★★★★★ Capterra · Nov 2025
Productivity Monitoring Feedback
“Easy tracking of employee productivity. Seamless transition from person to person on the back end. Easy to update.”
Computer monitoring software for productivity & security
Wondering how your team’s computers are being used? With CurrentWare’s Computer Monitoring Software, you can:
- Get insights you need to drive productivity, protect sensitive data, and maintain compliance
- View applications opened, websites visited, time spent active or idle, files transferred, and more
- Plans starting at $12 USD/user/mo
*No credit card required · 14-day free trial · For on-prem pricing, contact Sales
700+ organizations trust CurrentWare's employee monitoring software for visibility & control
What Computer Monitoring Software Can Do for Your Business
CurrentWare is a computer monitoring program that helps organizations understand how their devices are used: the files transferred, the websites visited, the apps opened and more.
In enterprise security frameworks, a Computer Monitoring Software is also referred to as User Activity Monitoring (UAM), and is an indispensable part of an organization’s security strategy that wants to keep a track of what’s happening on their company devices and identify any suspicious or malicious activity before it translates into a bigger problem. It serves three main purposes:
- Improve employee productivity by understanding how they are using their devices
- Prevent/detect any suspicious activity like file transfer or unauthorized access to sensitive data.
- Keep records of user activity to meet compliance requirements & regulations such as HIPAA, SOC2, and GDPR.
How a Computer Monitoring System Works
A computer monitoring system has three parts: an agent on each computer, a central console that stores the data, and the dashboards and alerts your team uses. Here is how they fit together:
An agent is installed on each company computer.
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Agent runs in the background and uses very little system resources.
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Agent tracks & gathers user activity (applications opened, sites visited, files shared, active & idle time)
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Agent gathers & stores the collected information in a central management console
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Authorized teams view dashboards, generate reports, and receive alerts if certain policies are violated, such as unauthorized file transfers or visits to blocked websites.
The best part? The agent never stops working.
Because the agent runs and collects data on the device, it keeps working whether the employee is in the office, at home, traveling, or on a VPN. That makes it employee laptop monitoring software as much as desktop monitoring, with the same visibility across all managed devices.
Computer Monitoring vs. Employee Monitoring vs. User Activity Monitoring
These terms, often used interchangeably, are different in their scopes.
| Computer monitoring software only focuses on device activity like apps, web browsing, file movements, and screenshots. | Employee monitoring software tracks websites & apps used by employees, active time vs. idle time, and file transfers across devices. | User Activity Monitoring tool focuses on security frameworks, primarily in cybersecurity and compliances, emphasizing on data loss prevention. |
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What Computer Monitoring Programs Track
CurrentWare’s Computer Monitoring Software tracks & records employee activity happening on company devices. We have categorized these activities into three:
Application and Software Usage
Underutilized software costs businesses a staggering $34 billion per year! Monitor employee workstations to get genuine insights into application usage and make informed software asset management decisions.
- Find the utilization rate of specific pieces of software
- Discover what SaaS tools have fallen out of use
- Ensure you have enough licenses to meet genuine demand
Web Browsing and Search Activity
BrowseReporter tracks the websites employees visit, time spent on each site, and search terms used. It automatically categorizes websites as productive, unproductive, or restricted, making browsing trends easy to understand.
Managers can view reports by employee, team, or organization, and set alerts for visits to high-risk websites or categories. Search history provides additional context to help IT and security teams investigate suspicious activity.
Active vs. Idle Time
CurrentWare identifies when your employees are actively interacting with their device, and when the device is running but not being used. This way, it reports a clear breakdown of active vs. idle time for each employee.
This enables team managers to distinguish between real productivity gaps and schedule mismatches without any assumptions based on hours logged-in.
File Transfers and USB / Removable Media
Improve data security with increased visibility into high-risk data transfers and USB activity.
- Receive real time email alerts when employees violate your endpoint security policies
- USB file tracing reports show files that have been copied, created, deleted, or renamed on
- removable media devices, cloud storage services, and network share drives
- Review file transfer activity logs to trace data breaches back to their source
Screenshots and Screen Activity
Our employee computer monitoring software lets you monitor productive vs unproductive time and capture screenshots of your employees’ screens to see exactly what they are doing on their computers.
- Capture high-resolution and compressed screenshots
- Monitor desktops in real-time to watch for unsafe data handling and inappropriate behavior
- Screenshots are tagged with the website or application that was being used, the time, and the name of the computer
Location Insights
BrowseReporter’s Location Insights dashboard helps leaders make data-driven decisions about remote, in-office, and hybrid work.
Promote flexibility without sacrificing accountability with insights into how location flexibility affects employee engagement and productivity.
- Compare productivity scores between groups of in-office, remote, and hybrid employees to gauge the impact that location has on employee engagement
- See how much of your workforce is working in-office, remotely, or hybrid in a given timeframe
- Review productivity trends to decide if frequently abused distractions need to be limited with BrowseControl’s URL filter
Dashboards and Reports
Improve business intelligence with advanced insights into web browsing, app usage, bandwidth consumption, productivity, and more!
- Identify productivity leaks
- Enforce company policies
- Detect software waste
Why Organizations Monitor Computer Activity
Computer monitoring isn’t carried because of a lack of trust but to get data that backs decision-making. Organizations that function without any workforce visibility end-up making decisions based on assumptions and not evidence.
79% Understand How Staff Spend Time
65% Ensure Staff Work a Full Day
50% Prevent Personal Use
81% 81% of companies that tried monitoring tools increased productivity
To Measure and Improve Productivity
See how employees spend time across apps and websites with objective activity data. Identify productivity trends, remove workflow bottlenecks, and support more informed performance discussions.
To Detect Insider Threats and Prevent Data Loss
Spot risky activity like large file transfers, unauthorized app usage, after-hours access, or data copied to external devices, helping IT investigate incidents before they become serious.
To Maintain Security and Compliance
Track who accessed sensitive data, when, and what actions they performed. Detailed activity logs help support audits and meet compliance requirements like HIPAA, SOC 2, and GDPR.
To Get Visibility Into Remote and Hybrid Teams
Monitor activity consistently across office, remote, and hybrid employees. Understand work patterns, identify employees who need support, and ensure company systems are used appropriately.
Computer Monitoring Use Cases by Team
In an organization, different teams may use the computer monitoring software for different purposes, depending on the requirements.
IT and Security
IT and security teams use computer monitoring to detect unusual activity, like unauthorized applications, large file transfers, or after-hours access. This helps them investigate security incidents, enforce IT policies, and identify unauthorized software across company devices.
HR and People Operations
HR teams use insights from the employee activity reports to gauge work patterns, reduced activity, or excessive non-work browsing, giving managers real data when they are counselling employees or having performance discussions, especially for remote employees.
Compliance and Risk
Compliance teams use employee activity data to prepare for audits and show that company policies are being followed. Risk teams use the same data to monitor access to sensitive information and identify employee actions that could put the organization at risk.
Operations and Team Leaders
In shared services environments like a BPO, contact center, financial services back-office, etc. managers & team leads use computer monitoring to measure productivity, workflow inefficiencies, and benchmark performance. The reports also help them analyze if there has been a consistent drop at a particular time, or trends that may impact overall process issues, or cause system slowdowns.
How CurrentWare Monitors Computer Activity
CurrentWare’s approach to computer monitoring is built on four principles: comprehensive data collection, on-premise data ownership, transparent deployment, and a modular product architecture that allows organizations to activate only the capabilities they need.
On-Premise Deployment and Data Ownership
Unlike cloud-only monitoring tools, CurrentWare lets you keep all monitoring data on your own servers. Website activity, application logs, screenshots, and other user activity stay within your organization’s environment, giving you complete control over where your data is stored.
This is especially useful for organizations in regulated industries, government contracting, and any environment where data residency requirements or internal security policies prohibit storing sensitive user activity data in third-party cloud infrastructure. It helps businesses to better meet internal policies and support compliance with regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA.
Transparent (and Optional Stealth) Monitoring
BrowseReporter gives you the flexibility to monitor transparent or stealth monitoring depending on the situation. Most of the time, transparent mode makes sense, employees know it’s there, which keeps things fair and builds trust. But when something like an active investigation comes up, you can quietly switch to stealth mode to look closer, then switch back once it’s sorted
Modular Suite: BrowseReporter, BrowseControl, AccessPatrol
CurrentWare’s platform is a modular suite of three products, each addressable independently or deployed together:
You can start with BrowseReporter for monitoring and reporting, add BrowseControl to enforce policy, and deploy AccessPatrol when data loss prevention becomes a priority, without replacing the platform or migrating your data.
| BrowseReporter | BrowseControl | AccessPatrol |
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| Computer monitoring and user activity reporting module. Tracks web browsing, application usage, active/idle time, screenshots, and generates the dashboards and reports described throughout this page. | Web filtering and access control. Enforces acceptable use policies by blocking categories of sites or specific URLs, with configurable schedules and override permissions for different user roles. | Endpoint data loss prevention. Monitors and controls USB and removable media activity, blocking unauthorized data transfers and logging all file copy events to external devices. |
Flexible Deployment Options
CurrentWare is built for complex enterprise environments, supporting flexible deployment options and endpoint configurations commonly used by enterprises, healthcare organizations, and managed service providers.
On-Premise vs. Cloud
CurrentWare is deployed on-premises by default, with all monitoring data stored on your own Windows Server. For organizations that prefer cloud hosting, the management console can also be deployed in a private cloud environment like Azure, AWS, or your own virtual machine, while keeping data under your control.
Citrix, Terminal Server, and RDS Support
CurrentWare supports Citrix, Microsoft RDS, and other terminal server environments. It tracks activity at the individual user session level rather than the shared server, ensuring accurate monitoring even when multiple users work on the same server. This makes it well-suited for virtual desktop environments.
Monitoring Employee Computers Legally and Ethically
Employee computer monitoring is legal in the United States and most jurisdictions worldwide, but it is not unconditional. Employers who monitor computer activity must do so within a framework of notice, proportionality, and legitimate business purpose. This section outlines the key legal considerations; it is not legal advice, and organizations should consult qualified legal counsel when implementing a monitoring program.
Is Computer Monitoring Legal?
Yes. In the United States, employers have broad legal authority to monitor activity on company-owned computers and networks. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) permits employer monitoring of electronic communications on employer-owned systems, and courts have consistently upheld employer monitoring policies when applied to company-owned equipment and network infrastructure.
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) provides a state-by-state overview of workplace privacy and monitoring laws. While federal law sets the baseline, several states have enacted additional requirements, most notably around employee notification.
Notification and Consent Requirements
Even where not legally mandated, best practice is to notify employees that their computer activity may be monitored. A written Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) or Employee Monitoring Policy, acknowledged in writing by employees, establishes the legal and organizational foundation for a monitoring program.
Beyond best practice, notification is legally required in several jurisdictions. Employers who monitor without disclosure may face liability under state law even where federal law permits the monitoring.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for reference only; it does not constitute legal advice. Reach out to local experts who are well versed in the legalities surrounding employee rights before you begin to implement your employee monitoring policy.
US State Monitoring Laws
Three state laws are of particular relevance for employers in the United States:
- New York: Electronic Monitoring Law (NY Labor Law § 682): Requires employers to provide prior written notice to employees that telephone, email, and internet activity may be monitored. Effective May 2022.
- Connecticut: An Act Requiring Employer Disclosure of Electronic Monitoring (CGS § 31-48d): Requires prior written notice to employees before monitoring electronic activity on employer systems
- California: CCPA and broader employee privacy rights: While the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) has limited direct application to employee monitoring, California courts apply a heightened reasonable expectation of privacy standard, and employers should ensure monitoring is limited to company-owned devices and systems.
Other states are actively considering similar legislation. Staying current with NCSL’s tracker is the most reliable way to monitor the legislative landscape.
Disclaimer: The monitoring laws summarized above are intended as a general reference and may not reflect the latest legal developments. Organizations should consult legal counsel to ensure their employee monitoring practices comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
HIPAA, GDPR, and SOC 2 Compliance
For regulated industries and global organizations, computer monitoring intersects with specific compliance obligations:
- HIPAA: The HIPAA Security Rule requires covered entities to implement audit controls that record and examine access activity on systems containing ePHI (45 CFR § 164.312(b)). Computer monitoring software provides the technical mechanism for meeting this requirement. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides guidance on what constitutes compliant audit control implementation.
- GDPR: Organizations subject to the EU General Data Protection Regulation must ensure that employee monitoring is proportionate, transparent, and limited to what is necessary for the stated purpose. A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is recommended before deploying monitoring in EU/EEA environments. Monitoring must be disclosed in the employee privacy notice. See GDPR.eu for the full regulation text.
- SOC 2: The AICPA’s SOC 2 framework requires service organizations to demonstrate controls over logical access and system monitoring. User activity logs generated by computer monitoring software directly support evidence requirements for the Security and Availability trust service criteria.
Disclaimer: This information is intended as a general reference and is not legal or compliance advice. Always consult a qualified professional to determine the requirements applicable to your organization.
How Teams Use Currentware
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HealthcareFrom Hunch to Hard Evidence: How CurrentWare Informs HR Investigations
Read case study → - IT & Operations
Web filtering without manual policing: acceptable use enforced by category at scale
Read case study → - Education
Local College Keeps Its Students and Systems Safe From Internet-Based Threats
Read case study →
Trusted by teams across the United States, Canada & the United Kingdom
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What customers say about CurrentWare
4.8 / 5
Across the whole CurrentWare Suite.
4.7 / 5
90% of reviewers would recommend BrowseReporter (average likelihood to recommend: 9 out of 10).
Solutions That Work Across Industries
Tailored controls that help you meet industry standards, boost efficiency, and protect sensitive data across remote and in-office teams.
Healthcare
HIPAA-ready controls to protect PHI with USB management and insider-threat visibility.
Government
Cybersecurity and policy enforcement aligned to NIST 800-171 and CMMC.
Legal Services
Keep client data protected, billable hours productive, and software costs in check.
Manufacturing
Productivity monitoring and internet visibility for both the shop floor and back office.
Financial Services
Enforce access policies and protect sensitive financial data with audit-ready trails.
Schools & Libraries
CIPA-compliant web filtering to qualify for E-Rate and keep students safe online.
Small Business Employee Productivity
Track unproductive web browsing and idle time to detect time-wasting
Managed Service Providers
Deliver the monitoring, data-loss prevention, and web filtering your clients need, now with faster deployment, and easier management.
Built to Support Your Compliance Program
Discover how organizations use CurrentWare’s employee monitoring software to improve visibility, strengthen compliance efforts, and manage employee activity more effectively.
- CMMC Compliance →
CMMC
Endpoint Restriction to Protect CUI & FCI
- NIST 800-171 Compliance →
NIST 800-171/53
Protect Controlled Unclassified Information
- ISO 27001 Compliance →
ISO 27001
Increase the Maturity of Your ISO27K ISMS
- HIPAA Compliance →
HIPAA
HIPAA protects sensitive patient data
- Cyber Essentials Compliance →
Cyber Essentials
Critical Security Controls For Your Assessment
- GDPR Compliance →
GDPR
EU’s data protection and privacy law
- NERC CIP Compliance →
NERC CIP
Protect TCAs & BCSI From Insider Threats
- CIPA Compliance for Education →
CIPA for Education
Qualify for the FCC’s E-Rate Program
Pick & Plug Into Your Existing Stack
CurrentWare works alongside the identity, security, and directory tools you already use, including support for SAML, OIDC, and CEF standards. Cloud connectors are on the way.
- Tested & supported
- Generic standards (SAML, OIDC, CEF)
- On the roadmap (Cloud)
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Frequently asked
Computer Monitoring Software FAQs
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Yes. U.S. employers have broad legal authority to monitor activity on company-owned computers and networks under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). Most states do not require employee consent for monitoring company-owned devices, though several, including New York and Connecticut, require prior written notice. Always consult the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) tracker and qualified legal counsel for your specific jurisdiction.
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Federal law does not require notification in most cases, but several states do, including New York (effective 2022) and Connecticut. Regardless of legal requirement, notifying employees via a written Acceptable Use Policy is widely considered best practice: it establishes a clear legal foundation, reduces employee grievances, and improves policy compliance. CurrentWare supports both transparent and optional stealth deployment modes.
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A lightweight agent is installed on each monitored endpoint. It runs silently in the background and logs user activity like applications used, URLs visited, active and idle time, file transfers, and screenshots, then transmits that data securely to your CurrentWare console (on-premise or private cloud). Administrators access the data through dashboards and reports. NIST SP 800-137 describes the continuous monitoring framework that informs this approach.
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CurrentWare tracks: application and software usage, web browsing and search activity, active vs. idle time, USB and removable media file transfers, screenshots on a configurable schedule, and location insights. All data is available per user, per device, and per team, with historical reporting and real-time dashboards.
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BrowseReporter tracks apps, websites, idle time and screenshots. BrowseControl blocks sites and apps. AccessPatrol controls USB devices and logs file transfers. All three run from one agent and one console.
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Yes. Because monitoring is agent-based at the endpoint level, it works regardless of what network the device is connected to, such as an office network, home broadband, or mobile hotspot. No VPN is required for monitoring to function. This makes CurrentWare equally effective for fully remote, hybrid, and office-based teams.
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CurrentWare’s monitoring agent is fully supported on Windows. Mac compatibility varies by module; see Mac monitoring for current Mac support status and any platform-specific limitations before deployment planning.
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Yes. CurrentWare is a Citrix Ready certified solution and supports monitoring in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, Microsoft RDS, and terminal server environments. The agent monitors at the individual user session level, correctly attributing activity to each user rather than the shared host server. See the Coding Network case study for a real-world Citrix deployment example.
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Both modes are available. In transparent mode, employees are aware they are being monitored, the recommended approach for standard productivity and compliance use cases, as it reinforces policy without creating an adversarial dynamic. Optional stealth mode is available for organizations that require covert monitoring for active investigations. CurrentWare recommends transparent deployment supported by a written monitoring policy.
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Yes, on-premise deployment is a core architectural differentiator. The CurrentWare server installs on your own Windows Server infrastructure. All monitoring data is stored in your environment; no employee activity data is transmitted to CurrentWare’s servers. This makes it the preferred choice for organizations with data residency requirements, regulated data environments, or internal policies that prohibit third-party cloud storage of user activity data.
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Yes. BrowseReporter captures screenshots on a configurable schedule (frequency set by the administrator). AccessPatrol logs all USB and removable media activity, including file copy events, device connections, and transfer volumes, and can block unauthorized transfers in real time in addition to logging them.
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Computer monitoring focuses specifically on desktop and laptop activity: applications, web browsing, file operations, and screen capture. Employee monitoring is a broader term that may also include physical surveillance, badge access, phone recording, and GPS tracking. User Activity Monitoring (UAM) is the security-centric framing used in IT and cybersecurity contexts, emphasizing insider threat detection and audit trail generation. CurrentWare spans all three functions from a single agent.
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CurrentWare starts at $12 USD per user per month. Volume pricing is available, and a free trial allows you to evaluate the full platform in your own environment before purchasing.
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It doesn’t have to, and research suggests the implementation approach matters more than monitoring itself. Studies from Gartner and MIT Sloan indicate that employee responses to monitoring are strongly shaped by whether it is perceived as fair, transparently communicated, and tied to legitimate business goals rather than micromanagement. Monitoring programs that pair clear policy disclosure, focus on aggregate productivity data rather than granular surveillance of individuals, and use findings to support employees rather than penalize them tend to have neutral or positive morale effects.
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