Microsoft Teams Tips

More and more businesses are turning to Microsoft Teams for their day-to-day operations. To date, Microsoft Teams boasts over 300,000 different businesses and 115 million active daily users on its platform at any given time. If your business has just joined Microsoft Teams, but is still trying to get used to the platform, then these tips can help! Here are some of Integris Network’s favorite tricks we have learned about Microsoft Teams.

1. Know Your Shortcut Commands

Learning the shortcut commands on your keyboard can help speed up tasks and increase productivity. Here are some of the most essential keyboard shortcuts that you and your team should be familiar with:

• Bringing Up Search: Ctrl + E
• Turn Your Camera Off: Ctrl + Shift + O
• Mute Yourself: Ctrl + Shift + M
• Background Blur: Ctrl + Shift + P
• Zoom In: Ctrl + =
• Zoom Out: Ctrl + –
• Go To Your Files: Ctrl + 6

2. Using the Search Feature to Look Quickly Through Conversations

Search is an important feature for businesses that produce a lot of content and are constantly communicating through chat. You can easily search for specific keywords or projects by typing in what you want into the search bar and hitting Enter. All of the search results will appear in the pane on the left side of the screen. You can switch between results for People (your coworkers) or Files by clicking through each of the tabs at the top. The People results will include messages from groups or individual people.

If you know a message you are looking for comes from a particular person or channel, you can search for these individually too. Use these nifty search keywords to help you find the information you need faster:

• Type in “From:” then enter the person’s name.
• Type “In:” then enter the channel or group chat name.
• Type “Subject:” then keyword from the message or subject line you are looking for.
• Type “Sent:” and the date of the message that you want to pull up.

3. Avoid Being Disturbed While You Are Working

Sometimes, you or your coworkers will need intense focus to get a job done and you will want to block out all distractions. To put your chat on “Do Not Disturb” select your profile picture, which should be located in the top right-hand corner of your screen, select the “Notifications” tab, and change the frequency of your alerts. You can block out specific chat groups or all of them, whatever you need to stay focused and get the job done.

4. Title Your Chats

One of the best parts about Microsoft Teams is that you can name the different chat groups within your channel. Since every channel can have thousands of different threads, this allows you to create memorable titles so that you know exactly what each chat group is working on. Whether it is for a certain project, concerns, or suggestions, naming these channels can keep you and your team on track.

5. Language Barriers Are a Thing of the Past

Microsoft has bridged the gap between languages by creating a way to translate messages. Simply hover your cursor over the foreign-language message, click on the ellipsis (…), and select the translate option.

Translations are also available for video calls..Simply go to the “Translate To’ button on the menu to choose captions in up to 6 different languages. Additionally, any of your coworkers can turn these captions on by clicking the “Subtitles On” button in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Once on, the captions will generate in real-time, helping your employees keep a full understanding of what is being said during the discussion.

6. Using Sharepoint to Share Files

SharePoint, a Microsoft platform which shares files securely , is already integrated into Microsoft Teams. You can share files easily in Microsoft Teams by utilizing the “Files” tab. Once a file has been shared to a channel, then your entire team will be able to access and make changes to it on Office Online. 

7. Microsoft Teams Is Available For Mobile Versions As Well

Many individuals use their phones as much as they use their laptops or computers to conduct business. This is why Microsoft Teams has apps for Android, iOS, and Windows phones. While not every feature is available on these platforms, they allow the team to stay in touch no matter where they are via basic chat and channels..

No Matter What Your IT Needs Are, Integris Is Here to Help!

Integris is dedicated to helping the small businesses of the DFW Metroplex area with all their IT needs. From managed services to helping understand new platforms such as Microsoft Teams, you can trust that our team will be there when you need it most. For more information on our IT services, or to schedule a consultation contact Integris!