Microsoft Teams: An Overview
How to use Teams in Your Organization
What is Microsoft Teams?
Collaboration and teamwork have never been more important. In today’s corporate environment, efficient collaboration is critical for a successful workflow, and that starts with using the right tools.
When it comes to collaboration and teamwork, there’s no better tool than Microsoft Teams, yet many businesses are still not using it to its full potential. If you want to make the most of this powerful tool, you need to learn how to use it the right way.
So take a moment to familiarize yourself with Microsoft Teams – what it is, how it works, and how it can benefit you and your organization.
What it is
Microsoft Teams is an all-encompassing, robust tool for collaboration and sharing that allows staff from multiple locations to work together as a seamless, functional unit. Stability, security, privacy, and easy access is one of the hallmarks of Microsoft Teams.
One of the most powerful features of Microsoft Teams is its ability to integrate with other Microsoft products including Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, and OneNote.
You can use Microsoft Teams to:
• Schedule and keep track of meetings through Outlook
• Conduct video conferences
• Collaborate across multiple divisions and offices
• Share, edit, and find content across your organization and cloud-based storage services through SharePoint, OneDrive & OneNote
Microsoft Teams is the replacement for Skype for Business, and it provides the same functionality, including instant messaging and chat, along with a number of new tools and functions.
HOW TO USE MICROSOFT TEAMS
Unlike many collaboration tools on the market today, Microsoft Teams is easy to use with an intuitive design and a low learning curve. Microsoft offers a helpful Teams overview video to introduce you to this powerful tool.
When you’re ready to start using Microsoft Teams, you can simply download the desktop application, download the mobile app, or access the tool through your internet browser.
How to set up a Team
Setting up a team is easy and you can do it in just a few clicks. Start by creating a team name and description, then add team members. Each team can have subsections, known as channels. You could, for instance, set up a marketing channel, a social media channel, and an IT channel, all working under the same larger umbrella.
Once your team has been created, each channel will have its own individual tab, making it easy to navigate around the space and find the information you’re looking for. This innovative and intuitive design is one of the hallmarks of Microsoft Teams.
Easy Access to the Tools You Need
How it works: Microsoft Teams provides easy access to:
1. People
2. Content
3. Tools
Once Microsoft Teams is in place and a new team is created, you can collaborate and work with employees and partners throughout your organization, whether they’re in the next cubicle or the next time zone.
Access and Modify Files in Real-Time
Team members can access, change and update files in real-time, and other team members can comment on those changes, recommend additional enhancements and get instant feedback from supervisors or management.
CUSTOMIZE YOUR WORKSPACE
The benefits
In addition to these collaborative benefits, Microsoft Teams also allows businesses to customize their workspaces. This workspace customization drives efficiency by allowing everyone to work together as one cohesive unit. With Microsoft Teams, you can easily customize the collaborative workspace for each project, giving every team member exactly what they need to get the job done.
Streamline Tasks within the Workflow
Companies can use Microsoft Teams to streamline tasks within the workflow. This powerful tool gives users the ability to configure and customize their tabs, further enhancing teamwork and collaboration.
Last but not least, Microsoft Teams offers peace of mind by combining the stability of Microsoft 365 with the privacy and protection of multi-factor authentication and built-in data protection.
By maximizing productivity and encouraging collaboration, Microsoft Teams allows staff to work more effectively. Secure channels allow private communication, while support for live events allows team members to contribute ideas no matter where they are.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re moving to this new platform and wondering how to get started, you probably have some questions.
Is Teams Available Now?
Yes. Microsoft Teams is available now to business users.
Which Office 365 Plans Include Teams?
Teams is available to multiple Office 365 plans, including small business plans, enterprise plans, developer plans and education plans.
Does Teams Work with Those Outside Your Organization?
With changes to just a few settings, you can include external users in your Microsoft Team collaborations. The inclusion of those outside your organization can enhance the flexibility of Microsoft Teams, making it a highly flexible collaboration tool.
How Do I Upgrade from Skype for Business?
If you currently use Skype for Business, you can upgrade to Microsoft Teams. To upgrade, you will need to choose the path that works best for you. There is no one-size-fits-all upgrade path, but Ontech Systems can help you decide which approach will work best for your business. Just give us a call or send us an email to start your Microsoft Teams upgrade journey.
Whether your business has a single location or offices around the world, the right teamwork and collaboration tools are more important than ever.
Microsoft Teams is one of the most powerful collaboration tools on the market, and Ontech Systems is your Teams expert.
Just contact us today at 262-522-8560 or online get ready to experience the many benefits of a highly collaborative Teams-enabled workplace.
Examples of How to Use Microsoft Teams
Check out real-world ways to use teams in your everyday workflow through these simple “A Day in the Live of…” infographics. Learn how to use Teams in the following industries:
