Access Team Files during conference call

[GerardTromp]

I have been trying to access documents stored under a Team's Files tab during a conference call. There does not appear to be any facility to show, for example, an agenda stored under the Files tab during a conference call. I have also not found anything in the Teams documentation on how to do this.

Has anyone figured out how to do this, or is it not possible?

If it is not possible, what is the point of storing things in the Files tab that one cannot refer to during a conference call?

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Hi @GerardTromp - are you using the free version of Teams or as part of Office 365? I can speak to the paid version:

• While on your conference call, you should still be able to click on the Teams icon in the left pane, navigate to your Team and then click on Files
• If you have joined via the desktop app, you could also log into Teams in your browser and access everything
• You can sync the files from your Team so you can access all files via your File Explorer regardless of being on a call.

Hope that helps!

[#3]

Hi @Kelly_Edinger,

I was in the desktop application and the left sidebar was greyed out and unresponsive (in the paid-for institutional Teams). Hence my question.

I find it odd that I would have to open a browser version to be able to achieve what I should be able to do in the application itself. Why not allow another window (if necessary disable another teleconference in the second window). Better yet allow one to simply access the files.

Anyway, thanks for the tip and yes I recognize the workaround, and notice that the web version does not grey out the waffle and side-bar.

I will check again tomorrow on another meeting to see if it was a feature of the desktop application or a bug.

[#4]

Hi @GerardTromp - that should just be a bug. Even though the icons appear grayed out, you should still be able to click on them to navigate around Teams even while in a call. Hope it gets resolved for you quickly!

[#5]

I have a related question. I can get to the Teams files, but I cannot share it during the videoconference without first downloading it to my computer and then sharing the screen. Is there a way of opening a file within Teams and then sharing it on the screen with the other participants on the videoconference?

[#6]

Hi @YKHAYKIN - when you click on the Files tab and then click on the document, it should display in Teams and you can share your desktop. Is the file stored in a Team already? or in your OneDrive or..?

[#7]

If I open the file in Teams, Teams does not let me share the screen with the file open. I have to download it and open it in one of the office app, eg excel, to be able to share the screen. It does not make a lot of sense from workflow perspective. I would love to have the file in Teams, open it within teams and then share the screen with the file open without having to download the file first

[#8]

@YKHAYKIN - when you're sharing your screen, are you sharing your desktop or a window? If it's your desktop, you should be able to navigate to and share anything, even a remote desktop session. Having to download first is not expected behavior. You may want to consider a help desk ticket w/MSFT.

[#9]

Thank you. Will file a ticket. Trying to Share does not give me the option of sharing the remote desktop session at this time.

[#10]

@Kelly_Edinger do you know if I can have access to file shared before I have been invited to the meeting? If it's a recurring meeting activated before my invitation and it has files shared before my invitation I'm not able to view them. Is there something to configure at meeting level?

Thanks and best regards,

Nicola

[#11]

Hi @nipac - this is the first I'm hearing about this difference in invite & sharing timing - however, sounds more like a sharing setting than a meetings setting. Those sharing a file should take the steps to share with you - either from their OneDrive or SharePoint Site.

[#12]

@Kelly_Edinger if someone shares with me the file with a direct link I can access to it, but I'm not able to see the same file on the File menu item placed under the meeting details, beside the Chat item.

[#13]

Hi @nipac - for the file to show up under the meeting's File tab, the sharer needs to add it to that tab or use the attach file option in the meeting chat

[#14]

@Kelly_Edinger yes, that's right. The point is the following:

- sharer uploads the file in the recurring meeting on the 2nd January 2021

- I join the company on the 4th January 2021 and have been added to the recurring meeting on the 7th

- I join the meeting first time on the 11th but under the File tab I'm able to see just files uploaded after the 7th Jan.

[#15]

ah, ok, thank you for spelling that one out @nipac - the person who uploaded the file will need to adjust the permissions on the file. it most likely is sitting on their OneDrive and they'll be able to add your permissions from there. 

[#16]

@Kelly_Edinger yep, that has been done and in fact I'm able to access the file properly 

just I'm still not viewing it under the File tab