Microsoft Teams is more than simply a chat and conferencing tool. It’s similar to Skype and is mostly used for video conferencing. It provides more features than just video conferencing with your team and coworkers. One of the most essential features is the ability to manage your entire team from home or different areas of the globe.
Microsoft Teams’ ability to integrate with Outlook email, calendar, and Microsoft 365 is one of the key characteristics that set it apart from its competition. You can create a meeting calendar to notify your team ahead of time.
Whether you’ve been using it for years or not, you may or may not be aware of all of its features. Aside from that, each new update includes new and fascinating features.
In this article, I have compiled a list of the most useful and fascinating features that I’ve personally utilized. These features have significantly assisted me in managing both my internal and external teams. Let’s take a look at each of the Team’s distinguishing characteristics one by one.
- Teams Tab
The Teams tab in Microsoft Teams is a great feature for team interaction. There are two types of tabs available on Teams:
Static Tab
Individual users can utilize this feature to take personal or important notes while working.
Configurable Tab
This tab is for your entire team to use to communicate information about an ongoing project. You can share instructions and lead each other through it as a group.
- @ mentions
When you’re working and managing a team, scrolling through discussions is a difficult task. This fast feature allows you to mention any of your team members and assign them to a certain task.
This function helps you distinguish between personal messages and important talks. By tagging a team member, you can get their attention in a conversation where needed.
It keeps you informed about a specific and important activity.
- Bookmark
While reading a book, we use a bookmark to underline any essential page or piece of information that we want to remember later. Microsoft Teams has the same feature. You can utilize the bookmark if you’re working on a project and want to keep track of specific pieces of content. Any information, image, or attachment can be bookmarked.
When you urgently require information, starting from scratch is a challenging task. Simply save the essential information to your bookmarks and look for it on the right-hand side, where the message is highlighted in pink.
- Slash commands
You may not be aware of this feature, but it can be really useful when you need to complete tasks quickly. To change your status, use slash instructions.
The following are some of the slash commands that can make your work easier and faster:
- /Files-It will show you the most recent files shared on teams.
- /GoTo-Type and go straight to a channel
- /Help-Used to get assistance via T-bot
- /Saved-Navigate you to the saved messages
- /Call-Used to initiate a call with someone on Teams.
- Hide and show
This feature enables you to properly organize the data. You can select to hide the information that isn’t required or useful. This option was previously available in Teams as “favorite” and “remove.” It is now referred to as “show” and “hide” in the most recent update.
You can select a channel and hide or show the channels you want to see based on their priority.
- Whiteboard on Teams
This engaging and interactive whiteboard tool is available on Teams. You can utilize a whiteboard to allow your team to communicate their ideas. It comes in a variety of pens and colors for highlighting and drawing. You can also draw, erase, and share content.
It is available prior to or after a meeting.
- Inline message translation
This unique function works while working with a global team. Not everyone will be able to communicate effectively in English. People like to express themselves in their native language. People can type messages in their local language and have them translated into English in real-time.
It enables everyone to communicate, regardless of their original language. It is simple to translate.
- Cloud recording
When you miss a meeting, it usually occurs when you are not present and you are unaware of what has occurred. You can record a meeting and save it to the cloud with Teams. You can see it and listen in on the conversation.
- Live events on Teams
This feature is similar to video conferencing, however, it is a live event with a wider audience. It is mostly used for events, meetings, and webinars with more than 1000 participants.
You can schedule an event, participate in a live session, and then save it for later. Presenters and members of the team can even share screens.
- A personalized view of apps and contacts
Employees are more productive when they have a more personal interactive interface for working. Microsoft Teams allows users to customize their workspace’s view. You may access your own personal app space and entirely customize it to suit your needs.
