--- title: "Presence Scheduling for Contractors | Idle Pilot" description: "Set a contractor's personal Slack or Teams availability around agreed client hours. Learn setup, account switching, pricing, and the one-connection limit." canonical: "https://idlepilot.com/for/contractors/" updated: "2026-10-28" generated_by: "scripts/build-markdown-twins.mjs" --- > Markdown representation of https://idlepilot.com/for/contractors/ — the HTML page at that URL is canonical and carries the same content. # Presence scheduling for contractors Idle Pilot lets an individual contractor schedule availability for one client's Slack workspace or Microsoft Teams account during agreed, reachable hours. The cloud follows your saved schedule even with the laptop closed. It does not maintain several client accounts at once, track billable time, or report completed work. Choose an availability window you can honor and communicate deliverables and response expectations separately. Illustrative situation ## Illustrative scenario: a part-time client availability window Imagine a documentation contractor who agrees to be reachable by one client on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. Some work involves reviewing printed material. This arrangement is illustrative, not a customer story or research about contractors. They enable those days and leave others off. The account's availability follows that window while they remain reachable. They still read questions, discuss revisions, and send deliverables personally. Presence does not document progress or establish billable time. When an engagement changes, they review the hours. Moving to another client's workspace replaces the active connection. If several clients require simultaneous scheduled presence, the one-connection offer does not fit. ## Where a saved availability schedule helps - ### Translate an agreement into specific availability Enable days and hours when the client can reach you, rather than a whole week by default. Keep deadlines and response expectations in normal client communications; the schedule does not define engagement terms. - ### Keep the client's work location explicit Choose the time zone your agreement refers to and review it before travel. The schedule does not automatically follow your phone clock. Billing currency and the schedule time zone are separate preferences. - ### Pause between commitments Turn Work Hours off when unavailable, preserving saved hours. When an engagement ends, Dashboard → Switch → Remove disconnects the workplace. Disconnecting does not cancel subscription renewal. ## Set it up for your own account 1. **Link the intended client account on desktop Chrome** Open Idle Pilot in desktop Google Chrome. Choose Slack or Microsoft Teams and follow the extension connection steps. Wait for confirmation and check the workplace on Dashboard. The extension can be removed after linking. Only one workplace connection is active at a time. 2. **Apply only the agreed days** Open Dashboard → Work Hours → Edit. Select the relevant days, set From and To, and choose Apply to N days. Check unselected days separately: they retain their previous settings. Disable days you do not intend to cover, and review the main Work Hours switch. 3. **Check the time zone and optional break** Open Dashboard → Work Hours → Edit and choose the current time-zone button to select the intended zone. For a pause within the window, enable Lunch break in Edit Work Hours, set Break start and Break end, and apply. The break must fit inside From and To. 4. **Manage from mobile after desktop setup** After successful linking, you can change hours or pause from your phone. Check Dashboard for connection warnings before relying on the schedule. Closing the browser or signing out does not pause it. Replacing the linked client account requires completing another workplace connection. [Full setup instructions and mobile handoff](https://idlepilot.com/help/getting-started/) ## What it does not do - It does not maintain several client workspaces at once or switch them automatically by schedule. - It does not track billable hours, generate invoices, verify attendance, or record completed deliverables. - It does not read client messages, send replies, or provide shared client account administration. ## It fits when - You need a personal availability schedule for one active client workplace connection. - Your agreed hours fit one same-day window with one optional break per enabled day. - You remain reachable during that window and manage project reporting and billing separately. ## Choose something else when - Several clients require simultaneous scheduled availability across different accounts or platforms. - You need automatic client switching, time tracking, invoices, or proof of completed work. - Your commitment requires overnight hours, several independent breaks, or split work windows. ## FAQ Can I keep several clients' workspaces available? Not simultaneously. Freedom Pass supports one Slack workspace or one Teams account at a time. Dashboard → Switch → Connect another workspace lets you replace the active connection after successful linking. Review the account and hours afterward. Can I schedule only selected weekdays? Yes. Set the intended days in Work Hours and disable the others. Day switches repeat until changed; turning Friday off is not a dated holiday exception. You must enable it again when you want Friday coverage to resume. Will Activity History serve as a billable time record? No. Presence history concerns scheduled availability, not verified work, message reading, or billable effort. Use your agreed reporting and billing process to record work and deliverables. A green indicator cannot substantiate those records. What hours and breaks can I enter? The editor offers half-hour choices from 6:00am to 11:00pm, one same-day From/To window, and one optional lunch break per day. Overnight windows, split shifts, and several independent breaks are not offered. How do I take time away from a client? Pause Work Hours and communicate your absence separately. Slack-only Vacation Mode checks selected Slack status presets at session start, not continuously. For Teams, use Work Hours or the individual day switches. Pausing or disconnecting does not cancel billing. What does Freedom Pass cost for a contractor? The individual plan costs $9 per month or $60 per year. Both choices cover one active workplace connection. It is not a multi-client or agency plan; switching from Slack to Teams replaces the connection rather than adding capacity. ## Related guides - [Help with switching, pausing, and disconnecting](https://idlepilot.com/help/) - [Compare your hours with a client's time zone](https://idlepilot.com/tools/work-hours-time-zones/) - [Slack availability scheduling explained](https://idlepilot.com/keep-slack-active/) - [Teams availability scheduling explained](https://idlepilot.com/keep-teams-active/) - [Personal availability for development work](https://idlepilot.com/for/developers/) - [Idle Pilot Help Center](https://idlepilot.com/help/) ## Other work situations - [Presence scheduling for customer support agents](https://idlepilot.com/for/customer-support/) - [Presence scheduling for developers](https://idlepilot.com/for/developers/) - [Presence scheduling for remote workers](https://idlepilot.com/for/remote-workers/) - [Presence scheduling for sales professionals](https://idlepilot.com/for/sales-teams/) Last updated: October 28, 2026 ## Let saved work hours handle your Slack or Teams availability. [Try Idle Pilot free](https://app.idlepilot.com) 3-day free trial · No credit card ## Idle Pilot facts Idle Pilot maintains Slack or Microsoft Teams availability from the cloud during saved Work Hours. Who it is for For people who want availability to follow work hours when the laptop is closed, asleep, or off. Connected account One Slack workspace or one Microsoft Teams account at a time. You can switch platforms. Price Freedom Pass costs $9 per month or $60 per year. Trial 3-day free trial · No credit card. The trial starts at the first Slack or Teams connection. 7 days if you connect within 3 hours of sign-up. First setup Connect once in desktop Google Chrome with the Idle Pilot extension. You can remove the extension after linking. Mobile-only linking is not supported. [View the extension](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/idle-pilot/nadppgjnachfgclfcgdbekniiiemepdp). Limits Presence only: it does not write custom status messages or read chats and files. It is not a mouse jiggler. Your employer’s rules still apply; availability is not proof of work.