Quickstart: Using Microsoft Teams for Collaboration

Overview

Microsoft Teams is an easy way to pull together a group to share, collaborate and communicate in one central location without the use of phone calls that take time away from our day or emails that can easily get buried.  From directly within Teams we can bring everyone together to share information, securely edit files live and at the same time, bring together Microsoft Office 365 apps (OneDrive, OneNote, Planner, Forms, etc) and third-party apps and websites in one place, tag members of the team in conversations or actions and customize the work through adding notes (OneNote and others) and other applications.  

For a video walkthrough of this document, see this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/oetOwMhoCpE
For a more in-depth walk-throughs of Microsoft Teams, take a look at these resources:

​​​​​ Tech Talk Using Microsoft Teams Basics
Tech Talk Using Microsoft Teams Recordings in Canvas
Tech Talk Using Microsoft Teams for Canvas Courses
Tech Talk Using Teams Integration with Canvas
Tech Talk Sharing Video and Audio in Teams Meetings
Using Outlook to Schedule Teams Meetings
 

Accessing and Using Microsoft Teams

1. Open a web browser (we recommend Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge) and navigate to https://teams.microsoft.com
2. You will sign in with the full FalconNet email address that you were provided (example: spongebob@cedarcrest.edu) on the first screen.  Once you have entered that, click Next.
   
   
   
    
3. On the next screen, input the password that was provided to you, then click Sign in.
   
   
    
4. Now, you are signed into Microsoft Teams and will be presented with a series of tiles that represent the Teams in which you are a member.  Click on the Team that you want to access.  
   
   Note: The Office of Information Technology recommends downloading and installing the Microsoft Teams application to your computer, if at all possible.  This can be done by clicking in the icon button in the lower-left corner of this screen and following the instructions during the installation.
   
   
    
5. Here you have the main screen of the Team.  This is the General channel and is the hub of activity for the Team. 
   
   Across the top the default channel shows you:
   - the name of the channel (General)
   - Posts: this is the area that facilitates discussion that the entire team can be a part of
   - Files: where Word, Excel, videos or other types of files can be kept for collaboration
   
   Note: All changes in documents that are opened or edited in Teams saves your work as you go, in Teams.
   
   
    
6. If you click on the Files, you will see a collection of files for collaboration within your Team.  You can click on any file within this list and edit it right in Teams, or click the three dots, then Open and edit the file in Word Online or Excel Online quickly, and easily.
   
   Note: All changes in documents that are opened or edited in Teams saves your work as you go, in Teams.
   
   
    
7. At the bottom of the screen, there is a communication bar.  The communication bar is the center of communication within the Team.  If you type in where it says “Start a new conversation…” you can type in any text that you’d like to communicate.  This text field also allows you to tag individuals or the group using the @ symbol.  To tag the group, type @general.  To tag an individual, type @ and begin typing their name and they will appear below that space.
   
   Other features here include (from left to right):
   - Text editor: for more complex messages
   - Paper clip: To attach files, documents or images
   - Smiley face: Use emojis
   - Camera: Have an impromptu meeting in the channel
   - Paper airplane: Insert a video from Microsoft Stream
   - Ribbon: Insert appreciate badge
   - Sun: Insert weather forecast
   
   
    
8. When you click the camera, it allows you to have an impromptu meeting within your Team.  It will ask for access to your camera and microphone (which you must allow if it asks).  This functions very much like GoToMeeting or other online meeting products.
   
   Once you click the camera:
   - Allow access to your microphone and camera
   - Click Meet Now if you want to meet right now, or Schedule a Meeting for a later time
   - If you click Meet Now, you will be given the opportunity to input the names or email addresses of those you would like to invite.  In addition, those in the Team can see and join the meeting right from the Team channel.
   - If you click Schedule a Meeting, you will be given a familiar screen to fill out that asks the name, time, and date, plus allow you to invite people and describe the meeting.