How does screen capturing work?

Learn how screen capturing works to capture on-screen activities and provide insights into employee productivity

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Screen capturing is a powerful tool that allows users to record or take snapshots of their computer or device screens.

Integrated within Jibble’s desktop time tracker, this feature is accessible across all plans (Free, Premium and Ultimate) and is useful for ensuring accurate time tracking and boosting employee productivity. 

This article covers:

Tracking time

Screen capturing is a feature specifically designed for Jibble’s desktop app. To utilize this feature, each team member must install the desktop app on their respective computers.

Once screen capturing is enabled and permissions are granted on the member’s device, screenshots of all screens in the foreground will be captured at set intervals whenever a member is clocked in and the desktop app is active and running (regardless of which platform was used to clock in).

Screenshot capture starts when a member is clocked in, and stops automatically when a member clocks out on any platform, during breaks, or after quitting the desktop app.

Sleep mode capabilities

When devices enter sleep mode, you might notice a black screen captured.

For macOS devices:

During sleep mode, screen capturing continues throughout the entire period. For instance, if a member’s macOS desktop is in sleep mode for 30 minutes, three black screens will appear on the member’s timesheets. Once the device reactivates, regular screenshots will resume.

For WindowsOS devices:

While in sleep mode, only one screen will be captured for the entire duration. For instance, if a member’s WindowsOS desktop remains in sleep mode for 30 minutes, only one black screen will be shown on the member’s timesheets. When reactivated, a screenshot of the member’s active screen will be taken, followed by subsequent screenshots as per usual.

Read more about viewing and deleting screenshots.

Offline capabilities

Screenshots will continue to be captured even when members are offline. During offline periods, screenshots are stored on the device and automatically uploaded to the server upon regaining an internet connection.

Read more about tracking time on Jibble’s desktop app while offline.

Platform synchronization

Screen capturing will start whenever a user clocks in on any platform (e.g. desktop, web, mobile) as long as the desktop app is active, and will stop as soon as the user clocks out on any platform, goes on break, or quits the desktop app.

Data gathering and privacy

Screenshots cannot be captured without the member’s knowledge. In order to record screenshots:

  • Members have to allow screenshot capturing 
  • Screenshots are taken only while the timer is running and the member is clocked in
  • Clocking in on any platform will start captures as long as the desktop app is active, and clocking out or going on break on any platform will stop captures
  • Each member can access and delete their own screenshots without limitations
  • Owners and admins can view screenshots of all members whereas managers can view screenshots of their managed members by default

Read more about viewing and deleting screenshots.

Screenshot interval

Screenshot interval

The screenshot interval is how often screenshots are taken while your team members are clocked in. The frequency of these screenshots depends on the Jibble subscription plan you’re using.

  • Free Plan: Screenshots are captured randomly within a 10-minute range.
  • Premium Plan: Select between 5-minute or 10-minute intervals.
  • Ultimate Plan: Select from 2, 5, or 10-minute intervals.

Screenshot storage

The duration for which screenshots are stored depends on your subscription plan.

  • Free: Screenshots are stored for 3 days
  • Premium: Screenshots are stored for 1 month
  • Ultimate: Screenshots are stored for up to 1 year
    • You may configure the duration setting under Time Tracking Settings on Jibble’s web app. Read more about enabling screen capturing.

Important ❗️: If your subscription plan was upgraded or downgraded, the duration of screenshot storage will be based on the subscription plan in place when the screenshot was captured.

Example:

Alan was on the Free plan on the 12th of October. On the 13th of October, he upgraded his subscription plan to Premium. Following this, the screenshots that were taken on the 12th of October will only be stored until the 14th of October (3 days). 

Screenshot resolution

By default, screenshots captured are of low resolution and blurred for privacy and security reasons. Admins and Owners can choose between blurred or high-resolution screenshots at an organization level on all plans. Screenshot resolution can also be configured on a group level.

You may configure the resolution setting under Time Tracking Settings on Jibble’s web app. Read more about enabling screen capturing.

Enforcing device restrictions

To ensure screenshot capture works as intended, the desktop app must be active. Clocking in on other platforms will trigger capture only if the desktop app is running. Clocking out on any platform will stop captures immediately.

To guarantee that screenshots are always captured during tracked time, we recommend requiring team members to track time exclusively through Jibble’s desktop app. This can be done by enforcing device restrictions to prevent time tracking on other platforms.

To do this, you can disable other platforms (web app, mobile app and kiosks) for the entire organization (all members), or only for particular groups.

To enforce device restrictions for the whole organization: 

  1. Go to Time Tracking.
  2. Look for the Device Restrictions section.
  3. Click on the pencil icon to make changes.
  4. Enable the Desktop Apps option and disable Mobile Apps, Shared Kiosk, and Web Browser.
  5. Click Save.

▶️ Give it a try below.

To enable device restrictions for particular groups:

  1. Go to People, and click on Groups.
  2. Click on a group you wish to enable screen capturing for.
  3. Click on the cog icon to access group settings.
  4. Look for the Device Restrictions section.
  5. Enable the Desktop Apps option and disable Mobile Apps, Shared Kiosk, and Web Browser.
  6. Click Save.
  7. Repeat steps 2 to 6 for other groups as needed.

▶️ Follow along to try it now.

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