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Introduction
Teams is a collaboration and communication platform. As you become more comfortable with Teams, you can explore advanced features like integration with other Microsoft tools, third-party apps, and more.
How do I access Teams?
Desktop App
Download the desktop application from Microsoft Teams download and click Download for desktop, then click Download Teams.
- The website will automatically detect your operating system and download the right installation file.
- Open the Teams installer and follow the steps to install the application.
Web App
Access Teams from your browser by logging into Microsoft Teams with your MohawkID
(9 digits @mohawkcollege.ca).
Mobile Apps
Download the Microsoft Teams mobile application from:
How to join a Team?
A team refers to a specific group of people who want to collaborate together exclusively. Each team includes a private space where members can communicate and share content.
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The Teams navigation bar includes the following menus:
- Activity: displays all activity within 14 days
- Chat: all individual or group chats are included
- Teams: an overview of all the teams
- Assignments: your assignments will not be available here (check MyCanvas)
- Calendar: schedule or view scheduled meetings
- Calls: tools for making calls includes contacts, history, and voicemail.
- Files: quickly access files uploaded to Teams or your OneDrive account
Tips
At Mohawk, students do not have permission to create a Microsoft team. Your instructor or Mohawk staff members may invite you to join by adding you using your Mohawk email or send you a code to join.
To join a Team using a code, follow these steps:
- Open the Microsoft Teams application and sign in, if you haven't already.
- Click Teams in the navigation.
- Click Join or create team at the top or bottom right.
- Enter the code that was sent to you.
- Click Join team.
Communicating in Teams
Your team will use channels for communicating - spaces for conversations focused on specific topics. The options shown below include three types of Teams communication.
Team conversation (within a channel)
- Select Teams, then pick a team and a channel.
- From the Posts tab, Select New conversation.
- In the box where you type your message, say what's on your mind and select Send.
Chat with a person or group
Select Chat>New chat.
- In the To field, type the name of the person or people you want to chat with.
- In the box where you type your message, say what's on your mind and select Send.
Reply to a conversation
Channel conversations are organized by date and then threaded. The replies in threads are found under the initial post so it's easier to follow multiple conversations.
- Find the conversation thread you want to reply to.
- Select Reply, add your message, and select Send.
Join a Teams Meeting
Teams desktop app
From your Calendar, select Join on a meeting before it's started, or one that's in-progress.
- Turn on your camera, select Background filters, and choose how you'd like to appear:
- Select a custom background or select Blur
- Choose your audio/video settings.
- Select Join now.
Teams web app
In the Teams meeting invite, select Click here to join the meeting.
You will have the option of downloading the app or continue on a browser.
Depending on meeting settings, you'll get in right away, or go to a lobby where someone in the meeting will admit you.
Tips
There are many ways to join a Teams meeting:
- Use a link
- Calendar invite
- Join from a channel
- Join from a chat
Participate in a Teams Meeting
During a meeting, you can access different functions from the meeting controls at the top of your screen. This will help you customize your view, participate with others, and more.
- Chat: view and participate in the meeting chat
- People: See a list of participants (and those invited)
- View: adjust your view settings to your preference
- React: Express yourself with live reactions
- More: options to custom your settings and views
- Camera: turn camera on or off (or change device)
- Mic: turn mic on or off (or change device)
- Share: Choose which screen to share
Tips
- Hover over Camera and toggle on to preview your video.
- Click on Share icon to present your desktop, a window, PowerPoint presentation or Whiteboard.
- Under the React icon, choose out of the five emojis, if you want to engage in a meeting.
- Click the Raise hand icon, if you want to ask a question
- Select View icon and choose a video layout - Gallery, Large Gallery or Together Mode.
- Select the More (...) to expose the menu to change various settings.
Working with Files
Teams makes it easy to share files and work on them together. If working in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Visio files your colleagues can even view, edit, and collaborate on them, right within Teams.
Channel Files
Files that you upload to a channel, available under the Files tab at the top of each channel are stored in your team's SharePoint folder.
Personal Files
Files that you upload to a one-on-one or group chat are stored in your OneDrive for Business folder and are shared only with the people in that conversation. These are available in the Files tab at the top of a chat.
Microsoft Loop
Go to the box where you type a chat message. Select Loop components - Loop icon right beneath the box. (Make sure the box is empty—with no text in it—when you do this.)
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Loop components menu
- Select the type of component you want to insert into your message.
- Enter content into the component.
- When ready, select Send Loop component icon. Everyone in the chat will be able to edit the content inline.