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How Does Time Doctor Work in a Virtual Environment (Citrix, Vmware, Virtualbox)?

 

Note: Tracking in Virtual Environments is available in All Plans and can be accessed by Owners & Admins for Automatic installers; Interactive installers via user Download page.

 

TL;DR: 
 
Install Time Doctor inside the virtual environment just like on a regular PC. When installed in a VM/remote server, the desktop app tracks only the remote session, not the host machine. To track both the VM and the local PC, install on both—but doing this with the Automatic App can create duplicate user profiles. If tracking starts inside a VM and activity switches to the local PC, the VM app will time out due to inactivity.

 

What is covered

  • Supported environments: Citrix, VMware, VirtualBox
  • What the desktop app tracks in remote sessions
  • When to install on the local machine as well
  • How to avoid duplicate Automatic App users
  • Why tracking may stop after switching from VM to local
 

How Time Doctor works in virtual environmentsInstall inside the VM/remote server


Understand tracking scope in remote sessions

  • When installed on a remote server/VM, the Time Doctor desktop app monitors only the activity inside that remote session.
  • Activity on the local host PC is not tracked by the app running in the VM.
  • To track host activity, install the desktop app on the local PC as well.
 

When to install on both VM and local PCTrack both environments (with caution)

  • Install the desktop app in both places to capture work performed in the VM and on the local machine.
  • Important for Automatic App: installing/signing in on multiple computers or profiles (including VMs/terminal servers) can create duplicate Automatic App user profiles in the account.
    • Prevent duplication by:
      • Avoiding installs on shared machines with multiple OS user profiles.
      • Standardizing installs through domain-managed devices (e.g., Windows AD or Entra ID) whenever possible.
      • Consulting the Best Practices guide before mass deployment.
    • Best practices (Automatic App)
 

Why tracking may stop after switching from VM to local PCInactivity inside the VM ends the session

  • Starting the app inside the VM and then working on the local PC leaves no keyboard/mouse activity in the VM.
  • After the configured inactive-time threshold, the app stops tracking because it assumes the user is no longer working in the VM.
  • To continue tracking on the local PC, run the local desktop app (or move activity back to the VM).
 

Example deployment patternsPreferred (minimizes duplicates)

  • Install Automatic App on one managed device per person, joined to the same domain (Windows AD/Entra ID), and avoid VM installs unless the VM is the user’s only work environment.
 

Mixed environments

  • If work is genuinely split between VM and host, consider:
    • Interactive on VM (user-started) + Automatic on host (admin-managed), or vice versa, depending on policy.
    • Review billing/seat implications for any additional Automatic profiles created.

 

 

 

 

Should there be any inconsistencies or concerns regarding the article, contact support@timedoctor.com for prompt assistance.