Forum Discussion
Teams chat - where is it saved and how can I access it?
- Hi Jeetus,
Sure, there are many uservoices for it here including
https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/37466629-teams-chat-history-export-feature
So you can always vote on these as well as raise these at AMA's. Unfortunately, none look like being picked up for the foreseeable future. The typical reason for this is security and compliance, and from what I understand it is also intrinsic to the persistent chat functionality within Teams itself. Maybe there is a case to develop a copy the chat history into the mailbox but keep the compliant copy hidden.
AFAIK, there is no way around this at the current time. Features such as DLP, Supervision could be employed to probably curb some of those incidents. However, I have also heard many argue that during their Skype usage users were purging conversation history from their mailbox which typically led to having to buy third party journaling solutions for compliant copies.
I can understand the frustration with this and absolutely what you are trying to achieve with as little pain for the users. It will be interesting to see if Microsoft change their position on this in the future given the demand.
Best, Chris
Jeetus Teams chat - where is it saved and how can I access it?
I don't know where chat is saved but you can search for past chat messages in the search box at the top of the Teams window (with the transient text, "Look for messages, files, and more. Or type / for a list of commands."). You just type in a username or person's name or any word and it seems all matching messages appear, though they appear individually and not as conversation sessions which would be more convenient.
The questions should be: Why doesn't Teams itself show a list of past messages by conversation, user or day (i.e., no portal through Outlook is needed)? Why must past messages be searched for and not neatly displayed for future viewing? Why is there only a search field and not history field/tab/icon?
These minor nuisances are frustrating. Until Teams gives a history function like Skype for Business did in the conversations folder in Outlook, capitalism has simply failed us in this regard.
Did people benefit from and find useful the conversation history in Outlook? Yes we absolutely did (here's me every few days - "What did so-and-so mention in our quick chat last week/month/year about XYZ? Hmmm I forget, but let me check my convo folder in Outlook..."). Conversation history functionality in a new messaging platform like Teams is a must not an option. I can only guess the problem is a shortage of people with CS degrees, a lack of money and computing resources, and no user desire for this feature.
But why try to do a little as possible for Teams instead of doing too much? At least match Skype for Business functionality 100% and then provide more. Is doing too much ever a user complaint and does having a bit too many features ever hold back on profit margins? Imagine one day someone saying, "I can't stand Teams because it has too much functionality. It's just too good."
(No caps lock or shift key was harmed in the making of this post)