An Ultimate Guide on How To Use
Microsoft Teams in 2021
We all know that due to the rise of COVID-19 across the world, online sessions gained importance. Microsoft Teams is amongst one of those. If you are an employed person, a student, or anyone with connections miles apart, this is your software to use in 2021.
Refer to the below guide to learn to use Microsoft Teams for unlimited professional and personal benefits in 2021.
Create a Microsoft ID
You must have a Microsoft or Outlook email ID. You can create the same when you go to their official website. Create it from there within minutes. Enter all your real details there.
You can do it through the Microsoft Teams web page or mobile application. It depends on your ease and use.
Download the Microsoft Teams app
Do it either by visiting the software's home page or using the mobile application by the same name. There is a menu option called “Download Teams” on the official home page. Clicking it, you get a new page. There you get two options:
- Download for desktop
- Download for mobile
It’s then for you to decide the app you need to use and download.
Create teams on the app
Teams are the space on the app where you can work with your entire work. In this space, your team members can create, post, edit, and find the content or files. You can build a team by inviting other team members using their Outlook or Microsoft email ID.
Now, you can make three types of teams:
- Public
- Private
- Organizational (Org-wide)
Public teams are best when you know that your team members keep changing. Private ones are only for limited members and maybe for the management teams. Organizational-sized teams can be for your entire firm acting as a team. Later divide it into departments using channels.
Give a name to your team
Simply creating and inviting people to a team won’t do the trick. If you have multiple groups, you need to define each team with a name.
This could be depending on the work they do, the duration of their project, or maybe the name of their original department. Give a name you want for the team as per your convenience and suitability.
In short, giving names to teams in 2021 for working online makes the entire task easier. If you are the leader of multiple teams, you should know which team is working on what project.
You must know how to follow up with different teams at a time. For that, giving a particular and defined name is necessary. It clears out the confusion in the long run for the team leader.
Create a channel
Each team can get a channel (s). And by default, each team already has one. Though, you can tweak its existence at your convenience.
For creating a channel:
- Visit the homepage of a particular team.
- Click the three dots on the top right corner.
- Find the option “Add channel” there.
Then face a pop-up window. Fill up the channel’s name, description, and set its privacy settings. If you are a channel creator, decide whom to invite and whom to restrain from entering this channel.
Once sure, click “Add” to finalize the defined channel's creation for your team.
Take note that channels are made in the team for a specific task, project, or discussion. These are usually segregated conversations. They can happen between two to more individuals without the fear of information leaks.
Set up video conference calls
While you are logged into Microsoft Teams, open the team/channel home page. There you will get a compose message box. Under that box, you have multiple mini-icons like an A for text, a clip for attachment.
Similarly, there is a camera icon for video conferencing calls. When you click it, you get an option to add the subject to the call. Once you are done adding the subject, you have a button below “Meet Now.”
As you click it, all the team or channel members will start getting notified of this video conferencing call immediately.
As you begin the call and people start attending, get a toolbar at the bottom. From there, you can mute your voice, hide your face, share the screen, and even open the chat box to see live chat sessions.