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How to Use Slack Focus Hours and Teams Quiet Time Without Going Dark

Ruhma — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 12:26:36 +0000

In hybrid workplaces, distractions don’t knock—they ping. Whether it’s a flood of Slack DMs or Teams notifications, staying responsive often comes at the cost of deep, focused work. For mid-level managers leading cross-functional teams, this is more than a personal productivity issue—it’s a team-wide challenge.

You’ve likely tried setting “Do Not Disturb” statuses or encouraging your team to block time on their calendars. But that can backfire. Team members may hesitate to use DND, worried it makes them look unresponsive. Others feel unsure how or when to reach out. Productivity stalls, and async team coordination suffers.

That’s where smarter tools—and smarter norms—come in.

In this guide, we’ll break down practical ways to use Slack focus hours, Teams do not disturb, and other async-friendly strategies to help your team build focus time into their day without feeling disconnected. Whether you’re using Slack, Microsoft Teams, or both, we’ll show you how to:

Normalize visible “focus mode” statuses without causing confusion
Use lightweight automations to support async work
Balance availability with boundaries—so deep work isn’t treated like downtime

Why “Do Not Disturb” Isn’t Enough for Focus Time

Using Do Not Disturb in Slack or Teams can help protect your attention—but on its own, it often sends the wrong message. When someone sees you in DND, they might assume you’re away, ignoring messages, or not working at all.

That’s a problem, especially in hybrid teams where visibility matters. If your team isn’t sure when you’re heads-down or just unavailable, they hesitate to reach out—or worse, they over-message “just in case.” That leads to even more interruptions, not fewer.

The truth is, focus time needs more than a status toggle. It needs context. Teams need to know:

When someone is in focus mode
How long they’ll be unavailable
Whether it’s okay to ping them for urgent stuff
If they’ll reply later or prefer async messages

This kind of clarity doesn’t come from a setting alone—it comes from shared norms and the smart use of tools like Slack focus hours, Teams’ Do Not Disturb feature, and custom status messages.

Next, we’ll examine how to configure these tools to facilitate deep work while maintaining effective collaboration.

Set Up Focus Hours in Slack the Right Way

Slack’s real-time nature is powerful—but when focus is your goal, the constant pings and red dots can work against you. The good news? Slack has built-in tools to help you claim uninterrupted time without disconnecting from your team.

Here’s how to set up Slack focus hours that support deep work and keep team visibility intact.

1. Use Do Not Disturb (DND) to Pause Notifications

The easiest way to carve out focus time is by enabling Slack’s Do Not Disturb mode. You can:

Click the bell icon at the top of your sidebar
Select a preset duration or choose a custom time interval
Pause alerts across desktop, mobile, and email

Once active, your coworkers will see that you’re in DND mode—so they know not to expect a reply right away. It creates space for heads-down work, while still allowing teammates to message you for later. If something urgent comes up, they can override the DND with one notification.

Quick tip: Use the /dnd slash command to set it up fast. For example, typing /dnd until 3pm instantly silences notifications through that time.

2. Schedule Recurring Focus Hours

You can automate this process by setting recurring DND hours:

Go to your profile picture → Preferences → Notifications
Scroll to Do Not Disturb and set regular quiet hours
Ideal for recurring focus blocks, like 10 AM to noon each weekday

This way, Slack automatically respects your boundaries—without you needing to remember to turn anything on.

3. Add a Custom Status for Clarity

Don’t rely on DND alone. Pair it with a custom status that tells your team when you’ll be back or how best to reach you.

Examples:

“ Focus mode – back at 2 PM”
“ Deep work session, reply by EOD”
“Writing sprint in progress – ping if urgent”

Custom statuses help normalize Slack focus hours across the team and give others confidence about when they’ll hear back.

4. Customize Mobile and Email Alerts

Slack lets you fine-tune how and when notifications appear on mobile and email:

Set a mobile delay to avoid immediate pings on your phone
Adjust your mention alert preferences so you don’t miss the critical stuff
Turn off unnecessary email alerts during focus blocks

This layered control ensures you stay looped in—without feeling tied to your devices all day.

Set Up Focus Hours in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams has built-in features to help you protect your focus time—without needing to go offline or seem unresponsive. The key tool here is Quiet Hours, paired with a clear status message and smart use of Focus Assist.

Here’s how to set up Teams Do Not Disturb settings the right way.

1. Schedule Quiet Hours for Focus Time

To avoid notifications during heads-down work, use the Quiet Hours feature. It lets you block alerts during specific days and times – perfect for recurring deep work blocks.

Here’s how to set it up:

Click your profile picture in the top right of Teams
Select Settings → Notifications → Quiet Hours
Turn on Scheduled
Choose the days and times for your focus hours—for example, every Friday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

This stops interruptions without logging you out of Teams—and your status will still show you as online.

Pro tip: Make sure Focus Assist is turned on in your Windows settings. This ensures that notifications across your desktop are muted during your scheduled focus hours.

2. Use a Status Message to Set Expectations

Quiet Hours silences notifications—but it doesn’t tell people why you’re not replying. That’s where a custom status message helps.

To add one:

Click your profile picture
Select Set status message
Add something like:
- “ Focusing until 5 PM – will reply after”
- “In deep work mode – ping if urgent”
Check “Show when people message me”
Choose when you want the message to clear

This gives teammates clarity on your availability while keeping communication async and stress-free.

3. Set Priority Access (Optional)

If you want a few people—like your direct manager or critical project leads—to reach you during Quiet Hours, you can allow priority access:

Go to your Windows Settings
Navigate to System → Focus Assist
Under Priority Only, customize who can break through during focus time

This gives you peace of mind that important alerts still get through—while routine notifications wait until you’re done.

Make Focus Time a Team Norm

Even with the best Slack and Teams settings, focus time falls apart if no one else respects it. One person blocking two hours for deep work means little if the rest of the team keeps pinging or expecting instant replies.

To truly protect focus time, it needs to be a team habit—not just a personal one.

1. Set Shared Expectations

Start by having a team discussion about what focus time means for your group. Define:

When team-wide focus blocks might happen (e.g., 10 AM–12 PM daily)
How to reach someone during their focus hours (DM with only if urgent?)
What kind of work qualifies as “heads down” time (strategy, design, writing, etc.)

Even a short Slack post or Teams message outlining your team’s “focus time etiquette” can go a long way.

2. Normalize Status Updates

Encourage your team to use consistent status messages during their deep work windows. This removes ambiguity and gives others confidence about when they’ll hear back.

Example:

“Focus time until 3 PM. Drop me a note—will reply after.”

If everyone knows it’s normal to step back from chat and still be accountable, people are less likely to feel pressured to reply in real time.

3. Lead by Example

As a manager, your actions set the tone. If you constantly respond during your own focus hours, your team will do the same. Instead:

Stick to your scheduled focus blocks
Use delayed replies or schedule messages (in Slack or Outlook/Teams)
Avoid sending non-urgent DMs during others’ deep work hours

This signals that focus time is protected—and respected—at every level.

4. Encourage Async by Default

Fewer interruptions = better focus. Encourage async-first behaviors to help your team communicate without requiring immediate back-and-forth.

Try:

Posting updates in project channels instead of direct messages
Using Threads to Reduce Notification Noise
Replacing short sync meetings with status updates in Slack or Teams
Using tools like Loom or Clip for quick video check-ins

Async habits reduce the need to “catch” someone live, supporting both productivity and work-life balance.

Tools to Automate Focus Time

Manually setting focus hours can be easy to forget. Here are a few tools to automate the process:

AttendanceBot

Let your Slack or Teams status switch to Focus Mode automatically. AttendanceBot syncs with Google or Outlook Calendar and updates your status based on triggers like in, out, lunch, or OOO – no micromanagement, no productivity tracking.

Google Calendar for Slack

Automatically update your Slack status based on calendar events like deep work blocks. It can also mute notifications during busy times.

Slack Workflow Builder

Build simple automations to trigger focus mode, set reminders, or send async check-ins—no coding required.

Focus Assist + Teams Quiet Hours

Mute alerts across desktop and mobile during your scheduled focus blocks. Sync it with your calendar for hands-off control.

Start Building a Culture of Focus

Focus time doesn’t have to mean going offline. With the right settings in Slack or Teams, and a few smart tools, you can support deep work and async collaboration.

Start small: set your own focus hours, lead by example, and encourage your team to do the same. The payoff? Fewer interruptions, better work, and a healthier pace.

Ready to make focus time easier? Try AttendanceBot to automate your team’s availability and protect deep work – without losing visibility.

The post How to Use Slack Focus Hours and Teams Quiet Time Without Going Dark appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

Teams Slash Commands You Need to Start Using Today

Ruhma — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 12:50:37 +0000

If you’ve been using Microsoft Teams for a while, you’re probably familiar with its role in keeping teams connected. But did you know there’s a treasure trove of Teams slash commands and shortcuts that can make your workday faster, smoother, and even more fun? Whether you’re looking to speed up your Teams typing, navigate chats, or simply impress your coworkers with slick moves, mastering these Microsoft Teams commands can turn you into a productivity powerhouse.

From easy-to-use Teams slash commands to game-like shortcuts (yes, even the Minecraft team command has its place here!), these tricks will help you breeze through tasks, organize your day, and collaborate with colleagues like a pro. Let’s dive into MS Teams shortcuts and commands that’ll not only save you time but add a bit of flair to your workflow. Oh, and if you’re feeling cheeky, we’ve even got some tips on crafting a funny Microsoft Teams status message that’s bound to get a few smiles!

1. Elevate Collaboration

Microsoft Teams is designed to be a seamless hub for communication and collaboration, and its slash commands make staying connected even easier. These handy commands allow you to send messages, jump into calls, and keep your team interactions organized with just a few keystrokes. Whether you’re chatting with a colleague or managing group memberships, Teams commands can simplify your day.

Slash Commands and Their Functions:

/chat: Instantly send a message to a team member without opening the full chat window.

/testcall: Test call quality to ensure smooth communication before an important meeting.

/leave: Leave a team you’re no longer active in to keep your group memberships tidy and focused.

2. Get to Know Your Teammates

Beyond just helping with communication, Teams slash commands make it easy to get the scoop on your coworkers with a few keystrokes. Want to quickly find out who someone reports to or check out their recent activity? These shortcuts let you access important team details in seconds to stay in the loop and build stronger connections with colleagues.

Slash Commands and Their Functions:

/who: Start a chat, pull up a contact card, or learn about someone’s role within the company. You can even find out who posted or commented on a specific topic.

/org: View a detailed org chart showing where a contact fits in, including who they report to, their teammates, and anyone who reports to them.

/activity: See a colleague’s recent public activity on Teams to stay updated on their contributions.

/call: Start a voice or video call with a specific contact or phone number in seconds.

3. Commands for Effortless Navigation

Navigating through Microsoft Teams can be a breeze when you use slash commands to jump between different areas of the platform. Whether you need to go back to a recent conversation or quickly pull up a specific app, these commands save you time and help you access the tools and content you need with ease.

Slash Commands and Their Functions:

– /goto: Instantly jump to a specific channel without scrolling through lists.

– /recent: Move to a location you visited recently, perfect for quick retracing.

– /last: Return to the last spot you were in with one command.

– /find: Search for keywords or elements on the current page.

– /app: Quickly locate and open an app installed in Teams.

While the /app command is a fast way to bring up tools, you can also use the @ tag to search for apps already installed in Teams.

4. Slash Commands to Instantly Find Content

Need to track down important messages or saved items fast? Microsoft Teams offers slash commands specifically designed to help you locate key content like unread activities or posts that mention you. These shortcuts save you from scrolling endlessly and let you zero in on the information that matters most.

Slash Commands and Their Functions:

– /mentions: Quickly find posts where you’ve been tagged—whether individually or as part of a team.

– /unread: View all your unread activities in one place, so nothing slips through the cracks.

– /saved: Access items you’ve saved from channels or private chats for easy reference.

Note: The /mentions command only shows content where you’ve been tagged—it won’t display posts where you’re just mentioned by name.

5. Commands to Instantly Update Your Status

Managing your availability in Microsoft Teams is crucial for effective communication. Instead of navigating through profile settings, you can use slash commands to quickly update your status and let your team know if you’re free, away, or busy. With these commands, you can change your status in seconds, helping you stay focused and connected.

Slash Commands and Their Functions:

– /available: Set your status to available, signaling that you’re ready for chats and meetings.

– /away: Let your team know you’re temporarily unavailable.

– /busy: Mark yourself as busy to focus on tasks without interruptions.

– /brb: Set your status to “be right back” when you need a brief break.

– /dnd: Activate “do not disturb” mode—messages will still come through, but no pop-up notifications.

– /online: Show that you’re online and ready for communication.

– /offline: Appear offline even if you’re working in Teams.

– /out: Send an out-of-office message to let others know you’re away.

Note: With the /dnd command, you’ll still receive messages, but pop-up notifications will be disabled for better focus.

6. Slash Commands to Maximize Productivity

Microsoft Teams is packed with slash commands designed to help you work smarter, not harder. From scheduling meetings to accessing files, these commands streamline collaboration and multitasking, making it easier to manage multiple tasks at once. As you get more familiar with these shortcuts, check out our tips for using unified communication tools efficiently to stay ahead of the game.

Slash Commands and Their Functions:

– /calendar: View and schedule meetings without digging through menus.

– /join: Instantly join a new channel or browse a list of public channels.

– /files: Open specific files uploaded to Teams or OneDrive with just a command.

– /wiki: Add personal notes to your wiki for quick reference (only works on your personal wiki).

– /pop: Pop out your current activity into a separate window for easy multitasking.

Pro tip: Use the /files command to quickly open files from the command bar, helping you save time and stay organized.

7. Slash Commands for Support and Updates

Need help or want to stay informed about the latest Microsoft Teams features? Some slash commands are built to provide support and keep you updated on new features, so you can get assistance or feedback without leaving the platform.

Slash Commands and Their Functions:

– /keys: View all the available keyboard shortcuts to boost your productivity.

– /help: Ask a question or start a chat with Teams’ help bot for assistance with any task.

– /whatsnew: Check out the latest product announcements and updates for Microsoft Teams.

– /feedback: Report bugs or share feedback with the Microsoft Teams team to improve your experience.

Pro Tips for Mastering Slash Commands and Shortcuts

Want to work even faster? Combining slash commands with keyboard shortcuts is the ultimate power move. You can keep your hands on the keyboard and fly through tasks by mastering these shortcuts. Here are some must-know Microsoft Teams shortcuts:

Ctrl or Cmd + E: Jump to the search or command bar instantly.

Ctrl or Cmd + /: See the full list of available commands in Teams.

Ctrl or Cmd + N: Start a new chat and get the conversation rolling.

Ctrl or Cmd + R: Move directly to the message compose box to send your reply.

Ctrl or Cmd + 1-6: Navigate the left sidebar menu with ease—Activity Feed (1), Chat (2), Teams (3), Calendar (4), Calls (5), and Files (6).

By mastering these commands and shortcuts, you’ll boost productivity and make the most out of your Microsoft Teams experience.

The Benefits of Teams Slash Commands in Modern Work Environments

You’re right — these paragraphs sound more like benefits rather than random informative content. Let me correct that and provide purely informative paragraphs that don’t focus on specific advantages but instead educate the reader about the functionality and features of Teams commands and other related topics:

Understanding Teams Commands and Their Role in Collaboration

Teams commands are essential for navigating Microsoft Teams efficiently. Users can quickly execute tasks by typing a simple forward-slash (“/”) followed by a specific word or action, such as joining a meeting or accessing unread messages. These Microsoft Teams commands are particularly useful in larger organizations where communication needs to be both prompt and organized. Whether it’s scheduling a meeting or jumping into a specific chat, these commands ensure you’re always just a few keystrokes away from your next action.

The Versatility of Slash Commands in Microsoft Teams

Teams slash commands offer more than shortcuts—they’re integrated into various functions across the platform. You can use these commands for tasks like searching for a file, tagging a colleague, or even checking someone’s activity. By learning these MS commands, users can cut down on unnecessary clicks and spend more time focusing on core tasks. It’s particularly helpful when managing multiple projects or handling extensive team communications.

Using the Teams Menu for Easy Access to Features

The Teams menu provides a centralized hub where users can access all necessary tools and settings. Whether organizing teams, managing files, or using specific commands, this menu simplifies navigating the platform. Teams also allows you to execute advanced functions like using the Minecraft team command, integrating gaming elements into your workspace, or seamlessly managing other third-party apps.

Incorporating Teams Commands in Different Work Environments

In diverse workplaces, where teams span across departments and even time zones, Teams commands are a great way to keep everyone on the same page. These commands are ideal for both formal team collaborations and informal interactions. Plus, with a fun twist like creating a funny Microsoft Teams status message, it can bring some personality into the workspace while keeping communications professional.

The Takeaway

Microsoft Teams is equipped with a wealth of features, and its slash commands significantly streamline the user experience. These commands enable users to quickly find files, initiate chats, join meetings, and access various tools, enhancing efficiency for remote teams.

To unlock the full potential of Microsoft Teams, take the time to familiarize yourself with its commands. Explore the free version to see how it can transform productivity within your organization.

The post Teams Slash Commands You Need to Start Using Today appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

19 Expert Microsoft Teams Tips to Jumpstart Your Organization

Niveda Suresh — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 08:15:24 +0000

In the ever-evolving landscape of workplace collaboration, Microsoft Teams stands out as a powerhouse for fostering communication and boosting productivity. To help you harness its full potential, we’ve curated 18 expert tips that go beyond the surface, providing in-depth insights into maximizing your Teams experience.

A. Channel the power of – well – channels

Totally tabular

Tabs are like little magic windows in Microsoft Teams that give your team a dedicated space in a channel or chat. They’re like mini-rooms where you can access tools, data, and have conversations—all in one place. To add a Tab, click the ‘+’ at the top of your Teams workspace, choose from various options, and click ‘Save.’ You can now work with your tools and chat about them seamlessly.

Email embrace

At times, you might need to shift a crucial email conversation to Teams to involve the entire project team. It’s easy—just use the channel email address to send the email to a Teams channel. Once it’s there, everyone can join in by replying and kick off a discussion. It’s a game-changer for inclusive communication.

Tidiness is next to godliness

All your teams and channels aren’t equal. Some of them will become your go-to almost every time you open Teams. To keep things handy, just drag and drop your teams to arrange them in the order you like. Once you’re done, they stay in that order whenever you open Teams. And for added control, channels can be pinned to the top of the list.

Now, when it comes to your recent chats, we all know things can get a bit hectic, especially if your team uses them to talk to lots of people at once. To keep things organized, you have the option to name the group chat. This simple step makes it a breeze to locate in your chat list, ensuring you stay on top of your conversations.

Subscribe to my channel

Teams and channels aren’t all equally crucial. If you want to stay in the loop with specific projects or topics, set up a custom channel notification to ensure that new posts, new replies, @mentions, and relevant updates pop up in your activity feed or alert your device. Click on the ellipses next to the channel > more options > channel notifications to stay in the know, or turn off entirely to gain more focus!

The Rainbow Connection

Use Connectors to receive notifications from your favorite third-party apps directly in the channel of your choice.

Give AttendanceBot a go to effortlessly keep everyone in the loop about team activities and notify channels about key upcoming events for members. AttendanceBot can help you precisely by giving you all the alert, announcement, and notification tools you need, right where you need them. When your team isn’t all in the office, alerts for upcoming OOO is a godsend, as are updates on who’s going to be wfo or wfh during the week.

B. Inbox Inventory

Save your work

It’s handy to have a way to save messages for later. Saved messages conveniently appear in your saved list, allowing easy access whenever you need to revisit them.

You can also bookmark a message or attachment to read later or quickly locate frequently used information. Simply click on the ellipsis (…) next to any post in a conversation, and choose ‘Save This Message’ to add it to your bookmarks. To access your bookmarks, click on your profile image and select ‘Saved.’ Your saved messages will be displayed on the left. If you want to remove a bookmark, just click on the saved icon.

Snooze away

Spot something but can’t deal with it now? No worries—mark it as unread to remind yourself to come back to it later. Simply click on the ellipses in the message, then in the pop-up window, hit “Mark as unread.” To check your unread messages, head to the activity feed or type “/unread” into the search box.

Focus In

Cut out the distractions and stay focused by setting your status to “Do not disturb.” This nifty move keeps pop-ups and other distractions at bay, letting you power through your work.

Filter Feeder

Your personal activity feed is your go-to for staying in the loop with the latest communications. Filtering by unread, @mentions, replies or five other options lets you distinguish your @mentions from the group messages. This way, you can hone in on the crucial conversations and avoid getting lost in the crowd.

C. Crystal Clear

Bring them into the conversation

When you’re working and there’s a need to inform someone or a specific group, @mentions come to the rescue. It’s a quick way to get their attention. Just type “@” and start typing the person or group’s name. Choose the right one from the drop-down, and they’ll be notified in Teams.

Raise the red flag

There are moments when you need to send a message that demands immediate attention. The kind of message that doesn’t stop alerting until it’s acknowledged. That’s where urgent messages come in. When you mark a message as urgent, the recipient gets notified every two minutes for 20 minutes. It’s a powerful (though a bit persistent) way to ensure a crucial message doesn’t go unnoticed. Just remember, use it wisely and sparingly for maximum impact.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Inject personality into your messages with emojis and GIFs. Beyond just adding a personal touch, reactions provide a quick and clutter-free way to respond to common situations within Teams. Whether it’s a thumbs up to show agreement, a checkmark for completion, or even an emoji prayer for expressing thanks, there’s a creative way to convey your thoughts.

Add some flavor

Avoid the dreaded accidental “Send” mishap when crafting your message masterpiece. Select “Format” in the compose box, this will expand the textbox into a rich text editor. Utilize the formatting buttons within to customize your text, add a subject line, edit reply permissions, and more. It’s the little things that make your messages stand out.

Found in translation

When you’re collaborating with a team that speaks different languages in Teams, no problem at all –you’ve got the translation feature at your fingertips. Easily translate messages, ensuring seamless communication even with diverse linguistic backgrounds. It’s the secret weapon for breaking down language barriers in teamwork.

Out of office and otherwise occupied

When you find yourself unable to respond during regular business hours, Teams has your back. Set your out-of-office status, and it will be displayed to your teammates. Not only that, but they’ll also receive a friendly reminder if they try to reach you through private chat or @mention, letting them know you’re currently out of the office. It’s a seamless way to keep everyone in the loop about your availability.

And here’s another power move for Teams users – take control of your status duration. No need to stick with the default 5 minutes before Teams switches you from Busy to Away. This way, you have the autonomy to decide how long your status lasts, ensuring it perfectly aligns with your work style. So, whether you’re temporarily away or fine-tuning your availability settings, Teams has the flexibility you need.

D. Explore Plugins

Standup.ly and Polly

Gamify your team meetings and capture real-time feedback with Standup.ly and Polly. These plugins add a layer of interactivity to your Teams experience, fostering engagement and participation.

HeyTaco & Karma

Nurture a positive team culture by acknowledging and rewarding each other with HeyTaco and Karma. These plugins introduce a fun and motivational element to your collaboration, boosting morale and team cohesion.

SwiftKanban & Perfony

Take your project management to the next level with SwiftKanban and Perfony integrations. These plugins seamlessly integrate with Teams, providing robust project tracking and management capabilities within your collaborative environment.

AttendanceBot

AttendanceBot is a popular Teams solution for time and time off tracking. Whether you’re interested in managing leave requests and approvals, improving calendar visibility, tracking timesheets or project work, or planning wfo and wfh for your hybrid office, AttendanceBot has a seamlessly option for Microsoft Teams.

The Wrap Up

Incorporating these expert tips into your Microsoft Teams usage will undoubtedly propel your organization into a new realm of collaboration and efficiency. It’s time to maximize the power of Teams and revolutionize the way your team works together. Happy collaborating!

The post 19 Expert Microsoft Teams Tips to Jumpstart Your Organization appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

Is Microsoft Teams Free?

Author — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 14:20:15 +0000

Released in 2017, MS Teams has grown to become a communication hub for many businesses around the world. It integrates with many of the services of the Microsoft 365 suite. MS Teams offers its users:

Meetings and video conferences
Conversations with your team
File storage
Create, share and edit content

Even if you don’t buy the paid versions of MS Teams, you will still have access to many key features in the Free plan. So, yes, Microsoft Teams is free till your business requires additional features.

Microsoft Teams Free Version

Features in the Microsoft Teams Free Version

The Free Version of MS Teams includes the following features:

Chat messages and search option
A built-in audio and video call feature for a duration of up to 60 minutes for your team. Microsoft Teams meetings have a time limit of 30 hours.
Up to 100 participants in each meeting
Easy file sharing and 5GB data storage for each user
Unlimited group meetings for up to 60 minutes
Data encryption for meetings, chats, calls, and files so whether you communicate with someone inside or outside your organization, it offers great security
Live captioning of meetings in English

Features that are not in the Free Version

You can’t record meetings in the free version
Additional app integrations
Advances IT and greater compliance
Additional storage
Webinar hosting
Meeting live captioning in other languages

Who can use the Free Version of MS Teams?

Anyone who has a valid email ID can access the free version.
If a user of an existing Microsoft 365 commercial plan tries to sign up for free, they will be redirected to a managed account for their existing plan.

Microsoft Teams Paid Plans

MS Teams offers four different types of paid plans:

Microsoft Teams Essentials: $4 per user/month
Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $6 per user/month
Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50 per user/month
Office 365 E3: $20 user/month

In each pricing tier, you get the features of the previous one along with additional features. For a snapshot of the features, have a look at the image below.

Features in Business Basic and Business Standard Versions

MS Teams offers more robust features in its paid plans:

There’s no limit to the number of people that can be added to the Enterprise Plan
The paid version offers users storage of 1TB per user which admins can increase to 5 TB per user
In addition, users can record video meetings and voice calls
The Business Basic Plan is best for businesses that need easy remote solutions, with Microsoft Teams, secure cloud storage, and Office Online (this doesn’t include desktop versions)
The Standard Business Plan is Best for businesses that need full remote work and collaboration tools including Microsoft Teams, secure cloud storage, business email, and premium Office applications across devices

Features of Office 365 E3

This is the true full version of MS Teams
All features of Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Up to 500,000 users
Host online events for up to 10,000 people
Unlimited cloud storage
Protect your data with greater security
Free FastTrack deployment support with 150+ seats

To conclude, Microsft Teams does offer a free version that can be upgraded to fit the needs of growing businesses.

The post Is Microsoft Teams Free? appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

What’s New in AttendanceBot? The Mid 2022 Edition

Author — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 14:21:24 +0000

Our team has always focused on an iterative, customer feedback-led product. What’s the point of building out a kickass tool if it doesn’t evolve with your needs?

With that in mind, it’s time to let you in on a little secret. You have already inspired a few of our best feature iterations and we want to take this time to walk you through our latest.

Custom Leave & Hybrid Status Emojis

Yes, we heard a whole lot about how daily leave and work updates weren’t always enough for employees to keep track of who’s on leave and who’s working from home.

That’s why we’ve made our leave and office status integration seamless with Slack. Now when an employee applies for any leave type or a WFH, their Slack status is automatically updated for those days with an emoji of your choice.

The process is simple:

Go to Settings > Basic Settings > Available Leave Types
Click the Pencil Icon to edit the Leave Type
From there, it’s a simple matter of typing in your emoji, here is a simple cheat sheet that can help

Just to get you started, we include defaults:

:sneezing_face: for Sick Leaves
:palm_tree: for Vacations
:working-in-office: for Working from the Office

Now every time an employee looks up another to drop a message, they’ll be able to hover on their status to see where they are.

Custom Birthday and Workaversary Announcements

With a rapidly changing workscape, it makes sense to celebrate even small wins, including employee workaversaries and birthdays.

In its previous form, AttendanceBot allowed HR to queue celebratory messages that were formatted by us at HQ. But now, AttendanceBot allows you to create custom birthday and workaversary announcements to make your company communications consistent with your culture.

Once again, the process is straightforward:

Go to Notifications
Click the pencil icon to edit any Birthday/Workaversary announcement
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Enhanced Slack-native Project Management

As a SaaS business, project management has always been one of our passion projects. But now we’ve really got the time to stretch our legs and take a leap to make our Slack-native project tracking more robust.

What have we changed?

Mapping Projects to Clients

We know that a lot of our customers use project management for billable hours and projects that may need to be mapped to clients. Keeping this in mind, we’ve added more project-level settings to allow admins to map projects to specific clients and employees.

We believe that doing so gives customers better summaries and employees a more streamlined project selection process. After all, having a powerful project management tool isn’t enough – it’s got to be easy to use.

Introduction of Nested Projects

We understand that sub-projects allow you to capture task-level work and map out entire project-scapes with ease. With the introduction of nested projects, we aim to solve the issue of too many small projects.

Admins will be able to create and assign sub-projects within the Sub-Projects section of Project Settings. Employees can then track time against each sub-project that will be mapped to the larger project, and optionally the client.

Self-Selection of Open Projects

We’ve added a self-assign setting to projects, allowing employees to assign themselves the project and/or sub-projects. Using this setting employees can use AttendanceBot as a personal time management tool and create their own workstreams to measure productivity. You can also give employees more flexibility to choose their own projects per pre-defined conditions.

Ramped up Project Reports

We’ve always had a robust analytics dashboard for project management where you can view project and employee-wise breakdowns. But now, in addition to all of that, we also allow you to access dedicated project report downloads that include totals for wages & client billables.

More Slack Options for Shift Management

Shift management is something that businesses continue dedicating mountains of manhours to optimize. Although we’re proud of our solution, we see no reason to stop improving. In the past few months, we’ve introduced:

Robust alert options for any and all shift activity so you’re never blindsided. For instance, we can send channel notifications every time someone picks up a specific type of shift when overtime is assigned, or any time a shift is self-assigned or re-assigned.
Are you scared your open shifts won’t be picked up and you’ll be left scrambling to find a fill? You’re not the only one. After a lot of feedback, we’re introducing shifts that can be opened for a single day. So your employees can sign up for a single open shift on Slack.
Add comments to shifts to provide special instructions for employees or additional insight into reporting.
Sort your daily or weekly shifts by start time for quick browsing.
Missed shift report. Time is money and people turning up late or leaving early can be a slow drain on resources. With that in mind, we now offer dedicated reporting for missed shifts, late shifts, and early sign-offs.

Beta Version of our new Harmonize software

Nothing is more exciting than something exclusive. Our beta version of Harmonize is now available on request. If you’re interested in replacing the magic of AttendanceBot chat with one-click buttons in Slack, reach out to us at hi@harmonizehq.com to test it out for yourself and experience the magic.

Reach out to us at hi@harmonizehq.com if you have any suggestions or if you just think Dwight is right.

The post What’s New in AttendanceBot? The Mid 2022 Edition appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

Transforming Virtual Meetings: Unlock the Power of Microsoft Teams’ Together Mode!

Author — Wed, 18 May 2022 15:37:14 +0000

In today’s remote work landscape, video meetings have become an essential part of our daily routines. Yet, many of us find ourselves battling the dreaded video call fatigue, as endless hours of screen time can lead to disengagement and frustration. Enter Microsoft Teams’ Together Mode, a game-changing feature designed to make virtual meetings feel more engaging and personal. By bringing everyone’s video feeds together against a shared virtual background, Together Mode creates a lively atmosphere that mimics the experience of being in the same room. Whether you’re brainstorming ideas, collaborating on projects, or simply catching up, this feature adds a refreshing twist to your meetings. Join us as we explore how to enable Together Mode, its benefits, potential drawbacks, and why it might just be the solution to revitalize your remote work experience!

What is The Together Mode on Microsoft Teams?

Microsoft Teams‘ “Together Mode” is a great way to stay connected with others while working remotely. You’ll see every participant’s video in a shared virtual conference room when turned on. This helps to create a sense of togetherness and gives everyone a chance to see each other’s expressions and body language.

How to Use Microsoft Teams Together Mode?

To enable the Microsoft Teams Together mode, you’ll need at least four people on one Teams call to turn on Together Mode. Once activated, you can choose from a variety of backgrounds, including an office, café, or courtyard.

Together Mode is a great way to make remote meetings feel more like in-person meetings, and it’s sure to help boost productivity and collaboration. Let’s now look at the way how to enable it.

If you’re using Microsoft Teams for your video calls, you can enable the Teams Together Mode (Preview) to make it feel like everyone is in the same room.

To do this, simply join a call and click the three dots in the top-right corner.

From there, select Together Mode (Preview) and you’ll be prompted to choose a virtual background.

Once everyone has joined the call, their video feeds will be layered on top of the background.

As people leave and join the call, the background will zoom in to fit everyone, making it a great way to make virtual meetings feel more personal and engaging.

By clicking Change scene in the bottom-left corner, you can change the background to whichever you prefer from the available options.

To turn the Teams Together Mode off, simply click the three dots again and select Gallery.

Note: If you don’t see the Together mode option, you don’t have enough people on the call.

Can There be Any Drawback to using the Teams’ Together Mode?

While Microsoft Teams offers many features that can improve productivity, the Together mode is not without its potential drawbacks. One potential issue is that it can be distracting for some users. The constant movement of avatars around the virtual space can be a source of distraction, leading to reduced focus and attention.

Additionally, Together mode can also lead to increased screen time, as users may feel the need to keep their avatar in view at all times. This can lead to eye strain and fatigue, particularly if users are already working long hours in front of a computer. Finally, Together mode may not be suitable for all types of meetings, as it can limit the amount of visual information that is available. For example, presentations with complex graphics or data-heavy slides may be more difficult to follow in Together mode. As a result, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of using this feature before deciding if it is right for your team.

Hopefully, this post has taught you exactly what the Together Mode is, how it can be useful, and how easy it is to set up. This is a very cool feature that can quickly improve the work that teams do together. Why not try turning on together mode in your team today?

The post Transforming Virtual Meetings: Unlock the Power of Microsoft Teams’ Together Mode! appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

Unlock the Power of Microsoft Teams Dark Mode: Boost Comfort and Productivity!

Author — Tue, 10 May 2022 20:59:46 +0000

In a world where we rely heavily on digital communication, spending long hours in front of bright screens can take a toll on our eyes. Enter Microsoft Teams dark mode—your screen’s stylish counterpart that not only enhances visual comfort but also brings a host of benefits. By reducing blue light exposure, dark mode helps alleviate eye fatigue, making those late-night meetings or marathon work sessions a lot more bearable.

Enabling dark mode on screens can have a number of benefits. Perhaps most importantly, it can help to reduce eye strain. When the dark mode is enabled, the screen emits less blue light, which has been shown to cause eye fatigue. In addition, dark mode can also help to extend battery life. This is because dark pixels require less power than light ones.

As a result, the dark mode can be particularly beneficial for people who use their screens for long periods of time or who rely on their devices for critical tasks. Finally, the dark mode can also create a more immersive experience by reducing distractions and making it easier to focus on the content on the screen. For all these reasons, dark mode is well worth enabling on any type of screen.

But the perks don’t stop there! Microsoft Teams dark mode can also extend your device’s battery life and create a more immersive experience, allowing you to focus on what really matters.

In this blog, we will be focusing on how to enable MS Teams dark mode.

Microsoft Teams is a powerful communication and collaboration tool, offering a range of features to help professionals stay connected and get work done. One important feature of Microsoft Teams is its dark mode, which works across all versions of the app, including Windows, Mac, web, iPhone, iPad, and Android.

With dark mode enabled, users can easily transition between different types of work without having to change their computer’s color settings or adjust their lighting. This makes it easier to focus on tasks without distraction or discomfort, allowing teams to be more productive and efficient. Additionally, the dark mode can also save energy by reducing eye strain during long periods of use. Overall, Microsoft Teams‘ dark mode is a valuable feature that every modern professional should take advantage of.

How to Turn on Microsoft Teams Dark Mode?

If you’re using Microsoft Teams and want to enable dark mode, there are a few steps you’ll need to follow. First, open the Microsoft Teams app and click on your profile picture in the top-right corner. Next, you’ll see several options. From the drop-down menu, select Settings.

Once you’re in the settings, you will see three options to choose from: Default, Dark, and High Contrast.

You can keep the appearance on default or you can manually change it to suit your requirement. To turn on MS Teams dark mode, simply press Dark. Your screen will begin to look like this:

If you wish to have a high contrast display, simply select that theme and your display will look like this. It is a great option to have for people with weak eyesight. It helps them easily distinguish between elements and read the text with its well-designed black and white theme.

That’s it! Once the dark mode is enabled, you’ll see all of your Teams interface elements change to a darker color scheme. This can help lessen eye strain, especially if you’re working in low-light conditions. If you ever want to disable dark mode, simply return to the settings menu and switch the toggle back to the off position.

PS: If you’re looking for a cool time and attendance tracking solution for your organization, do check out AttendanceBot!

The post Unlock the Power of Microsoft Teams Dark Mode: Boost Comfort and Productivity! appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

Microsoft Teams Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

Author — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 22:23:43 +0000

Microsoft Teams? Awesome, right? It’s lightweight, it’s free, and integrates with all the other apps you already use. You can use it just for meetings or video calls with clients. And the best part is that it’s already built into your Office 365 subscription! Teams is a wonderful collaboration platform that makes communicating, collaborating, and discussing with your team members easier. Microsoft Teams has emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Today, it is arguably the most popular collaboration platform among enterprise users.

You’ve been using Microsoft Teams for a while now and have memorized all of its bells and whistles. That’s great! But have you taken the time to learn all of its keyboard shortcuts? Because they are all the rage!

These Microsoft Teams keyboard shortcuts are easy to learn and they will save you time. In this blog post, we will discuss and explore some useful Microsoft Teams shortcuts and tips.

Shortcuts for Meetings

Microsoft Teams Unmute Shortcut:

Ctrl + shift + M – Mute/unmute yourself
Ctrl + shift + O – Turn on/off your camera

Shortcuts for Chatting and Collaborating

Ctrl + N – Start a new chat
Ctrl + O – Attach a file

Shortcuts for Chats, Teams, Calls, and Searching Information:

Ctrl + 1+ 2 + 3 – Navigate up and down the left navigation rail. (i.e. Ctrl + 1 = Activity feed; Ctrl +2 = Chat; Ctrl + 3 = Teams etc.)
Ctrl + E – Quick access to the search bar at the top of Teams.

To Insert An Emoji

:word – Type a colon “:” immediately followed by a word to discover additional emojis (e.g. :person or :pencil)

To Show Keyboard Shortcuts

In order to view other shortcuts, the user can Type Ctrl + . to see all of them or click on your profile in the top right-hand corner and click keyboard shortcuts.

General Shortcuts

Feature	Shortcut for Desktop	Shortcut for Web App
Show keyboard shortcuts	Ctrl+Period (.)	Ctrl+Period (.)
Go to Search	Ctrl+E	Ctrl+E
Show commands	Ctrl+Slash (/)	Ctrl+Slash (/)
Open filter	Ctrl+Shift+F	Ctrl+Shift+F
Goto	Ctrl+G	Ctrl+Shift+G
Open apps flyout	Ctrl+Accent (`)	Ctrl+Accent (`)
Start a new chat	Ctrl+N	Left Alt+N
Open Settings	Ctrl+Comma (,)	Ctrl+Comma (,)
Open Help	F1	Ctrl+F1
Close	Esc	Esc
Zoom in	Ctrl+Equals sign ( = )	No shortcut
Zoom out	Ctrl+Minus sign (-)	No shortcut
Reset zoom level	Ctrl+0	No shortcut

Shortcuts for Messaging

Feature	Shortcut for Desktop	Shortcut for Web App
Start a new conversation	Alt+Shift+C	Alt+Shift+C
Go to compose box	Alt+Shift+C	Alt+Shift+C
Expand compose box	Ctrl+Shift+X	Ctrl+Shift+X
Send (expanded compose box)	Ctrl+Enter	Ctrl+Enter
Start new line	Shift+Enter	Shift+Enter
Reply to a thread	Alt+Shift+R	Alt+Shift+R
Mark as important	Ctrl+Shift+I	Ctrl+Shift+I
Search current chat/channel messages	Ctrl+F	Ctrl+F

Shortcuts for Calls and Meetings

Feature	Shortcut for Desktop	Shortcut for Web App
Accept video call	Ctrl+Shift+A	Ctrl+Shift+A
Accept audio call	Ctrl+Shift+S	Ctrl+Shift+S
Decline call	Ctrl+Shift+D	Ctrl+Shift+D
Start audio call	Ctrl+Shift+C	Ctrl+Shift+C
Start video call	Ctrl+Shift+U	Ctrl+Shift+U
End audio call	Ctrl+Shift+H	No shortcut
End video call	Ctrl+Shift+H	No shortcut
Temporarily unmute	Ctrl+Spacebar	No shortcut
Announce raised hands (screen reader)	Ctrl+Shift+L	Ctrl+Shift+L
Raise or lower your hand	Ctrl+Shift+K	Ctrl+Shift+K
Start screen share session	Ctrl+Shift+E	No shortcut
Toggle video	Ctrl+Shift+O	No shortcut
Filter current list	Ctrl+Shift+F	Ctrl+Shift+F
Go to sharing toolbar	Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar	Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar
Decline screen share	Ctrl+Shift+D	No shortcut
Accept screen share	Ctrl+Shift+A	No shortcut
Admit people from lobby notification	Ctrl+Shift+Y	No shortcut
Toggle background blur	Ctrl+Shift+P	No shortcut
Schedule a meeting	Alt+Shift+N	Alt+Shift+N
Go to current time	Alt+Period (.)	Alt+Period (.)
Go to previous day/week	Ctrl+Alt+Left arrow key	Ctrl+Alt+Left arrow key
Go to next day/week	Ctrl+Alt+Right arrow key	Ctrl+Alt+Right arrow key
View day	Ctrl+Alt+1	Ctrl+Alt+1
View workweek	Ctrl+Alt+2	Ctrl+Alt+2
View week	Ctrl+Alt+3	Ctrl+Alt+3
Save/send meeting request	Ctrl+S	Ctrl+S
Join from meeting details	Alt+Shift+J	Alt+Shift+J
Go to suggested time	Alt+Shift+S	Alt+Shift+S

The Microsoft Teams team has done a stellar job with such a comprehensive list of keyboard shortcuts that can help you get more done faster. In this article, we gathered all these Microsoft Teams keyboard shortcuts so that you can boost your productivity even more. We hope you found this list of MS Teams keyboard shortcuts useful.

If you’re looking for the perfect time and attendance tracking solution that works within MS Teams, do check out us at AttendanceBot.

Or if you’re interested in finding Slack keyboard shortcuts, we have a blog on that too.

The post Microsoft Teams Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

The 11 Best HRM Software for SMBs

Author — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 21:48:40 +0000

HR today has evolved beyond merely recruiting. From employee recruitment to boomerang employees, there’s so much that needs to be done for modern-day HR.

In today’s world, HR software can help them do away with tedious repetitive tasks and focus on strategic ones. HRM software is one such type that helps HR manage the workforce with ease.

In this article, we will go through the definition of HRMS, its benefits, and some of the best HRM software that your organization can use.

What is HRMS?

HRMS stands for the Human Resource Management System. It is software that helps HR professionals with many tasks like managing employee data, managing payroll, training employees, maintaining the database, recruitment, benefits management, employee attendance, etc.

The term HRMS is also used interchangeably with HRIS which is a human resource information system. Where in fact, HRIS is just a type of HRMS. Let’s go through the features of HRM software in detail.

Features of an HRM Software

Recruitment

HRM software is designed to help employers with the recruitment process. Reporting, filtering resumes, applicant tracking and management, keeping records, managing onboarding tools are all part of the recruitment process. HRMS software helps HR professionals by managing these tasks efficiently.

Storing Employee Data

Back in the day, storing employee data was painstaking and involved a lot of paperwork. Today, HR professionals have help from software like human resource management systems and HRIS to store essential data on employees including their work history, their personal details, and salary details.

Payroll Management

Managing employee hours and their wages is easier with HRM software. With such a system, you don’t need to worry about payroll management. HRMS software is designed to automate payroll and so much more to provide hassle-free invoice management.

Time and Attendance Management

Gone are the days when manual punch cards were used to mark attendance in the workplace. With the advancement in HR technology, HRM software takes care of this issue with ease. Be it attendance or leave management, the software is designed to help you with that. Additionally, HR professionals can automate timesheet management and integrate with payroll software at the same time.

Employee Training

Another feature of HRM software is the development and training of the employees. The software helps you tailor-make training programs for each employee. Other than that they help you automate the entire training process by keeping track of the training progress and employees’ performance becomes easy.

The 12 Best HRM Software for Small Businesses

The following list is of the best HR software systems that you can use for your business:

AttendanceBot

With AttendanceBot, set up and manage approvals, work shifts, and leave policies like you want. It offers manual time mapping operations and billing to help you work without stress.

Additionally, it helps you create employee schedules right inside your team collaboration software. AttendanceBot keeps your employees on track with reminders and notifications and eliminates the need for constant timesheet reminders ensures a smooth operation.

AttendanceBot dashboard is a center of all things for an admin to have a view of everything from shift rosters, personnel profiles to employee performance analytics.

Other features include:

Free trial: Free for teams that have 5 users

Starting price: Starts at $4 per user per month

Gusto

Gusto is a powerful all-in-one HR platform that provides growing businesses with a single system of record. The features include full-service payroll management, employee benefits, time and attendance, hiring and onboarding, talent management, insights, and reporting.

Gusto helps you automatically file your taxes, help with compliance, and identify tax credits to help save you money.

Some financial benefits offered by Gusto include 401(k) retirement savings, workers’ comp, Gusto Wallet employee finance tools, and 529 college savings.

Pricing starts at $39 plus $6 per person per month.

You can even use the combined magic of AttendanceBot and Gusto payroll software on your favorite collaboration platform.

BambooHR

BambooHR is one of the best HRM software made for small and medium businesses. Whether you’re hiring, onboarding, preparing compensation, or building culture, BambooHR gives you the time and insights to focus on your people. Some of their features include:

Tracking employee records
Custom workflows
Benefit and payroll administration.
Employee and manager self-service.
Global capabilities.
Applicant tracking system.
Time and attendance tracking.
Document storage and management.

BambooHR’s pricing starts at $99 per month for 12 employees.

ADP

From simple tools to full-service outsourcing ADP offers expert services to small, medium, and large businesses including:

Payroll services
HR services
Professional employer organization PEO
Retirement services,
Benefits administration
Insurance services

Pricing starts at $59 per month plus $4 per employee.

OfficeAmp

Manage all employee requests, IT tickets and workplace, service orders in one place. OfficeAmp is the hub for making any requests they have. It automatically assigns the issue to the right person and keeps you posted on your issue’s progress until it is resolved.

OfficeAmp simply lets you log your issue anytime anywhere. It automatically assigns the issue to the right person and keeps you posted on your issue’s progress until it is resolved. Manage the tickets to their end and analyze key metrics from time to resolve to throughput on the dashboard.

Build a robust knowledge base of things around the office – guest wifi password,

what’s the travel policy, where to find the pay stubs, and so on.

Pricing starts at $1 USD per user, per month +$29 USD base fee per month when billed annually.

ExpenseTron

ExpenseTron offers you simple expense reporting on Slack. Some features include automated expense filings, approvals, and reimbursements. ExpenseTron takes care of everything including reporting, approvals, and alerts for both employees and managers.

In addition, mileage expensing, receipt forwarding, and multiple currency support are other features.

ExpenseTron is a super simple expense tracking solution for Slack. Just send messages like Spent $13 on airport parking and it will create an expense claim, categorize it and send it to your manager for approval.

ExpenseTron can also scan receipts (it supports pdf, png, and jpeg formats) to create claims.

Just add ExpenseTron to your Slack team and it will message you the instructions to get started.

It integrates with all the accounting software of your choice, including Quickbooks, Freshbooks, Xero, etc.

Some useful links:

Additional Details

Zenefits

Zenefits has all the HR tools that make managing your people easy, from streamlined onboarding and easy PTO tracking to org charts, performance reviews, and so much more.

It simplifies the process of curating and providing great benefits to your people from comprehensive healthcare plans to perks like commuter benefits. Additionally, It helps pay your people fast and easily.

Services include:

For their growth plan, pricing starts at $14 per month per employee.

PayCor

Paycor focuses on helping small-to-medium-sized businesses extend their reach and maximize their productivity. From the way you recruit people to the way you coach, develop, pay and retain them, Paycor helps leaders create great places to work. It offers users the most powerful payroll software on the market, backed by tax and compliance expertise.

Other features include talent management, recruiting software, compensation planning, and more.

Pricing starts at $5 per employee per month.

Rippling

Rippling lets you effortlessly manage your employees’ payroll, benefits, devices, apps, and more in one place. It offers benefits including health insurance, 401(k), commuter, and more into one system and automates the busy work, like enrolling new hires, updating deductions, and administering COBRA.

In addition to payroll management, it offers users easy time and attendance tracking, learning management, and talent management.

Pricing for Rippling starts at $8 a month, per user.

Oracle HCM

Natively built for the cloud, Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management is a complete solution connecting every human resource process from hire to retire. This provides a consistent experience across devices, enables one source of truth for HR data to improve decision-making, and empowers you with market-leading innovation to address your needs today and into the future.

Some of their features include talent management, learning management, workforce management, payroll, HCM analytics, recruiting, and more.

Kronos Workforce Ready

Another HR software for small business and medium business, Kronos Workforce Ready suite combines the power of workforce management and human capital management (HCM) in one unified cloud platform to help you manage your entire workforce from pre-hire to retire whether they’re salaried, hourly, full time, or part-time.

Work smarter with integrated HR, payroll, talent, workforce management, and more with real-time updates and people analytics for informed business decisions at the moment.

With this HRM software, work in the modern cloud with fast, efficient delivery without the installation, maintenance, and upgrade headaches allowing your IT staff to focus on a core business initiative.

Kronos workforce central is another HR software by them. They have a product to fit your needs regardless of your organization’s industry, size, or location. With this HRM software, help ensure compliance, keep accurate records of benefits partners and transactions, and provide employees with the consumer-grade shopping experience they demand and more.

Pricing starts at around $40 + $4 per employee depending on business size and team size.

Benefits of a Human Resource Management System

There are many benefits of using an HR management system. Using the best HR software helps not only your organization but also makes work a lot easier for you and your employees. Some benefits are as follows:

Makes Work Easier

HRMS software is designed to make work easier for you. From the recruitment of an employee to their onboarding and training HRM software provides HR professionals with various features to assist them in work. In addition, an HRMS saves time by keeping all information in one secure place and by structuring all administrative tasks.

Reduces Paperwork

HR work required a lot of paperwork and enormous files. With HRM software you can easily eliminate paperwork and store all records in the system. Not only does this help reduce it but managers can easily access employee data, records, forms, certificates, and other files in a matter of seconds.

Makes Employee Management Easy

HRMS is designed to help you manage your employee’s data with ease. Moreover, It reduces repetitive manual tasks and automates most of your tasks so that you never have to worry about doing them manually.

Time and Attendance Management

A few years ago managing the leaves an employee avails and the time they spend on various tasks was arduous and difficult to track. With the help of HRM software today, HR has it easy with leave management and time tracking of their employees.

Makes Paying Your Employees Easier

Paying your employees can be a hard thing especially if you don’t have HRM software to automate the process. With the right HRMS, you can automate the entire payroll process and forget about manual payroll management.

Offers Employee Self-Service

An automated HR management system provides better employee self-service and higher employee satisfaction. With an HRMS, if an employee wants to check how much paid time off is left available, or how much sick leave they’ve taken, they can do it on their own. HRMS software usually provides employees with their own accounts with all the relevant data on them. Moreover, employees can pull up their payslips and other data with ease.

Cuts Down the Risk of Errors

HRMS software helps you cut down human errors. Since they operate automatically and machines rarely make errors, this software helps you reduce the probability of adding data twice or making a wrong entry.

Data Security

Another great benefit of using HRM software is that it offers you security. Your data is important and when it is in the form of paperwork, it’s vulnerable. An HRMS software makes sure it’s secure and is often password-protected to keep hackers at a bay.

Additionally, an HRMS comes with payroll functionality, offering a more secure way to process the payroll by securing this kind of data with password authorization and storing information on internal hardware.

This was a list of some of the best HRMS software for small businesses. Using software that is designed to suit your unique needs is important. You should invest in software that helps you and your organization maximize potential and reach.

The post The 11 Best HRM Software for SMBs appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

How to Share Screen on Microsoft Teams?

Author — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 14:20:32 +0000

With remote work becoming mainstream, the adoption of Slack and MS Teams has increased considerably.

Sharing screens is one of the most common features used in MS Teams. In this article, we’ll take you through how to Screen Share on Microsoft Teams and the most common troubleshooting questions.

What is Microsoft Teams Screen Sharing?

Microsoft Teams Screen Sharing is their attempt to bring a real-world office experience into the remote workspace. It’s the way the presenter can share any of the following:

Window: Specific apps/windows on their screen
Desktop: Their entire screen
PowerPoint: For presentations
Whiteboard: To visually collaborate using a whiteboard with team members

How to Share Screen on Teams?

Screen Sharing on Teams is actually quite robust in comparison to Slack. The Microsoft suite of productivity applications has been integrated very cleverly into the product.

Step 1: Click the Screen Sharing icon at the Bottom of Your Screen

Step 2: Choose how you Want to Share Your Screen

As mentioned in the section above, Microsoft Teams gives you the option to share your screen in many ways.

Screen Share your Entire Desktop

This option can share your entire desktop. It’s useful when you have to toggle between different apps during the call.

Out of all the options, this is probably the least professional one. If you need to share your screen it’s best if you share the exact window that you want to show your team.

If you do opt for your entire desktop, there can be a chance that you show something mildly embarrassing by mistake. Personally, I wouldn’t like to show my 20 open tabs on Chrome which is why I steer clear.

Screen Share a Specific Window/App

If you have an agenda in mind, just share the exact window you’d like to show your team with this option.

Share a PowerPoint Presentation

This is one of the most useful integrations with the MS Teams Screen Sharing functions. A lot of times we may have to present something using Powerpoint and although we can open it in a separate window and then share that window, this makes the process much more seamless.

Share a Whiteboard to Collaborate with the Entire Team

This is where MS Teams really vaults right over Slack. The Microsoft Whiteboard is a nifty web application that allows meeting participants to draw, sketch and write together on a shared digital canvas. It really drills in the point of a remote work culture replicating in-person brainstorming sessions.

It is a tool we personally love using at AttendanceBot. As a fully remote team, it helps us in bringing ideas and people together in an unstructured and free-flowing way.

Step 3: End Screen Sharing

Just click on the button “Stop Presenting” to end Screen Sharing on MS Teams.

Device-Specific Microsoft Teams Share Screen

How to Share the Screen on Microsoft Teams on a Phone?

Screen sharing on your phone is much more rudimentary. You’re only able to share your entire screen without any option of multitasking on your phone.

Simply click on the ellipsis icon on the left-hand rail, choose screen share and the team will be able to view your entire screen.

Important Note: Do make sure that your phone is on the Do Not Disturb mode otherwise all notifications and calls will be visible to your team. It will interrupt the meeting and can be slightly unprofessional.

Source

How to Share Screen on Microsoft Teams on an iPad?

The process of sharing your screen on an iPad is similar to the one on a desktop. Simply:

Click on the Screen Sharing button at the bottom of your screen
You get the following share options:
- Powerpoint
- Photo
- Video
- Complete Screen
Choose the Screen Sharing option you need
To end the screen share, simply click on the Stop Presenting Button

Important Note: Do make sure that your iPad is on Do Not Disturb otherwise any notifications and calls will be visible to your team.

How to Share Screen on Microsoft Teams on a MacBook?

The only difference between sharing your screen on a Windows device and a MacBook is that you need to give Microsoft Teams to share your screen in a MacBook.

Open System Preferences and go to Security and Privacy
Under Screen Recording, check the box for Microsoft Teams
Go back to the meeting you should be able to share your screen now

Note: If you’re using the Teams web app, make sure that you’ve given whatever browser you’re using permission.

Frequently Asked Questions on Microsoft Teams Screen Share

Why is my Teams’ Screen Sharing Not Working?

Two of the most common reasons could be:

You’ve not been granted the necessary permissions by your Teams’ admin
The device permissions have to be set up

For the first, contact your admin. If you’re still facing any issues, you can refer to this article for the 8 reasons your MS Team Screen Sharing may now be working.

How to Share PowerPoint on Teams?

The process for sharing PowerPoint on Teams is fairly straightforward.

Select Share Content in MS Teams, in your meeting controls
In the PowerPoint section, select the file you want or select Browse to find a file that isn’t listed
You’ll see the presenter view:
- Your presentation notes on the right
- A strip of all your slides on the bottom
- The team on the right hand rail

How to Microsoft Teams Share Screen and See Participants too?

In 2021, Teams does not have this feature but they’re working on it.

Can you Share Multiple Screens in Microsoft Teams?

The best way is to manually switch between screens. There isn’t any native method on MS Teams to share multiple screens at the moment.

Additional Useful Resources:

The post How to Share Screen on Microsoft Teams? appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

The Guide to Out of Office Outlook for Vacation Tracking

Author — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 09:51:45 +0000

Consider this, you’re finally taking some time off work which is great because everyone needs to rest and live it large. You’ve booked your tickets and are ready to spend some family time at that amazing vacation spot you’ve always wanted to go to. But you suddenly remember you didn’t set up your out-of-office Outlook.

Don’t worry! It’s super easy and won’t take a lot of time. Once you set it up you’re good to go. But wait. What exactly is out of office on Outlook? In simple words, it’s a message that is automatically sent to your coworkers or other people related to your work that you’re away from the office.

In this article, you will discover what is out of office on Outlook, ways to set it up, and an alternative to track and announce your vacation. So let’s get started.

What is an Out of Office Outlook?

If you’re an Outlook user, you can create an automatic out-of-office or away message for your email contact list. This message tells your contacts that you’re currently unavailable to reach them. Setting up an auto-reply can be a good idea if you’re on vacation or simply taking some time off work.

Purpose of Setting-up an Out-of-Office on Outlook

A well-written auto-reply for your contact list should accomplish the following three things:

It should mention the exact dates you’re unavailable to reach your clients or coworkers. It should also mention the date you’ll be back at work.
It should mention the reason for your absence
Lastly, it should include another contact who they can reach in case of urgent queries.

Look at the step-by-step guide on setting up an out-of-office on Outlook in the next section.

Out of Office Outlook on Desktop

To set up an out of office message on your desktop follow these steps:

On your account go to settings just near your profile picture.

In the settings look for Automatic Replies

Once you click the Automatic Replies, turn the automatic replies toggle on as shown in the image below.

Once it’s on, you will see a box to type your message in.

If you wish for Outlook to send these replies only during a certain period, then mention the time and date.

Adding Vacation to the Outlook Calendar

To enable your full vacation mode, you want to make sure that you’ve blocked your vacation time on your calendar as well. This will let your coworkers (if you’re an employee) or employees (if you’re an employer) know that you’re away on vacation. This will show your team that you are unavailable for a specific period.

Look at the image below:

Just under the time, tick the box that says ‘block my calendar for this period’. To provide further information, you can also add a title to your event.

In addition, you can also automatically decline new invitations for any event or meeting that occurs during your vacation. Simply check the box for it as shown in the image below.

To decline or even cancel any meetings that you have during this period, simply check the box.

Now that you’ve followed all the above-mentioned steps, an out-of-office on Outlook is set. Every email that you get will be auto-replied with your custom message. However, If you wish to auto-reply only to your contacts, check the box.

With that being done, simply save it and you’ve set up an out-of-office message on Outlook.

Out of Office Outlook on Mobile

Okay, so you just reached your destination but didn’t bring your laptop with you. In that case, we’ve got you covered. Set up an out-of-office message on Outlook right on your mobile.

To set up an out of office message on your mobile follow these steps:

As the first step, open your browser and log in to your Outlook account. You may need to do this in a browser because full functions are sometimes not available in the apps. After logging in, simply select the three-bar menu. Look at the image below:

As the next step, go to settings just on the upper right corner.

Look for automatic replies in the settings

Once you find it, tap it and you’ll see the toggle to turn automatic replies on.

Since you want an auto-reply for everyone, check the box for ‘reply to everyone’.

As the last step, type in your message.

And just like that, you’re done! You have now set up your out-of-office message in Outlook using your phone.

Some Templates to Start With

Below are some templates you can use to write your out-of-office message:

Hey there. Thanks for your email. However, I am currently away from the desk from mm/dd to mm/dd. In case of urgent queries please contact [NAME] at [EMAIL] or [PHONE]. I will get back to you when I return.

Hi. Thanks for the message. Right now, I am on a family vacation in a warmer country, away from chilly Chicago. Sadly, I will not be responding to emails until mm/dd. If you need immediate help, please contact [NAME] at [EMAIL] or [PHONE] while I am away. Stay safe and warm!

Hello. Unfortunately, I am away right now with limited email access and will be back by the 10th of this month. In case of an emergency matter, contact [NAME] at [EMAIL]. Fortunately for you, in the meanwhile, you can check this awesome ebook out. I’ll get back to you as soon as I return to work.

Hi there. Sorry, you missed me. I am away from the office from mm/dd to mm/dd. I will reply to you when I return. In the meanwhile, keep up with us on our Twitter/Instagram/LinkedIn handle to see what we’re up to. Have a great day!

Good day! So I am in the mountains right now with limited internet connectivity and can’t respond to emails. If your message can wait, I’ll get back to you on mm/dd. In case it’s urgent, [NAME] at [EMAIL] will be glad to assist you.

Hi. Thanks for the message. Hate to break it to you but I’ve taken some time off work. Therefore I’m not able to respond to your email right now. In case it’s urgent please reach out to [NAME] at [EMAIL]. They will be happy to help you in my absence. I’ll get back to the office on mm/dd. Thanks for waiting.

Track Your Vacations with AttendanceBot

The above-mentioned process or out-of-office on Outlook is preferable for most small organizations with small teams. Bigger teams need something more feature-rich or complex. If you’re a big team and wondering what is the solution, how to request leaves, manage them or even announce leaves, you’ve come to the right place.

With AttendanceBot, teams can easily request leaves and announce their vacations. Employers can track their employees’ vacations or any other time off work. The good news is that all of this is just a click away!

We love AttendanceBot because it’s super easy to use and integrates with Slack and MS Teams. Check out how to request vacation and announce it using AttendanceBot in the following steps:

The first step is to add AttendanceBot to your workspace. Once its done, open it and simply type in ‘on vacation’ and enter the dates you wish to take time off as shown in the image below:

After you confirm your vacation, it goes to your manager for approval. AttendanceBot allows managers to easily approve or deny requests, manage notifications, and have an overview of the team’s time off. The manager will see that you requested a vacation as shown below:

Once the manager approves your vacation or denies it, AttendanceBot notifies you instantly.

To announce the approved vacations, AttendanceBot notifies everyone on the team in your general Slack or MS Teams channel.

The Takeaway

Out-of-office message or auto-reply on Outlook is a cool feature. It lets your team know you’re currently unavailable. Therefore this feature lets you enjoy your vacation time without you worrying about replying to your worthy contacts or team members. Although it is a great way to let them know you’re away, it may not be the best solution for bigger teams.

For that, install AttendanceBot, request leaves, and announce them organization-wide easily. Another reason we’re thankful for AttendanceBot is that it also lets you apply for and approve PTOs or sick leaves. So enjoy your holiday because we’ve got your back.

The post The Guide to Out of Office Outlook for Vacation Tracking appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

Simple Microsoft Teams Time Tracking with AttendanceBot (Featuring Images and Videos)

Author — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 14:00:32 +0000

With hybrid workplaces rapidly becoming the norm the need for time tracking to monitor employees is becoming a key element for HR. But how can we monitor employees without being too intrusive and distrustful?

The answer is self-reported time tracking by employees.

While this is a good solution, what tools you’ll use for time tracking are the key to large-scale adoption in the organization. Having unique software for this will only deepen the software fatigue all employees are feeling. One software for marking your attendance, another for time tracking, and many others for your core work.

Just like Zoom fatigue, app fatigue is also a sad reality for most employees.

How about a time tracking solution on your current collaboration software? With Slack and MS Teams having 115 million and 14 million daily active users in 2021 respectively, it makes sense to use apps on these.

In this article, we’ll be focusing on how time tracking with Microsoft Teams works, tools that can help, and helpful visual assets.

What is Time Tracking?

Time tracking is the process of recording the time spent by employees at work, approving timesheets, and providing this data for payroll. This data can be segmented to include time spent by employees on different projects and clients for client-wise billing.

The process of time tracking includes:

Punching in and out: Tracking the time spent on projects, clients, or just at work
- Self-reported by the employee
- Auto-tracked through software
Approvals: The punches of individual employees are analyzed and approved by their manager periodically for payroll
Timesheet Reports: Approved timesheets are sent for payroll

What is Microsoft Teams Time Tracking?

Microsoft Teams has already made strides in analyzing employee productivity with Microsoft Viva. It makes sense that time tracking with Microsoft Teams is the next logical step.

So what does this entail?

Microsoft Teams time trackers are applications that can be added from the Apps section to integrate into your workspace. With these you can:

Create punches
Add breaks
Segment time spent project wise
Approve timesheets
Pull up timesheet reports
Monitor employee productivity

Time Tracking in Microsoft Teams

We don’t like to toot our own horn, but with AttendanceBot, Microsoft Teams’ time tracking is simple, non-intrusive, and intuitive for employees. While also being information-rich and robust for employers.

So how can you monitor employees on MS Teams with AttendanceBot? Let’s find out.

How to Add AttendanceBot to Your Workspace?

You can add AttendanceBot to your workspace by searching for it in the Apps section of MS Teams. It is listed under the Productivity and Human Resource section.

How to Track Time in MS Teams?

When you are starting work, simply type and send “in” to AttendanceBot. It will clock you in for the day.
When you want to click out, simply type and send “out”.

How to Track Breaks on MS Teams?

To apply for a break in AttendanceBot, just type and send “break for x mins” or “brb in x mins”.
You can then clock back in after that time by sending “in” once more.

In case your administrator has set up any scheduled breaks like a 30-minute lunch break under “lunch” or a 10-minute snack under “snacks”, you can just send those phrases without the duration mentioned.

The lunch duration can be set from your Settings Panel. You can refer to this article for the process of setting up lunch hours.

How to Track Time on MS Teams by Project?

When you are starting with your work, simply clock in by typing the command “in” into the AttendanceBot. If you have been assigned projects, AttendanceBot will give you a drop-down to select one.

Hit “OK” to confirm the punch and you will notice that the prompt by AttendanceBot will update

If you wish to switch to another project, simply type in the command “Out” to clock out from the current project.
Rinse and repeat to choose another project.

How to View Real-Time Punch Statuses of the Team?

To view the list of people currently punched in or out, simply type ‘punch card’. It is a real-time view of your team’s punch status.

Alternatively, managers can head to the AttendanceBot Dashboard and enter the Punch Board to see the status of their employees.

How Do I Send Punch Reminders to Employees?

Often, employees can forget to punch in and out during the day. Sending timesheet reminders can be a task.

With AttendanceBot, you can specify times for punch in and out reminders. The reminders will go out to workspace members in their local time.

Sometimes, reminders can also be ineffective. In that case, you can opt to auto-punch out employees to prevent overtime issues further down the line.

Microsoft Teams Time Tracking, Simplified.

We hope this guide was helpful in navigating the confusing world of Microsoft time tracking.

If you have any questions about time tracking, productivity, or even just the metrics to track, reach out to us at @HarmonizeHQ.

The post Simple Microsoft Teams Time Tracking with AttendanceBot (Featuring Images and Videos) appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

The Guide to Microsoft Viva for Businesses

Author — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 14:33:51 +0000

Employee Experience in HR was always a massive segment in HR technology. But the pandemic has fueled companies to spend billions of dollars on collaboration tools, onboarding software, and even mindfulness apps. The HR technology market is projected to grow from USD 24.04 billion in 2021 to USD 35.68 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 5.8%. This industry includes giants like ADP and WorkDay to SME-oriented time tracking applications like AttendanceBot.

Viva is Microsoft aiming to help businesses that are now looking at a future of remote work. This is their big bet on hybrid workplaces and remote teams becoming the norm. Microsoft Viva launched in February 2021 with different parts being rolled out in a phased approach throughout 2021.

We need to stop thinking about work as a place, and start thinking about how to maintain a culture, connect employees, and harness human ingenuity in a hybrid world.

– Jared Spataro, Head of Microsoft 365

Microsoft Viva is here and holds the power to transform hybrid workspaces, but what is it?

What is Microsoft Viva?

Microsoft Viva is a unique set of curated AI-enriched experiences built on top of Microsoft 365 to improve employee experience in hybrid workplaces. It has employee communication, wellbeing, learning, and knowledge built into a single platform.

At an organization level, Microsoft Viva can help:

Create a culture of collaboration and support
Leverage tacit and tribal knowledge of the firm to get things done
Accelerate the learning of new skills in the workforce
Boost employee morale and retention

Designed for this newfound independent workspace that thrives on flexibility, Microsoft Viva integrates seamlessly into MS Teams. While the core Microsoft Viva apps are new, Viva is an integration platform above everything else. Something that companies can adopt as the smarter version of the old clunky intranets.

For instance, Microsoft Viva comes built-in with Glink, LinkedIn Learning, Headspace, Skillsoft, and many others. Obviously, third-party vendors are being onboarded for additional integrations.

In addition to being a strong suit of employee experience applications, it also offers integrations with third-party applications for a 360-degree employee experience strategy.

Microsoft is splitting Viva up into four specific modules:

Connections
Insights
Topics
Learning

Let’s find out if these modules are worth their price. After all, Microsoft Viva Topics alone will cost $5 per month for each user, which may be expensive for many businesses.

Microsoft Viva Connections | Culture & Communications

Microsoft Viva Connections is built to boost employee engagement. Expanding upon Sharepoint websites newsfeeds and Yammer communities it’s designed to give a curated experience that delivers personalized news and commonly used resources for employees. It will include company news, town halls, employee communities, and resources.

It is designed to be the Employee Engagement Hub where new hires and company veterans can both head to if they’re looking for some information.

You can think of Viva Connections as a gateway to your digital workplace.

– Jared Spataro, Head of Microsoft 365

This isn’t a particularly unique module. It builds upon the SharePoint framework to create a company-branded portal experience. Although it may not be terribly exciting, an intranet is a core element of employee experience. With hybrid and remote workplaces, this is even more important.

Microsoft Viva Insights | Productivity & Well-Being

Microsoft Viva Insights is an extension of their Productivity Score. Unfortunately, when Microsoft originally launched the feature they were widely criticized because managers were able to check statistics for end-users for the period of 28 days.

Microsoft took cognizance of this error and decided to make changes to the Productivity Score and Microsoft Viva Insights is an extension of the feature.

Microsoft Viva Insights will have productivity patterns and trends with complete end-user privacy. Obviously, it will have access to Outlooks and MS Teams usage data. But it will also pull insights from third-party platforms like Zoom, Workday, and SAP to create a comprehensive picture.

To help ensure privacy and security, customers can rely on personal privacy safeguards, such as de-identification, aggregation, and differential privacy to protect individual privacy.

– Jared Spataro, Head of Microsoft 365

It is also where employee wellbeing applications can be brought into the workplace. For instance, for individuals, Viva Insights offers actionable reminders of regular breaks and mindfulness activities at work. This includes a nifty integration with Headspace to do these.

Essentially, this is the hub where managers and leaders can analyze employee mental health and productivity to take steps that make work-life integration burnout-free.

Microsoft Viva Learning | Skilling & Growth

Viva Learning is a module focused entirely on employee learning and development. It will house training material and courses for employees. Instead of going to multiple different websites, employees can directly access learning materials from Microsoft Learn, LinkedIn Learning, in-house company materials on SharePoint, and third-party providers.

Learning can be self-paced where employees can:

Be assigned coursework by managers
Search and find training relevant to them

The value of online workplace learning is clear in remote work. In fact, benefits include highly engaged employees who have much longer tenures with the organization.

Microsoft Viva Topics | Knowledge & Expertise

The last module is Viva Topics. Think of this as Wikipedia for the organization created with the help of AI, employees, and knowledge managers.

By using Artificial Intelligence (Project Cortex) to reason over the organization’s data, Viva Topics creates a base level of research that employees can further work on. It creates “Topic Pages” from data stored in SharePoint, Teams, and Office which can be further curated by employees.

This area of Knowledge Management is a massive problem in every organization so this module is probably one of the most promising additions. Most companies have content management systems for key functional areas like manufacturing, finance, sales, and HR. Microsoft Viva Topics has the potential of bringing all these sources of knowledge together with easy navigation.

The Cost of Microsoft Viva Topics: $4/month with annual billing

Has MS Viva been Launched?

Microsoft Viva launched in February 2021. Over the course of 2021, they launched 3 modules. But for now, Viva Learning is only on private preview.

Will MS Viva Truly Transform Hybrid Workspaces?

Although a lot of Microsoft Viva modules are older features that have been repackaged for the MS Teams hub, they will be incredibly useful for hybrid workplaces. Although there are a lot of challenges ahead, regarding product costs, training costs tangible benefits, and even implementation, the road ahead does look disruptive to the HR Technology industry.

MS Teams isn’t happy to just be a collaboration tool anymore. They want to be a hub for personal development, knowledge management, and productivity too.

Although this seems like a tall order when there are solutions built only around employee experience already that are doing so well. With MS teams being the market leaders in collaboration platforms, it only makes sense that they look towards keeping employees on their platform engaged and happy.

The post The Guide to Microsoft Viva for Businesses appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

How to Customize Microsoft Teams Background Image For Video Calls In 3 Easy Steps

Author — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 05:30:54 +0000

Let’s face the fact that backgrounds can make or break your video calls. Most of us are working out of our living rooms or bedrooms. Heck, I have even taken calls from my kitchen and bathroom.

Our meetings have turned virtual too, whether with video or audio. While audio meetings are mostly manageable, in the eccentric mid-COVID routine that we have, video meetings require substantial preparation. While that preparation works well for self-presentation, often, the apt place to make a professional call from home doesn’t appear so well kept. That’s where a custom Microsoft Teams background comes in.

The best alternative to boring or monotonous setups? Sweeping the scene for every speck of mess or changing the setting of your room? No.

Well, Microsoft Teams has come up with a better and easier solution – use a Microsoft Teams custom background to hide the mess around you. Even if you are not messy, using a fun custom background brings your personality to the meeting, might get some giggles, and will surely get you noticed.

Note: We still advocate cleaning, but desperate times call for desperate actions. So have some fun with Microsoft Teams’ backgrounds!

How to Change Your Background on Microsoft Teams?

If you’ve been feverishly searching for ‘how to change my background on Microsoft Teams’, well, look no further. Here’s how you can get your background crisp while having video meetings on Microsoft Teams.

Step 1: Start Up Microsoft Teams

The first step, obviously, is to fire up the Microsoft Teams application, using Mac or Windows application, depending on the device you own. Unfortunately, the background changing feature is not yet available on the web, so you will have to download the application. Once you have started the Microsoft Teams application, join your respective meeting.

Step 2: Background Selection

Time to change the Microsoft Teams background!

Click on the ‘Advanced Features’ icon (the three dots) and select ‘Show background effects’ to access the Microsoft background changer. Now, there are two ways in which you can do this. Microsoft Teams already has a recent feature of ‘Blur background.’

If you are comfortable with it, you can use that. On the other hand, if you wish to change your background completely to something different from the available Microsoft Teams images, you can choose a custom image using the previous option of background effects.

In short, there are 4 options offered for changing the Microsoft Teams background:

All-natural – if you don’t do anything, by default people can see your true background and if you wanted that, then you won’t be reading this, right?
Blurred background
Curated images by Microsoft
Custom image of your choice

You can also choose an image as your Microsoft Teams background, in advance for a scheduled meeting. However, the only downside is that you will have to repeat the procedure for every call. You cannot choose a custom image as a background for every subsequent meeting. You will have to choose a background every time.

Hey Microsoft, are you listening, we want you to enable persistent custom background images!

P.S. It’s always a good idea to ask ‘Can I change my background’ before you do. Some of your team members or management may not appreciate using images of custom backgrounds. So make sure your entire team is on the same page.

You can also request HR to create and set up a custom team background on Microsoft Teams for everyone.

Step 3: Make the Call

Well, after you have logged in and uploaded the respective background, you can go on about your normal call on Microsoft Teams. We’ve been enjoying the video call background change over the last few weeks – it just peps up the motivation level of the team.

Also read: 8 things you did not know you could do on Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams background Issues: How to Tackle?

Source

While the custom background feature of Microsoft Teams is amazing, one cannot overlook its shortcomings, and there are a few. Here’s how you can tackle some of the most common issues faced by users.

Issue 1: Moving Background

There are two types of backgrounds that can be used, if you are a tech geek and would like to add some flavor to your mundane Microsoft Teams calls: static and dynamic. While static backgrounds are just fixed images that offer no issues, dynamic backgrounds are the ones to watch out for.

Often, these are few-seconder videos that have been created using external filters and applications and imported on Microsoft Teams. While this is an interesting feature to explore and show off one’s geek skills, it can become a little annoying for the ones on the other side of the camera. After all, most of the team meetings are conducted to discuss formal matters, and backgrounds like these can prove detrimental to the concentrating abilities of some.

Nevertheless, moving backgrounds are quite interesting and can be used for casual and semi-formal office get-togethers.

Issue 2: Video Bleeding

Usually, a good AI can combine the person and background quite effectively, giving a seamless output on the screen. However, in certain cases, especially when there are other elements, such as spectacles, open or ruffled hair, headsets, and more, there can be confusion, often leading to video bleeding. This bleeding occurs in the form of issues on the edges where the person and the background meet.

Here are a few ways in which you can combat video bleeding on Microsoft Teams:

Wear contrasting clothes and avoid patterned ones
Try and use plain images as your background as it is easier for the AI
Use good lighting, which is a mandate for any visual output

Here’s a good video tutorial on Microsoft Teams background selection for video calls:

How to source images for Microsoft Teams backgrounds?

Given meetings on Microsoft Teams are an internal matter and not a public one, usage rights are not an issue. You can pick and choose any image you want from any source, even to the extent of customizing it as per your fandom, viz. Star Wars, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and more.

If you are interested in more generic images, you can either pick the ones available in Microsoft Teams or even use the daily photo published for background use, by bing.com. Choose whichever, your wish. However, if you wish to be safe, use license-free platforms such as Pixabay, Pexels, and more.

Looking for some fun Microsoft Team background images that will get you noticed? We found 62 of them on The Android Soul.

Here’s a glimpse at some of the Microsoft Teams backgrounds available on their site:

Click here to download | Via: u/kempeasoup

Click here to download | Via: u/iTroy187

Click here to download

But don’t forget to check out their entire collection of cool Microsoft Teams backgrounds. The collection includes funny Microsoft Teams backgrounds, Disney backgrounds, office space backgrounds, and more.

Click here for more backgrounds

If you use Zoom alongside Microsoft Teams for some of your meetings, you can use these images to set up a custom background image there as well. Here’s a guide on setting up a Virtual Background on Zoom.

Now if you’re someone who’d rather keep things simple, you can opt for the Microsoft Teams blur background instead. No Microsoft Teams background is also a background, after all!

Also read: How to manage your remote employees over Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Teams or Zoom: Whose background effect should you go for?

Microsoft itself offered a varied and detailed explanation of why it should be preferred over the more popular Zoom app. However, even though it’s popular, Zoom has had the users complaining over various issues, the most major one being that of security.

Given most of the official calls are highly confidential in nature, it is imperative to have an application whose usage does not compromise your data. Microsoft Teams trumps here.

Here is a flowchart that explains the same:

Microsoft Teams’ addition of blurring or changing the backgrounds is just another addition that can induce many to shift from Zoom. It’s a Zoom alternative with the capabilities of a full-fledged team collaboration platform.

Microsoft Teams background change is imperative, especially considering how and where each one of us is working from. While remote working isn’t new, not many are comfortable sharing their home setup or office workspace.

Are you using custom Microsoft Teams backgrounds for your team calls? Do you have a separate Microsoft Teams background for the client or customer-facing calls? We’d love to see them!

Share your team meeting pictures with us on Twitter by tagging @HarmonizeHQ.

PS. If you’re using Microsoft Teams for most of your work-related collaboration, don’t forget to check out these top 8 apps and get your hands on the best time tracking app.

The post How to Customize Microsoft Teams Background Image For Video Calls In 3 Easy Steps appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

Slack vs Microsoft Teams: Choosing The Right Team Chat For Collaboration

Author — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 09:00:51 +0000

With 2 great team chat platforms to choose from, you may be confused about which one is right for you. Both are built to help your team work more productively but they have some differences that suit different needs. With this quick blog, we want to help you make your decision quicker!

Now, if you don’t have the time to walk through the finer details of the two platforms, here’s a TL;DR:

Slack is easier to use and has a cleaner interactive. Slack plugs in with your common work tools like Hubspot, Intercom, Trello, etc, making work simpler. If you have never used any collaboration platform, Slack is the way to go.
Microsoft Teams is more robust with a slightly cluttered user interface. It provides a lot of its features within its free plan hosting up to 300 users. Microsoft Teams has about 180 apps that it allows you to integrate with but allows API customizations to plug in other tools you prefer.
Paid plans for Slack starts from $8.12 per person per month while on Microsoft Teams, they start from 6 per person per month.
If you prefer a free plan, we suggest Microsoft Teams. If pricing isn’t an issue, Slack is the better platform.

Overview of the Two Team Chat Platforms

	Slack	Microsoft Teams
Free plan	Free plan available. Allows only 1:1 video calls and 10 third-party or custom integrations.	The free plan allows up to 300 users.
Pricing	Larger plans start at $8.12 per person per month.	Larger plans start at $6 per person per month
Integrations	2000 apps available in Slack App Directory	180 apps available on Microsoft AppSource
Search	Allows message and file searching with filters	Allows message and file searching with filters
File storage	5 GB in total for the entire workspace on the free plan. Starting from 10 GB per member on higher plans	2 GB per user on the free plan. Starting from 1 TB per user on higher plans
Calling feature	Conference calls for up to 15 participants in Paid plans	Voice/video calls with up to 250 people in a meeting.
Video recording	Does not provide this feature	Provides video recording
Screen sharing	Not available on the free plan	Available on all plans

Slack and its Features

Slack is built for work communication, helping teams work better, whether its remotely or whether they work in the same environment. Teams like Buffer and Dropbox use Slack to get their work done.

Pros:

Provides every basic functionality you need when working remotely— screen sharing, video, and audio calling, channels, DMs, and file storage, to name a few.
Its minimal and easy-to-use design is the best for teams who are switching from a physical office environment to a virtual workspace and aren’t familiar with online communication platforms at all.
Slack allows you to plug in every kind of app you need to simplify and automate your work. From performance management to daily reports to employee engagement— Slack’s ecosystem is one of the best.

Teams of all sizes have praised Slack’s easy user experience. Here’s what Jon Brummel, Senior Manager at Zendesk has to say:

Slack has allowed us to really provide the experience we want to deliver: the satisfaction of the customer always goes up and the overall resolution time goes down.

Slack is the dashboard that tells me what needs attention and how I ensure my team has the support they need to move the issue forward, both for the client and the company.

You can read the case study about how Zendesk uses Slack.

Cons:

The free plan is highly limited, with file storage limitations, one-person calls, limited viewability of past messages, etc.
Conference calls only allow up to 15 people at a time.

Slack is easy to use, friendly for people who aren’t familiar with team chat platforms. Slack’s onboarding is also inbuilt so you don’t have to walk your team through its use, the platform will do it for you! If you do decide to use Slack, don’t forget to power it with the thousands of apps available on the Slack App Directory.

Microsoft Teams and its Features

Microsoft Teams is one of Microsoft’s 71 products. It is built to help teams of all sizes communicate and collaborate in a virtual workspace. The platform is used by companies, universities, and schools, from Air France to NIVEA to Helsinki University.

Pros:

Provides every basic functionality you need when working remotely— screen sharing, video, and audio calling, channels, DMs, and file storage, to name a few.
It allows API customizations of the Teams workspace to adapt the software to fit your specific needs.
Its free plan is ideal for companies with a small budget, providing most of its features with a user limit of 300.

Microsoft Teams has been highly rated by users, with 54% of reviewers rating it 5 stars. Here’s what one reviewer on G2 has to say:

Seamless collaboration tool for corporate and large organizations.

Helps people stay connected at once place. Best part is forming groups of teams and communication becomes much more simpler and easier with that.

Plus the chat stays everytime we re-open the teams, so it’s always good to refer important things.Plus it’s an all one app for Screen share, Audio, Video, chat, GIF’s, Images etc. Need not use different apps for different things.

The best feature is that Teams is optimized via AI, on calls even if I’m not on mute but not speaking, Teams mutes the background noise automatically giving an amazing experience of calls.

Cons

Unlike Slack, Teams has a smaller list of apps to integrate with and common work tools are not available.
The user interface is slightly more complex than Slack. The file storage is uploaded all in one place and cannot be organized without breaking conversations that they have been added to.

If you go for Microsoft Teams, we recommend customizing the workspace to make it your own, based on specific needs you have. You can also work with your developers to quickly customize and plug-in your commonly used software so that you can work more efficiently.

What is the difference between Slack and Microsoft Teams?

While Slack is easier to set up and navigate through, Microsoft Teams is built for large companies that have very specific needs like API customizations. Both offer all your necessary features and functionalities.

If you prefer a free plan with advanced features like larger file storage and can do API customizations for your software integrations, we suggest Microsoft Teams.

If you want easy access to the top apps and software you use for work and have a budget to set up your virtual workspace, Slack is the ideal solution.

Using Slack for team chat and collaboration

If you decide to use Slack for your team chat and make collaboration easy, it is important to make the most of the apps available on it. At the same time, it is also important to follow a few rules so that your whole team does not end up spending too much time in conversations that hinder their work.

Here are a few resources to make sure you’re getting the best out of Slack:

Enable your Slack workspace to do more by enabling apps: Get more done with this list of the best Slack apps
Slack statuses are the best way to keep your team members informed: Different ways to update your status using Slack
Set up a smart workspace by using your Slack channels better: 10 Ways to Make Your Slack Channels More Effective
Onboarding your employees is simple when Slack automates much of your work: How Slack Makes Employee Onboarding Better
Manage communication on Slack without making it a distraction: A Field Guide to Managing Noise on Slack

Using Microsoft Teams for team chat and collaboration

When using Microsoft Teams, you must set it up to suit your team and your preference. From channels to meetings to file sharing, you can use Teams the way you want with some common rules that your entire team is on the same page.

Once you have a team chat platform, it’s crucial to customize it. Here are a few resources to make sure you’re getting the best out of Microsoft Teams:

Pick up tips to set up your workspace on Microsoft Teams: How to manage your remote employees over Microsoft Teams
Make Teams more efficient by plugging in 8 apps: Top 8 Microsoft Teams apps for HR productivity
Teams has some nifty features to help you work more efficiently: 8 things you did not know you could do with Microsoft Teams

Why do you need a team chat?

With a team chat, you can keep your work conversations in one place, ensuring teams are connected to talk about work as things progress.

Instant messaging and discussions without the back-and-forth

When working with a team, you need fast responses to your queries and quick decisions on ideas. A team chat can help you get in touch with your team immediately and have a conversation. You won’t need to schedule a call every time a decision needs to be made.

Establish a formal space for your work conversation

Many teams use casual platforms like WhatsApp to discuss work with their team. This may backfire since using such a platform will make your team more distracted and they’ll be constantly distracted by notifications from other chats as well. According to Slack, teams that deploy the software say that they see a 48.6% decrease in emails, allowing them to spend more time actually working.

Organize your work in one place

With a dedicated workspace, you can organize all your file sharing, discussions, team bonding, etc in one place. You can use channels on your team chat to help you keep internal team conversations structured so that others in your company aren’t bombarded with messages that are irrelevant to them.

The search functionality on these platforms helps you refine your search to the smallest details, based on the name of a file, which channel the message was sent on, who sent the message, what keywords were used in the message. This allows your employees to check old conversations and discussions about projects without having to reach out to people to recall the details.

Robust reporting features

These team chat platforms also have automatic reporting features that allow you to track employee performance, productivity, and history. This can help you track progress towards goals and increase accountability among your employees.

Set up a dedicated space for your remote team

A team chat is even more of a necessity for teams now because everyone is working from home. Having such a workspace to talk about all things work is crucial when the team isn’t in the same physical environment during work hours. It can give your employees some stability and structure to the day. A team chat can allow your remote team to connect and collaborate so that your work isn’t affected.

Syncs with your favorite tools

An ideal workspace should be the one-stop point for your employees. Slack and Microsoft Teams integrate with your favorite softwares to make work easier for you. You can send their reports and alerts straight to a dedicated channel on your team chat so that you can keep a track without having to log onto your dashboards. Besides these, you can also set up apps built for these platforms to automate specific messages like recruitment flows, onboarding messages, etc.

While we’re talking about WFH and team management, we recommend downloading our ebook with all the apps, processes, and tips you need to keep your remote team productive and efficient.

You need to adapt to modern times and it starts with a virtual workspace for your team chat.

Both Slack and Microsoft Teams are built to help you communicate and collaborate and build your team’s success. With its robust features like instant messaging, performance praise, employee engagement, call functionalities, and more, you don’t have to worry about WFH delaying your work.

We hope this guide helps you pick the right work communication platform for you.

The post Slack vs Microsoft Teams: Choosing The Right Team Chat For Collaboration appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

8 Things You Did Not Know You Could Do On Microsoft Teams

Author — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 09:00:56 +0000

Microsoft Teams is a very versatile workspace. With more teams moving online these days, many are choosing to use Microsoft Team to connect, collaborate and work with their team members. The workspace is easy to navigate, allowing you to add multiple channels to keep your conversations organized.

But, the robust workspace also has many hidden features that make your work simpler and more efficient. In this blog, we want to help you use Teams more effectively. Here are the 8 Microsoft Teams Hacks that you shouldn’t be sleeping on anymore.

Further Reading: How to Manage Your Remote Employees over Microsoft Teams

8 Microsoft Teams Hacks to Make Workspace Smarter

1. Add Guests

If you have freelancers of temporary hires in your team, you can easily add them as guests and allow them to collaborate with you easily. Guests can participate in conversations and meetings and do the same functions as anyone else on your team— share files, add new channels, etc.

To be a guest, they need an email with an Office 365 account. You can then add them to your team using their email address.

Of course, guests cannot do certain actions like viewing your organization chart, creating a team, adding an app, or sharing a channel file.

2. Use Actions and Commands

One of the best Microsoft Teams Hacks is that MS Teams allows you to use easy shortcuts to simplify actions in your workspace. These Teams shortcuts save you time and help you find what you’re looking for easily. Here are some shortcuts:

@Wikipedia

This allows you to do a Wikipedia search. The results show a summary that you can click on to go to the full Wikipedia page.

/goto

If you have a lot of teams or channels, hop straight to the team or channel you want with this shortcut.

/files

See your recent files by showing you a list of all files that you can search through rather than having to click around your teams.

/keys

This is a shortcut to show shortcuts.

/call

With this short, you can start a call with one person by typing out their name. The shortcut is especially helpful if you have a large number of people in your workspace.

/help

Use the T-Bot and ask questions to the Teams helpdesk with the shortcut.

/saved

This takes you straight to your list of saved messages.

3. Save Messages or Bookmark

You can save specific messages for later reference by clicking on the sash icon at the top of the message. All saved messages can be later viewed through the ‘Saved’ page under your profile picture or by typing ‘/saved’ in the command bar.

4. Set up Shift Planning with AttendanceBot

Microsoft Teams has its shift planner but the planner works out of your spreadsheets. You can simplify your shift management by plugging in AttendanceBot onto your workspace. The bot provides a visual dashboard that you can use to plan shifts, replicate shift hours for an assigned person, and drag and drop your shifts to easily set up your dashboard.

Your team members can easily query the bot on their Teams workspace about their upcoming shift hours. The bot has a reminder feature that reminds your shift employees before their shift starts so that they can start work on time. What’s more, if there are any changes in shifts, you can make those changes right within your Teams workspace.

Just like AttendanceBot, there are quite a few apps that you can plug into Microsoft Teams to improve processes in your company.

5. Make Channels Private

You can set up private channels for your team. This is useful when you want to collaborate on new ideas and projects or discuss sensitive information like employee offboarding, budgets, etc. Here’s a chart from Microsoft Teams about when you should create a private channel:

Is there already a team that has these people as team members?	Does this work need to be kept private from others?	Are there multiple distinct topics to discuss?	Recommendation
Yes	Yes	Yes	Create a private channel in the existing team or consider creating dedicated private channels for each topic.
Yes	Yes	No	Create a private channel in the existing team.
Yes	No	No	Create a channel in the existing team.
No	No	No	Consider creating a new team.
No	No	Yes	Consider creating a new team and then, depending on the confidentiality of each topic, consider creating separate standard or private channels for each topic.
No	Yes	No	Create a new team and consider creating a private channel.

To create a private channel, click on the dots next to the team you want to add a channel to and select ‘Add channel’. When creating the channel, change the privacy to ‘Private’. Once saved, you can then add specific members to it.

6. Set up Meetings with People Outside the Workspace

How do you conduct meetings with people outside your Microsoft Teams workspace? Many users don’t know this key Microsoft Teams hack, but you can host meetings on your workspace without requiring the attendees to be a part of your workspace.

Set up an Outlook appointment and share the meeting via email with your participants. When they have to join, they can just choose ‘Join on web’ to participate in the meeting.

This way, you can host all your meetings on the same platform, record these meetings, and avoid having to go through the hassle of setting up a third-party video conferencing app.

7. Record your Team Meetings

Your workspace allows video and audio calls within the app, simplifying how you set up conference calls with your team members. However, one feature of these calls that will come in handy is the ‘Record meeting’ functionality.

When you start your call, you can click on the ‘Settings’ dots within the video/ audio call and select ‘Start recording’ to record your meetings and save them for later access. This is especially helpful if you are discussing many things in one call and need to go back later to reference it.

8. Collaborate with Visio

Microsoft Visio allows you to create layouts, diagrams, and charts to help you create flowcharts, decision diagrams, playbooks, and even network diagramming. This app can simplify how you brainstorm and plan your work.

With its integration onto Teams, you can easily collaborate on Visio files directly through your workspace. Once the file is shared, your team members can edit the file directly through the workspace, without having to open Visio.

Make your Workspace smarter with MS Teams Hacks

We hope these 8 hacks helped you set up a Microsoft Teams workspace that is easier to work with and more efficient. Your virtual workspace will help you stay productive and simplify how you collaborate with your team. Ensure that you have set up a well-structured team, with channels that serve a purpose.

How have you optimized your virtual workspace to maximize your team’s productivity?

The post 8 Things You Did Not Know You Could Do On Microsoft Teams appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

How to Manage Your Remote Employees over Microsoft Teams

Author — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 09:00:27 +0000

The coronavirus outbreak has taken our workspace remote. When setting up your remote team, you’ll need a communication platform to help you connect, collaborate and manage your remote employees. Microsoft Teams is a favorite across the globe, allowing teams of any size to turn the platform into their dedicated workspace.

Managing a distributed workforce is hard. Missed conversations, constant back-and-forth, and difficulty in collaboration— these are some of the challenges many teams are facing now as they go remote. However, you can set up Microsoft Teams in a way that ensures better communication, increase efficiency, and avoid problems.

If you’re still figuring out how to work from home, our extensive guide to remote work will surely help you through it.

Here are 10 ways to manage your remote employees better on Microsoft Teams

Setting Up Your Workspace on Microsoft Teams to Better Manage Your Remote Employees

Your first priority when setting up Microsoft Teams is to ensure that it is set up for your team. Here are 6 steps you need to take to set up your workspace on Microsoft Teams and ensure your team has a space to connect, collaborate, and work:

1. Create separate teams and channels to organize conversations

On this platform, a team is the larger group— either a specific department or the whole organization. A team is made up of channels where you can have conversations with your fellow teammates. Each channel may be created for a specific department, topic, or project.

Some organizations set up their Microsoft Teams with one team and the channels acting as departments and projects. Others— mostly medium-to-large-sized businesses— create multiple teams, each one for a specific department, and add channels for smaller groups within their department or for project-based collaboration.

You can choose how you want to set up your team based on the size of your organization. Once set up add your teammates and use a ‘General’ channel to onboard and let them know how things are structured within this virtual workspace.

2. Set up a ‘Wiki’ to add guidelines and processes in place

Since everyone is working from home, it’s harder to set rules and ensure work etiquette is followed. Set up a team wiki within Microsoft Teams, letting your team know the dos and don’ts of working remotely.

For instance, on the ‘General’ channel, you can list down employee guidelines and other need-to-know information for the entire team. Each channel can use the wiki tab to add guidelines relevant to the department or project they are working on. You can define the general process for that channel, ensuring everyone is aware of how work is approved.

With Wiki inbuilt, your team doesn’t have to search for specific guidelines or processes for their work. Instead, they can find it right within their virtual workspace.

3. Use Notes for collaboration and task management

OneNote is built into Microsoft Teams and shows up as a tab named ‘Notes’ within your channels. This feature simplifies the way your team collaborates with others.

OneNote allows you to collaborate quickly, with its different features simplifying your work. It allows you to draw, sketch, highlight notes, and work on the same note with a fellow teammate. You can also use Notes to view and manage tasks that everyone within that team has on their plate without switching to a separate window for their task list.

Unlike Wiki, the ‘Notes’ tab is meant for more informal work— to collaborate, list tasks, and take quick notes. You can even use Notes to park ideas for later.

4. Add ‘Tabs’ for frequently used apps

There are specific apps that are available right within Microsoft Teams. You can enable and add these apps as tabs within your channels. This is especially helpful if there are specific apps you use on a daily basis— like Trello or SurveyMonkey.

Set up frequently used apps within your channels so that your team doesn’t have to switch to another window every time they need to access it. By streamlining your work within Microsoft Teams, you can ensure that your remote employees don’t need to leave the virtual workspace to get stuff done.

5. Set up time tracking plug-ins like AttendanceBot

One problem that many remote teams face is the inability to track employee time. Without your traditional methods of time tracking, like biometric scanners and manual attendance records, you need to find a virtual attendance system for employee monitoring. AttendanceBot is your one-stop Microsoft Teams employee tracking solution.

The application allows you to automate time tracking right within Microsoft Teams. Employees just need to check-in and out of work during the start and end of their workday. AttendanceBot records this in the backend and generates timesheets for you.

The application also manages leave approvals, taking such conversations out of your inbox. Employees just need to send a message to the bot asking for leave for a specific number of days. The approval request is sent to the employee’s manager. Once approved, the bot sends a notification to employees, informing them about this leave approval. It also records the leave in the backend, simplifying how employees can take leaves.

Set up AttendanceBot within Microsoft Teams to easily manage your employees’ work hours and keep them accountable.

If you still aren’t convinced here is a Guide to Using AttendanceBot for Remote Working Teams

6. Centralize your files with Sharepoint

Your files need to be organized in one space. When working remotely, file management is crucial to ensure you can work quicker and better. Set up Sharepoint to keep your files centralized and easy to access. The platform integrates with Microsoft Teams, functioning as a file management and sharing platform for your team.

With Sharepoint, you can share files and resources with anyone in the team. The platform looks like a hub of files and you can organize it into headings to simplify your team’s search for specific files. You can share files on channels, making it easier for employees to discuss their work and provide feedback without leaving their workspace.

7. Provide guidelines for better communication

It may seem pointless to tell your team how to communicate on your Teams workspace but by setting down your guidelines, you can ensure everyone’s on the same page and avoid miscommunication. Here are a few guidelines you need to keep in mind:

Where your team should conduct conversations.
Using direct messages and particularly, not using it for work conversations.
How and where to add files on Sharepoint.
Using AttendanceBot for time tracking
Ensuring off-hours when notifications can be switched off.

You can also document these guidelines within your team wiki.

8. Conduct weekly meetings within Teams

Ensure that weekly meetings are commonplace within your team. Since everyone is working from home, a weekly meeting can help align work, understand blockers, define the next steps for work being done, and avoid delays in work.

Although many departments often have daily meetings due to their workload, you may find that some smaller teams don’t set up calls and instead just discuss work via chat. By setting a rule to hold a weekly video conference, you can encourage them to work together virtually.

Microsoft Teams has in-built audio and video call features. Your team can hop onto a call and easily conduct their meetings within Teams. Calls can be placed within a channel or with specific teammates by manually adding to them to the call.

9. Automate different tasks with third-party plug-ins

As an HR, you need different kinds of apps to help you manage your multiple roles and tasks. Microsoft’s App Directory allows you to plug-in apps right within your Microsoft Teams workspace to help you with different requirements. From automating HR tasks to managing finance, these apps can power your working day and simplify your work.

Here are 8 Microsoft Teams apps you can set up to boost your productivity.

10. Collaborate and receive feedback using @mention

You may have set up multiple channels to organize your conversations but your workspace is bound to get noisy. With multiple discussions going on at the same time, it would be hard to track which conversations you do need to join.

Here’s a pro-tip for your employees: Use @mention to mention and tag employees, adding them to a specific discussion. This way, those who need to provide feedback and suggestions can be notified. Moreover, you can also use threads to keep a conversation from overflowing in your channel.

Manage your Remote Employees Effectively with Microsoft Teams!

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken us all remote but with tools like Microsoft Teams, it’s easier for you to manage your distributed workforce. We hope this helped you set up a workspace to enable your team to work better and ensure you have the tools, tips, and best practices you need to manage your remote employees.

Working remotely comes with its own set of challenges but by setting up smart systems and tactics, you can manage your remote team easily.

The post How to Manage Your Remote Employees over Microsoft Teams appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

Top 8 Microsoft Teams Apps

Author — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:30:13 +0000

As we work more collaboratively, it’s important to keep your work chats outside of informal platforms like WhatsApp. Microsoft Teams is emerging as the new hub for employee collaboration and communication that many companies are using to keep not only their communication and documents in one central place but also their communication and HR workflows.

Microsoft Teams apps enable companies to take advantage of the technologies available to work with different team members virtually, regardless of their location. It is available on multiple devices and integrates with your favorite apps to create a holistic self-contained work environment anywhere and anytime you work. Companies like Air France and Beiersdorf use Microsoft Teams apps to manage and automate their day-to-day activities and keep their workflows streamlined.

For HR, such a powerful communication platform saves time, increases efficiency, and lets you focus on the most important aspects of your job. With our curated list of top Microsoft Teams apps, you can simplify your work as an HR (or even as a manager) and ensure your company is powered with the best tools that automate even the most mundane processes.

Similarly, for finance teams, you would want to do your expenses, approve your POs and other workflows inside Microsoft Teams app. And IT teams, wouldn’t you want to give support to your teams right inside MS Teams apps – whether it’s allowing your team to log tickets when they need their password reset to when they are requesting a new mouse or even a new laptop.

If you’re thinking of getting started with Microsoft Teams, we’ll help you pick the best Microsoft Teams Apps to get started with.

Here is our curated list of the Top Microsoft Teams Apps

1. AttendanceBot – #1 app for doing time and attendance

Gone are the days of manual attendance tracking. It’s tedious, often inaccurate, and employees feel micromanaged. What’s more, manual attendance tracking is unscalable. Sending an email to the HR and their assigned managers every time that your employees take leave is impractical, especially if your company is large.

Instead, you need an automated attendance tracking system that allows employees to punch in and out on their own. No hand-holding.

AttendanceBot is your answer! It integrates right into your Microsoft Teams workspace and employees can easily punch in and out within the work management tool, without needing to go through someone else. As HR, you have access to the hours at which your employee arrived at work and when they leave, giving you a robust dashboard to analyze work hours.

AttendanceBot is our Favorite Microsoft Team App

What’s more, you can assign managers to each employee so that leave requests are sent directly to the assigned manager within Microsoft Teams app. Once the leave is sanctioned, you receive a notification. AttendanceBot takes care of attendance and leave management without wasting your time while keeping you in the loop at all times.

Simple set-up, does what is expected from it, fairly priced

I wanted a solution integrated into Microsoft Teams, to manage people’s days off. This was evaluated in less than a day and the setup was very quick once we confirmed we wanted to move forward. Support has been good too.

– Tami D, working in an Information and Technology Services Business

2. OfficeAmp – Knowledge Management and Internal helpdesk

Imagine getting 20-odd messages every day, from questions about where the stationery is to how a reimbursement receipt should be filled. Your efficiency and your workflow are sure to get hindered. Every office is sure to have a dozen or so questions that need quick responses but not important enough for HR to solve. Create an internal helpdesk and issue management dashboard to decrease unnecessary interruptions and allow employees to get around the office faster.

Use OfficeAmp within your Microsoft Teams workspace and create a comprehensive helpdesk that allows employees to ask and get responses to their queries instantly. Employees just need to ask OfficeAmp within their Microsoft Teams questions and it pulls up the relevant answer quickly. From the wifi password to the company stamps, your employees never have to reach out to you for these daily requirements. If they have any questions that aren’t answered in the helpdesk, the request can be raised within OfficeAmp and tracked until you have resolved it.

Kanban board (Issues Board) on the dashboard of OfficeAmp

Besides a helpdesk, OfficeAmp can also be used for issue management. Allow office managers to solve problems in the office without needing a manual to-do list on their palm. OfficeAmp lets you assign issues to the respective manager, track their status, and have visibility on their resolution, all within your Microsoft Teams workspace. You can even set up a mailroom assistant within OfficeAmp so that your office manager doesn’t have to hand-deliver emails that come in for employees.

Build an efficient workspace with this smart office management Microsoft Teams app.

3. ScrumGenius – running standups

Meetings are an essential part of a company’s functioning. You can’t avoid them but it’s important to not let it hinder work productivity. Oftentimes, meetings turn into unproductive time-consuming sessions that your employees have to set through. To avoid this, many companies set up standups, a short daily meeting that allows employees to update managers about work status and any blockers they have. Such daily team chats are effective in keeping your employees accountable.

Transform your daily standup with the ScrumGenius Microsoft Teams App. Automate your status meeting with this smart app. You can integrate ScrumGenius right within Microsoft Teams, and collect responses from your employees about their progress and performance. These answers are collected and can be broadcasted to the team. ScrumGenius also stores the collected data and creates reports to allow you to view your employee’s progress with ease.

Now agile is no longer just for engineering teams, everyone can and should be using a tool like this right inside Microsoft Teams.

4. Zoho Recruit

Recruiting is one of the most important parts of any HR job. But, it’s also a long process. It’s important that you have all your candidate data in one place, that you can contact them without having to look through different spreadsheets and even compare different candidates to understand which suits your company best.

Zoho Recruit is your one-stop solution to recruitment and also happens to another favorite Microsoft Teams app. Use Zoho Recruit to set up seamless workflows that allow you to take your long list of candidates from applied to the first interview to approval. Your email messages and files sent are all stored within this one platform, and you never have to juggle between multiple platforms to get work done.

What’s more, the smart software integrates with Microsoft Teams, making it easy for you to receive updates and notifications.

5. Polly

As an HR, you have to collect employee data on a regular basis. You also need to keep your employees engaged with the company’s running and ensure they are invested in the growth of the company. One of the best ways to keep your employees more invested in the company is with polls. Learn what your employees want to do in the next team outing or understand what changes they want within the office with a quick poll.

Polls also allow anonymity, making employees more willing to open up about suggestions and problems they have. Added bonus? Setting up a polling system doesn’t have to be hard. You may be imagining a long Google Form or a traditional pen and paper polling method but those are both poor user experience and make it tough to keep data from your poll more streamlined.

Instead, if you are an HR that uses Microsoft Teams for your work management, you can use Polly. You can build polls within your communication tool, run them alongside conversations and make it simple for employees to partake in your polls without disturbing their work. You can also grab insights from your polls quickly, see responses and stats as your employees fill in their answers with this Microsoft Teams App.

6. Disco – company culture

As HR, your responsibilities are more than just ensuring your employees deliver results. As companies shift to a culture-first mindset, HRs need to set up systems that encourage positive culture building within the organization. But, building a positive company culture can be tricky. How do you encourage collaboration beyond just asking employees to work together?

Disco is a Microsoft Teams app you can integrate on your Microsoft Teams workspace that makes fostering company culture simpler. The app is simple— reward employees who follow and integrate your company’s values in their work. Whether it’s the junior developer who comes up with new ideas for better client experience or your graphics designer who sets up a side growth hacking project as a marketing tactic, announce and celebrate these wins.

By setting down company values, broadcasting what they are to the team, and recognizing those who use these values within work, you can increase employee satisfaction and build a culture of purpose and meaning at work.

7. Appogee Goals – OKR

Companies are moving fast and every month is packed with multiple targets to ensure the overall goals of the business are met. This means that the traditional method of annual performance reviews isn’t going to cut it. Instead, the modern HR needs to have a system in place that allows employees to manage themselves and align their goals with the company’s.

Microsoft Teams Apps like Appogee Goals make it easier for HRs to set up goals across the organization and for employees to add in their own goals and follow through with it. With the app, you can ensure that employees hold themselves accountable for their own goals, keep track of their progress, and optimize their goals monthly as new projects come up.

The app creates transparency across the entire company, helping to motivate team members and measure each person’s targets in a quantifiable manner. Its dashboard makes tracking and analyzing goal progress much simpler.

8. Employee Onboarding

A good onboarding experience can help you set your new hires up for success from the get-go. Give your new employees a thorough onboarding experience— provide all the details of what their work would be like and explain the company culture. The first two weeks is an important time for new employees and you need to keep them engaged and provide them with the optimal amount of assistance.

But, with multiple other tasks on your plate, you can’t always be present for your new hires and give them the well-rounded onboarding they require. This is where automated Microsoft Teams apps like Employee Onboarding help.

This app is built into your Microsoft Teams workspace. You can schedule tasks, create onboarding sequences, and set up automatic email notifications for the tasks you’re assigning. Instead of manually sending emails and explaining tasks to your new hire every time, you just need to set it up once and you’re good to go!

Give your new hires reading material, ask the office manager for a new laptop, and other hardware for the new hire with an onboarding app to process requests. The dashboard for this app is helpful for everyone involved in the onboarding process— from the new hire to the managers to even you. The app lets users check tasks on their list without needing prompting or reminders from a third party.

Integrate these apps within your Microsoft Teams workspace to get the most out of this work communication tool and increase your efficiency. If you use Slack, check out these 10 HR bots that can super-power your Slack workspace!

Which of these Microsoft Teams apps do you find the most intriguing? Let’s chat on Twitter!

The post Top 8 Microsoft Teams Apps appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.