# Time Tracker - Ticket Handling Time in Hours

Support - Updates History Calculated Metric

Converts the total time logged by the Time Tracker app into hours so handling time is easier to analyze over longer periods.

## Business value & use cases

By default, the Time Tracker app stores time in seconds, which is impractical for higher-level reporting. Converting to hours makes trends clearer in daily, weekly, or monthly reports. Useful for workload analysis at the agent, team, or category level. Gain real insights into total time spent on tickets based on issue type, channel, or agent. Helps managers compare handling effort across time periods without dealing with large second values.

## Dataset and dependencies

- **Dataset**: Support - Updates History  
- **Type**: Calculated Metric  
- **Dependencies**: Requires the Time Tracker app (so the "Total time spent" field is populated)

## The code

Unlock to view full code

Not sure how to work with the code? Check our [getting started guides](/content/best-practice/zendesk-explore-custom-metrics/guides/index.html).

## Implementation steps

1. Go to Explore > Report Builder > Support - Updates History Dataset.  
2. Select the Calculator icon for Calculations.  
3. Choose Standard calculated metric.  
4. Paste in the formula above.  
5. Validate and save.  
6. Add to reports to display handling time in hours.

## Validation tips

- Test with a ticket that has a specific number of seconds logged.  
- Convert that value to hours using an external calculator and ensure this metric returns the same result (adjust the chart display format to show decimal places).  
- Compare against the default "Total time spent (sec)" field to confirm the conversion is correct.

## Caveats and considerations

- Only works if the Time Tracker app is installed and tracking correctly.  
- This metric shows total handling time per ticket. To analyze time spent per update, use one of the Update Handling Time metrics: [Update Handling Time](/content/best-practice/zendesk-explore-custom-metrics/library/update-handling-time/index.html) or [Update Handling Time (with Agent Comments)](/content/best-practice/zendesk-explore-custom-metrics/library/update-handling-time-with-agent-comments/index.html).  
- Works best when paired with filters like Assignee name or Ticket group to compare effort between teams.  
- Ideal for viewing total time spent per agent per week or per ticket category.  
- For very large reporting periods, convert to days by adding "/24" to the end of the code.

Ticket handling time by agent  Ticket handling time by category

## Example chart

Example report highlighting how many hours agents spent updating tickets over the last month

## Related metrics / attributes

[**Update Handling Time (With Agent Comments)**](/content/best-practice/zendesk-explore-custom-metrics/library/update-handling-time-with-agent-comments/index.html)  
Calculates the time spent on each individual update that includes an agent comment, expressed in minutes.

[**Update Handling Time**](/content/best-practice/zendesk-explore-custom-metrics/library/update-handling-time/index.html)  
Calculates the time spent on each individual update within a ticket, expressed in minutes.