Microsoft Teams is Microsoft's collaboration platform, combining persistent chat, video and audio meetings, file sharing and integration with other apps in one place. Built into Microsoft 365, Teams has become the primary day-to-day communication tool for many UK businesses, sitting alongside email rather than replacing it entirely.
How Microsoft Teams works
Teams is organised around teams and channels, with each channel providing a space for chat, file sharing and meetings related to a specific topic, project or department. Files shared in a channel are stored automatically in a connected SharePoint site. Meetings can include internal staff and external guests, and Teams integrates with other Microsoft 365 apps, Dynamics 365 and many third-party tools through dedicated apps and tabs within the interface.
How UK businesses use Microsoft Teams
- A business replaces email for most internal day-to-day communication with Teams chat, reducing inbox clutter for routine questions and updates.
- A sales team uses a dedicated Teams channel to discuss live opportunities, with relevant Dynamics 365 records pinned as tabs for quick access during conversations.
- A hybrid working business runs all client meetings through Teams, allowing external participants to join through a browser link without installing any software.
- A finance team shares and co-edits month-end reports directly within a Teams channel, with changes automatically saved to the connected SharePoint library.
How Advantage helps businesses get the most from Microsoft Teams
Advantage configures Teams structure, security settings and integrations with Business Central and Dynamics 365 as part of Microsoft 365 deployments, and provides training to help teams use Teams effectively rather than letting it become another disorganised inbox.
Frequently asked questions
Is Microsoft Teams just for video calls?
No. Video and audio calling is one part of Teams, but it also includes persistent chat, file sharing and collaboration through connected SharePoint and OneDrive storage, and integration with other Microsoft 365 apps and third-party tools, making it a broader collaboration hub rather than only a meetings tool.
Can external people join a Microsoft Teams meeting without a Microsoft account?
Yes. External participants can join a Teams meeting through a link in a web browser without needing a Microsoft account or the Teams application installed, making it straightforward to include clients, suppliers or candidates in a meeting.
Does Microsoft Teams replace a business phone system?
Teams can replace a traditional phone system through Teams Phone, which adds calling plans or direct routing to allow Teams to handle inbound and outbound phone calls alongside its chat and meeting capabilities. This requires separate configuration and licensing beyond standard Teams.
