Microsoft Teams Overview

Microsoft Teams, a convenient hub for collaboration, is designed to keep you organised, informed, and work efficiently with team members both within and outside your workplace.

Microsoft Teams is a workspace for real-time collaboration and communication, meetings, file and app sharing, and even the occasional emoji! It brings together various services for seamless teamwork within your workplace. Let's dive into the core functionalities of Microsoft Teams to help you make the most of it.

Instant direct communication

Teams Chat and Calling functionalities to allow you to communicate directly with one or many people. It has been created for a shorter feedback loop. 

Communicating and Collaborating with a team

Each Team and Channel inside Microsoft Teams should be created with a purpose. This may be a project, a focus group, or simply categorising communication to make it simpler to find later. Microsoft's goal for MS Teams is to reduce clutter and help teams of people work together with focus.

Key examples of when you should create a Team or a Channel in Microsoft Teams

• Regularly scheduled meetings with the same group of people on = a dedicated Channel inside a Team.
  This allows all meeting chats, notes, and recordings to be in one dedicated location, which is easy to find later. You can also quickly schedule a meeting with all participants.
• Project team = a Team with various Channels as required.
  A group working together towards a common purpose, such as a project, is perfect for a team. You can have separate channels to meet, discuss different project areas, add files, and pin helpful websites.

Video conferencing and Meetings management 

Did you know you can have all of your meetings inside Teams, whether they need to be online or not? Quickly add a Microsoft Teams meeting link to your calendar invite to include anyone online and provide an easy way to record or transcribe a meeting. Keep all notes and action points inside the Microsoft Teams meeting to quickly and easily update everyone invited. 

Accessing Key information quickly

Sharing links, files, and documents without the goal of finding them later can lead to a messy Team and a messy filing structure. It doesn’t encourage team members to use Teams to find what they need and collaborate. 

When sharing files with others, ask yourself: Are you sharing them in the best way for everyone, and is it easy to find later?

You don’t need to move all of your files into teams to work together on them; you can pin existing files or folders in the Teams banner or grab a sharing link. 

Keep all relevant information at your fingertips while making it easy for everyone. 

10 Quick Tips to Help You Build Confidence in Teams

1. Prep Your Video and Audio Settings Before the Meeting Starts:

• Check your camera: Ensure your camera is positioned at eye level and in a well-lit area.
• Test your audio: Use headphones or a headset for better sound quality and to avoid echo.
• Use a virtual background: If your background is distracting, consider using a virtual background to blur or replace it.

2. Write Meeting Notes Inside the Teams Meeting:

• Use the chat function: Type notes directly in the chat window during the meeting.
• Create a shared document: If you need more detailed notes, create a shared document and link it in the chat.
• Assign action items: Use the @mention feature to assign tasks to specific team members.

3. Create a Separate Channel in Teams When You Notice Patterns of Topic Changes in a Team:

• Identify recurring topics: Look for common themes or projects that are discussed frequently.
• Create a new channel: Navigate to your team's channel list and click "Add channel." Give the new channel a relevant name and description.
• Move relevant conversations: Move existing conversations related to the new topic to the new channel.

4. Use the @ Symbol to Tag Peers Inside Teams or Chat to Ensure They Get Notified:

• Type @: Begin typing the name of the person you want to tag.
• Select the correct person: Choose the correct person from the list that appears.
• Send the message: Once you've tagged the person, send your message.

5. Set Your Quiet Hours in Teams So You Aren't Interrupted Outside Work:

• Go to settings: Click on your profile picture and select "Settings."
• Navigate to notifications: Click on "Notifications."
• Set quiet hours: Under "Quiet hours," toggle the switch to "On" and set the desired time range.

6. Quickly Jump Back and Forth in Your History on Teams by Clicking the Buttons Next to the Search:

• Locate the buttons: The buttons are located next to the search bar in any Teams channel.
• Click to navigate: Click the left arrow to go back in your history or the right arrow to go forward.

7. Type / in the Search Bar to Find the Teams Shortcuts for Quickly Setting Your Status and Calling Someone:

• Type /: Enter the slash symbol in the search bar.
• Select a shortcut: A list of available shortcuts will appear. Choose the one you want to use, such as "/away" to set your status or "/call [name]" to call someone.

8. You Can Refine Your Search by Filtering by the Date Range, Team or Person Who Sent the Message, or File Type:

• Access the search filters: Click on the three dots next to the search bar.
• Apply filters: Select the desired filters to narrow down your search results.

9. Insert Links to Your Message in Teams Instead of Pasting the Whole Link:

• Paste the link: Right-click in the chat window and select "Paste."
• Format the link: The link will automatically be formatted as a clickable link.

10. Transfer a Meeting to Another Device:

• Join the meeting: Join the meeting on your current device.
• Access the meeting controls: Click on the three dots in the meeting controls.
• Select "Transfer to another device": Choose this option to transfer the meeting to a different device.

Remember to experiment with different features, ask questions, and seek help from your colleagues or IT support when needed. With practice and a willingness to learn, you'll be well on your way to mastering Microsoft Teams and maximising its benefits for your team and organisation.