8 Microsoft Teams Features You May Not Know About
In recent years, various apps, tools, and platforms have been used for businesses to succeed. Times are changing, and companies across the globe are adapting to that.
One such example would be Microsoft Teams. The list of features that can be used is extensive, but just in case you’ve missed out on a few, we thought it’d be helpful to put together a quick checklist of the biggest and brightest. Think you know Microsoft Teams? Think again!
What are the key benefits of Microsoft Teams features?
Microsoft Teams features stretch far and wide, but above all else, they help companies improve collaboration and communication. It streamlines the process of multiple meetings, saves time, and can make room for more effective team cohesion.
You can stay connected wherever you are and whenever you want, which is exactly the kind of IT strategy we all need.
8 hidden Microsoft Teams features you should know about
1. The search bar doubles as a command line
Towards the top of your screen, as is so often the case, you’ll find a search bar. By using the / key, you can use it as a command line to save time on whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish.
You’ll be provided with a string of prompts, including ‘brb,’ ‘away,’ ‘chat,’ and more - nice and simple.
2. Turn off notifications with DND
This function can be incredibly handy if you’re trying to get some important work done or are on the verge of entering an important meeting.
You can get rid of those pesky notifications through the do not disturb mode, which can be accessed by clicking on your profile icon.
3. Mark messages as unread
Every now and then, we simply don’t have the time to answer a message - or we’ve clicked it by accident. It happens to the best of us, we promise!
So, by clicking the three dots next to a message, you can wash that feeling of stress away by marking it as unread. From there, you can pick up right where you left off later in the day.
4. Bookmark/save content
Work-life can get exceptionally busy in the blink of an eye, and as such, you need to have a way to come back to tasks that need to be completed at a later date.
Teams allows you to "save" messages (once again by clicking the three dots and heading for the bookmark icon), which you can find later using the aforementioned ‘/’ key in the search bar and the “/saved” command to see all your saved messages.
5. Survey the group with polls
We all want answers in this life, whether it be regarding IT security, what flavor of ice cream to buy, or how to complete a task alongside our colleagues.
If you want to say goodbye to your worries, why not throw a poll into the mix? The Forms icon gives you the chance to create and send polls to your team, receiving responses whenever they can get to it.
6. Send urgent messages
Most of us send a standard message or email every day, and we don’t tend to think twice about it. However, if you need an urgent reply, it can be pretty frustrating if there are delays to proceedings.
If you click the exclamation point below the message box, you’ll be able to have the message registered as urgent - to the point whereby the recipient gets notified every two minutes until they finally read it.
7. Take meeting notes
Everyone finds taking in what’s being said in a meeting difficult, much less remembering what was said afterward. Whether you’re in manufacturing, marketing, healthcare, or any other industry, it can be difficult to keep up.
So, it probably comes in handy that there’s a Microsoft Teams feature that allows you to click a Meeting Notes button on the right side panel and jot everything down. The Meeting Notes button (hidden in that triple-dot “More actions” menu) will generate a panel on the right side for writing down notes, similar to the chat tab.
8. Use together mode
As a team, you must come together with colleagues around you to make sustained progress. So then, the new Teams feature that puts all of your meeting participants on a shared background should probably be seen as pretty useful.
It’s as if they’re all in one room together, and if that doesn’t showcase the advancements in technology we’ve seen in recent years, nothing will.
Want help with Microsoft Teams features? Contact Velo!
As a managed IT service provider, Velo Group has spent well over a decade building a reputation for itself as a company that is here to help. Whether you’re just getting to grips with Microsoft Teams or need updating on the latest developments, we want to be the ones who can assist.
Between affordable pricing and a dedicated, energetic team of professionals, we leave no stone unturned. It’s all about learning, growing, and finding new ways to change the game.
So, if you want to take that next step forward in your development, feel free to get in touch!
