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 department shared network drives.
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.
Following is a quick overview and a few recommendations to help you create your Team, followed by links to additional support resources.
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.
Teams Layout
- App bar
- Item list for the selected app like Team Channels, Your Chats, etc.
- Detail pane for the selected item such as the conversation thread for a specific Chat or Channel.
- Options for the Items list.
- Tabs bar for tabs or menu items for the selected item.
- Additional options for the selected item.
- Command bar Teams search bar that doubles as a shortcut command line.
- Teams Settings.
- Your Teams Profile which includes access to options specific to your account within Teams.
Create a Team
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.
- Locate your Team Options along the top directly to the right of the Apps bar (left of your Tabs) and click the 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.
Using Teams Features
See Microsoft support portal to learn about Teams.
Contact the IT Service Desk with additional questions!