If using Microsoft Teams still feels messy and a bit too much, this might just help clear things up. Here’s a practical breakdown of what you need to know to master Microsoft Teams in your workplace.
🧠Understanding the Microsoft Ecosystem
Before diving into the tools, it’s helpful to see how Microsoft’s platforms actually fit together:
- SharePoint is the big filing cabinet of your organisation—centralised file storage for teams.
- OneDrive is your personal drawer in that cabinet, where you can access and manage your own files.
- Microsoft Teams brings the conversation, documents and collaboration into one digital space, sitting across both SharePoint and OneDrive.
🏗️ The Basic Structure of Teams
Microsoft Teams has three key layers:
- Teams – Groups of people working together (like departments or project squads).
- Channels – Subsections of each team used for focused topics, clients or projects.
- Tabs – Add-ons within each channel (like files, tasks, or checklists) that bring functionality front and centre.
Setting up a thoughtful structure from the start can prevent Teams from becoming a tangled mess of chats and files.
🔧 Top Five Productivity Tips for Microsoft Teams
Let’s get into it. These five practical tips will help you get more out of Microsoft Teams, starting today.
1. History Menu
Just like a web browser, Teams has back and forward arrows that let you jump to your recent locations. Hover over the arrows to see a dropdown of where you’ve been. It’s a lifesaver when you’ve jumped between chats and can’t remember where you started.
2. Mark Messages as Urgent
Need to get someone’s attention, stat? Use Delivery Options → Urgent when sending a message—it will alert the recipient every two minutes until they read it. Use sparingly (and wisely) to avoid becoming that person.
3. Use Meeting Recaps with Transcripts
Recording a Teams meeting and turning on live transcription helps with accessibility, makes notes searchable, and helps latecomers catch up without awkward interruptions. Just make sure you’re viewing it through the Teams calendar—not classic Outlook.
4. Use Slash Commands for Quick Actions
Pop a / into the Teams search bar and unlock shortcuts like changing your status, starting chats, or viewing files. It’s a quick way to bypass endless clicking.
5. Save Chats to To-Do or Planner
Click the three dots on a chat message, then choose Create Planner task. This will log it into Microsoft To-Do or Planner so you never forget a follow-up again. Perfect for keeping your inbox and your brain clutter-free.
✨ Bonus Tips for the Keen Ninjas
Microsoft Loop
A newer Microsoft tool that integrates seamlessly with Teams meetings and posts. It’s like a living, collaborative document where you can comment and take notes in real time—think Google Docs, but within the Microsoft universe.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Press Ctrl + . (period) in Teams to see a handy list of shortcuts that can speed up your daily navigation. Even if you’re not a shortcut junkie, learning two or three can save time.
🥷 Ready to Level Up Your Productivity?
If you found these tips helpful, imagine what you could do with six weeks of focused, expert guidance. Our Six Weeks to Ninja program is designed to help you build lasting habits, streamline your workflow, and fall back in love with Mondays.
đź’» Join the next public intake or chat with us about running it in-house for your team.
