When it comes to team collaboration, Microsoft (MS) Teams is a cut above the rest. It was initially created during a Microsoft Hackathon event, where the primary goal was to create a fully functional piece of software via massive cross-departmental collaborations. Since it initially hit the market in 2017, MS Teams has evolved far beyond its humble beginnings, becoming one of the most powerful applications used to stay connected in business today.
What Makes Microsoft Teams Special
As the name suggests, Microsoft Teams uses a team collaborative approach, allowing groups of people to easily tackle projects together. Teams and Channels can be created within an organization, allowing you to streamline workflows while keeping everything organized. It can be used for short-term company initiatives, specialized projects, organization-wide communications, and more.
Here are just a few of the key features that help make MS Teams so powerful:
· Chats and Channels
The MS Teams chat function is equipped with many powerful tools to keep your team in the loop with the latest information on a project. MS Teams offers three different types of chats within the app: One-on-One Chats to connect people individually, Group Chats to connect groups of people, and Meeting Chats which allow you to seamlessly offer relevant information with other video meeting attendees.
It also allows for channels to be created for specific groups within larger teams—like marketing or quality—allowing members to have more focused conversations within their specific group or project. With the ability to “@mention” team members, you can be sure to share important action items or topics with the appropriate people. You can even insert files directly into chat and channel windows, allowing for easy file access and editing.
· Meetings
Meetings is MS Teams’ video chat platform, and it allows teams to meet virtually from any device with a network connection. There are three parts to an MS Teams meeting: Before, During, and After. These powerful tools allow the meeting organizer to be sure that the information given was absorbed, and that any action items that arose from the discussion do not fall to the wayside. Utilizing these tools also allows you to transcribe your meeting notes into email groups to match the attendee list, ultimately saving you time.
· Apps
Another great tool offered by MS Teams is the Apps tool. It allows you to add to your collaboration arsenal by integrating both Microsoft and third-party apps. You can utilize the MS Whiteboard app in a meeting, allowing multiple users to brainstorm as a group. Or you can send approval requests in meetings as if you were meeting face-to-face and sliding a document across the table. You can even create polls for your team to decide on where to order lunch from! Truly, the applications through MS Teams are endless.
Microsoft Teams is Your Virtual Swiss Army Knife
Microsoft has truly created a virtual Swiss Army knife as MS Teams has evolved. Not only will it expand your ability to connect and collaborate with your teams, but it will help streamline your processes as well. Between its endless application and integration options, this powerful tool is necessary in today’s remote world.
HazeyTech specializes in ensuring your teams remain connected. Contact us today to learn more about how MS Teams can help your business.
