FAQ - Microsoft Teams

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Access/Create

How do I access Microsoft Teams?

• Microsoft 365 portal: pirate365.ecu.edu
• Desktop app: Download from pirate365 or teams.microsoft.com/downloads/
• Mobile app: Download from your device's app store. You will be able to join meetings.

Where can I find out about Teams features and training?

• IT Knowledge Base resources to get started.
• Book a f2f session with a Learning Tech trainer.
• Click Help in the Teams menu to access Microsoft support articles.
  

How do I create a team?

Open the Teams desktop app or web version. Click Teams on the left menu and then the plus sign or Create Team button (depends on the version). Dialog boxes walk you through creating your new team. All ECU teams are private.

What collaboration tools are included with a team?

Along with teams, channels, calls, audio/video and meetings, check out

• @mentions. typing @username/team/channel in a chat conversation sends a notification to each mentioned user/s. When you've been mentioned, the notification also shows up in your activity feed.
• Activity feed. shows everything that's happened in your channels.
• Search. Besides locating other users, search is good for finding messages and files.
• File Collaboration. Work on a team file simultaneously. You can also open on your computer or within Teams.
  
• Team email. Every team has an individual email for members.

What is a Microsoft 365 group?

When you create a new team and add users, that set of users forms a Microsoft 365 group. This group shares access to all the collaboration tools available in your new team. Owners periodically receive renewal notifications. Inactive groups are deleted.

I will graduate in May. What happens to my Teams files?

After graduation, you will no longer have access to Teams or your Team OneDrive cloud storage folder/s.

Before graduation, copy Teams files to your student OneDrive cloud storage folder which converts to the alumni system along with your email account after graduation.

I am former faculty. Do I still have access to the team's files?

No. Once your PirateID is deactivated, you can no longer access Teams.

Team Administration

Can I add and remove team members?

Only a Team’s Owner can add and remove members and assign permissions. That said, it is a best practice to appoint more than one team owner as a backup administrator.

How do I manage settings for my team?

An owner clicks the ellipsis beside the team name to access the menu. The Manage Team option allows the owner to change the role of other members.

Our team owner has left ECU. Does the team still exist?

Yes, the team still exists and members still have access to all information. If a team has no owner, a member can submit the Teams service request and be added as the owner. Please make sure that all your teams have AT LEAST two owners.

What happens to inactive or abandoned teams?

Occasionally, when an employee leaves or changes roles or a project ends, user accounts in Outlook, SharePoint or Teams are inadvertently abandoned. Not only are these accounts a storage space issue, but abandoned accounts may pose a security threat.

Therefore, accounts are deactivated after 365 days of inactivity. Account owners do receive notification 30 days, 15 days and 1 day prior to deactivation, and automatic renewal happens once activity within the accounts is resumed. Owners are also notified after the group has expired and have a 30-day window to restore, if required.

I just received a notification that my team will be deleted due to inactivity. How can I keep it activated?

ITCS has implemented an annual MS 365 group expiration requirement to control orphaned groups (no owner), abandoned groups (no recent activity) and team sprawl (server junk).

The following actions trigger auto-renew: SharePoint – files are viewed, edited, uploaded, downloaded, moved or shared; Teams – a channel is visited; Outlook – group is joined/edited, a group message is written, read or liked; Forms – a form is viewed, created, edited or submitted.

Why has my new team been switched from public to private?

Any newly-created public teams at ECU are automatically switched to private to ensure data protections in line with ECU security policies. If you feel an exception is necessary, submit your justification through the Teams Support service request.

Channels/Chats

What is a channel?

Channels are spaces within a team to share messages, tools and files. Every team has a default General channel, and all group members have access. Team owners may also create other channels for specific topics. These channels can include all members or a subset of group members.

Each channel includes:

• Posts - the conversation thread
• Files - OneDrive storage for docs associated with the conversation
• Notes – for meetings and other collaboration
• The + sign lets you add other apps to the channel

Why do I see "Chat" in the sidebar menu?

This is for your private text conversations with other organization members and not associated with a team. For example, a conversation with your manager.

Can I delete a chat?

You can only remove your own messages.

Can I limit access to files and conversations within a channel?

The General channel is open to all team members.

Owner-created channels can be open to all team members, private and open to just a subset of team members or shared.

What is a shared channel and how is it used?

Coming soon.

Storage

Are the files uploaded to a team channel stored in Teams?

When a team is created, a SharePoint team site is automatically created. Each team channel has its own folder in that site.

Is there a limit to the number of files I can store in Teams?

You can move or copy up to 100GB to a team's OneDrive in one session. The number of files being migrated will show in the upper left corner. The status will also show what files were migrated successfully and what files failed (if any).

You can also work with the files from within the OneDrive web space.

What types of data can I store within a team?

It is required you get approval from your data steward before migrating sensitive information into your team’s SharePoint folder.

Are there restrictions on filename characters?

There is a 260 character limit. See this support article from Microsoft on invalid characters and file types.

Can I sync Teams folders to my computer?

You can sync Teams folders the same way you sync other shared folders, but it is not recommended. Never sync documents containing HIPAA or FERPA data.