Microsoft Teams is more than just a communication platform; it’s also a powerful, highly productive work center for functions, complete with a variety of bots and add-ins. Microsoft Teams training can help you learn more about these technologies and let you automate activities, improve workflows, and provide quick access to the most critical data, allowing your teams to work more effectively. This post will walk you through how you can use bots and add-ins in Microsoft Teams to increase productivity inside your organization.
Understanding Microsoft Teams Bots
1. What Are Microsoft Teams Bots?
- Automating jobs: Bots are programs that are programmed to conduct specific jobs or disperse information around the environment in Teams. They may engage consumers through conversation, answer queries, and even perform tedious tasks to free up time for more important things.
- Some examples of useful bots include Who Bot, which provides information on coworkers, and Statsbot, which extracts data from business intelligence sources such as Google Analytics or Salesforce and sends it directly to your Teams chat.
2. How to Add a Bot to Microsoft Teams:
- Discover Bots: To add a bot, select “Apps” on the left-hand sidebar to access the Teams app store. You can browse or search for bots that will work for you.
- Install and Configure: After you’ve discovered a bot, click “Add” to install it. Follow the on-screen prompts to configure the bot according to your needs, such as changing permissions, connecting it to other programs, or choosing the channels where the bot should be active.
Enhancing Workflow with Add-Ins
1. What Are Add-Ins in Microsoft Teams?
- Integrated Tools: Add-ins are extensions made by third parties or Microsoft that are applied to Microsoft Teams to give additional functionality. These solutions will allow you to integrate your favorite apps and services right into Teams, creating a far more seamless workflow.
- Examples of Popular Add-Ins: Common add-ins include Trello, which aids in project management, OneNote for note-taking and collaboration, and Polly, which creates simple polls and surveys for Teams.
2. How to Install and Use Add-Ins:
- Accessing Add-Ins: Similar to bots, add-ins can be accessed from the Teams application’s shop. Scroll down to categories like Project Management, Analytics, and Productivity to discover add-ons that will make your life easier.
- Add-In Installation: After selecting an add-in, click “Add” to add it to your Teams environment. Some add-ins may establish tabs right in the channels where you would use the product, such as managing tasks in Trello or seeing notes in OneNote.
- Configure Add-Ins: Most add-ins will require configuration to function properly with your workflow. This could include connecting it to your existing accounts or altering the settings so that it fits neatly with your team’s workflows.
Best Practices of Working with Bots and Add-Ins
1. Identify Your Team’s Needs:
- Tailor Tools to Tasks: Assess your team’s needs before introducing bots and add-ins. For example, if your team frequently works on documents, you should have tools like DocuSign for simple document signing and MURAL for brainstorming sessions.
- Reduce Redundancy: Don’t overwhelm your crew with too many bots or add-ins. Focus on a few handpicked tools that will improve your workflow by reducing redundancy rather than complicating it.
2. Train Your Team:
- Training on New Tools: Once you’ve implemented bots and add-ins, ensure that your team understands how to utilize them. This could include hosting a quick training session or providing resources outlining standard practices.
- Utilize Available Resources: For organizations wishing to maximize the potential of bots and add-ins, products such as Custom Guide provide courses on Microsoft organizations that include training on how to use those capabilities to boost productivity.
Conclusion
Bots and add-ins are powerful components in Microsoft Teams that improve productivity by automating tasks, facilitating communication, and integrating the most critical applications into your workflow. You can significantly streamline your workflows by selecting and customizing the appropriate tools for your needs. Aside from that, other tools, such as Custom Guide training, may help you and your team use most of Microsoft Teams’ features, ensuring that you get the most out of this versatile platform.
