Software innovators Microsoft added Teams to its already robust Office365 suite back in 2016, and since then it has been an industry-leading collaborative tool allowing teams of many sizes to collaborate and share information in a secure, simple common digital space.
An overview of the Teams functionality
At its core, Teams is about:
- Communication, whether one-on-one or with many participants
- The creative hub, which allows team members global access to tools such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Planner, OneNote, Delve and Power BI
- Integration: Teams integrates seamlessly with other Office 365 services including Skype, Yammer, SharePoint and Exchange
These core features create a powerful and comprehensive tool that negates traditional boundaries and barriers such as geography, timezones, multiple application and document requirements across multiple participants, document storage and more.
The Features that set Teams apart
There are many tools in the market that share similar functionality, but Teams is arguably the most efficient at bringing all of these functionalities into one seamless experience.
Key features include:
- Text or voice-based instant messaging
- Includes the ability to set message priority, share calendars and schedule meetings, add emojis, GIFs and stickers, add a Stream, and simply link in app-based information from Wikipedia, YouTube, News, Weather and more
- Includes a ‘Seen’ notification as well as Read Receipts functionality for groups up to 20 members
- @mentions help to get someone’s attention in a conversation thread
- Switch notifications on or off with a simple click
- Audio and video-based calls
- One-to-one
- Group calling
- You can also easily add people into a conversation to bring them into an existing call
- Integrated Microsoft Whiteboards make in-call notes easy to create
- Live captions, translation and transcription of
Live Events
- Similar to video calls, the Live Events functionality is a broadcast tool but rests control of the broadcast with the host, who is able to lead interactions and audience participation
- Desktop sharing is simple, one-to-one or to many in a group chat or call
- Centralised document creation and sharing with
simultaneous editing
- Create Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents that can be opened, shared, edited and viewed by multiple people in real-time, with versioning history automatically built in to help with edit tracking and progress
- Integrated meeting scheduler in Outlook mail when you set up a calendar request – simply select ‘Teams’ as the meeting space
- Desktop and Mobile App versions for quick, easy access whether at your desk or on the move
For more information on Microsoft Teams, and integrating software into your business’s communications strategy, contact Cambridge Support today on 01223 921 000 or email ask@cambridgesupport.com