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How to Audit Channel Creations in Microsoft Teams

Are you tired of navigating countless unnecessary channels in Microsoft Teams? With every user having the power to create channels, it can lead to unwanted clutter in Teams channel communication. This guide will help you audit Microsoft Teams channel creations to identify who created them and manage channel creation effectively. Take control of your channel hierarchy and turn your chaotic list into an efficient, streamlined workspace!

Native Solution

Microsoft 365 Permission Required

High
Least Privilege

View-Only Audit Logs Role

Most Privilege

Global Admin

Option 1 Using Microsoft Teams Admin Center

  • Log in to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal and go to the Audit tab under the Solutions section.
  • Set the date range, select the 'Added Channel' activity from the Activities - friendly names dropdown and click on 'Search'.
  • Once the search is complete, you will be able to see all MS Teams channel creations that occurred within the selected timeframe.
Using Microsoft Teams Admin Center

Option 3 Using Windows PowerShell

  • Connect to the Exchange Online PowerShell module using the cmdlet below.
  • Windows PowerShell Windows PowerShell
     Connect-ExchangeOnline
  • Run the following cmdlet with the appropriate start and end dates to review Microsoft Teams channel creations.
  • Windows PowerShell Windows PowerShell
     Search-UnifiedAuditLog -StartDate <MM/DD/YYYY> -EndDate <MM/DD/YYYY> -RecordType "MicrosoftTeams" -Operations "ChannelAdded" | Format-Table
Using Windows PowerShell

Option 3 Using PowerShell Script

  • While the PowerShell cmdlet provides audit data on Microsoft Teams channel creations, it may not directly offer detailed information like channel names, types, and more.
  • Since the data is formatted as a JSON object, extracting specific details requires multiple filters. To simplify this, we developed a PowerShell script that exports channel creation audit data into a CSV file.
  • Download and run the following script in an Administrator PowerShell session to identify who created each channel and obtain detailed information.
Using PowerShell Script
  • Note: This script collects data based on Microsoft’s 180-day audit log retention policy.
AdminDroid Solution
More than 150 reports are under the free edition.

AdminDroid Permission Required

Any user with report access delegated by the Super Admin

StepsUsing AdminDroid

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  • Log in to the AdminDroid Office 365 reporter.
  • Navigate to the 'Teams Channel Creation and Deletion Audit' report under Audit»Teams»Teams Management.
  • To view only the channel creation events in Microsoft Teams, select 'Added channel' from the Operation easy filter.
Using AdminDroid

Access the complete list of channel creations in Microsoft Teams along with details such as channel name, Team name, channel type, user who added the channel, and more.

channel-creation-count
  • Utilize the built-in graphical view to clearly see the number of channels created by specific users. This helps you identify members who are creating more channels and allows you to remove the unnecessary channels effectively.

Track every Teams channel move - creation, deletion, and beyond!

Overwhelmed by anonymous Teams channel changes? Leverage AdminDroid's real-time Microsoft Teams auditing to maintain a well-structured environment.

Witness the report in action using the

Important Tips

If a team is accidentally deleted, all its channels and data will be lost. To restore the team and its channels, recover the associated deleted M365 group within 30 days.

Configure Teams retention policies for respective team to retain its contents for the required duration and automatically delete outdated data in channels effectively.

Archive Microsoft Teams channels when a project is completed, or a channel is no longer active to retain messages, files, and conversations without keeping the channel active.

Microsoft TeamsEnsure an Organized Channel Structure by Auditing Teams Channel Creations in Microsoft 365

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How to create a new channel in Microsoft Teams?

In scenarios where Teams channel creation is restricted either within a specific team, Teams administrators play a crucial role in managing and facilitating collaboration. Admins can create channels based on the requests received from users to address productivity gaps and ensure that only necessary channels are established.

Create Microsoft Teams channel

  • Navigate to Manage teams page in the Teams admin center and select the desired team.
  • Under the Channels section, click '+Add' and fill in the required details.
  • Select the channel type, then assign the required owners for private or shared channels.
  • Then, hit 'Apply' to create a new Teams channel.
channel-creation

Note: To delete unwanted channels, go to the same page, select the channel, and click Delete to remove it from the team.

To create or delete Teams channel using PowerShell, use the following cmdlets.

#Connect to the Microsoft Teams PowerShell module.
Connect-MicrosoftTeams
#Create a channel in a team.
New-TeamChannel -GroupId "<Team'sGroupID>" -DisplayName "<ChannelName>" -MembershipType "<ChannelType>"
#Delete a channel from a team.
Remove-TeamChannel -GroupId "<Team'sGroupID>" -DisplayName "<ChannelName>"

Access AdminDroid's comprehensive report to monitor all Microsoft Teams channels and stay top on channel management.

  • This report allows admins to ensure only active and necessary channels are present in the Teams environment.
  • It will include all types of channels in MS Teams, along with key details such as channel name, membership type, member count, etc.
all-channels-report

Handy Tip: Utilize the 'by Team Name' built-in chart to get a quick overview of the channel list in each team.

How to disable Microsoft Teams channel creations?

By default, Microsoft Teams allows any user to create or delete channels within the teams they are members of. While this feature enhances collaboration on specific topics or projects, it can lead to clutter and confusion due to the SharePoint sites of those created channels.

To address this, admins can configure Teams channel creation permissions to prevent users from creating and deleting channels in a team using the steps below:

  • Navigate to Teams»Manage Team»Respective Team»Channels in the Teams admin center
  • Disable the 'Add and edit channels', 'Add and edit private channels', and 'Delete channels' toggles to prevent the creation of standard channels, private channels, and the deletion of channels.
  • Then, click on 'Apply'.
disable-channel-creations

To block the channel creation and deletion in Microsoft Teams using the PowerShell, use the following cmdlets.

#To block users from creating channels in a team.
Set-Team -GroupId "<TeamsGroupID>" -AllowCreateUpdateChannels $false
#To restrict private channel creation in a team.
Set-Team -GroupId "<TeamsGroupID>" -AllowCreatePrivateChannels $false
#To restrict users from deleting channels in a team.
Set-Team -GroupId "<Group's object ID>" -AllowDeleteChannels $false

Disable shared channel creation

You can disable shared channel creation in Microsoft Teams only through an organization wide policy. This setting is particularly useful when your organization does not require any external collaboration for a specific period. You shall follow the below steps to restrict the users from creating shared channels.

  • Navigate to Teams»Teams policies, then click on the 'Global (Org-wide default)' policy in the Teams admin center.
  • Here, you shall disable the required options to restrict the creation of Teams shared channels and the collaboration of external users in shared channels.
disable-shared-channel-crations

For more precise management of team membership permissions that allow or block users from creating and deleting channels, review each team's permission settings at a glance using AdminDroid.

How to audit private and shared channel creations in Microsoft Teams?

Private and shared channels in Microsoft Teams are specifically designed for confidential conversations and secure external collaboration. However, unauthorized creation of these channels can lead to unmanaged conversations and potential security risks from external users.

To address this, you should audit the creation of private and shared channels. However, the audit log from the Purview portal cannot be refined to show only shared or private channel creations. To achieve this, you must apply the following filters to the results exported from the Purview portal.

  • Filter the AuditData column with "ChannelType":"Shared" in the downloaded results to view only Teams shared channel creations.
  • Use the "ChannelType":"Private" filter in the AuditData column to see only MS Teams private channel creation activities in the downloaded results.
private-and-shared-channel-creations

To eliminate the need for complex filtration, run the AuditMSTeamsChannelCreations.ps1 script with 'PrivateChannelsOnly' parameter to get results on only private channel creations.

.\AuditMSTeamsChannelCreations.ps1 -PrivateChannelsOnly

Similarly, you can use the 'SharedChannelsOnly' parameter as mentioned below to separately review the creation of shared channels.

.\AuditMSTeamsChannelCreations.ps1 -SharedChannelsOnly

Expand your Teams monitoring to cover every type of channel with AdminDroid’s dedicated reports—from private channels to shared channel creations.

  • The private channel creations report provides essential details such as the channel creation date, time, and the user who created the channel, etc.
  • The shared channel creations report gives you full visibility into new shared channels and helps you to verify that all external collaborations are authorized and necessary.
shared-channel-creations-report

Lost in navigating multiple reports? Here's a quick tip: Use the "Ctrl + Shift + F" key combination and type in a few related keywords. The reports you need will instantly be at your fingertips!

How to restore deleted channels in Microsoft Teams?

When anyone from a Team owner is organizing unused channels in Microsoft Teams, there is a risk of unintentionally deleting an active channel by mistake. Such accidental deletion of Microsoft Teams channels can result in data loss, disrupting ongoing projects and team communication.

Fortunately, Microsoft Teams gives you a 21-day recovery window to restore accidentally deleted channels and regain essential data quickly.

Restore deleted channel in Microsoft Teams

To recover a deleted channel in a team, the respective team owner can follow the steps below in the Microsoft Teams application.

  • Navigate to the required team and click the ellipses (...) next to the team's name.
  • Go to Manage team»Channels»Deleted section to find all the deleted channels with deletion date.
  • Then, click on the 'Restore' associated to respective channel.
restore-channel

Important notes on Teams channel recovery:

  • If the team owner fails to monitor channel deletions closely, any accidentally deleted channels will be permanently lost after the 21-day recovery period.
  • The admin center or PowerShell does not allow admins to recover the deleted channels.

Restoring essential channels is effortless with AdminDroid’s alerts - never miss any deleted channel activity.

  • Simply select 'Deleted channel' from the Operation easy filter in 'Teams Channel Creation and Deletion' report to view all deletion events.
  • Click on the alert icon (🔔) directly from the report page to set up an advanced alert policy on channel deletion activities.
deleted-channels-report

Get instant alerts on channel deletions in your organization and take prompt actions against unauthorized events—even when you are in offline!

AdminDroid Microsoft Teams ReportingEnsure you never overlook channel creation with seamless Microsoft Teams auditing!

AdminDroid’s Microsoft Teams auditing tool simplifies tracking Teams channel creations with detailed reports and intuitive features. This allows you to effortlessly monitor your MS Teams channel changes and to maintain an organized Teams environment.

Improvise your Teams channel management with AdminDroid’s key features!

A Quick Summary

Visualize Teams Channel Data with AdminDroid’s Intuitive Dashboard

AdminDroid’s Teams channels dashboard helps admins quickly see the total number of channels, the top Teams by channel count, and private channels without owners, all through a user-friendly interface.

Ensure Oversight of Private Channels in MS Teams Management

Review all existing private channels in Microsoft Teams before creating new ones to avoid duplication and ensure that only necessary channels are created for confidential conversations.

Effortlessly Monitor MS Teams Shared Channels

Since shared channels helps to control the creation of new teams and channels for external collaboration, monitor the shared channels report to keep track of their usage and ensure proper utilization.

Stay Informed on MS Teams Channel Changes

Utilize AdminDroid’s scheduling feature to receive automated reports on team channel changes, delivered to the designated mailboxes at regular intervals.

Review Shared Channel Invites to Avoid Unintended Collaboration

To strengthen your monitoring of Teams channel creations, include shared channel invite activities in your audits to block unauthorized setups and prevent accidental external collaborations.

Ensure Clear Channel Descriptions to Improve Management

Review Teams channels without description and update them with necessary description to improve visibility and streamline the management of newly created channels in Microsoft Teams.

In conclusion, AdminDroid’s Microsoft Teams management tool empowers you to effectively audit channel creations and maintain a secure, well-organized Teams environment. It serves as a complete solution for Teams management with comprehensive statistics such as user activities, sign-in analytics, file transfers, membership changes, and more.

Kickstart Your Journey with AdminDroid

Your Microsoft 365 Companion with Enormous Reporting Capabilities!

Common Errors and Resolution Steps While Dealing with Microsoft Teams Channel Creations and Deletions

The following are possible errors and troubleshooting hints when monitoring MS Teams channel creations and deletions.

Error: Set-Team : Error occurred while executing. Code: Forbidden Message: Failed to execute Skype backend request SetThreadPropertyS2SRequest.

This error occurs when you try to change the member permissions of a team in PowerShell without having owner access to the team or the Teams administrator role.

Troubleshooting hint :Contact the respective admin or team owner to change team’s member permissions.

Error: Write-ErrorMessage : Cannot process argument transformation on parameter 'StartDate'. Cannot convert value "13/03/2024" to type "Microsoft.Exchange.ExchangeSystem.ExDateTime". Error: "String '13/03/2024' was not recognized as a valid DateTime."

This error occurs when the date is mentioned in an incorrect format while executing the cmdlet.

Troubleshooting hint :Use the correct date format "MM/DD/YYYY" while executing the cmdlet.

Search-UnifiedAuditLog -StartDate <MM/DD/YYYY> -EndDate <MM/DD/YYYY> -RecordType "MicrosoftTeams" -Operations "ChannelAdded" | Format-Table

Error: We couldn’t restore the Channel "X". Try restoring it again.

This error occurs when you try to restore the deleted channel without the ownership rights for the respective team.

Troubleshooting hint :Contact your team owner to restore the accidentally deleted channel. The team owner has the required permissions to perform the restoration.

Error: .\AuditMSTeamsChannelCreations.ps1 cannot be loaded because running scripts is disabled on this system.

This error occurs when attempting to run the script because the execution policy is set to restrict script execution by default.

Troubleshooting hint :To resolve this issue, you need to change the execution policy to allow scripts to run. You can do this by running the following PowerShell command.

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser