Teams, it's time for some rules and pointer to get Teams to work

 As many has started to use Microsoft Teams, well it's time to stop and take a breath on the ground. 

We has been working from home the last 9 months. We have got the #WFH tag and many companies sees this as the new normal.

But this is not what I want to write to you today. What I want to talk to you about is Teams and some of the pitfalls.

1. Teams and Skype together

Many of you are running Skype for Business or Skype online. Be aware that Skype online is being switched off from Microsoft 31.july 2021. This has nothing to do with Skype for Business server 2015/2019 since they are running for about 5 more years during support. But do not get confused when people say Skype and talking about Skype Online. There are now less than 230 days before Microsoft turns off Skype Online.

If you are planning or has started to run Teams and has Skype Online or Skype for Business Server running onprem, it's time to think.

First you must and this is important be aware that running skype and Teams side by side is not something you want to do for a long run. It's confusing for the users. Where are my chat and my meetings. Even worse if you have telephony in Skype for Business.

Please stay in Island mode as short as possible, your users will be happy when you goes to eg. Teams Only.

2. Teams channels/rooms

When users has started using Teams, they can create Teams and channels, files are stored on each team or channel and everyone does not know where and correct version of the files is. 

My advice is that to limit the creation of team or channel to a automatic procedure or talk to your IT-department about it. And one last tip, have always atleast 2 owers of the team.

Build a prosess that is automated and don't make the IT work hard to fix this, A bit of self service is good here. Many out there has written well on how to do this.

3. Presence outside vs internal

Some of my customers has open presence showing out to the world. Look I'm busy but what I see from time to time is that is that they want to hide their presence. It meens that everyone inside your organisation can see it, but everyone outside sees you as Offline. This happens even when you have open federation.

4. Telephony in Teams

Many out there has started the transformation. One thing is to go deep in the cost for this service. Who can help you out from your Lync/Skype environment. Can you telco do that or are they just sending over some paper mention that it's now time to establish hybrid and move the users. Contact your vendor.

Well we see this often, but there are providers like blinQ where I work who has this SBCaaS where we do the whole job either together with you or for you. Your choise, and often we are cheaper than the telco on their service also. 

When it comes to switchboard, as from now we have just a few that is using Graph API and that is Tendfor and Competella. But from my view Tendfor is in lead and support Direct Routing and Calling plan and are the only one to that on present time. But here we will have major changes during the next year.

5. Talk to your organisation

With this point I meen involvement in every level of workers must be included when you start to plan your transformation to Teams. Remember that move from Skype for Business to Teams is a giant step and has to be done right. 

Use time on education, use time on work flow and think about where are my files now stored. What version are we working on the file. Are the file stored in different Teams or is it stored on sharepoint and not in Teams. This is need to understand for your employees. 

Wrap UP

When moved and got Teams working you will have feature like:

• Breakout Rooms
• Enterprise voice 
• One place for documentations, planning, projects, chat, all you most need during the day
• Great tool 
• Great meeting space and s great place for Live Event, webiars and more.