# Adding user time to your reports

Firebase has a helpful feature where every event they fire, they’ll include a parameter in the event that will tell you how much time has elapsed since the last event. This parameter is called **engagement\_time\_msec.** When these parameters are added up, this can tell you the total time a user spends in the app. (Details on this event are available[ <mark style="color:blue;">in this article</mark>](https://firebase.blog/posts/2018/12/new-changes-sessions-user-engagement))

I walk through this in a video and with a couple of screenshots.

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?ab_channel=AdamLandis&v=dUXgnpYKMZQ>" %}
1.49s video walk-through of adding user-time to your app
{% endembed %}

When creating a report, under Custom Metrics, you can add “User’s Engagement Time in App” that will add up all the “elapsed time” that’s recorded in engagement\_time\_msec.

![Add the conversion from milliseconds of your choice when building a report](/files/bkMzEVRkx9WeeBukZ9S5)

Then when viewing the report, you’ll see a sum & count feature added. For the total time, you’ll want to view the sum! (The count is actually the number of events, not helpful in this context!)

![Here you can see the average user time (in minutes) for an audience. Cumulative, and total time will also be included.](/files/L2jo2HhM8aFTsZPCWv0x)


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