As a rockstar business owner, you need to keep in touch with the stakeholders inside and outside of the organisation to boost teamwork by bringing everyone together in one virtual workspace. Luckily, Microsoft Teams is now at your free disposal with loads of compelling features and functionalities – empowering collaboration or virtually tracking business has never been this easier before!
While Microsoft has seen the use of Teams has rocketed exponentially in recent years, getting on with this program may seem a bit challenging.
To know more about how to use Teams and how it can help your business grow with ease, read on.
What is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams is a chat-based real-time collaborative workspace within Microsoft 365 family specially developed for facilitating hybrid work so you and your teammates can stay systematised, connected, and informed.
You can communicate, integrate apps, share files, instantly start and schedule virtual meetings or even send emojis – all from within a single system that is open and accessible to everyone. So from team conversations to file storage, everything you need to bolster business productivity, live together in a secured decentralised cloud-based repository, and is accessible via Teams mobile application also. The power of this fully-fledged application is now in your pocket!
Whether you’re speeding towards a tight deadline or conveying your next great business idea, Microsoft Teams can always help you achieve more.
Since its launch in 2017, Teams has become one of the speediest growing programs with more than 250 million users worldwide and is forecast to supersede its biggest rivals Zoom and Slake shortly.
Is Microsoft Teams free?
Microsoft Teams is absolutely a free collaboration program. However, it also has 3-premium versions with more sophisticated features. For instance, while the free edition supports 5GB cloud storage/user, and unlimited group meeting with up to 100 members/meeting for up to 60-minutes, with paid versions, you can get up to 1TB storage and roll out meetings with up to 300 attendees for up to 30-hours.
Features and Benefits of Microsoft Teams
The advanced features and functionalities that make Microsoft Teams one of the most favourite collaboration applications are:
- App Integrations: Microsoft Teams can seamlessly integrate with a whole host of communication, HR, finance, workplace, and productivity software, like Azure boards, Nimble Contacts, MeisterTask, etc., to help you streamline your business interaction across various channels and platforms.
- Communication within Teams and Channels: Teammates can see and add to various discussions in the General channel and even invite others to join, using the @ function.
- Reduced email: With Teams, your inbox will be less messy now as it’s nifty system chat is there to get your quick inquiries resolved in no time. You can email your questions to your team channel that will appear in the threaded conversation on all teammates’ software timelines.
- Document Storage in SharePoint: Teams assign each user a site having a document library folder in SharePoint Online by default. The folder auto-saves all incoming documents and files. Plus, users can customise data protection options to better shield mission-critical files and data against misuse and unauthorised access.
- Meeting Whiteboard: Microsoft Teams enables collaborators to share their business ideas more effortlessly by virtually sketching on a whiteboard using interactive charts and colour pens. Microsoft also empowers collaboration by allowing users to proactively interact in real-time before or after a meeting on Whiteboard via the Teams system.
- Built-in Translator: Microsoft Teams supports on-the-spot translation of around 60 languages in chats and messages. The built-in translator makes Teams an excellent choice for a smart business with globally distributed team members in today’s cloud-first digital world.
- Audio Conferencing: Another state-of-the-art functionality of Teams that most online collaborative apps lack. No matter if you are on the go, having Teams in action, you can join online meetings with your phone using a dial-in number. You do not need internet connectivity, Teams mobile, or web app to start meetings from anywhere – thanks to Microsoft Teams audio conferencing tool. However, additional licensing is required for each user to enable audio conferencing and set up dial-in meetings.
How to Use Microsoft Teams
The first step to getting started with MS Teams is to sign up for Teams and form and set up teams and channels.
Create Account
Already have a Teams account set up? Congrats! But if you do not have one yet, go to the Microsoft Teams official website and create an account in minutes for FREE.
Once you are done with signing up and creating your account, you have three choices to use the program:
- Download the MS Teams application for Windows or Mac and follow the required steps to install the desktop app on your PC
- Use MS Teams web application via web browsers (not compatible with smartphones)
- Install Teams mobile app downloading from App Store or Google Play.
How to Create a Team?
You can always form a new team or use an existing one from the Office 365 family. To create/join a team:
- Press ‘Teams’ on the left.
- press ‘Join or create a team’ on the bottom of the sidebar on the left.
- Go to ‘Create a team’
- You have two options here: you can create a basic team selecting ‘From scratch’ or press ‘From a group or team’ to create one from Microsoft 365 team or group.
- Next, you have to define whom you allow to join the team. Select ‘Private’ if you need attendees to ask for permission before joining. Click ‘Public’ to let anyone join, or ‘Org-wide’ to make a single team for all employees within your organisation.
- Once you have named your team and given it a quality description, press ‘Create’
As a team owner, to add participants:
- Go to your team, select ‘More options’ > ‘Add member’.
- Add participants searching by their names, Microsoft 365 or security group, or distribution list.
- Invite people outside the business to join as external guests by using their email address
- Finally, press ‘Add’ > ‘Close’.
How to Create a Channel?
Now that you have successfully set up your team, it’s time to create channels dedicated to distinct departments, topic, or projects your organisation run:
- Go to your team name, select ‘More option’> ‘Add channel’, and add the channel name and description.
- Under the ‘Privacy’ tab, you can choose the channel privacy and create a standard or private channel.
- Once you are done, click ‘Add’.
You can always customise or manage the teams and channels to facilitate your business operations and boost teamwork.
Teams, being one of the fastest-growing business communication applications, offer a plethora of top-notch features and functionalities to bolster productivity with ease. In this article, we will go through some of the most used functionalities of MS Teams that can help you streamline your business operations with fewer efforts.
How to Start a Video Call on Teams Channel
To start a group video call, you have to:
- Go to the team and/or channel you need to make a video call in.
- Select ‘Meet’ on the top of the tab on the right, turn on video mode, give the video meeting a name and click ‘’Join now’ to start a meeting instantly.
- You can, any time, see the participant list or invite more people using their contact number or names to join. You can also record the meeting, share content and more.
How to Schedule a Meeting in MS Teams
You can always schedule a meeting ahead of time in MS Teams and stay on top of the competition:
- Press ‘Calendar’ on the left sidebar. Select ‘ New meeting’
- Add the details and invite attendees.
- Select ‘Send’.
- You can also schedule and host a meeting on a channel. In this case, everyone on the team can see the meeting details on the channel post tab, leave comments or share files there.
How to Chat in MS Teams
The chat in Teams is an instant messaging tool that enables you to start a one-to-one or group conversation. To start a new chat:
- Go to the ‘Chat’ tab and select the ‘New chat icon’
- use the @ function or type the name or email address of the teammate(s) you need to start a chat with. You can also name the group chat by clicking the down arrow on the right-top side.
- Write your message and format it if you want.
- Once you are done, click the ‘Send’ button.
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