Town Hall Meeting vs Webinar: Understanding the Differences
In the world of virtual events, town hall meetings and webinars are two popular formats that serve distinct purposes. While both are effective for engaging audiences, they differ in their structure, features, and use cases. Understanding these differences can help you choose the right format for your needs. Let's explore the key distinctions between town hall meetings and webinars. Town Hall Meetings Purpose: Town hall meetings are designed for large-scale, interactive discussions. They are typically used for organizational updates, community engagement, and open forums where participants can ask questions and share feedback. Audience Interaction: Town hall meetings prioritize audience interaction. Attendees can use features like Q&A, chat, reactions, and hand raises to participate actively. This format fosters a sense of community and encourages open dialogue. Features: Interactive Tools: Q&A, chat, reactions, hand raises Large Audience Capacity: Can accommodate up to 10,000 participants, with Teams Premium allowing up to 50,0002 Green Room: A space for presenters to prepare before the event starts2 Real-Time Engagement: Attendees can interact directly with presenters and other participants2 Use Cases: Town hall meetings are ideal for company-wide updates, community forums, and events where active participation is crucial. They are often used by executives to communicate with employees or by organizations to engage with stakeholders. Webinars Purpose: Webinars are designed for structured presentations and educational sessions. They are typically used for training, product demonstrations, and informational sessions where the focus is on delivering content to the audience. Audience Interaction: Webinars offer limited audience interaction compared to town hall meetings. While attendees can ask questions through Q&A, the interaction is more controlled and less frequent. Features: Presentation Tools: Screen sharing, PowerPoint Live, video playback Moderated Q&A: Attendees can submit questions, which are moderated by the host Registration: Allows for pre-event registration and tracking Breakout Rooms: Available for smaller group discussions if the webinar has fewer than 300 participants Use Cases: Webinars are ideal for training sessions, product launches, and educational workshops. They are often used by marketers, educators, and trainers to deliver content to a large audience in a structured manner. Key Differences Interaction Level: Town hall meetings offer higher levels of interaction, making them suitable for discussions and feedback. Webinars focus on delivering content with controlled interaction. Audience Size: Both formats can accommodate large audiences, but town hall meetings can handle more participants with Teams Premium. Features: Town hall meetings include interactive tools like chat and reactions, while webinars focus on presentation tools and moderated Q&A. Use Cases: Town hall meetings are used for open forums and community engagement, whereas webinars are used for structured presentations and training sessions. Conclusion Choosing between a town hall meeting and a webinar depends on your event's goals and the level of interaction you need. Town hall meetings are perfect for engaging large audiences in interactive discussions, while webinars are ideal for delivering structured content to a focused audience. By understanding the differences, you can select the format that best suits your needs and ensures a successful virtual event. To learn more about hosting engaging and interactive webinars, please visit: Unlock the Power of Webinars with Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Community HubHow to Leverage Microsoft Teams for Remote Collaboration
Microsoft Teams is a powerful tool for remote collaboration, offering a wide range of features that can help teams stay connected, organized, and productive. Here are some tips and best practices to make the most of Microsoft Teams for remote collaboration. 1. Organize Your Teams and Channels Create Teams and Channels: Set up teams based on projects, departments, or functions. Within each team, create channels for specific topics or tasks to keep conversations organized. To learn more about creating a channel, please visit: Create a standard, private, or shared channel in Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Support Pin Important Channels: Pin frequently used channels to the top of your Teams pane for easy access. To learn more about pining posts, please visit: Show channel info in Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Support 2. Utilize Chat and Messaging Features Real-Time Communication: Use individual and group chats for quick, real-time communication. This helps reduce email clutter and speeds up decision-making1. Use @Mentions: Tag team members using @mentions to draw their attention to specific messages or tasks. To learn more about messaging features, please visit: Mastering Microsoft Teams Messaging: A Guide to Message Bar Features | Microsoft Community Hub 3. Leverage Video Conferencing Host Virtual Meetings: Schedule and host virtual meetings with up to 10,000 participants. Use features like screen sharing, recording, and background effects to enhance the meeting experience. Together Mode: Use Together Mode to create a more engaging and inclusive meeting environment by placing participants in a shared virtual space. To learn more about video conferencing and Together Mode in Teams, please visit: Video Conferencing Software | Microsoft Teams 4. Collaborate on Files File Sharing and Co-Authoring: Share files directly within Teams and collaborate in real-time. Use OneDrive and SharePoint integration for seamless file management. Version History: Track changes and access previous versions of documents to ensure accuracy and accountability. To learn more about file sharing, please visit: Upload and share files - Microsoft Support 5. Integrate with Other Microsoft Products Planner Integration: Use Microsoft Planner to manage tasks and projects within Teams. Create, assign, and track tasks to keep everyone on the same page. OneNote Integration: Integrate OneNote for note-taking and information sharing during meetings and projects. 6. Automate Workflows Power Automate: Use Power Automate to create automated workflows that streamline repetitive tasks and processes. This can save time and reduce errors. To learn more about creating flow in Microsoft Teams, please visit: Create flows in Microsoft Teams - Power Automate | Microsoft Learn Custom Apps: Develop and integrate custom apps using the Teams developer platform to meet specific needs. To learn more about building custom apps for Team, please visit: Create Low-code & No-code Custom Apps - Teams | Microsoft Learn 7. Enhance Security and Compliance Data Protection: Ensure data security with features like encryption, multi-factor authentication, and compliance with industry standards. Manage Permissions: Control access to teams, channels, and files by setting appropriate permissions for team members. 8. Foster Team Engagement Use Polls and Surveys: Engage team members by using polls and surveys to gather feedback and make decisions collaboratively. To learn more about creating a poll in Teams, please visit: Create a poll in Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Support. To learn more about create surveys in Teams, please visit: Create a survey in Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Support Celebrate Milestones: Recognize and celebrate team achievements and milestones to boost morale and foster a positive team culture. Conclusion Microsoft Teams offers a comprehensive suite of tools for remote collaboration, making it easier for teams to stay connected, organized, and productive. By organizing teams and channels, utilizing chat and messaging features, leveraging video conferencing, collaborating on files, integrating with other Microsoft products, automating workflows, enhancing security, and fostering team engagement, you can maximize the potential of Microsoft Teams for your remote collaboration needs.Decoding SharePoint Roles: What Nonprofits Should Know About Site Memberships
If you've ever clicked into the "Memberships" tab of an active site in the SharePoint Admin Center, you’ve probably seen a confusing mix of roles like: Owners Members Site Admins Site Owners Site Members Site Visitors For many nonprofits—especially those without dedicated IT staff—it’s hard to know who should have which role, and what each one actually does. This guide breaks it down in plain language to help your team understand what these roles mean, where they come from, and how to manage them effectively and securely. Getting Started: How to Access and Manage Site Memberships in the SharePoint Admin Center Before we dive deeper into roles, let’s walk through how to actually get to the screen where all these memberships appear. If your nonprofit uses Microsoft 365 and you're tasked with managing access to SharePoint sites, you'll do most of that through the SharePoint Admin Center. Here’s how to find and manage the memberships for your active sites: Go to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center: Visit admin.microsoft.com and sign in with your admin account credentials. In the left-hand menu, select "Show All" and then click on “SharePoint” under the “Admin centers” section. This will open the SharePoint Admin Center in a new tab. From the left menu in the SharePoint Admin Center, click on “Active sites.” This will show you a list of all SharePoint sites associated with your tenant. Find the site you want to manage and click on its name. This opens the details panel for that specific site. Click the “Membership” tab at the top of the site detail panel. Here, you'll see different role groups—such as Owners, Members, Site Admins, Site Owners, Site Members, and Site Visitors—depending on how the site was created. If your site is group-connected (such as one tied to Microsoft Teams), you’ll see both Microsoft 365 Group roles and SharePoint roles listed. For standalone sites, you’ll usually only see SharePoint-specific roles. Now that you know how to get there, let’s take a closer look at what each of those roles means—and how to assign them responsibly. Overview: What You'll See in the SharePoint Admin Center Not all SharePoint sites are the same, and the roles you see in the Admin Center depend on how the site was created. Group-connected sites (like those created from Microsoft Teams or Microsoft 365 Groups): You’ll see Owners, Members, Site Admins, Site Owners, Site Members, and Site Visitors. Standalone collaboration or communication sites (created directly in SharePoint): You’ll typically only see Site Admins, Site Owners, Site Members, and Site Visitors. Understanding which roles appear—and why—can help you assign access appropriately and avoid giving people more (or less) control than intended. Microsoft 365 Group Roles Owners These are Microsoft 365 Group Owners. Automatically have Site Owner permissions in SharePoint. Can manage group membership, delete the site, configure connected Teams settings, and more. Best for: Program managers, team leads, or IT admins who need full control over the workspace. Members These are Microsoft 365 Group Members. Automatically have Site Member permissions in SharePoint. Can upload, edit, and collaborate on content, but cannot change site settings. Best for: Staff, volunteers, or partners actively contributing to projects and documents. SharePoint Roles (Permission Groups) Site Owners Have Full Control permissions within the SharePoint site. Can manage site structure, pages, permissions, and lists. If the site is group-connected, Group Owners will appear here automatically. Site Members Have Edit permissions. Can upload and change content in libraries and lists but cannot adjust permissions. Best for: Users who contribute content but don’t need site-wide control. Site Visitors Have Read-only permissions. Can view pages and documents, but cannot make any changes. Best for: Board members, donors, evaluators, or anyone who needs access to view materials without editing. Site Admins This role is specific to SharePoint and appears in both standalone and group-connected sites. Site Admins have full control over the site. They may not be part of the Microsoft 365 Group and are often added manually. Common for IT personnel or SharePoint coordinators who manage multiple sites. Important: Site Admins can manage everything—even if they’re not listed as Owners. Why It’s Confusing in the Admin Center The SharePoint Admin Center displays both Microsoft 365 group roles and SharePoint permission groups, which can create confusion. Here's a simplified breakdown: Role in Admin Center What it Actually Means Owners Microsoft 365 Group Owners (also Site Owners) Members Microsoft 365 Group Members (also Site Members) Site Admins SharePoint admins, often added manually Site Owners SharePoint Full Control group Site Members SharePoint Edit group Site Visitors SharePoint Read-only group This overlap happens because Microsoft 365 and SharePoint use different systems to manage permissions, even though they’re integrated. Understanding the distinction helps prevent mismanagement of roles. Best Practices for Nonprofits Limit Site Owners – Only assign this role to those who manage structure, settings, or permissions. Use Groups for Access Control – Add users to Microsoft 365 Groups or SharePoint groups rather than assigning roles individually. Regularly Audit Permissions – Check who has access, especially after program cycles or staff changes. Define Roles for New Users – Clarify expectations and access levels during onboarding. Secure Guest Access – Monitor and remove external users after a project or program ends. Understanding SharePoint roles in the Admin Center isn’t just about managing access—it’s about supporting your nonprofit’s mission. With the right people in the right roles, your team can collaborate effectively, protect sensitive data, and reduce risk.Microsoft Town Hall Meetings: What They Are and How to Set One Up
Microsoft Teams offers a robust platform for hosting town hall meetings, providing features that facilitate large-scale, interactive events. Town hall meetings are ideal for company-wide updates, community engagement, and open forums where participants can ask questions and share feedback. Here’s a comprehensive guide on Microsoft Town Hall Meetings and how to set one up. What is a Microsoft Town Hall Meeting? A town hall meeting in Microsoft Teams is designed for large-scale, interactive discussions. These meetings can host up to 10,000 attendees, or up to 50,000 attendees with Teams Premium. Town hall meetings are optimal for sharing content across large audiences, making them perfect for organizational updates, milestone celebrations, and extensive event coverage. Key Features of Microsoft Town Hall Meetings Presenter Spotlight: Highlight up to seven presenters' video feeds at once, ensuring key speakers are front and center. Translated Captions: Break down language barriers with live translated captions available in multiple languages. Q&A and Engagement: Engage attendees through Q&A, chat, reactions, and hand raises. Recording and Reports: Publish event recordings and access post-event attendee reports to gain insights into participation and engagement. Steps to Set Up a Microsoft Town Hall Meeting 1. Schedule the Town Hall Open Teams Calendar: Go to your Teams calendar. Select Town Hall: Click the arrow next to "New meeting" and select "Town hall" from the dropdown menu. Enter Event Details: Fill in the event title, start and end date, description, and designate presenters. 2. Configure Meeting Options Add Co-organizers and Presenters: Search and select co-organizers and presenters from your organization. You can also add external presenters. Set Event Access: Choose whether your event will be available to your organization, the public, or specific people and groups. Customize Meeting Options: Adjust settings such as enabling the Green Room, managing attendee engagement through Q&A, and setting security options. 3. Send Invitations Invite Attendees: Search and select people you want to send event invites to. You can add distribution lists, Microsoft 365 security groups, and individual email addresses. Publish the Event: Save and publish the event to schedule it and send invitations to attendees. 4. Prepare for the Meeting Test Equipment: Ensure all technical equipment, such as microphones, cameras, and internet connections, are working properly. Set Up the Green Room: Use the Green Room to prepare with other presenters before the event starts. 5. Start the Meeting Join the Meeting: Go to your Teams calendar, select the town hall event, and click "Join". Start the Meeting: Once you are ready, select "Start meeting" to bring attendees into the event. The event recording will start automatically. 6. Manage the Event Engage Attendees: Use features like Q&A, polls, and live captions to engage attendees during the event. Monitor Participation: Keep track of attendee engagement and manage any issues that arise during the meeting. 7. Post-Event Activities Access Reports and Recordings: After the event, access attendee reports and recordings. Publish the recording to share with attendees. Follow-Up: Send follow-up emails with meeting minutes, action items, and any additional information discussed. Conclusion Microsoft Teams offers a comprehensive suite of tools for hosting town hall meetings, making it easier to engage large audiences and share important updates. By scheduling the event, configuring meeting options, sending invitations, preparing for the meeting, starting the event, managing engagement, and conducting post-event activities, you can ensure a successful town hall meeting that meets your goals and resonates with your audience. Start planning your Microsoft Teams town hall meeting today and create a platform for meaningful conversations and community building!Unlocking Productivity with the Prompts App in Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a powerful collaboration tool that offers various features to streamline communication and enhance productivity. One of the most effective ways to leverage Teams is through the use of the Prompts app. This app helps users discover, save, and share relevant prompts across Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Chat, and agents. Here’s a comprehensive guide on using the Prompts app in Microsoft Teams. What is the Prompts App? The Prompts app, also known as the Copilot Prompt Gallery, provides a central place to discover and use relevant prompts across Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Chat, and agents. It complements the existing in-app Prompt Gallery experiences, making it easier for users to find and utilize prompts for specific tasks or workflows. Please note: This app requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Key Features of the Prompts App Discover Prompts: Filter prompts by app, scenario, role, industry, or agent to find just the right prompt for your needs. Save and Revisit: Save your favorite prompts and revisit them whenever needed1. Share with Colleagues: Share prompts with colleagues to enhance collaboration and streamline workflows. Explore Specific Tasks: Find prompts for specific tasks or workflows shared within a Microsoft Teams team. How to Get Started with the Prompts App - Adding the Prompts App to Teams: Steps: Open Teams: Sign in to Microsoft Teams. Access the Apps: Select "Apps" from the bottom of the toolbar on the left side of the window. Search for Prompts: In the search box, type "prompts" and select the Microsoft Prompts app from the list. Add the App: Click "Add" to integrate the Prompts app with your Teams environment. Adding the Prompts Tab to a Channel Steps: Open Teams: Go to the channel where you want to add the Prompts tab. Add a Tab: Select the plus button to add a tab to the channel. Select Prompts: Choose the Prompts app from the list of apps to add. Access Shared Prompts: Any prompts shared with that team will be available by clicking the Prompts tab at the top of the channel. Using the Prompts App - Discovering Prompts: Steps: Open the Prompts App: Navigate to the Prompts app in Teams. Filter Prompts: Use filters to narrow down prompts by app, Task, Job Type, or Copilot agent. Explore Prompts: Browse through the prompts to find ones that suit your needs. Saving and Sharing Prompts: Steps: Save Prompts: Click on a prompt and like it to save to your favorites for easy access later. Share Prompts: Share prompts with colleagues by clicking the share button and selecting the recipients. Best Practices for Using the Prompts App: Be Specific: Use detailed prompts to get the best results from Copilot and other agents. Collaborate: Share useful prompts with your team to enhance collaboration and streamline workflows. Regularly Update: Keep your saved prompts updated to reflect changes in your tasks and workflows. Example Prompts for Teams: Task Management: "Create a new task in Planner for the marketing campaign due next Friday." Meeting Summaries: "Summarize the key points from the project kickoff meeting and list the action items." Data Insights: "Generate a report on the sales performance for the last quarter and highlight any trends." Feedback Collection: "Create a survey to gather feedback on the new product launch and share it with the team." Conclusion The Prompts app in Microsoft Teams is a powerful tool for enhancing productivity and collaboration. By discovering, saving, and sharing relevant prompts, you can streamline workflows and make the most of the platform’s capabilities. Whether you’re using prompts for task management, meeting summaries, data insights, or feedback collection, the Prompts app provides the tools you need to unlock productivity. Start exploring the Prompts app in Microsoft Teams today and take your collaboration to the next level!Example Workflows You Can Create in Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a versatile platform that allows you to automate various tasks and processes through workflows. By leveraging workflows, you can streamline your workday, improve productivity, and ensure that important tasks are completed efficiently. Here are some example workflows you can create in Microsoft Teams to enhance your team's collaboration and productivity. Create a Planner Task from a Message Workflow Description: Automatically create a Planner task when a message contains a specific keyword, such as "TODO". Steps: Select a Message: On any message in Teams, select the ellipses (...) in the menu. Create New Action: Select "More actions" > "Create new action". Choose a Template: Select a template that uses the "Create a Planner task from a message" under All Templates as the manual trigger. Set Up the Workflow: Follow the prompts to set up the connections and parameters required by the template. Benefits: This workflow helps you stay on top of tasks mentioned in messages, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks. Forward Emails to a Channel Workflow Description: Automatically forward emails sent to a specified address to a Teams channel. Steps: Open Teams: Sign in to Microsoft Teams. Access the Workflows App: On the left pane, select "Apps" and then choose "Workflows". Browse Templates: Select a template that forwards emails to a channel. Please note: You can all click on “See all Teams Templates” to see more available templates. Set Up the Workflow: Follow the prompts to set up the connections and parameters required by the template. Benefits: This workflow ensures that important emails are visible to your team, regardless of where they are received. Schedule a Message Workflow Description: Schedule a message to be sent to a Teams channel at a specific time. Steps: Open Teams: Sign in to Microsoft Teams. Access the Workflows App: On the left pane, select "Apps" and then choose "Workflows". Browse Templates: Select a template that schedules messages. Set Up the Workflow: Follow the prompts to set up the connections and parameters required by the template. Benefits: This workflow allows you to plan and schedule messages in advance, ensuring timely communication with your team. Notify a Channel When a SharePoint List is Modified Workflow Description: Automatically post a notification to a Teams channel when a SharePoint list is modified. Steps: Open Teams: Sign in to Microsoft Teams. Access the Workflows App: On the left pane, select "Apps" and then choose "Workflows". Browse Templates: Select a template that triggers notifications based on SharePoint list modifications. Set Up the Workflow: Follow the prompts to set up the connections and parameters required by the template. Benefits: This workflow keeps your team informed about changes to important documents and lists, ensuring everyone is up to date. Start an Approval Process When a Document is Uploaded Workflow Description: Automatically start an approval process when a document is uploaded to a specific folder in OneDrive or SharePoint. Steps: Open Teams: Sign in to Microsoft Teams. Access the Workflows App: On the left pane, select "Apps" and then choose "Workflows". Browse Templates: Select a template that initiates approval processes based on document uploads. Set Up the Workflow: Follow the prompts to set up the connections and parameters required by the template. Benefits: This workflow streamlines the approval process, ensuring that documents are reviewed and approved promptly. Conclusion Workflows in Microsoft Teams are a powerful way to automate repetitive tasks and streamline your workday. By setting up workflows like creating Planner tasks from messages, forwarding emails to channels, scheduling messages, notifying channels of SharePoint list modifications, and starting approval processes for document uploads, you can enhance productivity and collaboration within your team. Start exploring these example workflows in Microsoft Teams today and take your productivity to the next level!Streamline Your Nonprofit's Workforce Management with Shifts
Managing a nonprofit organization comes with its unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to scheduling and workforce management. With limited resources and a diverse team of volunteers and staff, efficient scheduling is crucial to ensure smooth operations and maximize impact. This is where Shifts comes in as a powerful tool to streamline your nonprofit's workforce management. What is Shifts? Shifts is a scheduling tool integrated within Microsoft Teams, designed to help organizations manage their workforce more effectively. It allows you to create, update, and manage schedules for your team, making it easier to coordinate tasks and ensure everyone is on the same page. Key Benefits for Nonprofits Simplified Scheduling: With Shifts, you can easily create and manage schedules for your volunteers and staff. The intuitive interface allows you to assign shifts, track availability, and make adjustments on the fly. Enhanced Communication: Integrated with Microsoft Teams, Shifts enables seamless communication between team members. Volunteers and staff can receive notifications about their shifts, request changes, and communicate any issues directly within the app. Increased Flexibility: Nonprofits often have dynamic schedules that require flexibility. Shifts allows you to accommodate last-minute changes and ensure that your team is always informed and prepared. Centralized Management: By consolidating scheduling and communication within Microsoft Teams, Shifts provides a centralized platform for managing your nonprofit's workforce. This reduces the need for multiple tools and streamlines your operations. Data-Driven Insights: Shifts offers reporting features that provide insights into your scheduling patterns and workforce utilization. This data can help you make informed decisions and optimize your scheduling processes. How to Get Started with Shifts Open Microsoft Teams: Launch the Microsoft Teams application on your desktop. Select Shifts: Click on the Shifts icon. If you don't see it, click on More apps (three dots) and find Shifts in the list. Create Schedules in Shifts If this is your first time using Shifts, you will need to select a team to create a schedule. If you have used Shifts before, follow the steps below to create a new schedule. You can customize the schedule to meet your nonprofit's specific needs, including assigning different roles and responsibilities. Create a New Schedule: In Shifts, click on the three horizontal lines (menu icon) at the top left corner to access the option to create a schedule. Choose or create a schedule: Click on New schedule. Select the team you want to create a schedule for and set the time zone for your team's location. Click Confirm. Rename the group: Rename the group by selecting More options > Rename group, give it a name, and click Save. Add Team Members: Select Add members in the far right. Enter the person's name or email address, select their name from the list, and click Add. Assign Shifts: Navigate to the row of the team member, and under the desired date, select the three dots for more options and choose Add shift. Complete shifts details: Complete the shift details, including start and end times, and any notes. You can add breaks and lunch by clicking add activity. Then Click Save. Copy the shift: Right-click on the shift and select Copy, then right-click on the desired date and select Paste. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+C to copy and Ctrl+V to paste. Add Open Shifts: To create shifts that any team member can pick up, go to the Open shifts row, select More options > Add open shift, fill out the details, and click Save. Copy Schedule: To replicate the schedule for other days of the week, click on Copy schedule in the top right corner. Fill in the required information, including the number of times you want to duplicate the schedule. Publish the Schedule: Once your schedule is complete, click Share with team to notify your team members of their assigned shifts. Conclusion Shifts is a valuable tool for nonprofits looking to streamline their workforce management. By simplifying scheduling, enhancing communication, and providing data-driven insights, Shifts can help your organization operate more efficiently and effectively. Embrace the power of Shifts and take your nonprofit's workforce management to the next level. Additional resources Introduction to Setting Up Public or Private Teams in Microsoft Teams: A Step-by-Step Guide | Microsoft Community Hub Get started in Shifts - Microsoft SupportHow to Create Tags in Microsoft Teams
Tags in Microsoft Teams are a powerful feature that helps you organize and communicate with specific groups of people within your team. Whether you're managing a project, coordinating with a department, or just trying to streamline communication, tags can make your life easier. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to create and use tags in Microsoft Teams. What Are Tags? Tags are labels that you can assign to one or more team members. They allow you to quickly reach out to a specific group without having to mention each person individually. For example, you can create a tag for "Marketing Team" and use it to send messages to all marketing team members at once. Creating Tags Open Microsoft Teams: Start by opening the Microsoft Teams app on your desktop or mobile device. Navigate to Your Team: Go to the team where you want to create the tag. Access Team Settings: Click on the three dots (more options) next to the team name and select "Manage team." Go to the Tags Tab: In the team management window, click on the "Tags" tab. Create a New Tag: Click on the "Create tag" button. A new window will pop up. Name Your Tag: Enter a name for your tag. Make it descriptive so that it's easy to understand who the tag is for. Add Members: Select the team members you want to include in this tag. You can search for members by name. Save the Tag: Once you've added all the members, click "Create" to save your tag. Using Tags Now that you've created a tag, you can use it to communicate more efficiently. Mentioning a Tag: In any channel or chat, type @ followed by the tag name (e.g., marketing Team). This will notify all members associated with that tag. Managing Tags: You can edit or delete tags by going back to the "Tags" tab in the team settings. Benefits of Using Tags Improved Communication: Quickly reach out to specific groups without having to mention each person individually. Better Organization: Keep your team organized by grouping members based on roles, projects, or departments. Time-Saving: Save time by reducing the number of individual mentions and messages. Conclusion Tags in Microsoft Teams are a simple yet effective way to enhance your team's communication and organization. By following these steps, you can create and manage tags to ensure that your team stays connected and efficient.Two Simple Ways Nonprofits Can Use Copilot to Create Speaker Notes for PowerPoint
Here are two easy ways you can use Copilot to quickly create speaker notes for your next presentation. 1) Use Copilot for PowerPoint to auto-generate notes If you’re already working on your slides in PowerPoint, you can have Copilot write speaker notes for you—without leaving the app. To access Copilot for PowerPoint, you need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license which is available with a valid Microsoft 365 subscription. Nonprofits have access to 10 free Business Premium licenses that includes Copilot for M365 (PowerPoint included) through Microsoft's nonprofit program. Here’s how: Open your PowerPoint file. Click on the Copilot icon (usually in the toolbar). Type something like: “Create speaker notes for each slide” or “Add talking points to go along with my slides.” In seconds, Copilot will scan your slides and drop relevant speaker notes into the Notes section under each one. To view your notes, select the View tab in the PowerPoint menu bar, and the Notes icon. Your notes will appear at the bottom of your presentation. Why this is great for nonprofits: It’s fast. Perfect when you’re under a deadline. It’s hands-off. Copilot handles the note-writing while you move on to other tasks. Keeps things smooth. The notes will flow with your existing slide content. This is a lifesaver when you just need to get it done quickly! 2) Upload your presentation to Copilot and review notes before adding them Want a bit more control over what Copilot writes? You can also upload your PowerPoint file into Copilot and ask it to generate notes for you outside of PowerPoint. Here’s how: Drop your PowerPoint file into Copilot Chat by using the upload option. Say something like: “Can you create speakers notes for this presentation?” Copilot will give you speaker notes in a text format. You can then read through them, make edits if needed, and manually paste them into PowerPoint. Why this is helpful: You get to tweak the notes before they land in your presentation. You’ll have more say in the tone and wording—making sure it sounds like your nonprofit. Easier for collaboration. Share the notes with your team first, get feedback, then plug them into your slides. This method is perfect when you want to keep your messaging just right, especially for important audiences like donors or community partners. So… which should you pick? If you’re short on time and need something ready-to-go, use Copilot directly inside PowerPoint. If you’d rather review and polish your notes first, go with the upload method and take your time fine-tuning. Either way, Copilot helps you cut down the time it takes to prep your next big presentation—and that means more time to focus on your mission.Exploring the Capabilities of Microsoft Viva Insights in Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Viva Insights is a powerful tool within the Microsoft Viva suite, designed to provide privacy-protected insights and actionable recommendations that help individuals and organizations work smarter and achieve a better work-life balance. Let's delve into the various capabilities of Viva Insights and how they can benefit employees, managers, and business leaders. Personal Insights: Personal Insights are tailored to help employees improve their work patterns through actionable recommendations. These insights are visible only to the individual, ensuring privacy and personal growth. Key features include: Meeting Preparation: Get insights on how to prepare for upcoming meetings. Focus Time: Schedule uninterrupted time to concentrate on important tasks. Work Relationships: Receive suggestions to maintain and strengthen work relationships. Time Away: Plan time away from work to ensure a balanced schedule. By leveraging these features, employees can enhance their productivity, foster better work habits, and achieve a healthier work-life balance. Accessing Viva Insights in Microsoft Teams: Viva Insights integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams offering a comprehensive view of your work habits and actionable recommendations. Please see how to access Viva Insights below: Open Microsoft Teams: Launch the Microsoft Teams application on your device. Navigate to the Viva Insights App: Desktop: Click on the "Apps" icon on the left sidebar, search for "Viva Insights," and select it. Once in Insights, please check out the tabs below: Overview Tab: Discover insights and actions to improve wellbeing, productivity, and teamwork. Recommended for You: Personalized suggestions for praise, meeting norms, focus time, email management, quiet time, virtual commuting, meditation, and reflection. Your Progress: Tracks metrics related to meetings, quiet time, focus time booking, and more. Inspiration Library: Curated wellbeing and productivity content from experts. Wellbeing Tab: Understand and improve your work habits, manage time, and promote work-life balance. Take Action: Wellbeing recommendations like focus time planning, scheduling emails/messages, setting quiet time, taking breaks, and disconnecting after work. Track Your Progress: Monitors metrics like focus time stats and booked focus time. Act with Intention: Content for focus, meditation, and wellbeing articles. Reflect on Your Emotions: Check-in on your feelings and reflection trends. Productivity Tab: Insights and tools related to meetings, time management, and tasks. Meeting Habits: Insights into your meeting practices. Meeting Category Insights: Allocation of time across Outlook meeting categories. Meeting Effectiveness Surveys: Aggregated feedback from attendees on your meetings. Shared Meeting Plans: Promote healthy meeting habits with colleagues. Suggested Tasks: Stay productive and connected with collaborators. Teamwork Tab: Build and strengthen connections within your team. Top Collaborators: Understand who your top collaborators are and how much time you spend with them. Data Privacy: Viva Insights complies with applicable laws and regulations, ensuring that personal data is protected. For more information on data privacy, refer to the Personal insights in Viva Insights privacy guide for admins. Conclusion: Microsoft Viva Insights is a comprehensive tool that helps individuals and organizations work smarter, achieve balance, and improve overall productivity and wellbeing. By leveraging these insights, employees can build better work habits, managers can foster positive team cultures, and leaders can drive organizational success.
