Optimize business communication and collaboration with an intuitive interface and seamless integration of productivity tools
Optimize business communication and collaboration with an intuitive interface and seamless integration of productivity tools
Microsoft Teams is a business chat and online collaboration app and platform native to the Windows operating system. Even though the app and service have been around for a few years as part of the Microsoft 365 line of productivity apps, which was formerly known as Office365, Teams got its big break during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it emerged as a video conferencing competitor to Zoom and Cisco WebEx.
To be clear, Microsoft Teams offers far more than just video calling and messaging. It is easy to see why so many school systems across Latin America chose it as a preferred tool for setting up virtual classrooms. There are many ways to access the app and service; one of the most common is through modern web browsers that support Microsoft 365 apps and services such as Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and others. If you really want to enjoy the full functionality and all the features of Microsoft Teams, your best bet is to install the native app for Windows.
What You Can Do With Microsoft Teams
It has been said that Teams is a cheap copy of Slack, one of the most successful platforms for business communications and online collaboration. It has also been said that Teams is mostly limited to video calling. Both of these claims are incorrect because many of the social networking features that make Slack versatile are not found in Teams, and video conferencing is just one of the numerous features that make this app so competitive.
Microsoft Teams has been specifically developed with Microsoft Office integration in mind. While it is true that you can use Teams on its own and without having to interact with other Office services, tight integration is a major selling point. If you use Windows 11, Teams is part of the operating system package, and it works even better because you can configure it to work as a main hub for digital communications and productivity.
The features you get from Microsoft Teams will vary according to the subscription tier. The app is always free to download and install; alternatively, you can access the browser-based version of the app and service through a Microsoft account, but the native Windows app experience will always be superior. Free access to Teams enables you to chat, video conference, message, and share files with others who have the app installed. Teams subscriptions fall under the Microsoft 365 pricing umbrella, which includes personal, business, and enterprise levels.
Here is a partial list of Microsoft Teams features at the business subscription level:
* Virtual backgrounds.
* Background chatter filters.
* Omni group messaging sessions with app and SMS peers.
* Voicemail transcription.
* Desktop sharing.
* Voice calling to mobile and landline numbers.
* Outlook calendar integration.
* Virtual whiteboard.
* Recording of conference sessions to cloud storage.
It should be noted that Microsoft 365 subscriptions are not limited to Teams and the features listed above. Since you are paying for a productivity package, you also get premium access to Microsoft Office and Skype, which are services that integrate with Teams in various ways. As of early 2023, Microsoft was working on Viva, a new Teams feature meant to support human resources and corporate training departments.
Should You Install Microsoft Teams?
The short answer is yes. Whether you need to participate in Teams sessions or manage projects, the user experience you get from the native app is solid and much better than the browser-based version. If you are on the free tier, your video conferencing will be limited to 60 minutes sessions with no more than 100 participants. When compared to Zoom or RingCentral, the video conferencing service provided by Microsoft Teams is superb, and this is a good enough reason to use the app.
As for performance, the Teams app is top-notch. The user interface is reminiscent of the classic Microsoft Office apps, but with a more streamlined appearance. Unfortunately, the user experience is a bit diminished because many of the features are not so easy to find. If you are a systems administrator who is familiar with Microsoft SharePoint, you should not have problems with Teams because you already know about quirks such as burying functions at the end of long menus.
When using Teams for basics like group chat, document editing, file sharing, video calling, and messaging, the UI does not disappoint because everything is right there where it should be. For example, docking a video conference window so that you can annotate a Word document in real time can be accomplished with a few clicks on intuitive icons. Setting up a virtual meeting with a file upload section and a bulletin board is not so easy because the steps seem to be buried inside menus and hidden panels.
As a business tool, the consensus on Microsoft Teams is as follows: If your company already pays for a Microsoft 365 subscription, there is no need to use Slack or Zoom. Those apps are certainly easier to use, and they have a couple of extra features that make them interesting, but Teams is far more powerful. The MS Office integration alone should prompt you to prefer Teams even if you need to deal with a learning curve.
Something worth discussing about Microsoft Teams is how far the service has come in just a few years. The company has a lot riding on Teams becoming the most powerful app in the Microsoft 365 family, and this can be understood when browsing all the plugins and extensions already developed for it. A recent visit to the Teams App Store shows an ecosystem that is growing very rapidly, and the options range from mind-mapping tools to translation templates and from wireframing platforms to dictionary extensions.
In the end, Microsoft Teams is an app that stands to revolutionize the virtual office space in the near future. Video calling was just the beginning for Teams. The ongoing integration with the entire MS Office productivity suite shows that the company has a lot in store for Teams, but the best is yet to come. In other words, taking the time to learn how to use Teams to its maximum potential is certainly worth it, and you may want to start with a free download today.
Microsoft Teams Pros
- Robust business communications.
- Full MS Office integration.
- Powerful features.
Microsoft Teams Cons
- Some features are confusing to access.