In the current climate, video conferencing is proving to be a real game-changer and the lockdown has forced us to invest our time and effort into video systems in order to accommodate our entire workforce and service our clients.

With Microsoft Teams being the current platform of choice for Uckfield based accountants, Simmons Gainsford, they have put together a few hints and tips to make using it that little bit easier.

How to see more faces during video calls

You can now see more people in video calls (increased from 4 to 9) making team catch-ups more involved and enjoyable. If it’s not working, try updating Microsoft Teams manually by clicking on your profile picture > Check for Updates

How to multitask with chat windows

Now you can have more than one chat window open at a time. Click on a Chat > right click > choose Pop out chat

How to contact someone quickly

Simply use the search bar at the top of Teams. All commands start with a forward slash. Try typing a forward slash to view them all.

How to ensure your phone or tablet is connected

If your mobile device won’t ring when someone calls you on Teams:
iPhone and iPad
Open up Teams > Go to Settings > Click on Sign Out > Sign back in again
Android
Open up Teams > Go to Settings > Sign Out and uninstall the app > Reinstall the app and sign back in again

How to schedule a Teams meeting in Outlook

You can create a Teams meeting straight from your Outlook calendar. Open Outlook > Go to the Calendar > Click New Teams Meeting

How to open a file in a separate window

To open a file outside Teams so you have them side by side, go to the team Files tab > Click on the 3 dots and then “Open in Sharepoint”

How to grab someone’s attention

Just use the @ symbol to force a notification. For example: @John Doe please respond! You can also use @ to notify a whole channel. For example: @General please respond everyone!

How to send an important announcement

Type your message > Click the A symbol beneath the text box > Click the “New Conversation” drop down and choose “Announcement”

How to send an urgent message

Type your message > Click the A symbol beneath the text box > Click the ! symbol

How to set quiet hours for mobile device notifications

Open the Teams mobile app > Tap the menu in the top left > Choose Notifications > Quiet Hours > You can then specify what time and which days to suppress notifications

Should you wish to discuss the financial needs of your business further, we here at Simmons Gainsford are here for you. Please use the following contact details: mail@sgllp.co.uk / 01825 746 888