A real-time activity monitor (RTAM) operates within or in association with a machine (such as a desktop) within a back office environment to automatically track and record desktop processing activities, application usage, as well as manual processing. The real-time activity monitor provides visibility into real-time task processing at the client desktop to enable an enterprise to address back office operational inefficiencies that are exposed by the data. According to a further feature, a recording approach is used to enable a user of the system to automatically define processes and tasks to be monitored. The approach obviates manual configuration by recording application usage actions and then using these interactions as a template for a new process object to be monitored. In an alternative embodiment, the process recorder captures screenshots and enables screen element bookmarking.