Chat, Calls, Calendar, and Meet in Microsoft Teams

Chat

• Managing Chats
• Pin Important Chats
• Add People to an Existing Chat
• Open Chat in a New Window

Calls

• View Call History
• Manage Voicemail
• Access and Manage Contacts
• Make Calls

Calendar

• Accessing the Calendar
• Viewing Your Calendar
• Creating an Event or Meeting
• Using the Scheduling Assistant
• Joining a Meeting
• Responding to Meeting Invitations

Meet

• Schedule Meetings
• Join Meetings
• Meeting Details
• Invite Participants
• Instant Meetings

Recording Meetings in Microsoft Teams

• Recording a Meeting
• Stopping the Recording
• Accessing and Managing Recordings

Transcribing Meetings in Microsoft Teams

• Starting Transcription
• Stopping Transcription
• Accessing and Managing Transcripts
• Permissions and Access Control
• Important Considerations

Additional Links

Chat

The Chat section in Microsoft Teams allows you to send and receive instant messages with individuals or groups within your organization. You can view recent conversations, start new chats, search for specific messages, share files, and enhance your messages with emojis, GIFs, and stickers.​

Managing Chats

• View Recent Conversations:

  • Click on the Chat icon in the left-hand navigation menu.​

  • Scroll through the list to view your recent chats.​

• Start a New Chat:

  • Click on the New Chat icon (pen and paper) at the top of the chat list.​

  • In the To field, enter the names of the individuals you want to include.​

  • Type your message in the compose box and press Enter to send.​

• Search for a Specific Message:

  • Click on the Search bar at the top of the Teams window.​

  • Type your query to search for specific messages or contacts.​

  • Use filters to narrow down search results if needed.​

• Share a File in a Chat:

  • In the chat compose box, click on the Attach icon (paperclip).​

  • Select the file location and choose the file you want to share.​

  • Decide whether to upload a copy or share a link to the file.​

• Use Emojis, GIFs, and Stickers:

  • Below the compose box, select the corresponding icon for emojis, GIFs, or stickers.​

  • Choose and insert your desired emoji, GIF, or sticker into your message.​

Pin Important Chats

• Pin a Chat:

  • Hover over the chat you want to pin in the chat list.​

  • Click on the More options icon (three dots).​

  • Select Pin. The chat will move to the Pinned section at the top of your chat list.​

• Unpin a Chat:

  • In the Pinned section, hover over the chat you want to unpin.​

  • Click on the More options icon.​

  • Select Unpin to move the chat back to the regular chat list.​

Add People to an Existing Chat

• Add Participants:

  • Open the chat to which you want to add participants.​

  • At the top right corner of the chat window, click on the Add people icon (person with a plus sign).​

  • Enter the names or email addresses of the individuals you want to add.​

  • Choose whether to include chat history for the new participants.​

  • Click Add to include them in the chat.​

Open Chat in a New Window

• Pop Out a Chat:

  • Open the chat you want to view in a separate window.​

  • Click on the Pop out chat icon (square with an arrow) located at the top right corner of the chat window.​

  • The chat will open in a new, separate window, allowing you to multitask more effectively.​

Calls

1. Calls: The Calls section in Microsoft Teams allows you to make and receive audio and video calls directly within the Teams interface. In the Calls section, you can view your call history, manage your voicemail, and access your contacts and speed dial. You can also make calls to other Teams users.
2. Make Calls: The "Make Calls" window pane allows you to dial and initiate phone calls directly from the app.
3. Call History: The Call History section provides a record of your recent calls, including missed, received, and made calls, enabling you to review and follow up on your call activities.
4. Speed Dial Pane: The Speed Dial window provides quick access to frequently contacted individuals or groups, allowing you to call them with a single click.
5. Add People to Speed Dial: The "Add People to Speed Dial" function enables you to easily add contacts to your Speed Dial list for quicker access to call them.
6. View Contacts: The "View Contacts" button displays your list of contacts, making it easy to browse and manage the individuals you communicate with.

View Call History

1. Navigate to Calls Tab: Look for the "Calls" icon on the left-hand side of the Teams interface and click on it. This icon is represented by a telephone handset.
2. Access Call History: Within the Calls tab, you should see several options or sections like "Speed dial", "Contacts", "History", and "Voicemail". Click on the "History" section. This is where your call logs are stored.
3. Browse Call Logs: In the History section, you'll find a list of your recent calls, including missed calls, outgoing calls, and received calls. Each entry will show the name or number of the caller, the direction of the call (incoming or outgoing), and the time and date of the call.
4. View Call Details: To view more information about a specific call, click on the entry. 
5. Call Back or Chat: From the call history, you can also quickly call someone back or initiate a chat. Hover over the call entry, and you should see icons for calling back or starting a chat with the contact.
6. Search for a Specific Call: If you're looking for a specific call, you may use the search function within the History tab to type in the name or number of the contact. This can help you quickly locate specific calls in a long list.

Manage Voicemail

1. Navigate to Calls Tab: Click on the "Calls" icon located on the left-hand side menu of the Teams interface. 
2. Select Voicemail: Within the Calls tab, you will see different sections like "Speed dial", "Contacts", "History", and "Voicemail". Click on the "Voicemail" section to access your voicemail messages.
3. Browse Voicemails: In the Voicemail section, you’ll find a list of your voicemail messages. Each entry will include the caller's name or number, the date and time of the message, and possibly a transcription of the message if this feature is enabled and supported.
4. Play a Voicemail: To listen to a voicemail, click on the play button associated with the specific message you want to hear. Make sure your speakers or headset are enabled and set to an appropriate volume.
5. Read Transcription (if available): If a transcription of the voicemail is available, it will be displayed alongside the voicemail entry. This allows you to quickly read the message without having to listen to it.
6. Call Back or Chat: If you want to respond to a voicemail, you can easily call the person back or start a chat with them directly from the voicemail entry. Look for the callback or chat icons next to the voicemail message.
7. Delete Voicemail: If you wish to delete a voicemail, hover over the message, and look for the delete option (often represented by a trash can icon). Click on it to remove the voicemail from your list.
8. Manage Voicemail Settings: For additional voicemail options, such as greetings or notifications, look for a settings or gear icon in the Voicemail section. Here, you can customize your voicemail settings according to your preferences.

Access and Manage Contacts

1. Navigate to the Calls Tab: Click on the "Calls" icon on the left-hand side menu of the Teams interface. 
2. Select Contacts: Within the Calls tab, you'll see different sections such as "Speed dial", "Contacts", "History", and "Voicemail". Click on the "Contacts" section to view your list of contacts.
3. Browse Your Contacts: In the Contacts section, your contacts will be listed, often alphabetically. You can scroll through the list to find the person you're looking for.
4. Search for a Contact: If you have many contacts, you can use the search function to quickly find a specific person. Type the name of the contact in the search bar at the top of the Contacts section.
5. View Contact Details: Click on a contact's name to view their details, such as their phone number, email address, and availability status. This information helps you decide the best way to reach out.
6. Initiate Communication: From a contact's detail view, you have several options for communication:
   • Call: To call the contact via Teams, click the telephone icon.
   • Chat: To send a message, click the chat icon. This will open a chat window with the contact.
   • Email: If their email address is displayed, you can click on it to open your default email client and compose a message.
7. Add or Edit Contacts: To add a new contact, look for an "Add contact" button or icon, usually located near the top of the Contacts section. If you need to edit or remove a contact, hover over the contact's entry to reveal options such as "Edit" or "Delete".

Make Calls

1. Navigate to the Calls Tab: Click on the "Calls" icon located on the left-hand side menu of the Teams interface. 
2. Use the Dial Pad or Search for a Contact:
   • Dial Pad: If you know the phone number you wish to call, you can use the dial pad directly. Click on the dial pad icon (if not already visible) and enter the number. Then, press the call button (often represented by a phone icon) to initiate the call.
   • Search for a Contact: If you prefer to call a contact from your list, type the name of the person in the search bar at the top of the Calls tab. As you type, suggestions will appear below. Click on the name of the person you wish to call from the suggestions.
3. Select the Call Type: Once you've chosen a contact, you have the option to make different types of calls, depending on the available icons next to the contact's name:
   • Audio Call: Click the telephone icon to start a standard voice call.
   • Video Call: Click the video camera icon if you prefer a video call.
4. During the Call:
   • Mute/Unmute: Click the microphone icon to mute or unmute your microphone during the call.
   • Turn Video On/Off: Click the video camera icon to turn your camera on or off.
   • Share Screen: If you need to share your screen during the call, click the screen sharing icon (often depicted as a rectangle or monitor).
   • More Actions: Look for a “More actions” icon (often three dots or an ellipsis) for additional options like hold, transfer, or device settings.
5. End the Call: To finish the call, click the hang-up button (usually a red telephone icon).
6. View Call History: After the call, you can view the call history in the "History" section of the Calls tab to see details or to quickly call back if necessary.

Calendar

Accessing the Calendar

1. Open Microsoft Teams: Launch the Microsoft Teams application on your device.​ 

2. Navigate to the Calendar: Click on the Calendar icon located in the left-hand navigation menu. This section allows you to view and manage your schedule seamlessly.​

Viewing Your Calendar

• Select View Mode: At the top-right corner of the Calendar window, choose between Day, Work Week, or Weekviews to display your calendar according to your preference.​

• Navigate Dates: Use the left and right arrows adjacent to the view options to move between different dates.​

Creating an Event or Meeting

1. Initiate a New Meeting:

   • Click on the New Meeting button at the top-right corner of the Calendar view.​

2. Enter Meeting Details:

   • Title: Provide a descriptive name for your meeting.​

   • Attendees: Enter the names or email addresses of the individuals you wish to invite. As you type, Teams will suggest contacts.​

   • Date and Time: Set the start and end times for your meeting.​

   • Recurrence: To make the meeting recurring, select the recurrence option and specify the frequency.​

   • Location: Specify a physical location or leave it blank for a virtual meeting.​

   • Details: Add any additional information, such as the agenda or relevant documents.​

3. Add a Channel (Optional):

   • To make the meeting accessible to all members of a specific channel, use the Add channel option.​

4. Set Meeting Options:

   • Before sending the invitation, configure settings like who can bypass the lobby or who has presenter rights by clicking on the Meeting options link.​

5. Attach Files (New Feature):

   • Teams now supports adding attachments directly to the meeting invite, allowing participants to access relevant documents beforehand.​

6. Send Invitation:

   • Once all details are filled in, click the Save button to send the invitation. The meeting will appear in your calendar and the calendars of the invitees.​

Using the Scheduling Assistant

The Scheduling Assistant helps find a time that works for all attendees:​

1. Access Scheduling Assistant:

   • While creating a new meeting, click on the Scheduling Assistant tab.​

2. View Attendee Availability:

   • The assistant displays a timeline showing the availability of all invitees.​

3. Select an Optimal Time:

   • Identify a time slot where all required attendees are available.​

4. Room Finder Integration:

   • If you need to book a physical meeting room, use the integrated Room Finder to select an appropriate space based on availability, capacity, and features. ​

Joining a Meeting

1. Locate the Meeting:

   • In the Calendar, find the scheduled meeting you wish to join.​

2. Join the Meeting:

   • Click the Join button on the meeting entry.​

3. Configure Settings Before Joining:

   • Camera and Microphone: Toggle your video and audio settings as desired.​

   • Background Effects: Choose to blur your background or select a virtual background.​

4. Enter the Meeting:

   • Click Join now to enter the meeting.​

Responding to Meeting Invitations

• When you receive a meeting invitation, it will appear in your Calendar. Click on the meeting to respond with Accept, Tentative, or Decline. You can also add a message to your response if needed.​

Meet

The "Meet" section in Microsoft Teams allows you to schedule, join, and manage meetings efficiently. You can schedule new meetings, view upcoming ones, join meetings directly, view meeting details, invite participants, and start instant meetings.​

Key Features:

1. Up Next: Displays your next scheduled meeting.​

2. Recent: Provides access to recent meetings with filters for all content and recorded meetings.​

3. Join Meeting Options: Includes options to join a meeting with an ID, start an instant meeting with "Meet now," and create a new meeting.​

4. Open My Calendar: Navigates to your full calendar schedule.​

5. Filter: A keyword search box to quickly find meetings.​

Teams Meet interface with numbered highlights:

1. Meet tab selected in the left-hand side menu.​

2. 'Up Next' section showing the next scheduled meeting.​

3. 'Recent' tab selected with filters for all content and recorded meetings.​

4. 'Join with an ID' button at the top for entering a meeting ID.​

5. 'Open My Calendar' button to view the full meeting schedule.​

6. 'Filter by keyword' search box to quickly find meetings.​

Schedule Meetings

1. Navigate to the Meet Tab: On the left-hand side of the Teams interface, click on the "Meet" tab.​

2. Schedule a New Meeting: At the top right corner of the Meet view, click on "New meeting."​

3. Fill in the Meeting Details:

   • Title: Enter a descriptive name for your meeting.​

   • Attendees: Type the names or email addresses of the people you want to invite. Teams will suggest contacts as you type.​

   • Date and Time: Select the start and end times for your meeting. You can also make it a recurring event by choosing the recurrence option.​

   • Location: Specify a physical location or use the default Teams meeting link for virtual meetings.​

   • Details: Add any agenda, instructions, or information attendees need to know.​

4. Add Channels (Optional): If scheduling the meeting within a specific team or channel, add that under the "Add channel" option so all members can see and join the meeting.​

5. Check Scheduling Assistant: To avoid conflicts, use the "Scheduling Assistant" feature to see when attendees are available.​

6. Set Meeting Options: Configure settings like who can bypass the lobby or who has presenter rights by clicking on "Meeting options."​

7. Send the Invitation: After filling out all details and adjusting settings, click "Send" to invite the attendees. The meeting will then appear in your calendar and the calendars of those invited.​

8. Edit or Cancel the Meeting: To make changes or cancel the meeting after creating it, find it in your calendar, click on it, and choose the appropriate option to edit or cancel.​

Join Meetings

1. Access the Meet Tab: Click on the "Meet" tab to view your upcoming meetings.​

2. Find the Meeting: Locate the meeting you want to join.​

3. Join the Meeting:

   • Join Button: For meetings starting soon, click the "Join" button directly on the meeting entry.​

   • Meeting Details: For future meetings, click on the meeting entry to open its details and then click "Join."​

4. Configure Your Settings Before Joining:

   • Camera and Microphone: Toggle your camera and microphone on or off as preferred.​

   • Background Effects: Choose to blur your background or select a virtual background by clicking on the background effects option.​

5. Join Now: Once settings are configured, click "Join now" to enter the meeting.​

6. Meeting Lobby: Depending on meeting settings, you might be placed in a lobby. The organizer will admit you into the meeting.​

7. Participate in the Meeting: Use the toolbar to mute/unmute your microphone, turn your video on/off, share your screen, view participants, and more.​

8. Leave the Meeting: To exit, click on the "Hang up" button (represented by a red telephone icon) in the meeting toolbar.​

Meeting Details

To view the details of a meeting, click on the meeting in the Meet window and select "View details." Here, you can see the meeting title, location, time, notes, and attendees. You can also edit or cancel the meeting or chat with the attendees.​

Invite Participants

To invite participants to a meeting, click on the meeting in the Meet window and select "Invite participants." Type the names or email addresses of the people you want to invite in the "Invite someone" box. You can also use the "Suggested contacts" tab to access your frequently invited contacts.​

Instant Meetings

To start an instant meeting, click on the "Meet now" button at the top of the Meet window. Add a title and choose your audio and video preferences, then select "Join now." You can invite participants by clicking on the "Show participants" button and selecting "Invite someone."​

Recording Meetings in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams offers robust features for recording and transcribing meetings, enhancing accessibility and providing comprehensive records for future reference. Below are detailed instructions on how to utilize these features.​

Recording a Meeting

1. Start or Join a Meeting: Begin by initiating or joining a Teams meeting.​

2. Access Recording Options: In the meeting controls, select More actions (represented by three dots).​

3. Start Recording: Click on Record and transcribe, then select Start recording. All participants will be notified that the recording has begun.​

Stopping the Recording

1. Access Recording Options Again: In the meeting controls, select More actions.​

2. Stop Recording: Choose Record and transcribe, then select Stop recording to end both the recording and any active transcription. Alternatively, choose Stop transcription to halt the transcription while continuing the recording.​

Accessing and Managing Recordings

• Storage Location: Recordings are automatically saved to the meeting organizer's OneDrive for Business. For channel meetings, recordings are stored in the channel's Files tab.​

• Playback: Navigate to the meeting chat or channel conversation to find the recording. Click on the recording to play it directly within Teams.​

• Sharing: To share a recording, hover over the file, click on the ellipsis (...), and select Share. Adjust permissions as needed before sending the link.​

Transcribing Meetings in Microsoft Teams

Starting Transcription

1. Start Transcription: During an ongoing meeting, select More actions in the meeting controls. Choose Record and transcribe, then click on Start transcription.​

2. Live Transcription: Once started, the transcription will appear in real-time on the right side of the meeting window. Participants will see a notification that transcription has begun.​

Stopping Transcription

• To stop transcription, go to More actions > Record and transcribe, and select Stop transcription.​

Accessing and Managing Transcripts

• Viewing Transcripts: After the meeting, the transcript is available in the meeting chat. Click on the transcript to view it in full.​

• Editing Transcripts: To edit the transcript, open it from the meeting chat. Select Edit to make necessary changes.​

• Downloading Transcripts: Within the transcript view, click on Download to save a copy for offline reference.​

Permissions and Access Control

• Who Can Record and Transcribe: By default, meeting organizers and co-organizers have the ability to start and stop recordings and transcriptions. Organizers can adjust these permissions to include presenters.​

• Managing Access: Organizers can customize who has access to the recordings and transcripts by selecting Meeting options > Recording & transcription, and choosing the appropriate settings.​

Important Considerations

• Notifications: All participants are notified when a recording or transcription starts, ensuring transparency.​

• Storage Duration: Recordings and transcripts are subject to your organization's retention policies. Check with your IT administrator for specific details.​

• Language Support: Teams supports transcription in multiple languages. Ensure the correct language is selected to improve accuracy.​

By integrating recording and transcription features into your meetings, Microsoft Teams enhances accessibility, facilitates accurate record-keeping, and supports effective collaboration.​

Additional Links

Microsoft Teams Help & Learning

Start here with the first things to know about the essential Microsoft Teams features. High level step by step for chat, teams, etc

Get started with Microsoft Teams

Get started micro videos for chat, teams, etc

Record a Meeting in Microsoft Teams

Record Teams meetings to reference later or share with others. Meeting recordings capture audio, video, and screen sharing activity, and can be shared securely across your organization.

Transcribe a Meeting in Microsoft Teams

During a Teams meeting, you can start live transcription to capture everything being said. The transcription appears in real time and includes each speaker's name and time stamp.

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