Guide Last updated
How to track a virtual assistant's hours, and keep their trust
Tell your VA what you track before they start, use a timer they can see, and count hours, not keystrokes.
Tracking works when your virtual assistant knows what is tracked and agrees to it. Pick a timer they start and stop themselves. Look at hours first, and add more tracking only if you need it. When something looks wrong, ask before you decide.
1. Agree what counts as work time
Write down the hours you expect and what counts as work: tasks, meetings, waiting for a reply. Agree it before the first day, so a question about hours is answered by a rule you both read.
2. Tell them what you track, before day one
Say what the tracker records, when, and who sees it. In the Philippines, the Data Privacy Act asks that personal information is processed with transparency, a legitimate purpose and proportionality (Section 11, source 1). In plain words: be open about it, have a reason, and track no more than the reason needs. This is not legal advice.
Horapod does the telling for you. The first time your VA opens the tracker, it shows what it records on your plan, and they must agree before they can clock in. If you turn on more tracking later, they see the new list and agree again.
3. Use a timer they can see and control
Horapod is a small timer in the tray. Your VA clocks in and out themselves, sees their own hours and status, and can log in on the website to see their own records. Nothing is tracked after they clock out. It runs on Windows and Mac, with phone apps for workers.
4. Track as little as answers your question
Horapod is free for unlimited users. Starter is $1 per worker per month. Premium is $2.99 per worker per month. Prices are in USD. If you only need hours, the Free plan shows who is clocked in and their hours. If you also want to see the work, Starter adds idle detection, activity level, apps and sites, and screenshots. Screenshots are taken at random times, only while clocked in, and deleted after 90 days.
Workers see their own hours. They do not see their screenshots. Say so up front, so it is never a surprise. The full list is on What we track.
5. When hours look wrong, ask first
A long idle stretch can be a break, a call away from the desk or a slow connection. On Premium, mouse jigglers and fake typing are flagged for a look, and you can switch that feature off. Treat a flag as a reason to have a conversation, not as an answer (how to spot fake activity, and when not to). Check the week, then ask your VA what happened.
6. Look at the hours on a rhythm
Pick one time a week to read the hours, and keep to it. A rhythm you both know about feels fair. Checking all day does not.
Sources
- Checked 2026-10-25. Republic Act No. 10173, the Data Privacy Act of 2012, Section 11 (General Data Privacy Principles), on the Lawphil Project site.