At the beginning of November, Microsoft announced an addition to its Office 365 program: Microsoft Teams. Immediately after its release, the press began calling it the “Slack killer” because of the special features within it that were designed to compete with Slack. Microsoft expects the new feature to be available to the public in early 2017 after a few months of limited testing.
The feature is essentially a chat-based collaboration tool that allows users to operate more easily as a team using all the different apps (programs) available within Office 365. One of the benefits of the feature is that it works across any mobile device, so users need not sit in front of a desktop computer to utilize it.
The program allows users to create individual teams that can use various apps within Office 365 and collaborate via SharePoint. Teams that collaborate within SharePoint on Microsoft Teams may work within smaller channels within the larger team group that also features dedicated folders for project files within the smaller channel.
The integration via SharePoint should benefit companies that already use SharePoint for company projects. When employees chat on a Microsoft Team, the conversation is saved, so that it can benefit additional members of the team. An additional feature of the chat system is that members of the team can reply to a specific individual on the team during a group conversation, which can reduce the confusion or extra chatter that may occur during a meeting or as a project gets underway.
Slack is a real-time communications program that offers messaging, search, voice calls, and file sharing, as well as related features like archiving. The benefit of Slack is that it ensures all communications remain together over the course of a project. Microsoft Teams provides the same, essential functionality, as well as some updated features.
One of the reasons people have been suggesting Microsoft Teams is a “Slack killer” is because of the implementation of the individual messaging feature, which has been requested by users of Slack but not yet implemented by the designers of the app. In addition, one of the entertaining facets of Microsoft Teams is the emoji and rich text capability, which can make business communications a little less serious.
The experts at Magnet Solutions Group and other information technology organizations believe Microsoft Teams will find success in the business world because of its smart integration within the overall Microsoft suite of programs. To increase the initial number of users trying the program, Microsoft has indicated that Microsoft Teams will come as part of the Office 365 subscription at no additional charge.
Some businesses employ a staff made up of several telecommuting employees, and it can become a challenge to ensure everyone is on the same “page” when it comes to projects. Programs like SharePoint and the new Microsoft Teams can help any business where communication takes places through digital means.
Modern employees often send emails or text messages to other employees even if the communication is only “traveling” a few feet down the hall. Effective communication and successfully completed projects mean using programs specifically designed to facilitate sharing over the internet like Slack or Microsoft Teams.
Taking advantage of valuable new programs, apps, and technological advances helps your business remain competitive and grow. Ensure your company or small business is using the right programs for the business, as well as employing the best security practices to keep company data and equipment safe. Get in touch with Magnet Solutions Group to see how we can help you protect and grow your business technology.