Microsoft Teams is a cloud platform that combines chat, meetings, video conferencing, notes, collaborative file editing and sharing, and to-do's. This supports teamwork, even with colleagues working from home office.
The SCC provides this platform as a collaborative tool (in the context of the Corona crisis) for each KIT employee using its own KIT account.
| Contact: | servicedesk@scc.kit.edu | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact Person: | MS-Teams-Support | ||
Access MS Teams
KIT employees must first agree to the Microsoft Team Privacy Statement once.
The use of MS Teams is either done in the browser or with a separate client program:
- browser requirements: Chrome or Edge
- Alternatively, there are client programs for all operating systems availabele including mobile devices. Download via the Microsoft product page.
- For SCC managed Windows clients (OPSI) the distribution is normally automatic. However, since most devices are currently not in the KIT network (home office), there is a dedicated manual for this.
Login at first start of MS Teams
Login via browser: URL: https://teams.microsoft.com.
Analogous to the client program, the login takes place via the KIT Web-SSO mechanism (Shibboleth) using the user's own login name: KIT-ACCOUNTQvi6∂kit edu (find out your own KIT account)
Use for...
Chats with few participants
Suitable for 1:1 conversations and small groups
- menu bar -> Chat
- on the left side you can see the chat history
- to start a new chat: use pencil left of the search field, then select participants. Here, you could also leave the chat
- external participants: see "participation of external persons"
- to start a video or audio call: use the camera/phone icon in the upper right corner
- share screen (e.g. a presentation) - the document will not be uploaded
- open the document to be shared on your desktop
- move the mouse over the screen, a menu bar appears
- sharing symbol -> screen transmission -> application window -> select application
- if a PPT is to be shown, select the display mode if necessary
- edit a document together simultaniously: the document will be uploaded to the cloud (please note the privacy policy and especially the note Please refrain from transmitting sensitive personal or sensitive business data within the service. ):
- Files tab
- Drag & drop the file into the window or upload it via "attach"
- file can now be opened by all team memberss
- start editing, simultaneous editing is possible
- the document will be saved automatically
Regular work in fixed teams
Use Teams if you often work with the same group of people.
- menu bar -> Teams
- Team = group of people, channels = subgroups
- roles: team owner (anyone can create a team) appoints team members
- team types:
- Class: no meetings, but tasks.
- Professional Learning Community (PLC): like Staff, including "share work", without "announcements".
- Staff: like PLC, including progress reports and announcements, without "share work"
- Other: like PLC.
- Step: Create Team (Team Owner)
- select team type
- name, description, set private/public. Private = only team owners can add members (recommended), public = the whole organization can join.
- add participants and assign role
- create channels if necessary. By default, you are working in the "General" channel
- if necessary, adjust tabs, e.g. to directly link a document
- Step: Meeting
- Ad Hoc using the chat ("Posts" tab) or
- Planned meeting
- copy the link to the team's general channel: Menu -> Teams -> select Team -> select general channel -> select menu via the three dots -> copy link to channel
- send this link by e-mail or an Outlook meeting request
- the moderator (= one of the participants) starts the meeting by clicking on the camera icon at the bottom of the chat.
- the other participants dial in before the meeting using the link
- participants will see the video/audio conference in the chat ("Posts" tab) and can join by clicking "Join".
- Shared documents: see Ad Hoc Meeting - Chat
For seminars with up to 20/30 participants
Same procedure as for coordinated meetings.
- share screen (e.g. a presentation): see "Ad Hoc Meeting - Chat".
- if possible, do not speak in disarray; listening participants should switch off the microphone
- alternatively, one participant can mute all others at the same time, this function is only available for meetings with several participants: move mouse over the screen -> show participants -> "Mute all" in the participants list in the top right corner
- participants who wish to speak then have to switch on again
Participation of external persons
Requirements: installed Outlook and installed MS-Teams desktop application (client) under Windows.
Preparation / Invitation to an appointment
- create an appointment in Outlook
- click on New Teams Meeting in the menu bar
- enter recipient - it is possible to enter external participants
- send appointment
- a participation link is included in the appointment ("Attend Microsoft Team Meeting")
Just before the meeting
- organizer opens Outlook appointment
- click on "Join Teams Meeting" in the menu bar
- a chat opens automatically in the desktop application
- the participants open the Outlook appointment to participate and click on the link in the appointment request
Netiquette
- dial in in time (in advance)
- mute when not speaking (avoid noise)
- use a headset (avoid reverberation)
- provide longer contributions in advance
Client and operating system specifications
Linux - Chrome
If you use Chrome, you may get into an error that asks you to use third party cookies. This is how you get to this setting: 3 vertical dots in the upper right corner -> Settings -> Avanced -> Privacy and security -> Site Settings-> Cookies and site data -> block third-party cookies: off.
Linux - Client
In the Linux client, you cannot share individual windows, only the entire screen.
Windows client
In the Windows Client you can blur the background during an meeting: More options ... -> Blur my background.
The client starts automatically, after each Windows logon.
Mobile - Clients (iOS, Android)
There are some minor restrictions in the mobile phone clients that would go beyond the scope of this article. If we notice significant differences, we will share them here.
