What is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams is a cloud‑based chat and collaboration workspace in Microsoft Office 365. Microsoft Teams at the Nova Scotia Community College is open for all staff, faculty, and students to use the way that suits them best. Anyone can create a Team, and add channels for a specific purpose. Teams is incredibly flexible to suit the needs and wants of Team Owners. What set up might work in one department, may not work in another. Faculty may choose to use Teams differently from each other, and that's okay. Whether you work, teach, or learn, your experience will be different. Teams lets you work in a natural, conversational way, with everything you need in one place, available anytime, on any device.
There are many ways you can use Teams, there is no wrong way.
- How do I access Microsoft Teams?
- How do I navigate Microsoft Teams?
- Can I use Teams without being a member of a team?
- Who can participate in a team?
- Is Microsoft Office 365 accessible?
- How many channels can I create?
- What are the different conversation types?
- What is the difference between Chat and Teams?
- How do I add someone to a private chat?
- How do I send a private chat?
- How do I make a call?
- How do I know which conversations include me?
- How do I use @mentions to get someone’s attention?
- What can I customize in Microsoft Teams?
- How can I switch the view of my teams?
- Where can I find policies that apply to Teams?
- Where can I find more information about Teams?
How do I access Microsoft Teams?
You can access Teams 3 different ways.
- On the web using Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge
- On mobile devices (IOS and Android)
- Using a desktop client downloaded to your Mac, or Windows 10. (BEST EXPERIENCE)
1. On the web using Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge
Log on to Office 365, Sign in using your 'W"number@campus.nscc.ca username and password. Click on the Teams App. If you don't see it, click All Apps
3. Using a desktop Client
Visit the Microsoft Teams – Downloads webpage to download Teams directly on to your desktop.
2. On your mobile device
Download the App yourself on your mobile phone. Need Help? Check out these KB Articles and come right back.
3. Using a desktop Client
NSCC Owned and and imaged devices should already have Microsotf Teams installed. Mac Users can put in a request here to get help with installation. For Students and other staff using personal devices visit the Microsoft Teams – Downloads webpage to download Teams directly on to your desktop.
How do I navigate Microsoft Teams?
Visit our NSCC Microsot teams Quick Start Guide (pdf) to learn more about navigating Microsoft Teams, creating channels, and having conversations. Visit the Microsoft Teams Interactive Demo webpage for a interactive demo.
Can I use Teams without being a member of a team?
Yes you can. You can have conversations using Chats. either one-on-one or in large groups.
Who can participate in a team?
Staff, faculty and Students have the same access to teams and can create or join other teams. The team owner invites employees and students to participate in a team.
How many members can I have on a team?
Each team can have up to 5,000 members.
Which browsers does Microsoft Teams support?
Visit the Get Clients for Microsoft Teams webpage for the most up‑to‑date information about the browsers that Teams supports.
Is Microsoft Office 365 accessible?
Microsoft designed Office 365 features with built‑in accessibility to support people with different abilities. Visit the Microsoft – Office 365 Accessibility webpage for more information.
How many channels can I create?
You can create up to 200 channels for each team.
What are the different conversation types?
- Private conversations: Within Chat, they are between two employees who are not necessarily a member of any team.
- Group conversations: Within Chat, they are between three or more employees who are not necessarily a member of any team.
- Team/Channel conversations: Conversations that happen with team members either in the General channel (if that is the only channel that a team has) or within other channels that the team has created.
What is the difference between Chat and Teams?
| Chat |
Teams |
 |
 |
| Limited to 100 participants |
Up to 5,000 members in a team |
| Each reply will follow the last one sent. |
Reply specifically to any message in a conversation. |
| A group chat has only one conversation space. |
Team conversations are across multiple channels for specific topics within a team. |
| Reduced number of apps in Chat |
More app options within Teams, including Wiki and Microsoft Planner |
| Every participant has the same level of access to remove and add people. |
Team owners manage team settings and can add and remove members from the team. |
| Members cannot create folders within the Files tab. |
Members can create folders and several layers of subfolders within the Files tab. |
|
When adding a new participant to a group chat, you can keep all of the chat history,
the history based on a specific number of days, or include no chat history at all.
|
When adding a new member to the team, all of the team chat history is included by default. |
How do I add someone to a private chat?
To add someone into a private chat, click the Add people icon at the top right‑hand corner of the screen, type the person’s name into the Add field, and then press Enter.
NOTE: Once you add another member to a private 1-on-1 chat, it becomes a group chat.
How do I send a private chat?
To send a private chat, click the New chat icon next to the Command box at the top of the screen, type the names of the people you want to start a chat with into the To field, compose your message in the Type a new message field at the bottom of the screen, and then press Enter.
How do I make a call?
You can make individual or group calls from Teams. These calls are private and will not appear in any team conversation. To start a new call, click the New chat icon next to the Command box at the top of the screen, type the names of the people you want to call into the To field, click in the Type a new message field at the bottom of the screen, and then click the Video call or Audio call button at the top right‑hand corner of the screen. Visit Microsoft’s Start a chat in Teams webpage for more information.
How do I know which conversations include me?
You will receive a notification when someone @mentions you or replies to a conversation that you are a part of. Click the Activity icon on the left‑hand pane to review notifications when someone:
- @mentions you
- @mentions teams and channels you belong to
- Replies to conversations that you are part of
- Replies to your replies
NOTE: There will be a number next to the name of a channel whenever someone @mentions you.
How do I use @mentions to get someone’s attention?
To get someone’s attention in a chat or channel conversation, type @ before the person’s name, and then select the name from the list that appears.
The person that you @mention will receive a notification that they can click on to be directed to the precise point in the conversation where you @mentioned them.
You can only @mention other users that are within the Team. Because they don't have access to the TEAM they would not be able to see it.
What can I customize in Microsoft Teams?
You can customize your settings such as theme, language, time zone, and date. To customize your settings, visit Microsoft’s Change settings in Teams webpage.
How can I switch the view of my teams?
Microsoft Teams has two options to view all of your teams: the original List view and the new Grid view. Visit Microsoft’s Comparison of List and Grid views webpage to learn how to switch between the two views and to see a side‑by‑side comparison.
Where can I find more information about Teams?
Microsoft Support