Microsoft
On-line workforce collaboration is the brand new norm as firms unfold their workforce throughout the globe. Gone are the times of primarily counting on group emails, as groups can now work collectively in actual time utilizing an prompt chat-style interface, regardless of the place they’re.
Microsoft Groups is one in every of many collaboration instruments designed to carry firm staff collectively in a web based area. It’s not designed for speaking with household and pals, however as a substitute offers a platform for video conferencing, real-time discussions, doc sharing and modifying, and extra for firms and companies.
What’s Microsoft Groups?
Microsoft Groups is a chat-based workspace initially launched in 2016 for patrons subscribing to the Workplace 365 Enterprise and Enterprise plans, serving because the successor to Microsoft’s Skype for Enterprise platform. It additionally changed the Microsoft Classroom service in Workplace 365 Schooling.
Microsoft Groups grew to become broadly accessible on March 14, 2017, for all Microsoft Workplace 365 subscriptions. A free model arrived on July 12, 2018, offering many of the subscription-based options whereas limiting storage capability and person depend. The cellular model obtained family-friendly options beginning in March 2020.
Total, Microsoft Groups breaks down into 5 fundamental parts:
Group – A digital “constructing” the place all invited members enter to collaborate.
Channel – A person “room” throughout the “constructing” that could be open to all workforce members or locked as invite-only. Directors can create a number of “rooms” with particular themes, similar to Editorial, Gaming, Accounting, HR, and extra.
Channel Tabs – Means that you can “pin” posts, information, apps, and extra to every channel you frequent. They aren’t common, so one channel could have completely different tabs from one other.
Exercise Feed – Connects all channels like a makeshift hallway so you possibly can obtain mentions, replies, and different notifications related to the channels you frequent.
Chat – Personal chats between you and different workforce members.
Directors first create a workforce adopted by particular person channels. For giant organizations, a number of groups with a handful of channels could also be crucial. The shopper helps multiple workforce, permitting members to entry a number of groups by a single interface.
Members of a workforce have entry to a pool of shared paperwork by clicking Information within the shopper, together with pictures and movies uploaded in channels. Members can open these information in a browser, obtain them to their PC, or retrieve a hyperlink to share with others. The OneDrive characteristic permits customers to create shared folders, Phrase paperwork, Excel workbooks, PowerPoint shows, and extra.
Lastly, Microsoft Groups integrates with third-party apps, together with Trello, Zoom, Asana, GitHub, Evernote, Adobe Inventive Cloud, Salesforce, Google Analytics, and lots of extra. It even works with social apps like YouTube, StubHub, and several other others.
What separates Microsoft Groups from different platforms?
Microsoft Groups is one in every of a number of workforce collaboration instruments. Its greatest competitor is Slack, and we pit the 2 in opposition to one another in a separate in-depth article. Each have their strengths and weaknesses, however in the event you want a device that works alongside Microsoft 365, Groups is your greatest guess.
Office from Fb is an analogous business-oriented collaboration device. One of many main variations is that direct messaging takes place inside Microsoft Groups whereas Fb’s different depends on a separate Office Chat app. In the meantime, Fb’s platform is mobile-first whereas Groups places the desktop employee first. Office additionally locations a heavy emphasis on Reside Movies, however its compatibility with different apps is considerably decrease than Groups.
One other widespread workforce collaboration device is Discord. It targets players providing free voice and prompt message capabilities. On this state of affairs, players create or be part of private and non-private “servers” relatively than “groups.” Like Microsoft Groups, every constructing (server) hosts a number of rooms (channels), solely these rooms are devoted to both textual content or voice, not each. There’s a Go Reside characteristic as nicely that routinely detects your recreation and lets you stream it on to your Discord server. Need to make a video name to pals or household? Discord has your again too — all without cost.
Microsoft Groups at a look
The interface presents just a few fundamental parts. On the left is the navigation bar internet hosting a number of tabs: Exercise, Chat, and Groups. On the high, you’ll see choices for issues like Posts, Chat, and Information relying on which tab you select on the left.
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Data within the second column is decided by the tab you choose within the navigation bar. Click on Exercise and the second column lists all of the mentions, replies, and different notifications. Choose one in every of these actions and the third column shows the associated dialog. Click on the filter button within the second column and enter a search time period.
Likewise, in the event you click on the Chat tab, the second column lists your personal conversations by the recipient. Choose a listed recipient, and the third column shows all the dialog. Click on the three-dot ellipsis icon subsequent to the recipient and you may pin, mute, or cover the dialog, obtain a notification when the person indicators on, and extra.
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Lastly, click on the Groups tab and a listing of your related groups and their channels seems within the second column. Channels with new exercise are highlighted in daring textual content. Choose a channel and the messages contained inside that channel seem within the third column. Any mentions inside an unselected channel are highlighted by an exclamation level subsequent to the channel identify.
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When typing a message, you’ll discover formatting instruments much like Slack, similar to setting the font measurement, making a bullet record, inserting a hyperlink, utilizing a spotlight, and extra. You too can mark a message as a brand new dialog or announcement, lock responses solely to you and moderators, and put up the message to a number of channels (if allowed). Different instruments embody including emoji, stickers, GIFs, and information.
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To conduct an audio name or video assembly, you possibly can merely click on the Meet Now drop-down arrow on the message toolbar on the high. Scheduling requires a paid plan, which seems as a calendar icon on the message toolbar.
How a lot does Microsoft Groups value?
You’ll be able to select from a number of Microsoft Groups plans for dwelling or enterprise.
The free House plan contains the next options:
5GB of storage
Group calling for 100 folks as much as 60 minutes
Limitless chat
Collaboration
Information encryption
For options like elevated group calling choices, extra storage, inventive instruments, and dwell captions, you possibly can have a look at paid House plans beginning at $7 month-to-month.
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For Companies, the Microsoft Groups Necessities plan prices $4 and offers these options:
10GB of storage
Limitless group conferences as much as 30 hours
Microsoft Whiteboard
File sharing and duties
Reside assembly captions
For options like person administration for workers, extra storage, a customized enterprise electronic mail, and spam and malware filtering, you possibly can take a look at Enterprise Fundamental for $6 month-to-month or Enterprise Normal for $12.50 month-to-month. When you want superior safety, entry and knowledge management, and cyber-threat safety, have a look at Enterprise Premium for $22 month-to-month.
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The place are you able to get Microsoft Groups?
Microsoft Groups is accessible on the next platforms:
Learn how to get began with Microsoft Groups without cost
If you wish to pattern Microsoft’s collaboration platform, right here’s how. For the free model, the one requirement is a Microsoft account, which you’ll create throughout the setup course of. You don’t want a Microsoft 365 subscription to make use of Microsoft Groups without cost.
Go to groups.microsoft.com and enter a Microsoft account electronic mail tackle and password. When you use a distinct electronic mail tackle, will probably be used to create a Microsoft account.
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Optionally examine the field to sync Outlook and Skype contacts, and choose Proceed.
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You’ll then land on the Chat tab prepared so that you can begin a brand new chat or meet now.
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Are you prepared for Microsoft Groups?
Microsoft Groups is a rising platform for enterprise communications that’s including extra options on a regular basis. Are you prepared to begin utilizing it? If that’s the case, remember to have a look at the way to use Microsoft Groups for an in-depth tutorial to get began.
