---
title: Teacher Assist – Absence notes
description: "## Teacher Assist - Absence notes Teacher Assist is a tool that allows teachers in Google Classroom to view and control students' screens in the Google Chrome browser. The **Absence Notes** feature in Teacher Assist allows teachers to easily log…"
url: "https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/teacher-assist-absence-notes/"
updated: "2026-10-14"
category: "Classroom Audit & Management"
tags:
  - GAT Shield
---

# Teacher Assist – Absence notes

## Teacher Assist - Absence notes

Teacher Assist is a tool that allows teachers in Google Classroom to view and control students' screens in the Google Chrome browser.

The **Absence Notes** feature in Teacher Assist allows teachers to easily log and track missing students during a live classroom session. Use this quick guide to learn how to add, view, and manage absence notes.

### Add an absence note

Start a classroom session and view all the students who are currently active.

Navigate to **Teacher Assist > Teacher > Classrooms > Start session**

View all active or inactive students part of the classroom

For inactive students, you will see a "blank screen" and the message "connection pending".

Click on the**3 dots** and select "**Add absence**"

![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2026-10-14-18_45_08-.png)

In the pop up window fill in the info for the absence.

Enter the details for the Absence Note

- **Absent reason** - select any of the reasons for the absence
- **Description** - enter a description for the absence
- **Add**- click to save the absence note

![Enter the details for the Absence Note

Absent reason - select any of the reasons for the absence
Description - enter a description for the absence
Add - click to save the absence note](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2026-10-14-18_48_35-Local-Disk-D_-File-Explorer.png)

### Result

Saved notes will be visible and accessible to the Teachers of the Classrooms.

#### View the Absence Notes for the Classroom session

The **Absence Notes** can be seen in the **Session Tools** tab.

Click on the 3 dots in the classroom session and select "Absence notes" from the list of options.

![The Absence Notes can be seen in the Session Tools tab.

Click on the 3 dots in the classroom session and select "Absence notes" from the list of options.](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2026-10-14-18_52_42-Local-Disk-D_-File-Explorer.png)

> NOTE: The Absence Note is specifically for the current Classroom session

This will **show all the Absence Notes for the Classroom session**.

View the details

- Full name - name of student
- Reason - reason for the absence
- Created - when it was created
  - Details to see further details of it
  - Pen icon - edit the absence note
  - Bin/Trash icon - delete the absence note

![This will show all the Absence Notes for the Classroom session.

View the details

Full name - name of student
Reason - reason for the absence
Created - when it was created
Details to see further details of it
Pen icon - edit the absence note
Bin/Trash icon - delete the absence note](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2026-10-14-18_54_05-Local-Disk-D_-File-Explorer.png)

#### **Summary**

Absence notes are tied directly to your active session, giving you and co-teachers an easy, central record of student attendance. You can update or remove these notes at any time during the session.