeline |
Quick Comparison
Metric | Measures | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|
Total Hours | All tracked time | Overall presence verification |
Active Hours | System interaction | Work engagement assessment |
Idle Hours | System inactivity | Break patterns |
Productive Hours | Work app usage | Output quality measurement |
Task Time | Specific assignments | Project progress tracking |
Manual Entries | Offline work | Complete work picture |
Role-Based Examples
Software Developer
- Total Hours: 9 hours
- Active Hours: 8 hours
- Idle Hours: 1 hour (lunch)
- Productive Hours: 7 hours (VS Code, GitHub)
- Neutral Hours: 1 hour (Slack, email)
- Task Time: 6 hours on tickets
- Non-Task Time: 2 hours (code reviews)
Marketing Manager
- Total Hours: 8 hours
- Active Hours: 7 hours
- Idle Hours: 1 hour
- Productive Hours: 5 hours (HubSpot, Canva)
- Meeting Entries: 2 hours (team calls)
- Manual Entries: 1 hour (client lunch)
Designer
- Total Hours: 10 hours
- Active Hours: 8 hours
- Idle Hours: 2 hours
- Productive Hours: 7 hours (Figma, Adobe CC)
- Neutral Hours: 1 hour (design research)
- Task Time: 6 hours on projects
- Manual Entries: 1 hour (sketching)
Common Questions
Q: Why don't my total hours match my expected hours?
Total hours include idle time. Expected hours refer to active hours only.
Q: How is idle time different from unproductive time?
Idle time = away from system. Unproductive time = active on non-work apps.
Q: Can meeting time count as active hours?
Yes, if you're interacting with your laptop during meetings, or if the meeting app is excluded from idle detection.
Q: What happens if I forget to select a task?
Your time is recorded as non-task time, which can be reassigned later.
Q: How do I record work done away from my computer?
Use manual entries to log offline activities like physical meetings or document reviews.
Updated on: 11/11/2025
Thank you!