5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams has become the digital heartbeat of how many organizations communicate and collaborate. But for most people, Teams can also feel loud, notifications flying, chats piling up, meetings blending together.  

With just a few adjustments, you can turn Teams from “another thing you have to manage” into the productivity powerhouse it’s meant to be. 

Why Teams Optimization Matters 

The average Microsoft 365 user spends 60% of their time in email, chats, and meetings, and only 40% creating content. That means improving how we use collaboration tools like Teams can unlock major productivity gains across the organization. 

The impact is far-reaching: with over 320 million daily active users and 93% of Fortune 100 companies on Teams, it’s clear that Teams has become mission-critical to how the world works. 

But here’s the question: are you using all of its capabilities to their fullest potential?  

1. Create Channels with Purpose 

You're not alone if your Teams workspace feels like a tangled group chat. The secret to better collaboration starts with well-defined channels. 

• Organize by function, not people. Create channels based on projects, clients, or workflows, so conversations stay in context. 

• Pin priority channels. Keep your go-to spaces at the top of your sidebar for faster navigation. 

• Set posting guidelines. Encourage your team to use threads for replies and tag only when necessary to avoid “@all” overload. 

How To Create Channels:  

• In Teams, under ‘Teams & Channels’ → your team → ‘•••’ → Add channel.  

• You can also reorder or pin channels by dragging and dropping and right-clicking their name. 

• You can edit channel permissions by hovering over your team → ‘•••’ → manage team →settings. 

A little structure goes a long way in helping everyone stay aligned and reduce chat fatigue. 

2. Reduce Distractions with Notification Controls 

Teams wants your attention, constantly. But not every ping deserves it. 

Head to Settings → Notifications and fine-tune: 

• Turn off banner alerts for less urgent channels. 

• Mute chats during focus time. 

• Use “Quiet Hours” on mobile to protect work-life balance. 

How To Use Notification Controls: 

• Go to Settings → Notifications & Activity, or select your profile icon → Settings → Notifications & Activity. 

• You can also mute or customize alerts for specific channels by hovering over your team → ‘•••’ → manage team → ‘•••’ more options → channel notifications. 

When your notifications align with your priorities, you can stay in the zone without missing what matters. 

3. Integrate the Tools You Already Use 

Did you know you can bring your favorite apps inside Teams? No more switching tabs 30 times a day, just integrate. 

Add tabs for Planner, OneNote, or SharePoint directly into Teams, or connect external tools like Trello, Asana, or Adobe Sign. 

These integrations make Teams your one-stop shop for collaboration, streamlining daily workflows and reducing the digital clutter that drains productivity. 

How To Integrate Tools: 

• Open a channel, navigate to ‘Apps’ in the top navigation bar, and select from apps like Planner, OneNote, or SharePoint. 

• You can connect other tools under Apps → Built for your org or search for integrations like Trello, Asana, or Adobe Sign. 

4. Make Meetings More Meaningful 

If your calendar looks like a game of Tetris, it’s time to make meetings count. 

• Use meeting agendas and notes in Teams so everyone stays on the same page. 

• Record sessions and enable transcripts for people who can’t attend live. 

• Follow up with action items in the chat, so they don’t get lost in email threads. 

 How to use meeting notes and recaps: 

• Open a meeting in the Calendar tab, and select ‘Meeting Notes’ or ‘Recap’ after it ends. 

• To automatically record meetings, toggle ‘Record automatically’ under Meeting Options before scheduling. 

Small changes like these transform your meetings from “status updates” into valuable moments of collaboration and clarity. 

5. Keep Files Organized and Easy to Find 

Teams stores all your shared files automatically in SharePoint, but that doesn’t mean they’re easy to find later. 

Try this: 

• Use consistent naming conventions (e.g., Client_Project_Date.docx). 

• Create dedicated “Files” tabs in each channel. 

• Avoid dragging attachments into chats; upload to the channel Files section instead for better version control. 

How to do it: 

• Go to a channel → ‘Files’ tab → ‘Open in SharePoint’ for full folder control. 

• You can also navigate to’ in the side navigation bar, then click the team name  

• For version history, right-click any file and choose ‘Version history’ or ‘Manage access’. 

 Your future self and your coworkers will thank you. 

Microsoft Teams Is Just the Start 

When Microsoft Teams is set up intentionally, it empowers everyone to communicate clearly, collaborate seamlessly, and actually enjoy working together. 

 
At iuvo, we help organizations go beyond setup, streamlining Microsoft 365 environments for clarity, security, and scalability. 

Ready to transform your Microsoft experience? 
Let’s make your Microsoft 365 environment work as hard as you do. 

Chat with one of our Microsoft experts 

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