This guide provides comprehensive instructions for using the collaboration and calling features within the Microsoft Teams desktop application.

Teams & Channels

A Team is a collection of people, content, and tools surrounding a specific project or group. Each Team is made up of Channels, which are dedicated sections to organize conversations by specific topics, projects, or departments.

• Pick a Team and Channel: On the left-hand navigation bar, click Teams to see a list of teams you're a member of. Click on a team to expand it and see its channels. Select a channel to view the conversations and files within it.
• Manage your Team: As a team owner, you can click the three dots (...) next to a team name to add or remove members, create new channels, or get a link to the team.

Chat & Collaboration

Starting Conversations

• In a Channel: Click on a channel and use the "Start a new conversation" box at the bottom. To get someone's attention, use an @mention (e.g., @username, @channel, or @team).
• Private Chat: Click the New chat icon at the top of the app, or go to the Chat tab on the left. Type the name of the person or group you want to message.

Collaborating in Chat

• Reply to a thread: Keep channel conversations organized by using the Reply link under a message to stay within that specific conversation thread.
• Add personality: Use the icons below the compose box to add emojis, GIFs, and stickers to your messages.
• Share Files: Click the Attach (paperclip) icon to share files from your computer or cloud storage like OneDrive. Files shared in a channel are stored in the channel's Files tab.

Making & Receiving Calls

Initiating a Call

• From Contacts: Hover over a contact's profile and click the video or audio call icon.
• From Chat: In an active chat, click the video or audio call icons in the top-right corner.
• Using the Dial Pad: Go to Calls, enter a name or 10-digit number, and click Call.

Answering or Declining a Call

A notification will appear on your screen for incoming calls. Click the purple phone icon to answer or the red phone icon to decline.

Ending a Call

Click the red Leave button in the call controls to hang up.

In-Call Management

While in a call, a control bar provides access to several features.

Hold, Transfer, and Merge

• Hold: Click the Hold button. Click Resume to retrieve the call.
• Transfer: Click Transfer. Choose Transfer (blind) or Consult then transfer (announced).
• Merge Calls: If you have an active call and another on hold, click More actions (...) > Merge Calls.

Call Parking

Place a call on hold in the cloud and retrieve it from any Teams device.

• To Park: Click More actions (...) > Park Call. Teams provides a unique retrieval code.
• To Retrieve: Go to Calls > Parked calls, enter the code, and click Pick up.

Call Recording and Transcription

For 1-to-1 calls, you can record the call and generate a live transcript.

• To Start: During a call, click More actions (...) > Record and transcribe > Start recording. All parties will be notified that the recording has begun.
• To Access: The recording and transcript will be available in the chat details for that call after it has ended.

Meetings

Instantly start a meeting within any channel or chat.

• Meet Now: In a channel, click the Meet button in the top right, or in a new conversation, click the camera icon. Give your meeting a subject and click Meet now to begin.

Voicemail

Configuring Your Voicemail

To set up your voicemail, go to Settings > Calls and find the Manage voicemail section.

• Record a Greeting: Click Record a greeting to record a custom message. You can also opt for a text-to-speech greeting by typing in the message you want Teams to read.
• Set Call Answer Rules: Choose what happens when a call is redirected to your voicemail. Options include:
  • Let the caller record a message.
  • Let the caller record a message OR be transferred to someone else.
  • Play your greeting and then end the call.
  • End the call without playing a greeting.
  • Transfer the call to someone else.
• Out-of-Office Greeting: You can set up a specific out-of-office greeting that plays only when your Outlook automatic replies are turned on.

Listening to and Managing Voicemail

• In Teams: Navigate to the Calls tab and select Voicemail. Click on any message to play it, view its transcript, and see caller details. From the More actions (...) menu, you can call back, delete, or mark the message as read.
• In Outlook: A copy of every voicemail, including the audio file and transcript, will be sent to your email inbox.

Managing Contacts

• Add a Contact: Go to Calls > Contacts and click Add contact.
• Create Groups: Organize contacts by selecting a contact, clicking More actions (...), and adding them to a new or existing contact group.

Call Settings & Rules

Access your call settings via (...) > Settings > Calls.

• Call Answering Rules: Set up call forwarding or simultaneous ringing to another person, a call group, or your delegates. See the Voicemail section for more options.
• Call Groups & Delegation: Configure groups to answer calls on your behalf or assign delegates with permissions to manage your calls.

Blocking Unwanted Calls

• To Block: From your Call History, click More actions (...) on an external number and select Block.
• To Manage: Go to Settings > Privacy and click Edit blocked contacts to view or unblock numbers.