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  1. MS Teams startpage
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  4. MS Teams Breakout Rooms
  5. MS Teams Live Events
  6. MS Teams FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
  7. MS Teams Manuals

What is Microsoft teams?

Teams is a chat-based communication platform for companies. The goal of Microsoft teams is to provide an easier way for groups to communicate and collaborate. Teams is integrated into Office 365, which means you can work with familiar Office programs such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. You can easily and quickly share the files you create with the Office programs, without having to make a detour via e-mail, for example. Another advantage is that the chat service in Teams is searchable. Discussions and shared files are therefore easy to find. Teams also gives you a clear overview of all Office 365 tools in one place. Microsoft teams is the hub for teamwork in Office 365. All communication channels are integrated into one user interface for real-time chat, audio and video conferencing. You can invite anyone you work with to chat, meet, call and collaborate, all in one place, wherever you are. Where previously emails were sent to everyone, you can now easily communicate with each other in Teams.

Introduction to UGent

The introduction of Teams at UGent takes place in 2 phases.
These 2 phases coincide with the 2 main parts of Teams: the chat functionality and the team functionality.

  1. The chat functionality has almost the same functionalities as Skype.We use Teams at UGent as an additional means of communication. It is not intended to replace telephony. No link to the telephone network has been established. We use "Chat", "Calls" and "Activity" on the left navigation bar.
  2. The teams functionality consists of partnerships (Teams) of which users can be members. These can be Teams for a department or a project. In these Teams, users can communicate like in a forum. A team can be divided into channels; loose topics for one overarching target group.

Start Microsoft Teams

Teams can be used in the browser, with a desktop application or with a mobile app.
If you want to use the desktop or the mobile app, you will have to install it.

Access via the browser

Teams runs in the web browser. (Read: supported browsers external link icoon). You can start Teams in different ways.

Pay attention: Do NOT use Teams from a browser via Athena, but always use the local browser on your device. You start it via the Windows Start button (or via Dock or Launchpad on Apple devices).

Log in with your UGent login name and password. If an e-mail address is requested: enter your UGent e-mail address.

You can enable desktop notifications (pop-up with new chat message, etc.)

Installing teams client (app)

Pay attention: do NOT install Teams from a browser via Athena but always use the local browser on your device. You start it via the Windows Start button (or via Dock or Launchpad on Apple devices).

Click the following link to install teams: Get teams on all your devices

Access via the Teams app

A Teams client program can be installed on most devices. There is a desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux and a mobile app for iOS, Android and Windows Phone.

Using teams: the user interface

The screen contains the following main elements:

  1. The horizontal menu bar at the top of the screen, with the buttons "previous" and "next", the "new chat" icon, the command box and your profile picture.
    • You use the command box to search for specific items or persons, to perform quick actions and to launch apps.
  2. The app bar (app bar): the vertical toolbar on the far left of the screen, with the buttons Chat, Teams, Calls, Files, ..., Apps and help.
    • Use these buttons to switch between the activity feed, chats, your teams and files, and other integrated apps.
  3. The main content area in the center of the screen. It contains a menu bar on the left and a content box.

Settings

Within Teams you can find settings in the following places:

Notifications

To personalize your Microsoft Teams notifications, click your profile picture at the top right of the Teams user interface to access the account settings. From here you can access "Settings" and then you can click "Notifications".

Profile picture

We recommend that you add a photo to your account. This makes searching easier for colleagues . The steps below explains how you can adjust your profile picture. This is NOT done from the Teams application but via Outlook mail. The photo becomes visible in Teams with some delay, after sync .

Method 1

Note: use a local browser on your device. You start it via the Windows Start button (or via Dock or Launchpad on Apple devices).

  1. Surf to owa.ugent.be
  2. Click on your name (in the top right corner)
  3. Click on "change"
  4. Click on the folder
  5. Select a photo (file)
  6. Click on "save"

Method 2

  1. Start Outlook locally on your device (NOT via Athena)
  2. Menu "File" > Info
  3. Click on "Change" under the photo (next to Account Settings)
  4. Select a photo (file)
  5. Click on "open"
  6. Click on "save"

Problems and error messages

  1. Third party tokens are not enabled
  2. Permissions camera and microphone
  3. Popup for windows firewall

More info about Microsoft Teams