There are hundreds of apps that make it easier and simpler for Microsoft Teams users to collaborate with colleagues ‘without leaving Teams’. Just add it as a tab at the top of your Teams channel or group chat. There are several Teams apps for different purposes. There are Microsoft apps, but there are also many third-party apps that integrate popular services within Teams.
ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
How to find and add Teams apps
Click the ‘+’ icon (‘Add tab’) to the right of the tabs at the top of the channel or chat. When the panel opens, you’ll see several recommended apps. If there’s an app you’d like to add, click its icon. You can also type the name of the app you want into the “Search apps” box. You can also click “See All” or “Get More Apps” in the lower-right corner of the panel to browse the apps you want to add.
Selecting an app brings up a panel providing information about the app. To add an app, click the ‘Add’ button. For example, when you add a Microsoft OneNote tab, you’re prompted to create and name a new notebook or use an existing one. After completing the settings, click the ‘Save’ button at the bottom right. The app is added as a tab to your channel or chat.
You can check out the app by clicking the “Add tab” icon in any Teams channel or chat. ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
Another way to find and add apps is to click the “Apps” icon in the left navigation bar of Teams. The window that appears when you tap the icon shows a variety of popular apps, with app categories on the left. The steps for selecting an app, viewing the About panel, and clicking Add are the same as above, but you must select a channel or chat to add the app to. Please note that not all apps can be installed. Some companies may place restrictions on the apps users can install. Also, some apps require specific licenses or subscriptions to third-party services.
ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
To delete the app, simply do the following: Click the + icon at the top of the channel or chat. When the panel opens, select “Manage apps” in the lower left corner. This will open a page listing apps that have been added to this channel or chat. Just tap the trash can icon next to the app you want to remove. Alternatively, click the three-dot icon (“Show more added apps”) in the left navigation bar. When the panel opens, right-click the icon of the app you want to remove and select Uninstall. All tabs from that app will be removed from the chat or channel.
You can easily remove the app from your Teams channel or chat. ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
Now let’s look at the app.
Document collaboration app
The app helps users and colleagues collaborate on different types of documents in Teams.
• Documents, spreadsheets and presentations : Word, Excel, PowerPointis built into Teams, but it’s listed as an app you can add to a chat or channel. When installed, a tab-shaped instance is created, and documents are displayed inside.
For example, installing the PowerPoint app opens a panel where you can select a PowerPoint file stored in OneDrive of your Microsoft 365 account. A tab-type PowerPoint instance is created with the PowerPoint file selected in the channel or chat open. Users and colleagues in that channel or chat can collaborate outside of Teams, just like they would when using PowerPoint.
Collaborating on a PowerPoint presentation in Teams ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
If the document you want is stored on your PC, you must first upload it. Click the ‘Files’ tab of the channel, then select ‘Upload’. Or click the Files icon in the navigation bar on the left side of Teams. When the page opens, click ‘Upload’ at the top. After uploading your document, follow the steps above to add it as a tab to your channel or chat.
Click Upload to upload the file from your PC to Teams. ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
You can also create new Word, Excel or PowerPoint documents in Teams. However, creating a document does not automatically create a document tab. To create a new document, click the ‘File’ tab in a channel or chat, then select the ‘New’ button. This allows you to create a document and then follow the steps above to add it as a tab to a channel or chat.
• PDF : Adobe Acrobatclass Foxit PDF Editor Cloudallows you to create, collaborate, and edit PDFs from within the Teams tab with multiple team members. Foxit Team plans start at $129 per user per year (with a 7-day free trial). Adobe apps are free to use. However, advanced features like deleting and reordering pages and adding password protection cost money (Adobe Acrobat Business plans start at $180 per user per year).
Adobe Acrobat Tabs in Teams ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
Content management app
The app supports managing documents, media assets, and other content in Teams. If you and your colleagues are collaborating on creative content using Adobe’s suite of tools (Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.), Teams allows everyone to work together on illustrations or other images. Adobe Creative Cloud appsIt is recommended to install
You can manage Creative Cloud assets within Teams. ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint play a big role in content management in Teams. When you upload a file to a channel or chat, OneDrive and Sharepoint are where the file is stored. There are not many third-party cloud storage solutions installed in Teams. Boxis most worth considering. This is because it is a business service that has been around for about 20 years. It comes with a free plan with 10GB of storage. Paid team plans start at $5 per user per year.
note taking app
The app allows users to create and collaborate on notes and journals in Teams with colleagues. In notes, you can write text, create checklists, draw diagrams, insert photos and videos, and save data. Journals are a great way to gather and store materials and information for group projects.
Microsoft’s OneNote offers a convenient digital notebook. ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
Microsoft OneNote app for Teams (Microsoft OneNote)It is pre-installed. As with the Excel, PowerPoint, and Word apps, select a file stored in your Microsoft 365 account (the Journal file). You can select an entire notebook, a section within a journal, or a page within a section and add it as a tabbed instance of OneNote that multiple colleagues can collaborate on or view.
can be used as an alternative Evernoteis one of the consistently popular note-taking apps. The Evernote web app is free to use, and additional features require a fee (paid plans start at $130 per year). The Teams version is paid, but comes with a one-month free trial.
Whiteboard Collaboration App
The app helps users brainstorm and develop ideas in Teams with colleagues. Unlike physical whiteboards, digital whiteboards are preserved indefinitely, so you can continue to refer to them over time and keep adding to them. Thus, the digital whiteboard becomes a so-called evolving document rather than a one-off brainstorming tool.
built-in Microsoft Whiteboard Appintegrates nicely with Teams (click the ‘+’ icon, then search for ‘Microsoft Whiteboard’ and install it in the tab). Especially useful is the ability to share tabbed whiteboards during Teams meetings or one-on-one calls. Meeting participants can collaborate on the whiteboard in real time, and later return to that tab in Teams to see all changes made during the meeting.
Microsoft Whiteboard provides a permanent digital whiteboard that can be accessed over time as well as added to. ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
If Microsoft’s offerings feel limited (although it’s a fairly basic whiteboarding tool), there are plenty of alternatives. Figma, Miro, Muralis a trio of popular whiteboarding apps for Teams. Each app is free to use and requires a paid plan to unlock more features.
project management app
This Teams app supports seamless project management. As with the whiteboard, there are many options. maybe Asana, monday.com, Trello, Wrike It is better to use well-known and well-rated apps such as Using these four apps, you can streamline your workflow as you can create and manage projects, assign and track tasks, share project information, and visualize projects within Teams.
Using the Like app in Teams to track and manage team projects ⓒHoward Wen / IDG
Each app has its pros and cons, but which app you ultimately choose may depend on the project management tools your business already uses. Fortunately, all four apps have a free plan.
If you don’t already have a project planning app you already love, here’s one from Microsoft. Tasks by Planner and To DoIt is also good to try writing . This simple tool helps visualize project progress by providing task lists and charts.
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