Desktop Agents

Desktop agents are user-facing tracking agents that run visibly on a team member's computer. They give users control over when tracking is active and are usually the best starting point for teams where members work on personal computers.

How Desktop Agents Work

When a user installs the desktop agent, a small application appears on their computer — typically as a menu bar or system tray icon. Depending on your organization's settings, a timer may also be visible showing how long the user has been tracking.

The agent monitors:

Time worked — tracks active work hours based on when the timer is running
Application and website usage — records which tools are being used
Activity levels — detects keyboard and mouse interaction to distinguish active time from idle time

All collected data is sent to Intelogos and becomes available in your Dashboard, Profile, Daily, and Reports views.

User Control

A key feature of desktop agents is that the user always has the final say over tracking. Users can:

Start the timer to begin tracking
Stop the timer to pause tracking
Quit the application entirely to stop all tracking

Even if an admin configures the agent to auto-start, the user can always override this by stopping or closing the app. This makes desktop agents well-suited for personal computers where users need to ensure no personal activity is captured.

When to Use Desktop Agents

Desktop agents are usually the best starting point when team members work on personal computers, because you want the end user to be in control of what is tracked — ensuring personal activity stays private and only work is captured.

Desktop agents tend to be a good fit when:

Users work on personal computers — giving them control over tracking means no personal information is gathered unintentionally
User autonomy matters — employees decide when to start and stop their workday
Self-service deployment works — users can install the agent themselves after receiving an invitation
You want visible tracking — the timer or icon reminds users that tracking is active

How to Deploy Desktop Agents

Deploying desktop agents is a two-step process: invite the user, then they install the agent themselves.

Step 1: Invite Users

Go to User Management (from the left sidebar)
Click Invite users (the plus icon in the page header)
Enter the user's work email address
Assign a role (User, Manager, or Admin)
Click Send

The user receives an invitation email with a link to complete registration.

Step 2: User Installs the Agent

After registering, users can install the desktop agent in two ways:

During onboarding — the platform suggests downloading the desktop agent as part of the initial setup
Later from the menu — click on their name at the bottom-left corner of the screen, then select Install desktop agent

The agent supports Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Admin Settings for Desktop Agents

Admins can configure organization-wide desktop agent preferences from User Management → Desktop Agent Settings (the monitor icon in the page header). These settings control the agent's behavior for all users unless individual customization is allowed.

Appearance

Setting	What It Does
Open at computer login	The agent automatically launches when the user logs in
Autostart time when app is turned on	The timer starts automatically when the app opens
Show or hide time	Controls whether the timer is visible in the menu bar or hidden
Allow users to make their own preferences	Lets individual users override the above settings

Tip: Enable "Open at computer login" and "Autostart time" if you want tracking to begin automatically. If your culture values flexibility, enable user preferences so individuals can adjust.

Tracking Permissions

Setting	What It Does
Allow offline meetings tracking	Users can mark idle time as offline meetings to account for calls or in-person meetings
Allow users to skip tracking permissions	Users can use the agent with only time tracking (no activity or app usage data)

Tip: Keep "Allow users to skip tracking permissions" disabled if you need comprehensive activity data. Enable offline meetings tracking so employees can account for time away from the keyboard.

Idle Time

Configure how the agent handles periods of inactivity:

Idle thresholds — set separate thresholds for communication apps (e.g., Slack, Teams) and non-communication apps (e.g., code editors, spreadsheets). Typical values are 10–30 minutes.
Save or discard idle time — choose whether idle periods count as work time, are discarded, or if the user decides on a case-by-case basis. "Let user decide" is recommended for most teams.
Auto-discard long idle — automatically discard idle time exceeding a threshold (e.g., 2–4 hours) to handle cases like forgetting to stop the timer overnight.

Reminders

Work schedule reminders — remind users to start their timer at a set time (e.g., 9:00 AM on weekdays)
Project switch reminders — remind users to switch projects at regular intervals (e.g., every 4 hours)

Note: Reminders only work when the agent is running. Enable "Open at computer login" so the agent is available to send reminders.

Visibility

Control what performance data users can see in their own profiles:

Time only — users see only their time and availability data
Time, activity, tool usage and more — users see full performance metrics including app usage, tool categories, and detailed charts

Supported Platforms

Platform	Supported
Windows	Yes
macOS	Yes
Linux	Yes

Next Steps

Need to understand the difference between agent types? Read Understanding Agents
Want to deploy background agents instead? Read the Background Agents guide