Archiving Teams Channels

Question

Archiving Teams Channels

MB1907 46

Our company uses MS Teams like this: each department has a "team" and then each project within that department has a "channel". As projects end, the team remains the same and takes on new projects. Is it possible to archive a copy of the posts and discussion within a channel without archiving the entire Team? Or can the conversation within the channel be exported and then saved as a separate file in the project's SharePoint archive? Thanks!

Andrew Fraser 35 Reputation points

2023-11-21T16:15:43.6866667+00:00

The ability to Archive a channel without archiving the entire team seems like a real miss here. The way that we've structured our Teams uses channels as a placeholder for specific projects. Once they end (or die), we have to either allow them to annoyingly remain on our channels list or delete them altogether.

And hearing that another thing is on the "roadmap" gives me so little hope at this point!

I'm also open to hearing how others have structured their teams differently to circumnavigate this problem. It might not be a functionality issue, but a poor architecture issue on my side. Feel free to call out my ignorance.
Nick Steinmetz 0 Reputation points

2023-11-21T19:52:05.9+00:00

have you tried creating a Teams Team (thanks M$) for each new project?
Lucas Gorz 0 Reputation points

2023-12-06T13:45:52.9333333+00:00

I sympathize with the OP. We switched to Teams just before the pandemic started, and I was quickly saddled with figuring out how to organize it for our division. I thought the rational way to do it was much as you described, but as time went on, I found that our people and projects did not adopt that concept as easily as I imagined. Instead, we ended up with a large team for the division with channels for departments and other, role-related communication groups or for annual/recurring projects and events. For sensitive communication amongst directors and the like, a separate team was created with channels to reflect annual projects like reviews/raises, retreats, budget, and marketing/promotions.

For projects assumed to be one-time events, like migration to a new platform, a repository of information regarding COVID policies and resources, or a 50th anniversary celebration, we created individual Teams with their own suite of channels.
Dipak Patel 0 Reputation points

2023-12-07T04:57:39.1333333+00:00

Andrew,

We operate in similar fashion. Have similar pain.

Eagerly awaiting "Channel" archiving.

2 answers

Your answer

Andrew Fraser 35 Reputation points

2023-11-21T16:15:43.6866667+00:00

The ability to Archive a channel without archiving the entire team seems like a real miss here. The way that we've structured our Teams uses channels as a placeholder for specific projects. Once they end (or die), we have to either allow them to annoyingly remain on our channels list or delete them altogether.

And hearing that another thing is on the "roadmap" gives me so little hope at this point!

I'm also open to hearing how others have structured their teams differently to circumnavigate this problem. It might not be a functionality issue, but a poor architecture issue on my side. Feel free to call out my ignorance.
Nick Steinmetz 0 Reputation points

2023-11-21T19:52:05.9+00:00

have you tried creating a Teams Team (thanks M$) for each new project?
Lucas Gorz 0 Reputation points

2023-12-06T13:45:52.9333333+00:00

I sympathize with the OP. We switched to Teams just before the pandemic started, and I was quickly saddled with figuring out how to organize it for our division. I thought the rational way to do it was much as you described, but as time went on, I found that our people and projects did not adopt that concept as easily as I imagined. Instead, we ended up with a large team for the division with channels for departments and other, role-related communication groups or for annual/recurring projects and events. For sensitive communication amongst directors and the like, a separate team was created with channels to reflect annual projects like reviews/raises, retreats, budget, and marketing/promotions.

For projects assumed to be one-time events, like migration to a new platform, a repository of information regarding COVID policies and resources, or a 50th anniversary celebration, we created individual Teams with their own suite of channels.
Dipak Patel 0 Reputation points

2023-12-07T04:57:39.1333333+00:00

Andrew,

We operate in similar fashion. Have similar pain.

Eagerly awaiting "Channel" archiving.

Answer 1

Vasil Michev 126K MVP Volunteer Moderator

No, the built-in "archive" functionality only works for the Team as a whole. What you can do is enable moderation to prevent new conversations and limit replies to old ones. There is no built-in way to export content from a channel either. You can use the Export APIs to build something around this, though you need to meet some requirements first.
Some third party products offer an "archive" feature for channels in terms of copying content to a different ("archive") Team and scrapping the original channel, but this is more of a workaround/hack with some limitations (i.e. you will lose the original timestamps).

JimmyYang-MSFT 58,776 Reputation points Moderator

2022-06-21T07:07:34.667+00:00

Hi @MB1907

As michev said, there is no built-in way to export content from a channel. If you want to export the chat conversation in Teams channel, you could also using CLI.

Note: Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. The sites are not controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above link.
JimmyYang-MSFT 58,776 Reputation points Moderator

2022-06-27T10:15:59.327+00:00

@MB1907

It has been a while, how is everything going?
If you have any update about this issue, please feel free to post back.
Linda Krausz 6 Reputation points

2023-09-20T22:42:41.0333333+00:00

Not good enough, Microsoft. We need to be able to archive a channel.
Dipak Patel 0 Reputation points

2023-09-30T07:04:32.4833333+00:00
The last thread was over a year ago.

Is this feature available now?

Whether MS is working towards it?

Or any other effective and easy way around?
MATHURIN Laurent 15 Reputation points

2023-11-07T10:53:03.23+00:00

Archiving channels is now on the Microsoft Teams roadmap:
https://www.microsoft.com/fr-ww/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=123769

Answer 2

Dirk Reul 5

This will be rolled out in February 2024 https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=123769

Lucas Gorz 0 Reputation points

2024-01-31T13:51:52.7433333+00:00

Thanks Dirk! I'm looking forward to trying it out!

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Archiving Teams Channels

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