The **Environment** tab is for tracking the things *around* the person — what changed, what's affecting them, what they were exposed to. Patterns in environment data often explain patterns in behavior and health.

## What you can log

- **Environmental factors** — lighting, temperature, noise level, crowding, weather (auto-pulled from the profile's location).
- **Basic changes / schedule** — schedule disruptions, transitions, new staff, missed routine, travel.
- **External influences** — visitors, family events, news, anniversaries, big plans.
- **Screen time** — hours spent on screens (TV, tablet, phone, computer).

The exact labels in each dropdown come from **Profile → Tracking Templates** for that profile. **Managers / Billing**: **gear** → **Manage Profiles** → open the person → edit the Environmental factors, Basic changes / schedule, External influences, and Screen time panels.

## How to log

### On the web

1. Open **Track** → **Environment** tab.
2. Find the right section (Environmental Factors, Schedule, External Influences, or Screen Time).
3. For **factors, schedule, and influences** — pick the option from the dropdown, set **time** and **duration** if needed, then click **+**.
4. For **Screen time** — enter the **hours** (and time if shown), then click **+**. The entry appears in **Recorded Today** like other environment rows.

### On mobile

1. Open **Track** → **Environment**.
2. Tap the section you want.
3. Pick the factor or enter screen time hours, set the time/duration as needed.
4. Tap Save to save.

## Screen time

Screen time is logged as a **numeric entry** (hours), not a behavior-style dropdown. Enter the value and click the plus sign — it shows up in **Recorded Today** on the Environment tab. You can add more than one screen time entry on the same day.

## Why this matters

Environment data feeds **Analyze → Dashboard** and **Analyze → Audit Log** alongside Behavior and Health. Start at [Dashboard overview](https://support.behca.com/hc/behca-support/articles/dashboard-overview); use [Reading the audit log](https://support.behca.com/hc/behca-support/articles/reading-the-audit-log) for the day-by-day list.

Examples people look for:

- Did challenging behaviors cluster on days with specific environmental factors logged?
- Did external influences (family visits, disruptions) precede tougher health or behavior stretches?

After you batch-enter environment rows, widen the Analyze date range if needed — see [Charts and date ranges](https://support.behca.com/hc/behca-support/articles/charts-and-date-ranges).

## Tips

- **Log the obvious changes.** "New support staff started today", "Holiday — no school", "Construction next door".
- **Don't try to log everything.** Focus on changes from baseline.
- **Use general notes** for context that doesn't fit a category. See [Adding general notes and comments](https://support.behca.com/hc/behca-support/articles/adding-general-notes-and-comments).

## Common questions

- **Why is the weather already there?** — BEHCA pulls weather automatically based on the profile's location. You don't need to log temperature or rain manually.
- **The factor I want isn't in the list.** — Add it via **Tracking Templates** (paths above). Staff need edit rights from their administrator if they aren't Managers/Billing.
- **What's the difference between "factors" and "influences"?** — *Factors* are about the immediate physical surroundings (lighting, noise). *Influences* are about external events or relationships (a family visit, a stressful phone call). Use whichever fits.
- **Can I track things across multiple days?** — Each day's record is separate. For ongoing situations (e.g. a week-long holiday), log them daily so Analyze shows the duration.

## Related articles

- [Daily tracking overview](https://support.behca.com/hc/behca-support/articles/daily-tracking-overview)
- [Dashboard overview](https://support.behca.com/hc/behca-support/articles/dashboard-overview)
- [Charts and date ranges](https://support.behca.com/hc/behca-support/articles/charts-and-date-ranges)
- [Logging a behavior](https://support.behca.com/hc/behca-support/articles/logging-a-behavior)
- [Logging health observations](https://support.behca.com/hc/behca-support/articles/logging-health-observations)