Microsoft Teams has become a staple for daily collaboration, but its hidden features might go unnoticed. Here are some of the best features Microsoft Teams has to offer, which you might not be aware of:
- Chat with Guests:
While many use Microsoft Teams for internal chats, you can actually message anyone who has a Microsoft 365 account. This means you can connect with customers, suppliers, vendors, or prospects using Teams by simply starting a new message and using their email address to initiate contact.
- Allow Guests to Access Your Team:
You can easily add guests to a Team, making it ideal for working with freelancers or temporary hires. Guests do not require a company email address, license, or account – all you need is their email address to add them to the Microsoft Team.
- Keyboard Shortcuts:
Teams offers various keyboard shortcuts that enhance navigation speed. Some useful shortcuts include “@Wikipedia” for a Wikipedia search, “/goto” to access specific teams or channels, “/files” for viewing recent files, “/keys” to display shortcuts, “/call” to initiate calls, “/help” to access the Teams helpdesk, and “/saved” to view your saved messages.
- Make a Channel Private:
Microsoft has introduced a new feature allowing you to make specific channels within a Team private. This is helpful for keeping certain work private or confidential, limiting access to only those who need it.
To determine whether a channel should be private, Microsoft provides a useful chart based on various scenarios, helping you decide how to organize your channels effectively.
| Is there already a team that has these people as team members? | Does this work need to be kept private from others? | Are there multiple distinct topics to discuss? | Recommendation |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Create a private channel in the existing team or consider creating dedicated private channels for each topic. |
| Yes | Yes | No | Create a private channel in the existing team. |
| Yes | No | No | Create a channel in the existing team. |
| No | No | No | Consider creating a new team. |
| No | No | Yes | Consider creating a new team and then, depending on the confidentiality of each topic, consider creating separate standard or private channels for each topic. |
| No | Yes | No | Create a new team and consider creating a private channel. |
If you need assistance in maximizing the potential of Microsoft Teams for your business, consider partnering with us. Our IT experts can help your staff get the most out of Microsoft Teams and streamline collaboration within your organization. Reach out to us today to learn more.
