What is User activity monitoring (UAM) ?
User activity monitoring solution is a software that monitor and track end user behavior on devices, networks, and other company-owned IT resources
User activity monitoring software enable a business to track employee activities and monitor their engagement with workplace related tasks. A business using employee monitoring software on a computer can measure productivity, track attendance, ensure security and collect proof of hours worked.
Using the tool we can track not just how much time people spend at work, but how productive they are, monitor internet usage, which applications they use most, what tasks they struggle with, when they work best, and more.
There are many kinds of user activity monitoring tools on the market. These tools employ different features for different purposes, such as tracking activity for many users, vs. looking into activity for one user. A useful tool would be the one that allows you both, multiple tracking and single user tracking as per your requirement.
How user activity monitoring (UAM) works ?
In General the entire data cycle begins with the UAM Agent which is a piece of software with a low system profile which will be installed on every user computer which needs to be monitored. Each UAM account has its own uniquely coded Agent which does the following:
- Contains encrypted details about where it should send data back to our UAM account.
- Collects data and executes responses to user activity while running unnoticed in the background or reveal mode.
- Senses mouse and keyboard movement tracking the active window of the monitored user’s computer
- Logs details about the program in use like title, URL, executable, and description
- Collects lots of other pieces of information, such as activity duration, IP addresses, date, and time
- During offline periods, it stores all data and screenshots locally and reports it back to the cloud when a secure connection is re-established
UAM tool also protect information while ensuring availability and compliance with data privacy and security regulations. UAM tools goes beyond simply monitoring network activity. Instead, it can monitor all types of user activity, including all system, data, application, and network actions that users take – such as their web browsing activity, whether users are accessing unauthorized or sensitive files, and more.
Below are the key features of user activity monitoring tools
Key features of User activity monitoring (UAM)
| Features | Description |
| Real-time activity monitoring | Real-time activity monitoring allows you to monitor the activities taking place in real-time on a computer. You can observe and analyze all the data. |
| User Activity Reports | All user activities are contained in the User Activity Report. |
| Productivity Tracking | This feature helps to track the performance level of any employee concerning productivity. With productivity tracking, you can help your employees to improve in areas of work where they feel difficulty, leading to overall improvement of the organization. |
| Activity-based Alarms | Every time a predefined condition is matched when any activity is performed, an alarm is triggered. These alarms notify about unwanted activity immediately. |
| Keystroke Logging | Keystroke logging is a feature where the keyboard activity is captured. The keystrokes are recorded and stored in a log file. All kind of operations performed on the keyboard are captured via Keystroke Logging. |
| Remote workstations screenshots | Remote Workstation Screenshots allow you to monitor the device user’s activity by capturing screenshots. |
| Malicious Website Blocking | With this feature, you can restrict access to websites that are unproductive or distracting. Usually, companies prefer to block social media websites, Online gaming portals, entertainment, and streaming websites such as Netflix. |
Few best user activity monitoring tools
| ActivTrak | Berqun | Teramind | |
| Price | $7.20/month/user (Saas) | $6.3/month/computer (SAAS) $6.0/month/computer (Self-hosting) | $7.2/month/computer (SAAS) $12.0/month/computer (Self-hosting) |
| Available Features | * Browsing History * Employee Activity Monitoring * Employee Email Monitoring * Idle Time Monitoring * Productivity Analysis * Remote Control * Screen Activity Recording * Time Tracking | * Alerts/Notifications * Browsing History * Employee Activity Monitoring * Idle Time Monitoring * Productivity Analysis * Screen Activity Recording * Time Tracking | * Alerts/Notifications * Browsing History * Employee Activity Monitoring * Idle Time Monitoring * Productivity Analysis * Remote Control * Screen Activity Recording * Time Tracking * Alerts/Notifications * Keystroke Recording |
| Deployment Model | Only SAAS | Both SAAS & Self Deployment | Both SAAS & Self Deployment |
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