Telephony conferences with Microsoft Teams enable efficient work regardless of location. Planning ahead and knowing how to use the functions during a video conference are essential for a structured meeting. In this article, you will learn how to create a video conference in Microsoft Teams and which functions you should know.
How to plan a video conference
The most common way to start a video conference is directly in the Microsoft Teams settings. Open the application and log in as usual. Then select the team in which you want to start a video conference and, for even more detailed narrowing down, the respective sub-channel of the team. If you are in the respective channel of your team, you must click on the “Meeting” button. You will then be shown the options “Meet now” and “Schedule meeting”, here you can select the desired option.
Various furnishing options
If you select “Meet now”, a window with the meeting preferences will appear. Here you can give the meeting a name and set up the camera and microphone. The “Schedule meeting” option will take you to the scheduling assistant. There you can plan and record the date and time of the meeting, the title, the participants and the meeting content.
Another way to organize a Telephony conference is to use the Microsoft Outlook application. To plan a conference, you must first open the Outlook calendar and then click on the “New Meeting” button. In the menu that appears, you will find the “Teams Meetings” menu item. Clicking this opens an email template for an invitation to your planned meeting. You can enter the recipient, time, date and other information such as the meeting points in the template. The specified recipients will then receive an email with an invitation and a link that leads to the planned video conference.
video conferencing for one or more channels
When planning a meeting using the scheduling assistant, in addition to the settings mentioned above, you can also decide whether and how many channels should participate in the meeting. To do this, click on the “Add channel” line and then select all channels in which you are a participant. After you have filled in all the fields and selected “Save”, an email with an invitation will be sent to everyone involved.
Please note, however, that once the meeting invitation has been sent, channels cannot be changed or new ones added.
Schedule a video conference for mobile devices
In addition to planning a video conference via your PC, you can also plan a meeting on the go via your mobile phone. Open the Microsoft Teams app and click on the calendar button. Then, similar to the desktop version, you have to click on “Schedule meeting”. Then brazil phone number list select the conference participants and, if necessary, the channel in which the meeting should take place. After giving the conference a name, simply click on “Done”. The upcoming meeting will then be entered in your calendar and everyone involved will receive an invitation by email.
The most important functions during a video conference
Not only the correct planning of a video conference, but also the handling of the various functions are essential for a successful video conference. Below you will find an overview of the most important functions:
The list of participants
The participant list is accessed via the person symbol at the top of the screen and shows you all the participants who are currently in the conference. The “Spotlight” is an additional function only for the conference leader and highlights his video for all other viewers.
The hand signal function
This function is particularly useful for conferences with a large number of participants and is located next to the chat symbol. The hand gesture symbol causes a small emoji hand to appear under the person’s video, visible to the other participants. This signals that this person would like to contribute something and you, as the moderator, can give the person the floor. The moderator can see in the list of participants in which order the people have reported in and can therefore lead the meeting in a structured manner.
breakout rooms
Next to the hand symbol you will find the symbol for the group rooms, so-called “breakout rooms”. This function opens separate group rooms during a conference and assigns the participants to the rooms. Alternatively, you as the conference leader can also assign the participants to the rooms.
The breakout rooms are telephone card for international calls therefore suitable for small working groups, for example. As the conference leader, you have the option of setting a timer and deciding after how many minutes the participants should be brought back into the shared video conference. You can also switch between the breakout rooms to have a better overview.
The chat is opened via the speech bubble symbol and allows all participants to communicate alongside the video conference. Images, documents and links can be shared there and messages from others can be responded to with emojis. This function is particularly useful for listeners who cannot use their microphone but still want to actively participate in the meeting.
Conclusion
Video conferences with Microsoft Teams offer new ways to hold conferences in the modern working world. Meetings and small working groups are possible from the home office or on the go without it becoming confusing. The automatic invitation by email makes planning even more organized so that no employee is forgotten. By using various functions during the video conference, the conference leader always has a clear overview of what is happening and can direct the conversation.
FAQ
How can I change the view during a video conference?
To change the view, first click on the mobile list three-dot menu at the top of the screen. Once the menu has opened, you will find the different viewing options: Gallery, Large Gallery and Together mode. Finally, all you have to do is select the view you want.
How do I share my screen during a video conference?
Click on the “Share” symbol, which is located between the microphone symbol and the three-dot menu. A menu will then open in which you can decide whether you want to share the entire screen, another open window or even a Powerpoint presentation.
How do I join a video conference as a guest?
If you have received an invitation by email, click on “Join Microsoft Teams meeting”. You can then choose to join the conference via the desktop app or your browser. Once you have chosen an option, enter your name and make the video and audio settings. Once you have made all the settings, just click on “Join now”.