Whether you’re just starting out or looking to boost your productivity, knowing Microsoft Teams basics can make a world of difference.
First, let’s dive into some easy tricks that will help you navigate Teams like a pro and get the most out of this powerful tool.
Next, from organizing your teams and channels to staying on top of important updates and sharing files seamlessly, we’ve got you covered.
Moreover, whether you’re collaborating with colleagues or managing projects, these Microsoft Teams basics will make your Teams experience smoother and more efficient.
So let’s begin with showing you how to navigate efficiently in Microsoft Teams.
Navigating the Teams area is crucial for efficient collaboration and productivity.
Now let’s explore the first core principle of Microsoft Teams: understanding how Teams and Channels work together.
Microsoft Teams uses Teams and Channels as core organizational structures to streamline your workflow and information management.
Teams: Teams bring together groups of people to share information and collaborate. For example, you can create a Team for a specific project or department. If you have a Marketing department, you could set up a Marketing Team to centralize all marketing-related information and communications.
Channels: Channels are sub-sections within a Team that help organize information and discussions around specific topics or tasks. For instance, within a Marketing Team, you might have Channels for Website, Promotions, and Social Media, each dedicated to a particular aspect of your marketing efforts.
For further information on Private Channels in Teams, check out our blog on, What’s better – A Private Channel or a Private Team.
Once you have your Teams and Channels in place, you will want to keep them well organized. Let’s talk about organizing your Teams next.
Managing your Teams list can significantly enhance your productivity. Who doesn’t want to find things faster?
When you create or join a Team, it gets added to your list of Teams, but not in an organized way. You might end up with too many Teams or Channels, making it hard to find what you need quickly.
Let’s find out how to arrange these Teams to suit you better.
Arrange Teams by Priority
Keep it Neat
Bolded Teams and Channels indicate recent activity.
New Updates
This bolding keeps you informed about ongoing conversations and developments.
Teams is a digital hub that brings everyone together. Teams makes it easy to chat, share files, and work on projects as a team.
These top-notch collaboration features are one of the main reasons people should use Microsoft Teams.
Effective Communication
Use Teams and Channels for focused discussions with team mates, ensuring everyone stays informed and engaged.
Document Management
Share files directly within Channels to streamline collaboration on projects and tasks.
Just think of the name… Teams
Microsoft did a great job naming this application. They called it Teams because that is what it is meant for; a team of people. So when you have work to do with others and want to chat with them and send information, do it in Teams.
We all want to make our work processes smoother, faster, and more efficient. It’s the eternal quest for finding better ways to get things done, cutting out unnecessary steps, and using tools or methods that help us work smarter, not harder.
Two key things to understand Microsoft Teams basics:
• Task Management: Use Teams and Channels to assign tasks, track progress, and collaborate on products effectively.
• Integration Benefits: Leverage Microsoft integrations to enhance productivity, such as linking SharePoint sites or integrating with third-party apps.
Having explored how Teams enhances collaboration, let’s dive into some essential Microsoft Teams features that every user should master to make the most of this powerful platform.
Watch the Teams Beginner Tips Video
<—- See examples of how Teams works and what features to use. Learn your way around so you can navigate easily.
In this section, we will talk about the Activity bell, Files area, Chat area and Calendar within Microsoft Teams. These basic Microsoft Teams features are important for you to understand so that you can use Teams more effectively.
How would you like to be ‘saved by the bell’ in Teams?
The Activity Bell plays a crucial role in keeping you informed and connected with ongoing activities across your teams.
Here’s a guide to understanding and effectively using the Teams Activity Bell.
What is the Activity Bell?
Located in the top-right corner of the screen, the Activity Bell, serves as a centralized notification hub. It gathers alerts from all your Teams and Channels into one place, ensuring you don’t miss important updates or messages.
How Does It Work?
When there’s new activity in any of your Teams or Channels, the Activity Bell displays a number to indicate unread notifications.
Clicking on the bell expands it to reveal a summary of recent activities, such as mentions, replies, or new posts.
This feature allows you to stay updated without having to navigate through each Team individually.
Benefits of Using the Activity Bell
Microsoft Teams basics – Tips for Maximizing the Use of the Activity Bell
• Regular Checks: Develop a habit of checking the Activity Bell periodically throughout the day to stay updated.
• Management: Adjust notification settings to receive alerts for activities that require immediate attention.
Now that you have learned about being saved by the Notification (bell) within Microsoft Teams, let’s learn about Files in your Teams environment.
In Microsoft Teams, the Notes tab is a handy tool for keeping your important notes and ideas organized and shared.
Here’s how it can help you and your team stay on top of things:
The Notes tab is like a digital notebook inside Teams where you can write down and save your thoughts, meeting notes, and plans. It’s a great place to keep everything related to your projects in one spot.
The Notes Tab in a Teams Channel connects you to the OneNote app. These notes are shared with everyone on the team.
You are using a shared OneNote notebook in Teams when you use Notes.
How Does It Work?
1. Creating Notes: You can start a new note right inside the tab. Whether it’s meeting minutes, project updates, or brainstorming ideas, you can jot them down here.
2. Organizing Your Notes: Use sections and pages to keep things tidy. You can create different sections for different topics or projects, making it easy to find what you need.
3. Collaborating with Your Team: Everyone on your team can access and edit the notes together. It’s a collaborative space where you can share information and work on ideas together in real-time.
• Centralized Information: All your important notes are in one place, so you don’t have to search through emails or different apps to find them.
• Easy Updates: You can update your notes anytime and everyone will see the changes instantly. It keeps everyone on the same page.
• Integration with Teams: Since it’s part of Microsoft Teams, you can link notes to specific channels or conversations, keeping everything connected.
Microsoft Teams basics – Tips for Using the Notes Tab
• Use Headings and Bullets: Make your notes easy to read by using headings and bullet points.
• Add Links and Attachments: You can link related documents or add attachments directly to your notes for quick reference.
• Regular Updates: Make it a habit to update your notes regularly, especially after meetings or when there are new developments.
Moving on from Notes, let’s take a closer look at how the Chat area works in Teams.
In Microsoft Teams, the Chat area is where you can talk with your friends, classmates, or coworkers just like sending messages on your phone or tablet. Let’s dive into how the Chat area works and why it’s useful for staying connected:
The Chat area in Microsoft Teams is like a special place where you can have private conversations with one person or a group. It’s like texting but inside Teams!
How Does It Work?
1. Starting a Chat: To start a chat, you click on the “New chat” button and type the name of the person you want to talk to. You can also chat with a group of people by adding more names.
2. Sending Messages: Once you open a chat, you can type your message in the box at the bottom and press enter to send it. It’s just like texting your friends!
3. Emoji and Stickers: You can make your messages fun by adding emojis and stickers. It’s a great way to show how you’re feeling without using words.
• Private Conversations: You can have private talks with someone without everyone else seeing.
• Quick Communication: It’s fast to send messages, so you can get answers to questions or share ideas quickly.
• Sharing Files: You can send files like documents or pictures directly in the chat, making it easy to share information.
Tips for Using the Chat Area
• Stay Organized: Keep your chats organized by naming them based on who you’re talking to or what the chat is about.
• Notifications: You’ll see notifications when someone sends you a message, so you’ll always know when there’s something new to read.
• Respect Others: Remember to be polite and respectful when chatting, just like you would in person.
Fun Fact: Tagging People
If you want to make sure someone sees your message quickly, you can tag their name with the “@” symbol. This way, they’ll get a notification that you’ve mentioned them in the chat.
Conclusion
The Chat area in Microsoft Teams is a handy tool for chatting with friends, classmates, or colleagues. Whether you’re working on a school project, planning an event, or just catching up with friends, using the Chat area helps you stay connected and communicate easily. By understanding how to use it effectively, you can make your conversations clear and fun while staying organized in Microsoft Teams.
Learn More by taking our
TEAMS ONLINE COURSE
In Microsoft Teams, the Calendar area helps you keep track of important events and meetings, just like your own personal planner.
Let’s explore how the Calendar area works and why it’s helpful for staying organized:
The Calendar area in Microsoft Teams is where you can see all your upcoming meetings and events in one place. It’s like having a special calendar just for your Teams activities!
How Does It Work?
1. Viewing Your Schedule: When you click on the Calendar tab, you’ll see a view of your schedule. It shows you what meetings you have coming up and when they’re happening.
2. Joining Meetings: If you have a meeting coming up, you can join it directly from the Calendar. Just click on the meeting and then click “Join” when it’s time to start.
3. Creating New Meetings: You can also create new meetings right from the Calendar. Just click on the “New meeting” button, choose the date and time, add people you want to invite, and give your meeting a name.
• Stay Organized: It helps you keep track of all your meetings and events so you never miss anything important.
• Join Meetings Easily: You can join meetings with just a click, making it simple to connect with your team or classmates.
• Schedule New Meetings: You can plan and schedule meetings in advance, making it easier to coordinate with others.
Tips for Using the Calendar Area
• Set Reminders: You can set reminders for your meetings so you get a notification before they start.
• Check Availability: Before scheduling a meeting, you can check when everyone is available by looking at their calendars in Teams.
• Sync with Outlook: The Calendar in Teams syncs with Outlook, so any meetings you schedule in Teams will also appear in your Outlook calendar.
Fun Fact: Meeting Notes
During a meeting, you can take notes directly in Teams using OneNote. This helps you keep track of what was discussed and any action items that come up.
Conclusion
The Calendar area in Microsoft Teams is a great tool for managing your schedule and staying organized. Whether you’re planning projects, scheduling team meetings, or coordinating with colleagues, using the Calendar area helps you stay on top of your commitments.
By mastering its features, like joining meetings with a click and scheduling events seamlessly, you can enhance your productivity and ensure you’re always prepared in Microsoft Teams. It’s good to have a handle on this feature as a Microsoft Teams basic skill.