Setting up the Time Tracking app

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<p class="p">Use the Time Tracking app to monitor how much time agents spend on tickets. Once you've set
up the app, see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408822487450" target="_blank">Using
the Time Tracking app</a> to learn how to use it.</p>
<p class="p">If you're looking for help using Zendesk Explore to generate reports about your time
tracking, see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408825230490" target="_blank">Time Tracking app: metrics you need to be
measuring</a>.</p>
<div class="p">This article covers the following topics:<ul class="ul" id="topic_g4k_xhj_g4__ul_djl_lgr_qlb">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_jk1_3tn_zzb">Important considerations</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_edz_3ry_g4">Installing and configuring the Time Tracking app</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_vdh_vs2_44">Understanding Time Tracking custom ticket fields</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_jk1_3tn_zzb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Important considerations</h2>
<div class="body">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_jk1_3tn_zzb__ul_yf2_35n_zzb">
<li class="li">When the installation is complete, the Time Tracking app automatically creates two
custom ticket fields to store time: <strong class="ph b">Time spent last update</strong> and <strong class="ph b">Total time
spent</strong>. These fields need to be added to your ticket forms. See <a class="xref" href="#topic_vdh_vs2_44">Understanding Time Tracking custom ticket
fields</a>.</li>
<li class="li">The <strong class="ph b">Time spent last update</strong> and <strong class="ph b">Total time spent</strong> fields are hidden from
agents in roles with permission to use the app. If you use several apps, there might be a
slight delay when loading the app in the Apps panel, briefly exposing these fields.</li>
<li class="li">The <strong class="ph b">Time spent last update</strong> and <strong class="ph b">Total time spent</strong> fields can be updated via
the API. In very rare cases, agents have used this to modify time in these fields.</li>
<li class="li">When <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408886890906" target="_blank">managing tickets in bulk</a>, changes made to the
<strong class="ph b">Time spent last update</strong> and <strong class="ph b">Total time spent</strong> fields in the bulk editor
aren't recorded. </li>
<li class="li">If an agent quickly updates and submits a ticket (manually or via a macro) before the
Time Tracking app can fully load in the Apps panel, it could result in time not being
recorded.</li>
<li class="li">Agents can find ways to skip the app's loading process and its normal functions. There
have been cases where agents have leveraged the limitations of the app to manipulate the
times on tickets.</li>
<li class="li">The Time Tracking app doesn't work outside of a ticket in areas such as side
conversations, the bulk ticket editor, and the Zendesk Support mobile app.</li>
<li class="li">If you uninstall the app, recorded time values on a ticket will no longer be visible in
Zendesk Support, even if you reinstall the app.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_edz_3ry_g4">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Installing and configuring the Time Tracking app</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can download and install the Time Tracking app from the <a class="xref" href="https://www.zendesk.com/apps/" target="_blank">Zendesk
Marketplace</a>. With this app, you can track how much time agents spend working on
tickets. Light agents can't use this app.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To install the Time Tracking app</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_edz_3ry_g4__ol_qbd_jy5_h4">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" id="topic_edz_3ry_g4__d7e1557" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_apps_integrations_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Apps and integrations</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Apps &gt; Channel
apps</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Zendesk Marketplace</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Find the <strong class="ph b">Time Tracking</strong> app, then click the title.</li>
<li class="li">On the app details page, click <strong class="ph b">Install</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">From the drop-down, choose the account you want to install the app to, then click
<strong class="ph b">Install</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">On the app settings page, configure any settings you want, as described below. You can
return to this settings page at any time by clicking <strong class="ph b">Apps</strong> &gt; <strong class="ph b">Manage</strong> &gt;
<strong class="ph b">Time Tracking</strong>:<ul class="ul" id="topic_edz_3ry_g4__ul_kn4_hgr_qlb">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Title:</strong> Displays the name of the app. You can edit this to be any name you
want.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Display timelogs to agents:</strong> Determines if agents can see a log of time spent
on that ticket so far, including the agent and status for each time interval.
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_edz_3ry_g4__image_zn3_drk_g4" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/time-tracking-timelogs.png"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Hide the app from agents:</strong> Only displays the app to agents with the admin
role. If the app is hidden, agents without the admin role cannot see or edit the
timer.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Auto pause:</strong> Automatically pauses the timer when the agent navigates away from
the ticket, such as by switching to another ticket tab. The timer resumes
automatically when the agent navigates back to the ticket.<div class="note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> Auto pause will not
occur when an agent's workstation is inactive or when they navigate to a different
browser tab. This setting is specifically configured for switching between ticket
tabs within Zendesk.</div>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Display timer controls:</strong> Determines whether agents see the play and pause
buttons next to the timer, allowing them to manually control when the timer starts and
stops.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Reset current time:</strong> Determines whether agents can see the refresh button next
to the timer, allowing them to start the timer over.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Resume on changes:</strong> When changes are made to any fields, the agent will be
asked if the timer should be resumed.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Edit time submission:</strong> When you enable this setting, the window below appears
when an agent submits a ticket. Agents can review and edit the time they spent on a
ticket if, for example, they spent significant time discussing the issue with a
colleague outside of Zendesk.<p class="p">With this feature enabled, agents are required to
confirm their time in order to submit the ticket. They have 15 seconds from when the
window opens to cancel.</p>
<img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_edz_3ry_g4__image_pjk_cyj_g4" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/time-tracking-edit-time-submission.png">
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Simplified time submission:</strong> Enables agents to edit and submit their time
spent in minutes, rather than hours, minutes, and seconds. For example, with this
setting enabled, an agent could enter "5" for five minutes. Without this setting
enabled, the agent must enter it in the format "00:05:00". This setting only applies
if you've also enabled the Edit time submission setting.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Enable role restrictions:</strong> Select which roles can use the Time Tracking app.
The app will not appear and will not track time for roles you don't select if you have
this setting enabled. <div class="note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> If you enable role restrictions, roles without access to
the app will see the custom fields the app creates in their tickets. By design,
roles with access to the app won't see the custom fields. For details, see <a class="xref" href="#topic_vdh_vs2_44__title_tcy_152_44">Understanding Time
Tracking custom ticket fields</a>. </div>
<img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_edz_3ry_g4__image_yv3_1hk_g4" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/time-tracker-enable-role-restrictions.png">
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Enable group restrictions:</strong> Enables you to select which groups have access to
the app.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Block large time spent submissions:</strong> Blocks submission of a ticket if an agent
is trying to submit a ticket with a time spent value greater than two weeks.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">When you've finished configuring settings, click <strong class="ph b">Install</strong>.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">If your Zendesk plan includes multiple ticket forms, you must update all your forms to
include two new custom ticket fields created by Time Tracking. For details, see <a class="xref" href="#topic_vdh_vs2_44">Understanding Time Tracking custom ticket fields</a>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="topic_vdh_vs2_44__title_tcy_152_44" class="topic nested1" id="topic_vdh_vs2_44">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="topic_vdh_vs2_44__title_tcy_152_44">Understanding Time Tracking custom ticket fields </h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Installing Time Tracking automatically creates two custom ticket fields: <strong class="ph b">Time spent last
update</strong> and <strong class="ph b">Total time spent</strong>. To view the fields, in <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" id="topic_vdh_vs2_44__image_hkq_x3c_ksb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_objects_rules_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Objects and rules</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Tickets &gt; Fields</strong>.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_vdh_vs2_44__image_mlr_ws2_44" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/time-tracking-custom-fields.png" width="850"></p>
<p class="p">By design, agents with access to the app won't see the custom fields on their tickets. If
you enable role restrictions, roles that <em class="ph i">don't</em> have access to the app <em class="ph i">will</em> see
the custom fields on their tickets. </p>
<p class="p">If your Zendesk plan includes multiple ticket forms, you must manually move the new fields
to all your ticket forms. If you don't add the new fields to all your ticket forms, you will
receive an error message. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4411267942810" target="_blank">Time Tracking app error message</a>. </p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To add the custom fields to your ticket forms</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_vdh_vs2_44__ol_w21_gt2_44">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_objects_rules_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Objects and rules</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Tickets &gt; Forms</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the name of a ticket form to open it.</li>
<li class="li">Drag the <strong class="ph b">Time spent last update</strong> and <strong class="ph b">Total time spent</strong> fields from the list
on the right onto your ticket form.<p class="p">For more information, see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408846520858" target="_blank">Creating multiple ticket forms</a>.</p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
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