Microsoft Teams is a tool I think everybody is using today. It is used for the team's day-to-day operations.
Analyst at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Useful for day-to-day operations of various teams in an organization
Pros and Cons
- "The solution's scalability works well."
- "The product's performance has certain shortcomings that require improvement."
What is our primary use case?
What needs improvement?
The product's performance has certain shortcomings that require improvement. We work remotely, and each team member occasionally has problems with not having sufficient network speed, even if we have sufficient network speed. The tool is pretty sensitive, and it wants to have a very fast network connection. When network speed is still okay but not sufficient for Microsoft Teams, then you start losing out on video quality, and then the video keeps hanging. You have to switch off the video and continue only with audio. In Microsoft Teams, even audio lags at times. For example, in a typical situation, when you try to have a conversation from the train, you won't have the best internet connection, but you can still watch some movies on YouTube, which means it should be sufficient, but for Microsoft Teams, it is not good. If it would be possible to somehow optimize network traffic, then it would be good.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Teams for around five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not seen many technical issues with the product.
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution's scalability works well.
How are customer service and support?
I have not used any technical support for the solution.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Currently, in my company, we work with OpenShift.The plan is to move to some cloud infrastructure, and that is why I wanted to compare it with AWS, Azure, and Oracle's cloud services.
We used Skype's business edition for all messages, and then we switched to Microsoft Teams for all kinds of messages, conversations, and video conferences. It is used for all ranges of communication.
Microsoft Teams is more handy than Skype's business edition. We are all used to it, so it is a better option for us.
What was our ROI?
For development, it does not have much influence. Microsoft Teams, I would say, is for communication purposes, not for development. Yeah. Microsoft used to joke that Teams is for development.
What other advice do I have?
Microsoft Teams offers a standard integration with Outlook, so there is nothing special.
Considering that Skype also offers integration capabilities to users, such functionalities are not new to Microsoft Teams. The integrations associated with Microsoft Teams work well, and they are helpful in areas like meetings and other scheduling work.
I don't use AI in Microsoft Teams. I don't need AI to talk to colleagues.
I rate the tool a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jul 30, 2024
Flag as inappropriateSoftware architecture at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
A stable solution used for meetings, organizing video calls, and video conferences
Pros and Cons
- "The recording function, the transcript function, the chat function, the live caption function, and the setting up of groups to share documents are useful features of Microsoft Teams."
- "It would be good if the solution had some sort of AI built into it while taking the transcript so that at least the sentences made sense."
What is our primary use case?
We use Microsoft Teams for meetings, organizing video calls, and video conferences. We also use it for the team chat function, the chat. All the product lines have their own group set up here. So they can share information through chatting and conference calls.
What is most valuable?
I put the live captions up when I am on a call and want to mute it. I like that feature. The recording of scripts and the playback of videos are good features. If I have to write the minutes for a call, I'll just take the script output and copy and paste it.
The recording function, the transcript function, the chat function, the live caption function, and the setting up of groups to share documents are useful features of Microsoft Teams.
What needs improvement?
Sometimes the transcript is a bit literal, it doesn't interpret the voice, and the text that comes out is a bit nonsensical. It would be good if the solution had some sort of AI built into it while taking the transcript so that at least the sentences made sense. It puts rubbish words in them, but just a bit of AI could solve that.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Microsoft Teams for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate Microsoft Teams an eight out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate Microsoft Teams an eight out of ten for scalability. About 20,000 users use Microsoft Teams in our organization.
Sometimes when we're using it from home, videos can break up a little bit. However, I'm not sure if it's an issue with the solution or if it's people's network connections. Our organization practically had all its staff using the solution throughout the pandemic, and it scaled well then.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've used Zoom, and we had Skype for Business in some of my other companies, and I'd say that Microsoft Teams is a more complete and rounded product. The other solutions work more or less the same for video conferencing. However, as a product, Microsoft Teams is more complete and has more features than Zoom or Skype.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Microsoft Teams is very straightforward.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate Microsoft Teams an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Teams. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
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Security and Infrastructure Engineer at a consultancy with 201-500 employees
An easy-to-use solution that provides various features to improve communication and collaboration within the organization
Pros and Cons
- "The product has improved communication in our organization."
- "The integration with SharePoint can be cumbersome at times."
What is our primary use case?
We use the product for chats and VoIP. We also have an Auto attendant feature. We have different departments, teams, and channels, so a lot of files are shared. We just started integrating different applications like Okta. We are using Okta as a plugin and are starting to do automated workflows within it. If we send a message and ask for access to Adobe Acrobat, it'll run a workflow and notify the person in Teams and email.
How has it helped my organization?
The product has improved communication in our organization. When I joined the organization, we were using Skype for Business, and there weren't a lot of group chats. Group chats are huge in Teams. I don't remember ever doing that on Skype for Business or any other platform. The product has really improved collaboration with other departments, like our developers and the operations team.
What is most valuable?
The meeting features are great. It is really easy. The group chats and chat history are valuable features.
What needs improvement?
The video quality has to be improved. The integration with SharePoint can be cumbersome at times.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for two years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability depends on use cases. If we are just using chats, it is very scalable. If we use it like SharePoint or any file-sharing solution to take over old technologies, we get limited, and storage becomes pricey. We have had calls with more than 100 people. It does pretty well.
If there is an issue, if someone is dropping calls or unable to hear anything, we can see their recent calls and track their network connectivity through the admin center. It usually ends up being the user’s internet issues, not a Microsoft issue. Around 550 users are using Microsoft Teams in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
We have connected with the support team. The team has been helpful. The product has a roadmap of new features and stuff that will be implemented, which we can upvote. I've seen a feature request being turned into an actual feature. They’re very responsive.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were using Skype for Business. Then, we migrated to Microsoft Teams because Skype for Business was retired. It was no longer a viable option.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is pretty easy. From the Microsoft 365 admin center, we can ensure it’s on for the organization, ensure it's deployed to users, and check guest access and network connectivity for things to run smoothly. We can see it all in a little dashboard. Now they have a new team, so things are a little different.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment took probably three months. We did it by ourselves. A coworker and I deployed the product in our organization.
What was our ROI?
I have seen an ROI on the product. Collaboration is through the roof. We use it every single day. Everybody in the company uses it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing works in bundles. It costs around $12 for SharePoint and Teams per user. The license for E5 would be more than $300 because it includes a lot of things. The pricing is high. I rate the pricing an eight out of ten. Once you cross the given threshold, you must pay for storage. It gets a little pricier.
What other advice do I have?
There are multiple places to do the same thing within the Microsoft realm. People working with teams must stick with it. It gets easier, and the features start getting better. It also has third-party plugins, workflows, and notes. There are a lot of interesting things in the product. When I was working for a hedge fund, we used to have a little application on which the traders would chat with each other. Microsoft does everything to about 70%. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CAO at Bank "LVIV"
Has an easy setup process with valuable integration capabilities
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Microsoft Teams for us is the ability to share files from OneDrive seamlessly."
- "One area where the product could be improved is its operational memory utilization."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for Microsoft Teams is facilitating collaboration among internal company teams and external users. Teams integrate seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 products, such as Outlook for calendar management and Cobweb for additional functionalities.
How has it helped my organization?
Teams have significantly improved communication within our organization by providing a simple platform. As part of the Microsoft Office suite, it facilitates the transition of some users to Azure Active Directory, streamlining access and permissions across our organization.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Microsoft Teams for us is the ability to share files from OneDrive seamlessly. This integration with the cloud and simplicity of usage prove beneficial.
What needs improvement?
One area where the product could be improved is its operational memory utilization. Currently, Microsoft Teams consumes a significant amount of memory when in use, which can pose challenges for users with limited memory resources on their computers.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Microsoft Teams for 3 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sometimes, the platform automatically closes during working hours. This particular area needs improvement. I rate the stability as seven out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 500 Microsoft Teams users in our organization. It is a scalable product. I rate the scalability an eight.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy. It takes a month to complete. I rate the process a nine out of ten.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For setup costs, pricing, and licensing, I advise considering the flexibility offered by site licenses. However, it's important to be aware of potential fluctuations in pricing, as they can vary depending on factors like stability in the economic environment and national payment regulations. In our experience, pricing may differ from country to country, with some regions offering more favorable rates due to local payment arrangements. As for specific licensing options, we utilize various types, including the one-license and five-license options. The one-license option costs approximately $10 per user per month, while the five-license option averages around $35.
What other advice do I have?
We have integrated Teams as a communication channel for alert synchronization from your monitoring system, Grafana, and other tools.
We regularly use video meetings for various purposes, including IT meetings and client discussions, and find the quality excellent. We have not encountered any significant technical issues with video conferencing itself. However, there have been occasional issues related to second-factor authentication, where users may experience delays or difficulties accessing calls or messages. These issues typically require closing and reopening the program.
I recommend this product for small organizations because it offers an all-in-one solution. I rate it an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Apr 15, 2024
Flag as inappropriateAssociate Professor at Pázmány Péter Catholic University
Employs file sharing functionality based on SharePoint, facilitating document access and collaboration
Pros and Cons
- "It's great for meetings and even hybrid classes, for example, where the teacher has students attending in person and online at the same time. It's really convenient for that too, and I like that you can easily share presentations."
- "The only issue is sometimes, when I share my screen, and there's text on it, the compression can make it very blurry. If Teams could solve this problem so that text remains clear during screen sharing, that would be nice."
What is our primary use case?
We've got different groups for each course at the university on Teams, so we use it mostly as a communication platform with students and staff. We use the file-sharing function, which is based on SharePoint.
The file-sharing function is connected to the SharePoint platform, we mostly use this, and most of the time, these components are integrated with Office applications like Excel or PowerPoint.
We don't have the email function in Teams. We use a separate software for that, and unfortunately, we don't have the Calendar function.
How has it helped my organization?
Communication within the university has improved. For one, every conversation has its history well organized, making it easier to search for previous conversations or topics.
Also, the contact list views are useful; everyone from the university is there, and you can easily make a video call. It's easier for students to reach teachers, and communication is faster because you get notifications.
We also use it with the integration of Microsoft applications.
What is most valuable?
The data IP identification for each message and the ability to organize discussions in separate channels within a team.
Microsoft Teams' video conferencing capabilities are good. The direction is very good, especially since we started using that feature early on.
The experience has gotten a lot better. In the beginning, it was difficult for a lot of people in a video conference. We couldn't see all the participants or it was difficult to move the screens around. But now, it's much more convenient to use.
It's great for meetings and even hybrid classes, for example, where the teacher has students attending in person and online at the same time. It's really convenient for that too, and I like that you can easily share presentations.
Sharing presentations is easy, which is particularly convenient for hybrid classes where the teacher has students both on-site and online.
What needs improvement?
The only issue is sometimes, when I share my screen, and there's text on it, the compression can make it very blurry. If Teams could solve this problem so that text remains clear during screen sharing, that would be nice.
For how long have I used the solution?
We started using Microsoft Teams at the company four years ago.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. There have been some problems throughout using Teams, but they only affected one or two days at most.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
From my point of view, the scalability seems very good. We didn't have any problems. It's not the highest level we have from Microsoft services, but even with courses with more than a hundred participants, there are no problems.
There are around a thousand end users in my university. Students come in and they graduate, so that number doesn't change much.
How was the initial setup?
I would rate my experience with the initial setup a nine out of ten, with ten being easy to set up.
It is easy to set up.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is okay. The higher education department manages the subscription, so I am unaware of the licensing costs.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend using different types of Teams for work. You can create several kinds of things for your work, and that's a key or very important point to select the right one for your needs.
Also, it is good to know about other applications you can integrate with it because that can also increase productivity.
Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Provides a collaborative space to store and work on the same set of documents
Pros and Cons
- "It provides a collaborative space for efficient work processes."
- "The solution's security feature needs enhancement for external collaborations with business partners and vendors."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution to build multiple departmental teams where we can store files and collaborate for work. In addition, we use it to schedule meetings. It helps us segregate the data into one place for our team members to access.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution provides a collaborative space to store and work on the same set of documents. It helps us by making production faster.
What is most valuable?
The solution's most valuable feature is the quick availability of technical resources.
What needs improvement?
The solution's security feature needs enhancement for external collaborations with business partners and vendors.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the solution for eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution's stability an eight out of ten. We occasionally encounter errors, but its support team resolves them quickly.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the solution's scalability an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support team responds immediately.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
We have a hybrid Azure infrastructure. It made the initial setup easier for us.
What was our ROI?
The solution has generated a return on investment for us from the first year we started using it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution has a reasonable price in the market.
What other advice do I have?
The solution is a great tool. I advise others to use it if they have a hybrid or cloud-based infrastructure. In this case, it provides faster integration and management of workload.
I rate it an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Chief Technology Officer Head of engenir at Stealth Startup
A flexible solution that provides screen sharing and chat retention
Pros and Cons
- "Screen sharing and chat retention are the most valuable features of Microsoft Teams."
- "Since Microsoft Teams is a typical Microsoft product, inviting guest users to the conversation can be problematic if they're not in the active directory."
What is our primary use case?
I use Microsoft Teams for remote communication with other members of my team.
What is most valuable?
Screen sharing and chat retention are the most valuable features of Microsoft Teams.
What needs improvement?
Since Microsoft Teams is a typical Microsoft product, inviting guest users to the conversation can be problematic if they're not in the active directory.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Teams for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate Microsoft Teams a nine out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Microsoft Teams is a pretty scalable solution. I rate Microsoft Teams a nine out of ten for scalability.
How was the initial setup?
The solution's initial setup is pretty easy. I rate Microsoft Teams an eight out of ten for its ease of initial setup.
What about the implementation team?
The solution's deployment takes about an hour.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Microsoft Teams' pricing is fine. I rate Microsoft Teams a three out of ten for pricing.
What other advice do I have?
Microsoft Teams is deployed on-cloud in our organization.
Microsoft Teams is definitely better than Google Meet because Google Meet doesn't retain chat history after the sessions, which is not very good. Zoom is frustrating because the account management is all hosted by a third party. Zoom works, but you're constrained. Microsoft Teams is a little bit more flexible.
The advice I would give to people looking into using Microsoft Teams is that it is not linked directly to Active Directory. Even though it's called Microsoft, it's still a third-party plug-in. You have to be aware that Outlook Web Access needs to be enabled in order to use calendars and scheduling with people who aren't in your organization.
Overall, I rate Microsoft Teams a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Transfer Pricing Advisor at a wholesaler/distributor with 10,001+ employees
Useful for calls and meetings and available on cell phones
Pros and Cons
- "The tool is available on cell phones. It can be used in calls and meetings."
- "The solution needs to improve the cell phone version. I also have issues in copying the links in the conversation."
What is most valuable?
The tool is available on cell phones. It can be used in calls and meetings.
What needs improvement?
The solution needs to improve the cell phone version. I also have issues in copying the links in the conversation.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for three to four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Teams' stability is good. I rate it an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. Our team is spread across the globe, and our company has more than 5,000 users in Mexico.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't contacted Microsoft support. I seek support from my IT team.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
We set up Microsoft Teams in a couple of days.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the overall solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jul 30, 2024
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