Data Collection Tiers
Patterns lets you choose exactly how much detail is captured, from structural metadata only, up to full field-value and clipboard capture — unlocking the most granular decision-making insight, greater process branch detection, and richer detail across every step.
Metadata Only
Records that an interaction happened and what kind of element it happened on, which applications and websites were used, and how long was spent on each step. Gives a rough picture of what someone did, without capturing sensitive data.
- Typed or selected field values
- Visible text of buttons, links, and labels
- Clipboard contents on copy / cut / paste
- That a copy / cut / paste occurred
- Element type, control type, and app context
- Applications/websites used in the workflow
- Time spent on each step
Full Capture
Adds the field values, on-screen text, and clipboard content needed to reconstruct exactly how a task was performed, step by step — capturing not just what was done, but the decisions behind it, so the tribal knowledge in someone's head ends up documented too.
- Typed or selected field values
- Visible text of buttons, links, and labels
- Clipboard contents on copy / cut / paste
- That a copy / cut / paste occurred
- Element type, control type, and app context
- Applications/websites used in the workflow
- Time spent on each step
Structural and contextual metadata — element type, control type, which event occurred, and which applications/websites were used and for how long — is captured on both tiers. Only the field values, on-screen text, and clipboard content above are gated by tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tier should we start with?
Most customers start new devices on Metadata Only and move specific, opted-in machines to Full Capture only where deeper field-level detail is needed to document a particular workflow — for example, a pilot process-mining engagement on a single workstation.
Is anything captured regardless of tier?
Yes — structural and contextual metadata (the type of UI element, its control type, which event occurred, which applications and websites were used, and how long was spent on each step) is always captured on both tiers. This is what gives an event context without capturing what a user typed, read, or copied.
Can we change a device’s tier after it’s already connected?
Yes. Tier is a per-device setting in your organization’s dashboard, adjustable at any time. A device already recording applies the change automatically on its next check-in.
Does this apply to the Chrome extension too?
Yes. The desktop watcher and the Chrome extension read the same per-device tier, so a device set to Metadata Only won’t capture field values, page text, or clipboard content in either place.
Collect Only What You Need
Read more about our broader security and privacy architecture on our Security & Data Privacy page, or talk to us about which tier fits your rollout.