Should I Enable Manual Activity Entry for My Users?

Learn about manual activity entry and why you might consider enabling it for your organization.

Adding manual activities in Wellbeing+

As a challenge admin for your organization, you have the option to allow your participants to add activity entries to supplement their activity totals in Wellbeing+ by enabling manual activity entry and/or the activity converter from your App Settings.

The manual activity entry feature allows users to add their own activity entries. Users will be able to name their activity and enter any steps, distance, and/or minutes they earned. Users have the ability to add manual activities in addition to syncing data from their connected device - such as a Fitbit, Apple Watch, etc.

Manual activity is added onto a user’s activity data for that day and appears in their list of all logged activities. Users can review and remove logged activities if needed from this list. Logged manual activities will never overwrite totals synced by a device. These logged activities will be counted in addition to any device data.

Here's where users can access the manual activity logging in the Wellbeing+ app:

Note: Users can also add common activities—like cycling or yoga—using our activity converter. Learn more about that feature and what to consider when enabling it for your organization in addition to or instead of manual activity entry here.

Why enable manual activity entries?

You should consider enabling manual activity entries for your organization if you'd like to:

• Allow participants to add their own activities for credit in their Wellbeing+ challenge. Any logged manual activities will be added in addition to any activity totals synced from a participant’s connected device.
• Allow full customization of logged activities. When a user logs a manual activity, they have full control over the activity name and which metrics (steps, distance, active minutes) they are adding to their Wellbeing+ account. Users can enter a custom total for each metric, and they can include just 1 metric (e.g. 10 active minutes), 2 metrics (e.g. 10 active minutes and 1,000 steps), or all 3 metrics, depending on what data they want to log. If users have already received activity credit from their connected device, they will also have the option to add a manual activity with a custom name and no additional activity data.
• Allow participants to add activities that weren't tracked by their device or app. This is especially useful if a participant goes on a walk or engages in a workout without their device on them.
• Be inclusive of participants who do not have a device. Additionally, some participants may not want to use their phone as a fitness tracker. They may find it useful to log their time engaging in activities for credit towards their challenge using manual activity entry.
• Allow participants to add an activity that is not common, such as badminton or ballet dancing. Users can convert their activities using this activity to step conversion chart. No matter how participants choose to move, they’ll be able to get credit for their activity in step-based challenges.

Best practices for enabling manual activity entry

When using manual activity entry, participants will have the option to add just 1, 2, or all 3 metrics to their daily activity. Participants should manually enter each metric that they would like to get credit for. Note that when a user enters step totals using manual entry, Wellbeing+ does not automatically convert those step totals into distance or active minute totals (or vice versa). Participants must enter every total separately.

If you have a Virtual Race in your challenge, we recommend letting participants know that if they use manual entry for their daily totals, they will need to enter their distance totals in order to progress along the map. They will not progress in the Virtual Race if they enter step totals only.

We recommend creating a Content post in your challenge that includes guidelines on how to use manual activity entry. You can use our content template, which provides step-by-step instructions for how users can enter totals manually. Search for the template in the Content Library by filtering for the Wellbeing+ Basics tag, choose the "How to use manual activity entry" post, and upload it directly into your challenge.

How to enable manual activity entries for your organization

To enable manual activity entry for your entire organization, please adjust your App Settings from the admin center. This will allow all users in your account to access manual activity logging on their Wellbeing+ dashboard.

You can choose to enable this setting on its own, or in combination with the activity converter. You will always have the option to turn off both of these settings for your organization if you choose.

Learn about adding manual activities from the participant end

If you'd like to learn more about adding manual activities from a participant's perspective, please see this guide, which includes detailed information and best practice tips on logging manual activities and adding them into Wellbeing+.