How to use the New Microsoft Teams

Introduction

The new Microsoft Teams offers a faster, smarter, and more flexible experience, making it an essential tool for collaboration in organizations. This guide will walk you through the key features of the updated platform, helping you get the most out of Teams for communication, file sharing, and team management.

Understanding Teams: The Core of Microsoft Teams

At the heart of Microsoft Teams is the concept of “Teams” – groups of people organized around a common goal, project, or department. A team can be created by you or someone else in your organization, and members can collaborate through conversations, file sharing, and scheduled meetings. Files shared within the team are stored in one location, ensuring everyone has access to the latest documents.

Accessing the Platform: How to Get Started

You can access Microsoft Teams through your web browser or by downloading the desktop app. The desktop app generally offers a smoother and faster experience, with the latest features. You can download it from the Microsoft website or access the online version at teams.microsoft.com. Ensure your IT admin has enabled access to the new Teams for your organization.

Launching the Desktop App

Once installed, you can launch the desktop app by searching for “Teams” on your computer. If you have both personal and work accounts, be sure to open the correct version. The desktop app allows you to manage multiple accounts, switch between them easily, and keep track of different teams and channels.

Exploring Your Teams

Teams are displayed on the left-hand navigation bar. Each team contains channels, which are specific areas for discussions, file storage, and task management. Channels help to keep projects organized by grouping related content together. In any team, you can access files, view conversations, and create new content.

Team Creation: Step-by-Step Guide

To create a new team, click “Join or Create a Team” in the navigation bar. You can either create a team from scratch or use one of the provided templates. Templates automatically generate channels and install relevant apps based on the team’s purpose. After setting up the team, you can choose whether it will be public or private and invite members.

Channel Visibility: Customizing What You See

You can customize which channels are visible in your team. Hidden channels can be made visible by selecting “Show” from the options. Similarly, you can hide channels to declutter your view. Channels can also be pinned for easy access, ensuring that the most important conversations remain at the top of your list.

Adding Team Members

Once a team is created, you can add members by entering their names or email addresses. Team members can be assigned different roles, such as owner or member, allowing you to control permissions. Once added, members will have access to the team’s conversations, files, and channels.

Team Settings: Managing Teams and Members

The team settings menu allows you to manage members, adjust their permissions, and modify team details. You can change the team’s image, enable or disable channel creation, and monitor analytics to see how team members are engaging. Apps can also be added to enhance the functionality of your team.

Interactive Posting: Engaging with Team Posts

Conversations within teams can be started or responded to using posts. You can target specific members by using the “@” symbol followed by their name, ensuring they are notified of the message. Posts can be organized by pinning important ones at the top, and messages can be formatted with rich text options, emojis, and stickers to make communication more dynamic.

File Sharing and Creation: Collaborating with Documents in Teams

Files can be shared easily within channels or posts. You can upload documents from your computer or create new ones directly in Teams, such as Word or Excel files. These files are stored in the cloud, ensuring all team members have access. Files uploaded in chats or conversations are automatically stored under the “Files” tab in the relevant channel.

Managing Channel Content

Channels allow you to keep conversations and files organized separately. For example, each channel within a team can have its own set of posts and files, allowing for efficient collaboration on different aspects of a project. This helps maintain clarity and focus within large teams working on multiple projects.

Integrating Apps: Enhancing Team Functionality

Microsoft Teams allows the integration of various apps to boost functionality. Apps like task managers, calendars, and project management tools can be installed and used within the platform. You can remove or rearrange apps as needed to simplify the interface for your team.

Initiating Meetings: Starting Instant Team Meetings

Microsoft Teams makes it easy to start instant meetings. You can begin a meeting from a chat or post by selecting “Meet Now.” During the meeting, you can share your screen, adjust audio and video settings, and invite other participants. Meetings are integrated into the relevant thread, making it easy for team members to join.

Meeting Scheduling: Planning and Organizing Meetings

For scheduled meetings, use the calendar feature to select a time, invite participants, and set meeting details. You can also use the “Schedule a Meeting” option in the navigation bar to plan events in advance. Notifications are automatically sent to participants, and the meeting is added to their calendars.

Effective Use of Chat: Quick Communication

Teams offers a chat feature for one-on-one or group messaging. Chats can quickly turn into video or audio calls, making it easy to switch from text-based communication to real-time conversation. You can also share files and collaborate on documents directly within the chat.

Activity Overview: Keeping Tabs on Team Updates

The activity feed provides a snapshot of all the updates and notifications across your teams. Whether it’s a new post, file upload, or meeting notification, the activity feed helps you stay on top of your team’s interactions without having to navigate through each channel individually.

File Accessibility: Centralized Access to All Your Documents

The “Files” section in Teams shows all the documents shared within your teams and channels. This feature centralizes your files, making it easy to find and access important documents. You can view, edit, or share files directly from this section.

Conclusion

The new Microsoft Teams offers a comprehensive platform for collaboration, allowing users to organize teams, share files, and communicate efficiently. Whether you’re managing a large project or working on smaller tasks, the updated features make teamwork faster and more flexible than ever. With its rich set of tools, Microsoft Teams is designed to enhance productivity and streamline communication.