Let Your Team Give Microsoft Teams a Try
September 24, 2019
Let Your Team Give Microsoft Teams a Try
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Microsoft Teams
Teams is used in a few capacities, primarily driven by IT at this point.
First, it's used as a casual, persistent chat channel. What I mean is that it's an instant messaging application which you can add multiple users to, and the chat thread remains available. So you don't have to look up old chat logs. All you have to do is just scroll back historically, which is nice if you've also been out of the office for a while, you can simply review the chats that you missed while you were out. (Of course, they offer a mobile app as well, but that's another topic.)
Second, we're using it to share project documentation, utilizing the SharePoint functionality that is associated as well.
Third, another Skype replacement for online meetings and calls, with or without video.
We've played with other features, like using a wiki on a project and some automatic notifications via Flow, but those haven't been used too extensively as of yet.
First, it's used as a casual, persistent chat channel. What I mean is that it's an instant messaging application which you can add multiple users to, and the chat thread remains available. So you don't have to look up old chat logs. All you have to do is just scroll back historically, which is nice if you've also been out of the office for a while, you can simply review the chats that you missed while you were out. (Of course, they offer a mobile app as well, but that's another topic.)
Second, we're using it to share project documentation, utilizing the SharePoint functionality that is associated as well.
Third, another Skype replacement for online meetings and calls, with or without video.
We've played with other features, like using a wiki on a project and some automatic notifications via Flow, but those haven't been used too extensively as of yet.
- Persistent chat is a big plus. As I mentioned, being able to review the history of the ongoing chat is quite useful, as well as having multiple people and adding others to the chat later.
- A project management "hub" is useful too, knowing you can add documentation or make comments to one area, and this will automatically be available to all those working on the project, both internal and external users.
- Very simple to schedule Teams meetings (replacing Skype meetings) or having ad hoc video or phone calls with multiple users at one time.
- Adding new users isn't instantaneous. I've found after approving a new user to join an existing Team, it can still take a few hours before they have access to the SharePoint documents. Everything else is pretty quick, but the document availability takes a few hours to propagate.
- If you're a guest on another companies Teams site, switching between companies isn't smooth. Basically, you can exist in both at the same time, even if you're the same email/user for each one. You can only have one company open at any time. As a workaround, you can have multiple instances open in multiple browsers, but I typically use the locally installed software as my preferred usage over the web client.
- Good and bad, you can almost add too much to a Team. What I mean is all the add-on integrations, Conversations, Files, Wiki, Planner, OneNote, Power BI, on and on. Sometimes it can be a big overwhelming all the choices you can make. But there's nothing wrong as much using it for Chat. Even just that is incredibly useful.
- Great to easily connect with others, whether they sit across the room or across the country or their location changes day to day.
- Great for getting work done, especially with remote workers or consultants. Easy to share your desktop, have a quick, ad hoc call or to have a scheduled meeting.
- Great for sharing and securing Project files, both with internal and external users. Adds some additional communication functionality that just using a SharePoint site in the past doesn't have, not even one of the O365 Groups SharePoint sites.
- Persistent chat is very useful. Sharing a GIF sometimes shares much more information that just text. And there is valuable information you can review and easily look back to, when necessary.
- Skype for Business (formerly Lync), Slack and MS SharePoint
It will eventually be the replacement for Skype for Business. Microsoft has announced the end date for Skype and already new instances of Office 365 below a certain number of users don't even include Skype. Already, all they get is Teams. And it's definitely the winner for instant messaging with individuals and groups with its persistent chat.
For Slack, there's no doubt they were the leader for a while. But Microsoft basically saw their functionality and mirrored it with Teams and then used that as a starting place, adding so much more integration. Also, I can't say this enough, if you're already with Microsoft for Office 365, it just makes sense to fully use as many of the tools included already. It keeps things centrally maintained and controlled, it keeps single sign-on much simpler, and it makes tool integration simpler. I think both administrators and users appreciate it.
And for SharePoint, Teams is really using SharePoint functionality, but baking it into the product. So you get the SharePoint library and you get the security, but you have a different way to interact with it that promotes further communication and connection.
For Slack, there's no doubt they were the leader for a while. But Microsoft basically saw their functionality and mirrored it with Teams and then used that as a starting place, adding so much more integration. Also, I can't say this enough, if you're already with Microsoft for Office 365, it just makes sense to fully use as many of the tools included already. It keeps things centrally maintained and controlled, it keeps single sign-on much simpler, and it makes tool integration simpler. I think both administrators and users appreciate it.
And for SharePoint, Teams is really using SharePoint functionality, but baking it into the product. So you get the SharePoint library and you get the security, but you have a different way to interact with it that promotes further communication and connection.
Do you think Microsoft Teams delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with Microsoft Teams's feature set?
Yes
Did Microsoft Teams live up to sales and marketing promises?
Yes
Did implementation of Microsoft Teams go as expected?
Yes
Would you buy Microsoft Teams again?
Yes
Evaluating Microsoft Teams and Competitors
Yes - We are in the process of replacing Skype for Business with Teams. Eventually, Microsoft will retire Skype for Business. Already, they are starting to limit new Office 365 tenants of a certain size from even getting Skype for Business. And Teams is a great replacement for Skype instant messaging, calls, video, and scheduled meetings.
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
- Product Reputation
- Vendor Reputation
- Existing Relationship with the Vendor
We wanted to stick within tools that were already included within the Microsoft space. Being an O365 customer, it was natural to give Teams a try as the Microsoft recommendation. Not only replacing the functionally that Skype for Business offered but also building on it with many additional features has made the transition an easy decision. And combine functionality of a variety of tools has made the adoption of Teams simpler, since the much of the functionality is already familiar.
I think I would make the process more formal and start to push users to adopt more quickly. As it stands right now, I find myself having to live in both Teams and Skype for Business, as some users aren't switched over to Teams yet. So if they want to IM me, it's in Skype. Or we have external consultants still using Skype for their meetings. So it's that extra 30 seconds for Skype to open for those meetings when I find myself only having Teams open. So I look forward to the day that Skype for Business is no more, and I can just keep Teams open without wondering if someone is looking for me on Skype.
Using Microsoft Teams
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Consistent Convenient Feel confident using Familiar | None |
- Persistent chat is quite simple and it's pretty straightforward to get a group chat started and just let it run on its own after that.
- Adding gifs to your chat is simple and quite rewarding. It quickly allows people to connect on a personal level and with that connection, makes working together easier too.
- Meetings and calls are simple. There is an interface in Outlook to make a meeting a Teams meeting. Or ad hoc calls (video or audio) is relatively straightforward. And this is true for one on one calls or group calls. The quality is also good. And with the video feature, you can even blur your background (if there is something behind you that you'd rather not reveal to everyone on the call). And sharing your screen is also easy.
- There are so many add-ons, that that could be overwhelming. But don't let that stop you. Just start with the default functionality, and if you think of something you might want to try later, give it a shot. I recommend building on the foundation you get as a default, then add more and more power to it, the more you need to or want to.
- Adding new users to a team has a delay when it comes to File availability. Behind the scenes, you just have to wait for the SharePoint permissions to catch up. Don't try to force it though. The permission structure is different from SharePoint, and it's much better to just wait a few hours, check it occasionally, and then it will just work for you. Have patience.
Yes - Pretty well. It's clean. For my own work/life balance, I turned off the notifications though, so I don't use it often. If I'm on vacation, I found I didn't want to be notified of the chat. And since it's persistent chat, it's easy to review all the conversations I missed while being off when I return to the office and chime back in if necessary. So I don't use the mobile app often, but when I have, I found it to be a lot like the desktop or web app. Pretty simple to use.