Does Microsoft Teams track idle time?

Time tracking in Microsoft Teams is a good way to make sure that staff members are getting work completed. Time tracking also helps employers see how long it takes for employees to complete tasks. Microsoft Teams is a work-based platform where you can do activities, host and participate in meetings, or even complete planned tasks. So naturally, you want time tracking to ensure consistent workflow. You may also want to monitor idle time in Teams to see how long users remain inactive. Have a read-through and see if tracking idle time in Teams is possible.

Unfortunately, Microsoft Teams does not offer native idle time tracking within its program. The Admin compliance manager is also not useful as it only gives an audit long for individual sessions and not a time breakdown. You also cannot use the user audit log in Teams; the log only monitors sessions in Teams. You will need to use a third-party time tracker to track idle time in Microsoft Teams. An effective tracker will include the idle monitoring feature required to successfully monitor idle time in Teams. The best time tracker available for time tracking and management is Hubstaff; you can also use it to monitor idle time. Have a read-through as I give you a breakdown of how to monitor idle time in Hubstaff.

  • Firstly, signup for Hubstaff.
  • Now download the Hubstaff app.
  • Select a task; you can simply run the tracker.
  • Now start the timer.
  • Use Microsoft Teams for your activities.
  • Now go back to the Hubstaff browser.
  • Click ” Timesheets ” from there, followed by “View and edit.”
  • Click on the “Filters” option.
  • Under “TIME TYPE,” select “Idle.”
  • Finally, view and record all the idle time.

If you use our link to sign up for Hubstaff, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — this helps us to continue producing high-quality content for you: our readers.

If you accurately follow all the steps shown above, you will have successfully monitored idle time in Microsoft Teams. As mentioned earlier, you cannot natively monitor idle time within the program. There isn’t a feature that specifically lets you monitor time within the program. You will need to monitor time using third-party tools such as Hubstaff. The program will automatically monitor time-based on what is being displayed. You will immediately be tracked under idle time if inactive on the program for more than 5 minutes. The program will automatically monitor this time and set it in a timesheet. You can then use the second part of the blog, which allows you to view the idle time of users. 

An in-depth guide on how to monitor idle time on Teams using Hubstaff

Here is an in-depth guide on monitoring idle time on Microsoft Teams using the tool called Hubstaff. The guide includes screenshots that will allow you to see the process visually and better understand what you need to do. You can also use the screenshots to navigate the process if you struggle to go through the UI. You can also use some of the analysis, which will help you understand the process if you are struggling with some steps. Have a read-through and see exactly what you need to do to monitor idle time in Microsoft Teams using the Hubstaff program. 

To use the Hubstaff program, you must create an account with them. You can click on the link to proceed with creating an account. 

The time tracking element of Hubstaff is done through the app. To successfully monitor time using Hubstaff, you will need to download the application. You can click on the link to access the download folder. 

  • Select a task; you can simply run the tracker.

You can either set a task using the browser version of Hubstaff or simply start the timer and monitor based on how much time you will be spending on Microsoft Teams. Either way, you must ensure that the Hubstaff program is running and the time is being monitored. Keep a note of the start and stop time if necessary. 

  • Now start the timer.
  • Use Microsoft Teams for your activities.
  • Click ” Timesheets ” from there, followed by “View and edit.”
  • Click on the “Filters” option.
  • Under “TIME TYPE,” select “Idle.”
  • Finally, view and record all the idle time.

Once you have completed the steps shown above, you will have monitored idle time in Microsoft Teams. When you have completed the steps, the program will automatically record idle time. The idle time record will be set in a timesheet within the Hubstaff browser. Idle time will be monitored from five minutes of inactivity. Once you have been inactive for more than five minutes, idle time will automatically start to record. Microsoft Teams does not give users the ability to natively monitor idle time. Therefore users will need to use a third-party tool to monitor idle time in Microsoft Teams. There are no additional steps to monitor time; once you click the start button, your time will automatically be tracked. Once you have finished your activity, you can stop the timer; you will then be able to view the tracked time using the second section of the blog. 

Why may you want to monitor idle time in Microsoft Teams?

When users are idle, they are inactive on their desktop machines. Employers may want to monitor this time if users are not completing tasks within Microsoft Teams. Users will be able to start and stop the timer. You will now be able to view the time using the browser. Employers can then view the idle time using the steps mentioned above, and if idle time is abundant, they can take appropriate action to ensure that work is being completed. While the time tracking program is not actively paired with Microsoft Teams, you get the idle time similarly.

Conclusion

Thank you for taking time out to read our content on whether you can monitor idle time in Microsoft Teams. As we have shown above, you cannot monitor idle time using a native piece of software in Microsoft Teams. You will need to use a third-party tool to monitor idle time in Microsoft Teams. The third-party tool we recommend is called Hubstaff. You can use the program to monitor idle, task, break, and more. You can set predefined tasks, which will allow you to be much more precise in how you want the time to be monitored. You can use the steps above to monitor idle time as well. If there are any issues you come across when following the blog, simply drop a comment below, and we will address them. 

Saajid Gangat

Saajid Gangat has been a researcher and content writer at Business Tech Planet since 2021. Saajid is a tech-savvy writer with expertise in web and graphic design and has extensive knowledge of Microsoft 365, Adobe, Shopify, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and more! You can connect with Saajid on Linkedin.

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