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Overview:
Microsoft Teams is a chat-based collaboration platform complete with document sharing, online meetings, and many more useful features for communication.
- Teams and channels. Teams are made up of channels, which are conversation boards between different groups of teammates.
- Chat function. The basic chat function can take place between teams, groups, and individuals.
- Document storage Every team will contain a document library folder and all files shared across conversations will save to this folder.
- Online video calling and screen sharing. Make video calls within your network or to outside clients and use desktop sharing for technical assistance and real-time collaboration.
- Online meetings. Online meetings can include anyone outside or inside our network. Includes a scheduling aid, a note-taking app, file uploading, and in-meeting chat messaging.
- Audio conferencing. With audio conferencing, anyone can join an online meeting via phone.
You can use the Teams app already installed on your computer, or log into Office365 from Employee Quick Links and use the Web Version.
Download the Teams app from your app store. Most of the functionality below is available on your mobile device. Edit your Teams notification on your phone by:
- Log into Teams
- Go to Settings>Notifications and check 'Only when inactive on desktop/web'. More on notifications
Online video calling and screen sharing
Online video calling allows users to meet virtually, either one-on-one or in a group setting.
Screen Sharing allows both the host and attenees to share what is on their desktop with other users remotely.
- Video Calling
- From chat choose the user or group that you want to video call. Use the Video icon at the top right to initiate a video call.
- Once users have accepted your call you'll see a toolbar at the top and the partipant avatars at the bottom right.
- Icons from left to right:
- Participants shows a list of everyone who is currently in the meeting. This also allows you to add users to your meeting and see who may have raised their hand and mute users. You can also invite another user in this panel.
- Chat shows the threaded text chat for the meeting
- Video Icon allows the user to show or hide their webcam video.
- Microphone allows the user to turn their micropone on or off in the meeting.
- Share Screen (Monitor with up arrow) allows you to share your screen with other participants.
- The three dots show more icons:
- Device Settings allows you to review and adjust your video source, audio source, etc.
- Dial Pad allows you to dial numbers when necessary for entering conference rooms, etc.
- Hold puts meeting on hold. Users will get a notification and all audio, video and screen sharing stops. Resume button will appear when hold is activated.
- Transfer: If you’re on a one-on-one call, you can transfer your end of the call to someone else in your organization. Transfer will immediatly transfer the call to the user you choose.
- Consult then transfer: Also available for a one-on-one call. This lets you check in with someone via chat before transferring a call to them.
- Apply background effects allows you to add a blur or a virtual background to your video on the meeting. You can select from the options listed.
- Turn on live captions
- Start recording allows you to start and stop recording of the meeting.
- Turn off incoming video will force all participants to enter the meeting with their video turned off.
- Screen Sharing
- Use the icon that looks like a monitor with an up arrow to begin a screen share. Any user in the video call can share their screen, if the originator of the call has not limited permissions.
- You will need to choose the Desktop, Window, Powerpoint or file (via Browse) that you want to present.
- If you choose a desktop it will show the entire content of your desktop
- Window shows a specific active application you have open, i.e. your Outlook window, or your Chrome browser window.
- Choose from an open PowerPoint to display it
- Browse wil open a browse dialogue so you can open other files.
- You can also choose to Include the computer sound to your presentation if you need to share audio.
- Once you've shared your screen you will some additional choices
- Give Control allows you to choose a user so that the user can control your mouse.
- Include System Audio allows you to present your computer sound
- Stop Presenting ends the screen share.
Online meetings
Teams meetings takes the place of Microsoft's Skype.
You can schedule a Teams meeting from Outlook or from the Teams App
- Scheduling the Teams Meeting
- In Outlook choose New Items, then Teams Meeting, fill out the meeting information as you would any other meeting. It will be added to your calendar in Outlook and Teams.
- You can also add the meeting in Teams using the +New meeting button. You can also start an immediate meeting useing the Meet Now button. The Scheduling Assistant feeds from outlook and is helpful to determine when your attendees are available.
- When it is time for your meeting you can use the link in the meeting text from either calendar or the Join button on the event in Teams. You should also receive a 15 minute notification if Outlook is open as well.
Audio conferencing
Audio conferencing is like making a phone call via Teams.
- Use the Calls Icon to open the interface. Speed dial will open by default.
- You can add contacts you contact often here. You can also create a New Group and add contacts to that group.
- Use the Video Icon to start a Video Call, and the Phone Icon to start a Audio Conference. The three dots will give you other options, including Chat.
- Contacts will show all contacts, allow you to add new contacts and give all options for chat, email, video and audio.
- History keeps a running hisory of all calls
- Viocemail: If a user is unable to contact you and leaves a voicemail you'll be able to see the transcript and listen to the voicemail here. You'll also be able to return the call or send the user from here.
Files
Files will show all files you've used in achannel, all teams sharepoint sites or in any cloud storage you've added.
- Click on Files at the left and you'll see the sources of all files.
- Files accessed recently can be found under Recent.
- Microsoft Teams will show files in the Files tab of your Teams.
- You can link both OneDrive and Google cloud accounts.
- The three dots offer different options, depending on the type of file it is. If you have editing privileges :
- Editing the file in Teams
- Opening the file in the native application
- Open the file in the browser
- Download the file to your desktop
- Get Link allows you to share the link with another user