Microsoft Teams is designed to help people communicate and collaborate more effectively whether they’re in the same office or located throughout the world. Teams' inherent communication and collaboration tools also makes Teams a superior alternative to shared network drives for department file storage.
Teams offers:
- Quick messaging to individuals or group Chats.
- Threads and Channels and threading for more in-depth conversations.
- Shared file storage for work groups and departments.
- Video calls and online meetings.
- Access to additional apps like Planner, Forms, Power Automate and more directly within Teams.
For more information about using Microsoft Teams to store your department's shared network files, or to request a department Team and your network files moved for you to Teams file storage, please contact the IT Service Desk.
Create and Manage Teams
- App Bar. The App Bar displays as a vertical band on Team's left. Access Teams apps such as, Activity, Chat, Calendar, and your Teams list from the App Bar.
- Item List. Next to the App Bar at the right is the Item list for the selected app. For example, selecting Chat on the App Bar updates the Item List with all of the people you chat with.
- Detail Pane. To the right of the Item List is the Detail Pane. The Detail Pane updates when you select from the Item List. For example, select Chat on the App Bar then select a person from the Chat Item List to start chatting.
- Options. Options specific to the selected App are available at the top-right of the Item List below Teams Search.
- Tabs Bar. The Tabs Bar displays above the Detail Pane and contains available tabs (menu items) specific your selection in the Item List. For example, select Teams on the App Bar, then in the Item List select a channel in the Team. At the top of the Detail Pane, the name of the selected channel will display followed by tabs specific to that channel such as Posts, Shared (File storage for the channel), etc.
- Additional options for the selected item are available on the right side of the Tabs Bar.
- Command bar. Contains Teams top-level Search that searches your Teams chats, files, channels and other Teams areas. Teams Command Bar Search also doubles as a shortcut command line.
- Teams Settings. Teams Settings are available from the ellipses (three dots "...") located immediately to the right of the Command Bar.
- Your Teams Profile. To the right of Teams Settings is your Teams Profile. Select your Profile image to change your profile picture and access options specific to your account within Teams.
to request a department Team and your network files moved for you into Teams file storage, please contact the IT Service Desk.
- Open Teams
- Open the the Teams desktop app, or,
- Open the Teams web app by signing into your Office 365 portal. From the left menu select Apps then select Teams.
- In the open Teams app, select Teams from the App menu at the left.
- If your existing Teams display in grid view (default)
- At the left, select Teams from the App bar.
- At the top-right click Join or create a team.
- If your existing Teams are displayed in a list (you would have changed this in Settings)
- At the left, select Teams from the App bar.
- To the right of the Apps Bar at the top of the Item List, locate your Team Options row and click the New Items down arrow.
- Select New Team.
- On the Create a team from a template screen select Other (The most flexible template).
- Click Use this template.
- Select a Team type:
- Private. Team members are added by you and any others you designate as the Team Owner.
- Public: Can be accessed by anyone at UWSP (Used by student groups and others who wish to make their Team available to anyone interested in joining the Team).
- Add a Team name.
- Click Create.
- Add Team members in the Add members prompt. You can skip this step if desired. Members can be added and removed at any point.
- Begin typing a UWSP member name.
- Select the person from the list that opens.
- Click Add. Repeat these steps to add additional members.