I'm using Microsoft Teams for meetings, training, work, file sharing, and its other features. Working and consulting for Microsoft Teams are my principal roles. The app is my best friend.
C&D Strategy Consultant at Deloitte Risk Advisory
Enables users to work on the same file with others through file sharing and collaboration; useful for meetings, training, and task management
Pros and Cons
- "The feature I like most in Microsoft Teams is the ability to work on the same file with other people, for example, on Microsoft PowerPoint, or Microsoft Excel, without needing to share the file via email."
- "What I'd like to improve in Microsoft Teams are the calendar management and task management tools, because they're not easy to use. They're not user-friendly."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The feature I like most in Microsoft Teams is the ability to work on the same file with other people, for example, on Microsoft PowerPoint, or Microsoft Excel, without needing to share the file via email. I also like that I can be updated and I can understand the status of work or the status of a task.
What needs improvement?
What I'd like to improve in Microsoft Teams are the calendar management and task management tools, because they're not easy to use. They're not user-friendly. For calendar management, I prefer to use Outlook, for example, I send a calendar or update a meeting through Outlook rather than Microsoft Teams.
An additional feature I'd like to see in the next release of Microsoft Teams is the ability to monitor my working activity, particularly to understand how many hours I spend every day on each task or work I do, for example: on PowerPoint or Excel. I would like a personal dashboard that I can consult to understand where I spent my time during my work journey.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Microsoft Teams since 2019, so it's three years of usage.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Teams is a very stable app. I didn't notice any issue or problem with it, even in the past year, so it's stable for me. I use it every day.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Microsoft Teams is a scalable app.
How are customer service and support?
I don't use Microsoft Teams support because when I have a problem with the app, I just contact the IT department. We have internal support for the app in the company.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used Skype for Business before switching to Microsoft Teams. I switched because there are several differences between the two apps. The main difference is that Skype for Business doesn't allow file sharing between users, and doesn't allow users to work on the same file, versus Microsoft Teams which is optimized for file sharing and work collaboration. Another difference is that Microsoft Teams is more user-friendly than Skype for Business. For example, if I search for a contact on my contact list, it's simpler to do compared to searching for a contact on Skype for Business. Microsoft Teams also saves conversations on the chat panel, while Skype for Business archives the conversation on my email, creating spam in my mailbox. These are all the reasons I prefer Microsoft Teams over Skype for Business.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated Skype for Business, Google Meet, and Zoom.
What other advice do I have?
For virtual meetings, I use Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business. I also use Google Meet and Zoom. I used Skype for Business for one year in 2019, but after 2019, I started using Microsoft Teams, and I'm still using it.
My rating for Microsoft Teams is eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Global Internal Communications Manager at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Enhances workplace communications and adds new features almost daily
Pros and Cons
- "It is an excellent all-around communications tool that works well for business purposes."
- "It may be a little daunting to learn and is still a tool in development."
What is our primary use case?
I think we're use Microsoft Teams for almost everything when it comes to communications. When I call my colleagues, I no longer using the phone. Because I use Teams so much, I picked up the phone the other day and it was strange — It was like it was the first time I picked up the phone. I use Teams as a phone. Even on my smartphone, I call people using Teams.
We're using Teams to call people to set meetings, record meetings, share documents — all communication now goes through Teams. We create groups to share our documents and update them live. It is really very practical and collaborative.
How has it helped my organization?
It is improving our means of communication and I think in the future will encourage users to communicate better because it is fun to use and powerful.
What is most valuable?
The features that I like the most are the features we have now. I like every aspect of it. It is easy to use. It's on your phone, so it is mobile. You can respond without answering if you have a call or message. You can send emoticons so people know you have gotten their message. This type of response is very quick and doesn't leave the other party waiting. Those features are just like what you might do in WhatsApp or Messenger on Facebook. It is very familiar to anyone using those products.
One thing that we are looking to deploy — and we are testing it now — is to send and track kudos. We want to implement this new feature on a worldwide basis to thank team members for being good participants.
What needs improvement?
We work directly with Microsoft to provide feedback on the product and what we would like to see as improvements. I discover a new feature every day, so they're really working to develop it very quickly.
I would like also to have a feature where we create a worldwide group to act as a social media hub. The difference between that and groups is that it would be separate from all the other groups. I don't want it included in my Teams because I will use it in a different way. I can see the activity of other teams or individuals who are not on my teams. Because I'm using the product extensively and have many teams, I think it is an important addition to be able to organize groups in different ways — and I have put in that request with IS.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for a couple of years exclusively.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I've heard some people complain and say, "Oh it's not working with me," but I never had any issue with Teams. I use it all the time and it is stable. It opens immediately when I open my computer, it's on my phone and it sends me notifications.
I have calls with people on it. Sometimes I even record video calls. The only time I have had any issues is when the network is not working well — maybe in high load times — but this happens with every means of communication like WhatsApp or other solutions that depend on the network. It isn't a problem with the package it is a problem with the network.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Our company has about 14,000 employees, but we are not all using the intranet. We are an industrial company and we have people working in manufacturing and they don't have access to computers all the time.
As far as scalability, we would like to have the ability to use the product off-site. That is, we want to be able to have remote people use Teams with us internally. This is the only thing I've heard that's posing a problem with scaling.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not directly had any experience with the Microsoft technical support team for Teams because we have an IS (Internet Services) group. If we open a ticket, the IS department is the group who will contact support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before we tried using Teams, we were using Skype. Now we are only using Teams because it is a more complete and business-oriented tool.
How was the initial setup?
I was not directly involved in the deployment.
What about the implementation team?
Our implementation was done by our own IS team.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to people who are considering this solution is that you have to be patient at the beginning. People might think it is too complicated or that it looks too complicated at the beginning. As a first time user, I remember feeling like I didn't understand anything. You have to be patient and play around with it until you become familiar with the different features. For example, there are channels within a group. If you are added to several groups and you start getting alerts, you may not know which channel it is or which group. It is a lot for a first time user to digest. It is not as straightforward as WhatsApp when it comes to groups.
What we have seen is that when we communicate our requests to Microsoft, we are getting back responses with the features we have asked for. There are many features that we request and we discover they are available in just a few days. Either many companies are making the same requests or Microsoft is answering our request, but the product is evolving quickly.
On a scale from one to ten, when one is the worst and ten is the best, I would rate Microsoft Teams as an eight. While I like the product a lot and I use it all the time, there is room for improvement.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Microsoft Teams
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Teams. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Can share files directly and is useful for meetings
Pros and Cons
- "We can share all files on Microsoft Teams directly. It is integrated with Outlook."
- "We cannot change the mic automatically in Microsoft Teams. We have to do it manually."
What is our primary use case?
I use the solution for meetings.
What is most valuable?
We can share all files on Microsoft Teams directly. It is integrated with Outlook.
What needs improvement?
We cannot change the mic automatically in Microsoft Teams. We have to do it manually.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for four years.
How are customer service and support?
I have not contacted Microsoft regarding any issues with the tool.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution's pricing is average.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the overall solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jul 31, 2024
Flag as inappropriateSolution Consultant at Apptio
A stable solution that enables users to share information and collaborate with their team members
Pros and Cons
- "The product enables us to create teams for specific projects."
- "The way we test the audio devices must be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for customer meetings.
What is most valuable?
It is very easy to set up. The product enables us to create teams for specific projects. We can share information and documents and start collaborating within teams. Setting up meetings is a comfortable experience.
What needs improvement?
The product doesn’t indicate what kind of audio device is connected during the meetings. I do not know whether the participant in the meeting is on a headset or the speaker. The way we test the audio devices must be improved. The test call we make is too complex and takes long. The tool must just provide an option to play a sound and test whether the output is coming from the speakers or headsets.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for less than four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is quite stable. I have never had any issues with stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is scalable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We use other tools, too. We use what customers prefer. Microsoft Teams provides easy integration with Microsoft Office. It makes collaboration within teams easy. It enables sharing of information, documents, and presentations. The quality of the online meetings with customers and partners is good. The audio setup is the only con in the product.
What other advice do I have?
We started using the solution during COVID-19. In-person meetings enable more interactions and feedback. Online meetings are beneficial when we have to present something to people in different countries, and we cannot afford the time and cost to organize on-site meetings. People who want to use the tool must have it integrated with Outlook. Overall, I rate the product a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Project Manager at a government with 10,001+ employees
A highly stable and easy-to-deploy tool that enables collaboration and saves time
Pros and Cons
- "Sharing screens is valuable."
- "The interface must be more user-friendly."
What is our primary use case?
I use the solution for conference and collaboration purposes.
How has it helped my organization?
The product helps in saving time in meetings and in sharing documents.
What is most valuable?
Sharing screens is valuable. Sharing documents and conducting conferences are also valuable.
What needs improvement?
The interface must be more user-friendly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for two years. I am using the latest version of the solution.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability an eight out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The product was easy to set up.
What was our ROI?
The returns are on the transportation and time consumption we face when we are not using virtual tools like Microsoft Teams.
What other advice do I have?
The more we use and get involved with the product, the more we learn. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Research Associate at Isec
An easy-to-use solution that can be used for virtual meetings and video communication
Pros and Cons
- "Microsoft Teams is an easy-to-use solution."
- "I would like to get more frequent updates, and the solution’s stability could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use Microsoft Teams for virtual meetings and video communication.
What is most valuable?
Microsoft Teams is an easy-to-use solution. We can use the solution for chats and viewing chat history.
What needs improvement?
I would like to get more frequent updates, and the solution’s stability could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Teams for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate Microsoft Teams an eight out of ten for stability because sometimes we experience call drops. Since the bandwidth required for Microsoft Teams is huge, there can be issues of lag between video and audio.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution's scalability is good because there is no limitation on the number of people who can join the call simultaneously. I rate Microsoft Teams ten out of ten for scalability. Around 1,000 users are using Microsoft Teams in our organization.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to set up Microsoft Teams. The solution took around 15 to 20 minutes to deploy.
What about the implementation team?
The solution's deployment can be done in-house. My organization had subscribed to Microsoft Teams, and I logged in with my organization's credentials.
What other advice do I have?
I use the latest version of Microsoft Teams. The solution is deployment on-cloud in our organization. I would recommend Microsoft Teams to other users.
Overall, I rate Microsoft Teams an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Consultant at Payfront Technologies India Pvt Ltd
The solution can be used for team collaboration, exchanging ideas, and discussing project management solutions
Pros and Cons
- "The planner and the breakout rooms are good and helpful features in Microsoft Teams."
- "Microsoft Teams can start being more interactive and intuitive by implementing artificial intelligence and machine learning."
What is our primary use case?
We use Microsoft Teams for team collaboration, exchanging ideas, and talking about project management solutions.
What is most valuable?
Microsoft Teams has an option for you to create files. The planner and the breakout rooms are good and helpful features in Microsoft Teams.
What needs improvement?
Microsoft Teams can start being more interactive and intuitive by implementing artificial intelligence and machine learning. The solution could do something better. The solution can explore the world of AI and ML and utilize the virtual environment even better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Teams for more than seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Teams is quite a stable solution. I rate Microsoft Teams a seven out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
More than 7,000 users are using Microsoft Teams in our organization on a daily basis.
How was the initial setup?
The solution's initial setup is very easy. I rate Microsoft Teams an eight out of ten for the ease of its initial setup.
What other advice do I have?
Microsoft Teams is a great collaborative forum for us to work on. Especially after COVID, Microsoft Teams has been very supportive in helping us collaborate between various functions in a remote work environment.
Microsoft Teams is deployed on-cloud in our organization.
Zoom doesn't give you a lot of scalability options and has fewer features than Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Teams allows you to collaborate, and it's very easy to set up things with Teams.
I would suggest people looking into using Microsoft Teams to explore all the features of Microsoft Teams and be curious about it.
Overall, I rate Microsoft Teams an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CTO at Syscodes Communications Ltd
Helps with meetings and has good screen share feature
Pros and Cons
- "I like the tool's screen share feature."
- "The product needs to improve its security."
What is our primary use case?
We use the product for meetings.
What is most valuable?
I like the tool's screen share feature.
What needs improvement?
The product needs to improve its security.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the tool's stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the solution's scalability a nine out of ten. My company has 40-60 users for the product. We use the product at least on a weekly basis.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I find Zoom easier in the browser version.
How was the initial setup?
The tool's setup is straightforward and not technical.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the solution's pricing a nine out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate the tool a ten out of ten.
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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