Microsoft Teams: What We Learned at Ignite

Add-On Products joined tech professionals from around the world at Microsoft Ignite September 2018 in Orlando. Attending this conference allowed us to talk in person with customers about our resource booking solutions, as well as learn about what’s next with Microsoft’s technology. Microsoft Teams was definitely a major focus at Ignite 2018. According to the sessions we attended at Ignite, it was the fastest growing Microsoft product that year.

Lauded as the ultimate collaboration tool, Teams is a hub for teamwork within Microsoft 365. Teams will eventually replace Skype for Business Online. As a Microsoft Gold Partner, Add-On Products is constantly enhancing our product integrations in this collaboration-first environment. Resource Central and Digital Sign Service software supports Microsoft Teams as they support Skype for Business.

The Capabilities of Microsoft Teams 

Microsoft Teams is undoubtedly a game changer. It is a complete online chat and meetings solution that you can use to host audio calls, web conferences, and video conferences, as well as chat with both internal and external contacts in a Slack-esque platform. You could even pair Teams with a phone system to create a complete business calling experience. Additional features include file uploading, desktop sharing, note taking, and scheduling assistance.

You can also use Microsoft Teams to host webinars and large presentations with up to 10,000 attendees. Thanks to integrations with Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Sharepoint, it’s easy for teams to share work and collaborate with one other using Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Teams allows you to customize your workspace. Teams integrates with a number of third-party services to match the way you work and optimize your processes. Teams also support a variety of devices, including desk and conference phones, meeting room systems, and USB & Bluetooth peripherals. Whether you’re on the go, in the office, or in a meeting room, Teams provide an exceptional user experience.

The Cons of Microsoft Teams 

You’re probably thoroughly impressed by now and wondering how to sign up, but there are also some caveats to know about. For one, Microsoft Teams categorizes files and communications by team, so you will need to access separate, team-specific spaces to find information and collaborate with your clients and / or colleagues daily. Training people to work in this new way will be challenging because it will force people to modify their work habits. Microsoft will need to spend a lot of time educating customers and showcasing this new platform to foster changes in the way that people approach and do work. Teams represent a paradigm shift.

If you’re looking for a way to keep all of your team’s work and communications in one place while having access to all the tools you know and love, Microsoft Teams might be the solution you seek. Prior to the introduction of Teams, only IBM Notes (formerly called Lotus Notes), offered this level of business collaboration.

Add-On Products looks forward to continuing to develop productivity-enhancing tools for Microsoft that further improve the collaborative Teams experience.