365 features, tips, and tricks – Chat

The issue: Requiring a secure place to send files and documents amongst team members that also allows for informal messaging.

The Solution: Microsoft Teams and its ‘Chat’ feature

Microsoft Teams, for some, has been the saving grace that has kept their business from closing completely during the Covid-19 epidemic. Teams was designed with the sole purpose of revolutionising your firm’s levels of productivity both at home and in office.

If you have prepared your team sufficiently (both in-office and when working remotely) you will have a team that is using up-to-date hardware and software, which is secure and is run through an internet connection that is consistently capable of meeting your connectivity needs.

You will have already spent all that money ensuring your team have the correct tools – it is now time to maximise their productivity levels.

That is where Teams comes in. A particularly nice feature of Teams is Chat. We will now look at it in more detail and see where it can help you and your business to achieve your full potential.

Chat

Chat gives you complete freedom to be in touch with your team from anywhere. Chat is different to other applications in many ways, as follows:

• Attach files directly from OneDrive – A feature of Chat that sets it apart from the rest is the ability to attach files directly from OneDrive, which makes it easy for the recipient(s) to amend the document.
• Attach files and chat informally in the same place – Chat allows employees to be having an informal conversation with other members of the team at the same time as working on sensitive data, in a secure place.

To attach files directly from OneDrive:

1 – Click the Chat option in the top left corner of the screen.

2 – Choose your recipient, and then click on the paperclip below the message box.

3 – Having clicked the paperclip, options appear for ‘OneDrive’ and ‘Upload from my computer’, select your decision and it’s as simple as that!

The ability to have a conversation with fellow members of your team whilst simultaneously sending documents, in the same place, securely, is great for your team. It allows them to be productive with their time whilst having the opportunity to keep in contact with colleagues – this can be invaluable particularly when working remotely.

Microsoft Teams also has an ‘Activity feed’ feature. A handy tool, Activity Feed allows you to see every place that a certain recipient has posted something within the Teams app. This allows you to keep tabs on your employees’ activity or locate something you may have misplaced.

Let us have a look at how to use Activity Feed.

1. Select the Employee whose activity you want to monitor.
2. Once selected, at the top of the screen there are four options: Chat, Files, Organisation, and Activity.
3. Click Activity.

Once having clicked Activity a list will follow of all the places that person has shared something on Teams.

Another feature worth looking at is the ‘Add a tab’ option. This allows you to add a tab to your dashboard, giving you easier access to selected files, etc. Let us take a look at how to do that.

1. Choose the recipient you wish to add to the conversation and look to the top of the screen.
2. Next to the Chat, Files, Organisation, and Activity options is a + sign. Click it.

3. Once having clicked the + you are presented with multiple options to choose from as to which tab you want to add to your dashboard (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc). Click to select.

Teams has many different features to keep you productive whilst working wherever your location(s) may be. Take some time to explore and find some of the less known tools the application has to offer.

Would you like help to ensure your team’s productivity?

Do you need to guarantee you are getting the most from your tech?

We’re Netplatforms.

Our years of experience supporting small to medium businesses across London and Essex has perfectly equipped us to know exactly how to support you. We take our time to get to know you, your values, your company, and its ethos to ensure we give you the support that you require. We will create a solution that best suits you – and all at a very sensible cost.

0207 993 9035 or hello@netplatforms.wmtemp.com.

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Book a no-obligation discovery call with a member of our team today by calling 0207 993 9035 or hello@netplatforms.wmtemp.com