Microsoft Teams has replaced Skype for Business for more than half a decade, but Microsoft Teams can also be used outside your work environment. In this article, I'll outline why you should consider using it, where to find it, and some of the things I use it for. I invite you to give it a try too.
I can hear many of you already asking (perhaps even in a loud voice) why in the heck should you use an app that is designed for a business use-case in your personal life? I can also hear you wonder why I would suggest using Microsoft Teams instead of Skype or other apps, like WhatsApp or Slack? Well, besides the fact that you have 60 minutes of free meeting time, here are a couple of reasons I can think of:
Ecosystem: Slack and WhatsApp can be used on Windows. True. However, Teams is built to integrate into the Windows environment much more seamlessly than either Slack or WhatsApp. This is especially important when it comes to things like file sharing. Interface: WhatsApp and Slack have a very utilitarian feel to them. In recent years, Microsoft's design ethos has become much more inviting—they use more warm and pastel coloring throughout their product lineup, and Teams is no exception.Where Can You Get Teams?
The easiest way to download and install the Microsoft Teams app onto your Windows PC is through the Microsoft Store. Once you've opened the Microsoft Store app, click the "Search" box and search for Microsoft Teams, then select it from the drop-down menu. Once on the Microsoft Teams app page, click on "Install" to begin the process of downloading and installing it.
Once the app has been successfully downloaded and installed, it will open. If you haven't already signed in to your Microsoft account, you will be presented with prompts to sign in. If you don't have a Microsoft account set up, you will need to do so.
Chatting in Teams
One feature that I use consistently is the chat function. The Chat section displays two different types of contacts: those with an email address that will have the text, "Hey there, I am on Teams" presented, and those with phone numbers or email presented. The former are contacts that are currently using Teams; the latter are contacts that may not be on Teams.
If I'd like to chat with a contact who is already using Teams, I simply click on the contact and send them a message. For those with whom I'd like to chat in Teams and aren't in Teams yet, I can just click on their contact to send them an invitation—contacts with phone numbers will receive an SMS message invitation and those with an email will receive an email invitation.
There is definitely carry-over functionality between Teams and Skype when it comes to chatting, sharing files, and having audio/video calls. Where Teams stands out is attachment management. Files and photos can be organized into their own tabs within the conversation, which is a much more robust experience than in Skype. It's a small difference, but it's a point for Teams. As for Slack, there is the option of sharing files inside tabs, but you can't in WhatsApp; so draw for Slack and minus points for WhatsApp.
Calendar in Teams
If I am having a chat with someone, and they'd like to schedule a calendar meeting, all I have to do is click over to my calendar to set up a meeting with them at a later time by clicking on "Calendar" and "New Meeting". This may sound easy enough, but this isn't an option in Skype, Slack, or WhatsApp.
Communities
The biggest reason to use Teams is the ability to create a community. This can be a community for your friends to virtually get together and chat, share stuff, plan events and even collaborate on projects or trips (for example). To create a community, click into the "Community" section, followed then click on the "Create My Own" button. Once I have completed all the prompts in the pop-up window, I now have a community where I can either collaborate with my personal community or send it out into the world and connect with other global Teams users.
Image of creating new Community in Teams.
Slack does have a section called Channels, which technically allows for the creation of a certain kind of community or team; however, its format is much less structured because it's based on hashes and not creating an actual team, the way that standard teams and communities in Teams are. I'll give this one to Slack since you technically can create a space for collaboration. Again, this isn't something that you can do in Skype or WhatsApp, so I'm removing a point for both of those apps.
What's the Verdict?
The purpose of this article is not to convince you to accept the virtues of Teams for personal (or professional) use. Nor is it to put down and find flaws with Skype, WhatsApp, or Slack. When it comes down to it, each of these apps has its strengths and weaknesses. Slack is a very utilitarian platform that is used heavily by professionals and independent workers alike across differing operating systems—we here at How-To Geek use Slack to communicate. If one is on an operating system that is not Windows, having a more agnostic communication app like Slack or WhatsApp can make more sense. WhatsApp is an app that has been widely adopted in the mobile space across different mobile operating systems.
Since Microsoft is touting the catchphrase "Communicate and collaborate smarter with Teams," it's possible that Skype will be replaced by Teams in the consumer space in the not too distant future, just like Microsoft did in professional environments. When that happens, I'd say that it is better to be on the side of Teams rather than Skype.