PC helper – Computer activity

  • Post category:SBZ staff

The SBZ Staff PC helper is a small Windows (and macOS) tray app. It helps the company review idle time and screenshots.

This guide is for company admins and for employees who have Computer recording turned on.

  1. What it does

    • Records input idle.
    • Uploads screenshots while input is active and the screen changed enough.
    • Shows capture status in the tray: Recording or Outside shift — not recording.
    • PC idle alone does not prove the employee was not working.

  2. Who this is for

    • Admin — company settings, per-person recording, screenshot review, remote close of all helpers.
    • Employee / Online Employee — runs the PC helper on the work computer and can open their screenshots page.
    • The Accountant does not configure the PC helper.

  3. Before you start

    • You need an active SBZ Staff account.
    • An admin must enable Computer recording for the employee under Employees.
    • Install the SBZ Staff PC helper executable on the work computer (no extra runtime).
    • Capture starts only after check-in and stops at check-out. During an open break with an open attendance session, capture continues.

  4. Screens and menus

    Company settings → Computer activity

    • Input idle (minutes) — after this many minutes without input, time counts as idle. Shorter idle slices are ignored.
    • Screen change to upload (%) — how much the thumbnail must change for a new screenshot (1–25).
    • Auto break when idle — subtracts idle time from worked hours on dashboards/reports. It does not start/end an attendance break.
    • Advanced — JPEG quality, max width, keep history (days), storage (SBZ Staff only / folder / SFTP).
    • Close all PC helpers — queues a close signal; each app exits on its next heartbeat (within about 1 minute). Does not log out or remove auto-start.

    Employees

    • Edit the employee and turn on Computer recording.
    • You see the Computer helper key (copy / new key). A new key stops the old one.
    • Live / Offline shows whether the helper sent a recent heartbeat (about 3 minutes).
    • The Screenshots button opens that person’s activity page.

    Tray app (Windows)

    • Sign in with company AFM + employee AFM/AMKA + password, or with the Computer helper key only.
    • After login the app sends an enablement acknowledgement automatically (not GDPR consent).
    • Right-click the tray icon: My screenshots, Logout, Quit.
    • My screenshots opens a short-lived browser link to your screenshots page.
    • Logout / Quit ask a simple Yes/No confirm (no password again).
    • Quit removes auto-start and Task Scheduler; the app does not restart until you open it again.

  5. First tasks (admin)

    1. Open Settings → Computer activity and set idle minutes, screen-change %, and retention days.
    2. Under Employees, enable Computer recording for the people who need it.
    3. Give the employee either their normal login details or the Computer helper key.
    4. Ask them to sign in to the PC helper and check in. The tray tooltip should show Recording.
    5. Open Screenshots from the employee list to verify.

  6. First tasks (employee)

    1. Open SBZ Staff PC helper.
    2. Sign in with company AFM / your AFM or AMKA / password, or with the key from your admin.
    3. Do a normal check-in in SBZ Staff (QR station or online buttons).
    4. Check the tray tooltip shows Recording.
    5. Open My screenshots from the tray menu, or My screenshots from the Dashboard.

  7. Everyday use

    • Outside shift (no open check-in) the helper can stay logged in but shows Outside shift — not recording; it does not store screenshots/idle.
    • On the screenshots page you see day totals, idle gaps, and images. There is a short recording notice and More information.
    • You can filter by period and search by Window title.
    • An admin can delete a screenshot from the same screen when needed.

  8. Tips

    • Keep the helper running on the work computer; after the first login it can auto-restart (Task Scheduler / LaunchAgent).
    • If you renew the computer helper key, tell the employee right away.
    • Use Close all PC helpers only when you want every active app to exit temporarily.
    • Tray acknowledgement is not GDPR consent; informing employees remains the company’s responsibility.

  9. Related

    • Company help — settings and staff.
    • Staff help — check-in / check-out and screenshots from the Dashboard.