Microsoft Teams: User Guide

Anyone can create an MS Team. Use Teams to chat with co-workers, use shared files, hold video meetings, and more. For instructions on creating a Team, visit our article Microsoft Teams: Create a Team.  

A Channel provides focused conversation and file sharing within a Team. Create Channels for different groups in your team based on projects or team functions. Learn how to create and use Channels.  

Each Channel is built around a topic like “Projects” or “Newsletter Articles” where you can have conversations about those topics and share related files. Perhaps you want a Channel where team members can ask questions, if so, create a channel called “Q&A.”

Each Channel has a Files tab associated with it.  When your Team was created, Microsoft also created a Group in the background. Documents saved to the Files tab within a specific Channel will be associated only with that Channel. 

The Chat option, available within the Teams app, is used when chatting with different members of your team or staff from anywhere within the University of Tennessee. For information on creating a chat with one person, visit our article Microsoft Teams: Set up a Chat, Phone, or Video Meeting with One Person.

Pin a Chat: If you have Chats that you to return to frequently, pin them to the top of your Chat list. This will prevent them from getting buried among the various Chats you might have with your co-workers. Learn how to pin a chat from our knowledge base article.  

Re-name a Chat: Title each Chat to provide context for your various conversations. Do you have three people you usually communicate with regarding administrative tasks? Re-name your Chat with those three people “Administrative Tasks.” To rename a Chat, check out our OIT Knowledge Base article.  

Yes, if you need to send a chat to someone in Teams, but it is not during normal work hours or they are out of the office, you can schedule the chat to send to them at a specific time. 
Note - you cannot schedule a Channel message to send during a specific time, only chats.

For instructions on sending scheduled chats, visit our article Microsoft Teams: Send a Teams Chat at a Scheduled Time.

In a fast-paced academic environment, timely communication is essential. @mentions allow you to grab the attention of specific individuals or groups, ensuring essential messages are noticed promptly. Whether it's reaching out to fellow students, faculty members, or administrators, @mentions streamline communication and enhance responsiveness. For more information on using @mentions, visit our article Microsoft Teams: Using @Mentions in Chats and Posts.

Yes, you can use Teams to share files with your co-workers or fellow students. Check out this five-minute video for sharing files in Teams. 

Or see our instructions for uploading files to your channel. 

An announcement gives you a better way for people to see your post in chat. Use an announcement to notify students that an assignment has been posted or for an announcement that all employees need to know about. For additional information, visit our article Microsoft Teams: Create an Announcement for Everyone. 

Meetings can be scheduled in Teams, and instructions can be found in our article Microsoft Teams: Scheduling Meetings. 

Yes, you can share your screen, record, and use OneNote to take notes during a meeting. For additional information, visit our article Microsoft Teams: Meeting Tips to Screen Share, Record, & Take Notes. 

Yes, Microsoft Teams is a powerful collaboration platform that can be used for a variety of purposes, including project management. For additional information, visit our article Microsoft Teams: Project Management. 

Yes, any admin of a Team can restore a deleted Channel. Please note that deleted teams are only recoverable for 30 days. For instructions, visit our article Microsoft Teams: Restore a Deleted Channel. 

Loop is a new feature in Microsoft Teams that allows users to create, share, and collaborate on content in real-time. Loop components are reusable blocks of content that can be embedded in Teams chat, emails, and documents. This makes it easy for teams to collaborate on projects and share ideas without switching between different apps. For more information, visit our article Microsoft Teams: Using Microsoft Loop. 

Updates in Teams is a ready-to-use application designed to facilitate seamless communication and task management within the higher education setting. With this app, faculty, staff, and students can effortlessly create, submit, and review updates, check-ins, and reports in the flow of their daily work in Teams. In the dynamic landscape of higher education, where timely communication and streamlined workflows are crucial, Updates in Teams is a valuable tool. It empowers the academic community to stay organized, collaborate seamlessly, and effectively manage their tasks and responsibilities, ultimately contributing to a more productive and cohesive environment. For more information, visit our article Microsoft Teams: Using the "Update" app in Microsoft Teams.