Company: NtoN
Industry: Back-office processing
Company size: 150 employees
Team structure: 20 globally distributed teams
Previous tool: Clockify
Main DeskTime use: Automatic activity tracking and operational reporting
Time using DeskTime: One year
NtoN is an Australian back-office processing company with approximately 150 employees working in 20 teams around the world. The company offers full-service business process outsourcing, currently managing more than 280 business functions for companies that find their resources consumed by repetitive tasks.
Being a company that helps other businesses gain control over time and other resources, efficiency and productivity have always been essential to NtoN’s own team. Besides, managing 20 teams around the world requires more than knowing when people begin and end their workdays. The company also needs to understand which tools employees use, whether established processes are being followed, and where workflows may be breaking down.
Prior to DeskTime, NtoN used Clockify, but its reliance on employee-entered information no longer suited the company’s needs. Looking for more consistent data and less manual input, NtoN switched to DeskTime’s automatic time tracking.
Replacing one time tracker with another, however, is only part of the story. NtoN had to introduce a new time tracking tool to 150 people without undermining their trust. Here’s how the company did it.
Why NtoN switched from Clockify to DeskTime
It’s been a year since NtoN decided to replace Clockify with DeskTime. For those not familiar with the various time tracking tools out there, Clockify is a manual timesheet app known for its simplicity. For small teams the app could be a great option, but companies with many employees, especially if scattered around the world, and growing time tracking needs may require a more elaborate solution.
That was the case for NtoN. The company needed visibility into the tools and software employees were using, a feature that Clockify wasn’t offering. Moreover, Clockify relied on users manually entering their time, while DeskTime records activity directly from the employee’s computer. For NtoN, the distinction was important. With employees working across global teams, relying on everyone to record their activity consistently created gaps in the data. Automatic tracking offered by DeskTime gave the company a more standardized view of how work was being performed.
“DeskTime had the functionality that matched our business needs. Unlike Clockify, which relies on users entering their time, DeskTime automatically tracks activity on employees’ computers,” said Pete Wicklein, manager at NtoN.
How to introduce DeskTime to 150 employees across the globe
Employee buy-in for a new workplace tool depends on transparent rollout and a clearly explained purpose—that stands true for time tracking tools in particular. For NtoN, introducing DeskTime to 150 employees across 20 global teams went smoothly due to open communication from the outset.
“We positioned DeskTime as a source of objective information rather than a system for secretly watching employees,” Pete explains.
NtoN introduced the tool through emails and staff presentations that explained what DeskTime does, why the company needed it, and how the data would be used. This transparency helped employees understand the reasoning behind the change.
“The response was surprisingly positive. Most employees welcomed the opportunity to show how hard they worked and were proud to have that reflected in the data,” says Pete.
To the NtoN team, DeskTime provided a way to make their contribution more visible. At the same time, managers gained a more consistent and objective view of working patterns across teams, helping them identify trends and have better-informed conversations when necessary.
How NtoN uses DeskTime data to improve company processes and support employees
For NtoN, DeskTime is more than a way to track working hours. Its data helps the company understand whether teams are using approved software and following established workflows or if they are finding ways around them.
When people keep using workarounds, it’s usually a sign of bigger problems—like clunky processes, bad software, confusing directions, or a need for better training. Spotting these patterns helps managers step in early and fix the real workload or performance issues.
Asked to share the company’s favorite feature of DeskTime, Pete says that it’s the ability to export the tool’s data for further use: “We find a lot of convenience in using the data in Microsoft Power BI to create various reports.”
Besides using data reports for business purposes, NtoN has found DeskTime data valuable in discovering ways to help their employees’ performance. While time tracking data doesn’t necessarily explain why someone’s working patterns have changed, it can help identify a signal that managers can investigate through a conversation.
“Facing performance data can be difficult for employees, but most use it constructively to resolve their work issues. In one case, unusual work data helped us recognize that an employee was experiencing personal difficulties. What first appeared to be a performance concern became an opportunity to understand the wider situation and help them access support,” Pete explains.
What NtoN learned after one year with DeskTime
One year after switching from Clockify to DeskTime, NtoN’s experience demonstrates how automated tracking can reshape operations across a globally distributed team. Moving away from manual time entries eliminated daily friction for employees while giving leadership far clearer visibility into how work actually gets done.
Yet the real value of the transition extends well beyond time tracking. The automated data gives NtoN the operational clarity needed to evaluate software adoption, uncover hidden process bottlenecks, and more. Just as importantly, it provides a constructive foundation for manager-employee conversations, offering context when performance issues arise or when team members need additional support.
NtoN’s rollout disproves the myth that tracking tools create distrust. Built on transparency, their approach empowered employees to use activity data to showcase their real impact.
Ultimately, however, the success of any operational tool comes down to purpose over technology. Pete from NtoN reflects on that:
“Use time tracking software if your needs genuinely require it. You need clear objectives from the outset and a plan for how the tool will be applied. A strong business need will keep the product in use and justify the investment.”
