It’s safe to say that Microsoft Teams is the most widely used collaboration solution in the world. It achieves this through its complete integration of the Microsoft 365 suite, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, Viva, Exchange, and Power BI, plus integration of over 2000 third-party apps.
Microsoft Teams is totally beyond measure in its possibilities. Tell us what Teams can’t do and we’ll show you a solution. With full 365 integrations and 2000+ plugins, it’s easily the most powerful real-time collaboration tool for any organization.
In 2018, it surpassed Slack in active users and after focusing on in-app collaboration and meetings, it soared exponentially.
Source: Business of Apps
While there are quite a few successful collaboration platforms, including Slack, the real benefit of Microsoft Teams is that it isn’t a platform. It’s a solution you can built on top of. Which is exactly what we did with Azure Collaborations.
Is Microsoft Teams the Best Collaboration Solution?
Microsoft has secured Teams an irrefutable grip in the marketplace for organizations searching for real-time collaboration tools and online workplaces. Microsoft Teams is free for those who already have a Microsoft 365 subscription, and anyone can join, as a guest user, for free. The ease of access to use Teams gives Microsoft an easy win. And as of 2023, that easy win allowed Microsoft Teams to boast over 300 million monthly active users. Teams is utilized by more than one million organizations, and it’s available in 181 countries and 44 languages.
And it’s not a closed off platform or software. It’s a foundation for creation.
Microsoft Teams stands out as the ultimate configurable collaboration solution for any organizations. The ability to grow off of Teams is what allows our collaboration platform to serve you the best collaboration space your organization has ever experienced.
What all does Microsoft Teams offer?
Unified Communication:
Teams provides a unified platform for communication, combining chat, video conferencing, and voice calls. Users can switch between modes easily, making it convenient for team discussions, one-on-one conversations, and even larger meetings.
Channels and Workspaces:
Teams utilizes a channel-based structure to organize conversations and activities. Each channel can be dedicated to a specific project, topic, or department, providing a focused space for collaboration. This helps keep discussions organized and easily accessible.
Knowledge Capture and Deep Search:
Meetings, documents, chats, etc., can all be indexed, curated, and captured for others to search, reducing time spent manually collecting information. Microsoft Teams’ search functions and filters help users find files, people, messages, and other shared information.
Document Collaboration:
Teams allow users to share, co-author, and edit documents in real-time using apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This minimizes the need for sending attachments back and forth and ensures that everyone is working on the latest version.
Third-Party App Integration:
Microsoft Teams’ support for over 2000 third-party app integrations continues to grow. This includes apps for project management, customer relationship management (CRM), analytics, and more. You can integrate your favorite tools directly into the Teams environment, streamlining workflows. If your team prefers Google Docs and Spreadsheets, you’ll be able to integrate those apps and collaborate there as well.
Security and Compliance:
Microsoft Teams is built with security and compliance features in mind. It offers data encryption, multi-factor authentication, and compliance with various industry regulations, making it suitable for organizations with strict security requirements.
Configuration, AI, and Bots:
Teams provide opportunities for configuration through the use of tabs, connectors, and chatbots. This allows teams to tailor their workspace to their specific needs and even automate certain tasks using AI and bots. AI enables collaboration among constituents who speak different languages, transcribing and translating content from various communities.
Mobile and Remote Work:
Teams offer mobile apps for iOS and Android devices and desktop apps for Windows and Mac, making it easy for team members to collaborate and stay connected while on the go or working remotely.
Guest Access:
Teams allow external users to join for free and collaborate on specific channels or projects. This is useful for collaborating with clients, vendors, or partners without requiring them to be part of your organization.
Training and Support:
Microsoft provides extensive training resources and support for Teams users. This includes documentation, tutorials, and a community of users who can share best practices and solutions.
ACP is built on top of Microsoft Teams, allowing ACP to utilize all the functions and features of Teams in our platform to integrate your AMS and provide a fully configurable online collaboration platform for your association.
Request a demo and learn about how you can use ACP to grow your association’s membership and revenue to new heights.
SOURCES:
Microsoft Teams: Video Conferencing, Meetings, Calling | Microsoft.com
Microsoft Teams Revenue and Usage Statistics (2023) | Business of Apps
Guest Experience in Teams | Microsoft.com
Search for Messages and More in Microsoft Teams | Microsoft.com Microsoft Teams Increases Collaboration in the Modern Workplace at Microsoft | Inside Track Blog