Julian Pustkuchen
ClickUp’s time tracking is optimized for billing, but many jurisdictions require documenting daily presence independently of project work. A dedicated presence tracking module would meet compliance needs without mixing legal records with financial data.
Add a dedicated presence tracking feature, distinctly separated from billable time tracking, with minimal data capture, explicit notice/consent, role-based access, retention controls, and compliance-ready reporting. This will position ClickUp as a trustworthy, audit‑ready platform for teams operating under German, EU, and other global regulations.
## Regulatory context across countries
  • Germany:
    Presence and working-time records intersect with GDPR and the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG). Monitoring must be transparent, proportionate, and limited to what’s legally necessary; processing personal data requires lawful basis and strict purpose limitation.
  • European Union (EU):
    Employee monitoring is permitted only within GDPR’s principles (lawfulness, transparency, data minimization, purpose limitation), with heightened scrutiny for surveillance-like tools. Separate, minimally intrusive presence logs align better with GDPR compliance than broad productivity tracking.
  • United Kingdom:
    Similar to EU-style requirements post‑GDPR, with emphasis on impact assessments, notification, and proportionality in monitoring practices.
  • United States:
    Laws vary by state, but employers generally must notify employees about monitoring; overbroad surveillance risks litigation and reputational harm. Clear policies and limited-scope tracking are recommended.
  • Canada:
    Privacy statutes (e.g., PIPEDA provincially) emphasize consent, transparency, and data minimization; employers should document legitimate interests and limit retention.
  • Australia & Mexico:
    Monitoring is lawful with clear notice and purpose limits; best practice favors explicit policies, opt‑in where applicable, and narrow data collection for compliance rather than productivity surveillance.
  • Global guidance:
    Cross‑country reviews highlight consent/notice, retention limits, and scope control as common requirements; improper monitoring brings penalties and employee distrust, reinforcing the need to separate presence from billable tracking.
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## Best practices for compliant presence tracking
  • Data minimization:
    Record only start time, end time, and legally required breaks; avoid activity-level or device-level monitoring.
> Aligns with GDPR principles and reduces legal exposure.
  • Clear notice and consent:
    Provide written policy, obtain acknowledgment, and ensure employees can access their records.
> Addresses transparency and trust requirements across jurisdictions.
  • Separate systems and reports:
    Keep presence logs distinct from billable/project time to respect purpose limitation and simplify audits.
> Minimizes scope creep and eases compliance reviews.
  • Retention limits:
    Store presence data only for the statutory period, then securely delete.
> Common mandate in privacy regimes to reduce risk.
  • Works council engagement (DE/EU):
    Involve employee representatives when introducing monitoring-related tools.
> Supports co‑determination expectations and legal harmony.
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## Proposed feature scope
  • Presence clock-in/out:
    One-click start/end plus break entry, independent of tasks.
  • Policy and consent prompts:
    Configurable notices, acknowledgment tracking, and per‑workspace settings.
  • Role-based visibility:
    Employees see and verify their entries; HR/Admin access for audits only.
  • Dedicated reports and exports:
    Presence summaries by date/employee, separate from billing; exportable CSV/PDF for audits.
  • Retention controls:
    Workspace-level retention periods and automated deletion.
  • Regional compliance presets:
    Templates reflecting EU/DE, UK, US, CA, AU, MX requirements.
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## Why ClickUp should implement this
  • Compliance differentiation:
    A presence module aligned with GDPR/BDSG and international norms reduces legal risk and makes ClickUp viable for regulated teams.
  • Trust and adoption:
    Transparent, minimal tracking builds employee confidence and eases works council approvals, accelerating enterprise adoption.
  • Operational clarity:
    Clean separation of compliance presence from billable time prevents data misuse and simplifies audits, reducing admin overhead.
  • Global readiness:
    Harmonizes diverse legal expectations, enabling multinational rollout without custom tooling.