Summary: Activity Record and Control helps Network Administrators see when and how long users have been active on Speakap, and set a daily time limit so employees are not online too often. This guide covers enabling the feature, reviewing activity logs per user, setting a daily threshold with a custom message, and choosing which employees it applies to.
1. The Activity Record tool
The Activity Record is an internal log that tracks the platform activity of individual users. It records when a user has been online, for how long, and on which device platform they started their session. With this record, you can easily see how much total time individual users have spent on Speakap on a single day or over a specific period.
Data privacy safeguard: When the Activity Record is enabled, the platform strictly monitors active network connection metrics, such as timestamps and session durations. The system never tracks, logs, or monitors what specific actions, messages, files, or content the user interacts with while using the platform.
How to enable Activity Recording
Only Network Administrators can activate tracking:
- Go to your Network Settings.
- Click the Legal section.
- Select the Activity Control tab.
- Enable the primary Activity Control toggle.
Please note that data collection begins at the moment of activation. The platform cannot generate retroactive or historical logs for periods before the feature was enabled, and tracking stops instantly if the toggle is turned off.
2. Reviewing user activity logs
You can review individual user activity directly from the user list:
- Go to Network Settings and select the Users section.
- Scroll through the user list or use the search bar to find the employee.
- Click the user's row in the table to open their profile dialog.
- Click the Activity tab to view their connection history.
What you will find there:
- Date range filters: Filter the log with built-in presets: Last 7 days, Last week, Last 2 weeks, and Last month.
- Session breakdowns: The view shows the total time the user spent on each day in the selected period. Click any single day in the chart to expand the view and see the daily session details, including device types, exact session start and end times, and durations.
- Timezone handling: Sessions are always shown in the employee's own timezone. If their device timezone differs from your local region, the log marks the line item with a session indicator to prevent confusion.
Tip: you can download a User’s activity log in csv for further analysis if you wish.
3. Setting boundaries with Activity Control thresholds
Activity Control helps your organization limit the amount of time employees spend on Speakap by enforcing a daily threshold. Once a user goes over this allowance, they are immediately shown a mandatory notification banner.
To configure a threshold:
- Go to Network Settings > Legal.
- Open the Activity Control tab.
- Enable the "Ask the user for consent" toggle.
- Enter the daily threshold allowance in minutes.
- Write your organization's policy statement in the custom message text box.
- Click Save to apply the threshold across the network.
For every new session the user starts beyond their daily threshold, the system blocks access until they review and acknowledge your custom notification message.
4. Choosing which employees Activity Control applies to
Different types of employees work under different contractual agreements, so Activity Control tracking might not apply to your entire workforce. You can set exactly which users are included or excluded in three ways:
- During onboarding: When manually sending new invitations, check the "Applicable for activity control" checkbox before sending the email invitation.
- For existing users: Go to Network Settings > Users, locate the individual, click the User type tab, and enable or disable the "Applicable for activity control" option.
- Automatically via User Sync: If your network uses our automated User Sync connection, this flag can be enabled automatically based on a specific set of your internal business rules. Email us at support@speakap.com to set up this connection.
Frequently asked questions
How do I track login hours and review an employee's session duration log?
Go to Network Settings > Users, locate the profile, and open the Activity tab. Click any individual day row to see the exact login duration, device type, and session timestamps.
Can I use this to support labor law compliance or a work-life balance message?
Yes. By activating the threshold consent option under the Legal settings tab, you can prevent employees from over-using the platform outside of shift hours. You keep full control over the custom compliance message shown to users when they exceed their daily allotted minutes.
How can I download a user's activity log as a CSV file?
Within the individual user's Activity tab, click the Export icon inside the activity record view and select the Download as CSV option to save the raw records to your computer. Full timezone metadata is automatically included in this export. In this export you will find the user’s activity log.
Can I automate Activity Control assignments using the User Sync API?
Yes. If your network uses the automated Speakap User Sync integration, you can automatically pass the activity control flag based on your internal HR database business rules. To set up this automation, configure your user provisioning payload to toggle user parameters, or email us at support@speakap.com for step-by-step assistance.
Can I retrieve the time spent by employee in seconds per pay period, for payroll purposes?
Yes, we have endpoints available for you to retrieve time spent and use it for payroll purposes however you see fit.
Still stuck?
Email us at support@speakap.com with your network name and what you are trying to set up, and we'll help you out.