Microsoft Teams: What You Need to Know
We are excited for the arrival of Microsoft Teams on Oct. 4, 2023.
In case you missed our announcement, please click here for a good introduction.
Today let’s take a few minutes to learn more about this system-wide project.
What Is Microsoft Teams?
When you hear the word Teams, some of you will immediately think of the legacy Team sites used on CookNet. Think of it like this: It’s the hub where Cook Children’s collaborates to get work done. In some ways Microsoft Teams is similar to Skype and Zoom calls, chats, and meetings. But it offers so much more, and all together in one central place.
Look at some of the features you’ll find with Microsoft Teams Meetings:
- Different viewing modes.
- Breakout rooms and text chat.
- Users can share their screen during presentations, making it easier to follow along.
- Meetings can be recorded.
- Live captions and transcription.
- The connection with OneDrive and SharePoint allows for easy and intuitive file-sharing.
You also will have the latest in video conference security so you will know your work conversations are safe, secure and private.
Some Key Points:
- Teams will only be available on your Cook Children's owned computer for now. This means you can chat, have group chats, meetings, voice and video calls, share files, and work together with others on your computer. If you need a new workspace or channels, you can request them easily.
- Don't worry, Skype isn't immediately going away, but we think you should start using Teams now to get used to it and to take advantage of all that it has to offer you.
What's Next:
- It's important to know this is only the beginning.
- Some users may not be able to join anonymously, but we'll make sure dial-in users and guest users can still join.
- With that in mind, please know that Teams meetings sent to users outside of the Cook Children's organization will be limited to dial-in access only at this this time.
Ready to Log On?
If all this sounds great and you are ready to get started, let’s talk about logging on.
When you log in to Microsoft Teams for the first time, you will need to use your Cook Children's email address.
To ensure this is a smooth transition for you, we've got a special Microsoft 365 Information Site, where you can find frequent progress updates on this project. We've also prepared some handy resources, like Quick Start Guides, self-paced training, and frequently asked questions (FAQs). Just click here for more information on M365 and Microsoft Teams.
The Training Team has been working hard to make sure you have everything you need to make the transition effortlessly. Click here for a link to a training calendar where you can sign up for virtual and in-person training sessions, so you feel completely comfortable with the changes. We're in this together!
Remember to keep an eye out for updates on CookNet and our Connect newsletter. We'll keep you in the loop with all the latest news.
We hope you are ready for these new tools, and we look forward to enabling you to make the most out of these improved Microsoft applications!
Thank you for all of your hard work. We hope these changes make your work life easier.
If you have any questions regarding this message, please contact the Service Desk at 682-885-7999 or send an email to: