Microsoft Teams was launched in November 2016 and is a communication and collaboration tool that is part of Microsoft 365. It serves as a central hub where all teams work together. Users can chat one-on-one or in groups, and the platform also supports video and audio meetings for remote communication. Overall, it combines multiple collaboration features into a single platform for easier teamwork.
Table of Content
What is a Team Site?
Whenever you create a new team in Microsoft Teams (such as marketing teams), it automatically creates a SharePoint site.
SharePoint sites – A SharePoint site is an online space where teams can store, share, and work on files together. It keeps all your files organized and accessible.
Team roles and responsibilities
There are 3 types of people in a team:
- Owner- the person who manages the teams- can add or remove members, full access, and change settings
- Member – Can chat, join meetings, and share files.
- Guest- someone outside your organization, limited access.
The owner can set rules like who can post a message or create a channel
Channels: Organize Your Conversations
Channels are like sections or chat rooms inside a team where team members can talk, share files, and work together on specific topics or projects, helping to keep work organized.
There are 3 types of channels –
- Standard- open for everyone in the teams and good for general discussion or team-wide update
- Private- only visible for selected people and useful for confidential or focused work
- Shared- let you work with people from other teams or even outside of your organization
Posts: Where You Chat as a Group
The Posts tab is available in every channel, where you can have discussions with all team members at the same time. It works like a message board. It’s like a chatroom, but more organized; it works as a thread: when you post a message, others can reply in that thread.
You can:
- Write messages
- Reply to others
- Mention teammates using @
- Share files, emojis, or even GIFs
It’s a great way to keep all team talk in one place.
Tabs
At the top of every channel, you will see Tabs. Tabs give quick access to the tools and files you use most.
Commons tabs include-
- Posts- where you can chat
- Files- for documentation
- Planner-Stay on Track with Tasks
What is Microsoft Planner?
Microsoft Planner is a task management tool that helps you and your team organize work, assign tasks, track progress, and manage projects all in a simple and visual way
With a planner, you can do
- Assign work to teammates
- Set due dates
- Create a plan for different projects or teams
- Track progress
- Organize tasks into categories
You can add a planner as a tab in any channel in Microsoft Teams.
Chats: 1:1 and Group Conversations
Chats in Teams let you communicate privately, outside of a channel
There are two types of chats-
- 1:1Chats- A private communication between you and another person is known as a one-on-one chat. You can send messages, share files, and start an audio or video call.
- Group chat- chats with multiple people, and is great for discussion with small teams or departments
Conclusion-
Microsoft Teams is a powerful tool that brings everything your team needs into one platform: chats, files, meetings, and task management. With easy-to-use tabs and channels, it helps to keep work organized and smooth. Whether you’re working remotely or in the office, Teams makes teamwork faster and more effective. this blog gives you a clear and simple guide to Microsoft Teams and its key features, helping you work better and stay organized with your team.
Read more: Microsoft 365 Guide to Assign Roles in Office 365