Leveraging Microsoft Teams to Boost Collaboration and Productivity
Tags: microsoftcl, microsoftteams, customization
Published: 2023-03-20 11:02:20

Collaboration and productivity tools have become increasingly vital for businesses to streamline their operations and stay competitive in today's fast-paced digital landscape. Microsoft Teams is a cloud-based platform that offers a comprehensive set of features for collaboration, document management, and business process automation. In this article, we will focus on Microsoft Teams' standard capabilities, configuration, customization, and custom development options.

This topic has been previously covered in our post on [SharePoint Online, From Out-of-the-Box to Customized Solutions: The Many Faces of SharePoint Online](https://intranetfromthetrenches.substack.com/p/from-out-of-the-box-to-customized), and we will be following a similar structure to delve into the different aspects of Microsoft Teams' extensibility. By the end of this article, you'll have a better understanding of how to leverage Microsoft Teams' functionalities to achieve your organization's specific business goals.

![Microsoft Teams Extensibility Options](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd77af4ff-714a-4203-ae19-10e61391ae47_1890x740.png)

## Standard capabilities
Microsoft Teams offers a wide array of standard capabilities, which are essentially the pre-built features that come with the platform. Although these capabilities can be used out-of-the-box, organizations often need to extend or customize them to fit their specific requirements. By leveraging Microsoft Teams' standard capabilities, businesses can create bespoke solutions that streamline their workflows and improve collaboration.

Some examples of Microsoft Teams' standard capabilities are:

* _Chat and messaging_: This feature allows users to send instant messages to other members of their team or organization. It also enables users to have one-on-one or group chats, share files and images, and collaborate in real-time.

* _Video and audio calls_: Microsoft Teams provides high-quality video and audio calls for teams to connect with each other, regardless of their location. Users can join calls from their desktop or mobile devices, share their screen or presentation, and use the virtual whiteboard to brainstorm ideas.

* _File sharing and collaboration_: This feature allows users to share and collaborate on files within Microsoft Teams. Teams members can work on the same document simultaneously, leave comments and feedback, and track changes in real-time.

## Configuration
Configuration is a simple and effective method of extending Microsoft Teams components by adjusting the platform's settings and configuration data without altering the component's underlying structure. Typically, Microsoft Teams administrators are responsible for making these modifications. Configuration is a valuable tool that allows businesses to customize Microsoft Teams to suit their unique requirements. Here are some examples of configuration capabilities in Microsoft Teams:

* _Teams image_: Team members can customize their Teams interface by adding a logo.

* _Permission management_: With permission management, administrators can control the level of access that users have within Teams.

* _Mentions and Labels_: Mentions and Labels allow users to tag specific individuals or groups in their conversations or activities. By doing so, users can draw attention to particular items or activities and ensure that their message is received by the intended audience.

## Customization
Customization is a form of extensibility for Microsoft Teams that involves expanding the capabilities of existing components by adding new components or altering the structure of existing ones. This type of extensibility does not necessitate programming language skills, making it ideal for citizen developers, such as business consultants or trained customer power users. Here are some examples of customization capabilities in Microsoft Teams:

* _Channels_: Microsoft Teams allows businesses to create channels, which are dedicated spaces for teams to collaborate on specific projects or topics. Channels can be customized with their own description and privacy settings.

* _Custom tabs_: Custom tabs provide a way to integrate third-party applications or services within Microsoft Teams. By adding a custom tab, businesses can extend Microsoft Teams' functionality by including tools such as a shared calendar or a project management dashboard.

## Custom development
Custom development is the most advanced form of Microsoft Teams extensibility that involves using programming or scripting languages to expand the platform's capabilities. This type of extensibility is usually undertaken by IT professional developers who have comprehensive IT expertise. Here are some examples of custom development capabilities in Microsoft Teams:

* _Custom apps_: With custom apps, businesses can develop and publish their own applications that integrate with Microsoft Teams. These apps can be designed to perform a wide range of tasks, such as data analysis or project management.

* _Custom bots_: Custom bots are programmed to interact with Microsoft Teams users, either through text or voice commands. These bots can be customized to perform various tasks, such as scheduling meetings or providing customer support.

* _Custom connectors_: Custom connectors allow businesses to integrate third-party applications or services with Microsoft Teams. By creating custom connectors, businesses can expand the range of tools available to their teams, improving their productivity and collaboration.

## Summary
To summarize, the article highlights four different types of extensibility options available to users for customizing the platform to suit their business requirements. Firstly, the standard capabilities of Microsoft Teams are discussed, which include features such as chat and messaging, video and audio calls, and file sharing and collaboration. Secondly, the article delves into the configuration options, which allow administrators to adjust platform settings and configuration data. Thirdly, customization is explained as a way to expand the capabilities of existing components by adding new components or altering the structure of existing ones. Finally, custom development is discussed, which involves using programming or scripting languages to expand the platform's capabilities. The article provides examples of each type of extensibility option available in Microsoft Teams, such as custom tabs, custom apps, custom bots, and custom connectors.

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