Unlike Slack, there is no limit to the number of free apps you can install in Microsoft Teams. These apps offer integration with other useful services like Zoom, Github, Trello, Salesforce, etc. and help in team bonding and inter-organization communication. Here we list the best apps for Microsoft Teams to make your interaction better.
How to access the Teams Apps?
Microsoft Teams already offers numerous pre-installed apps that can be accessed by clicking the three buttons either just below the chatbox or at the sidebar. You can tap on “More apps” at the bottom of the app view dialogue box to get to the Microsoft Teams app store. You can right-click on any of the applications and choose Uninstall to remove the app from your account or workspace.
Best Apps For Microsoft Teams
1. Polly
Polly lets you take fast polls throughout a meeting, DM, and even group conferences. It is free of cost and offers limitless polls in the form of numerous options, Yes or No, ratings-based surveys, etc. The coolest choice that I might discover was the anonymity toggle. It conceals the responders’ names and can be the best way to take real, genuine feedback.
Overview:
Quickly initiate one-on-one polls in DMs, video calls.
Schedule polls and get real-time results.
Anonymity button to hide the identity of responders.
2. Evernote
OneNote comes pre-installed with Microsoft Teams due to the fact that you know; Microsoft! If you utilize Evernote for note-taking, you can also use the Evernote app for Microsoft Teams. The application offers you share notes and collaborate on them within Microsoft Team.
Overview:
Share your Evernote notes rapidly.
Offers multiple people to collaborate within MS Teams.
3. Trello
We use Trello to team up on projects and find new ideas. The Microsoft Teams App for Trello does not add a lot of functionality but allows you to quickly share a card. You can click @Trello within a DM or group chat and promptly search the Trello card link.
Overview:
Quickly find and share Trello cards.
Generate schedules, and add Due date on Trello cards.
4. RememberThis
Teams offer you bookmark messages so that you can access the website later. However, more often than not, it does not work, and you forget to come back to the bookmarked message. Remember, this assists you at this task and allows you to add a timed reminder for the message. You just have to do is tag RememberThis in the message mention the day and time.
Remember, this is a useful utility but only works best within a message thread. It would be beneficial if you could set a reminder for the older message.
Overview:
Facility to set reminders by using simple English Commands like “Remind me at 5 pm.”
5. Zoom Meetings
If you outsource work to other organizations, it is tough to bring everyone on board to Microsoft Teams. The Zoom Meetings app lets you get people outside the organization onto a simple video conference. Zoom is video-conferencing application software that allows you to host video conferences with 100 people for free in case you don’t know. The attendees do not need signing up as well. I found the Zoom app for Microsoft Teams to be comparatively better than Slack as it offers you a GUI to configure and schedule meetings rather than commands.
You can use the Cisco Webex Meeting app for Microsoft Teams.
Overview:
Start, join, and share Zoom meetings within Teams.
As a Team, Schedule and configure Zoom meetings with a GUI.
6. Freehand
Microsoft Teams has a Whiteboard, but it is active only during video calls, and it is somewhat limited to inking. You can use Freehand by InVision for whiteboard collaboration. In comparison to the MS Whiteboard, it offers more shapes like lines, circles, and rectangles. Moreover, you can even present the whiteboard without holding or interrupting a video call. We usually use it to storyboard our YouTube video Intros. It can also discuss and collaborate on Sprint programming models, prototyping, and wireframe designs, etc.
Additionally, Freehand can also be accessed during video calls so you can share your ongoing prototypes.
Overview:
Ability to collaborate realtime without engaging a video call
Better shapes and image support
Better in handling wireframes and storyboards
7. Mio
The Mio app is the best solution to bridge the gap between Webex Teams, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. While Microsoft does offer a Slack connector, it limits the functionality to join a Slack channel from within Teams only. DMs and typical chats go unheard, and you will just be alerted when somebody mentions your ID.
On the other hand, Mio produces a universal channel wherein you can invite your Slack or Webex contacts. Furthermore, you can operate within the Teams window and even DM a Slack contact. Mio provides complimentary creation and operation of 1 universal channel. It cost $10/month per universal channel.
Overview:
The universal channel helps link Webex Teams, Slack, MS Groups.
Ability to send emojis, GIFs, and so on and delete send messages
Channels and DM communication both work.
8. Friday
Back in Slack, we used Birthday Bot to monitor everyone’s birth dates. We might not discover a precise alternative in Microsoft Teams. We began using the Friday app. It’s a huge workflow and reminder app; however, it can send reminders to channels repeatedly. By doing this, I use it flexibly to send everyday tips to DMs and birthday reminders to the Teams’ channels daily.
Overview:
Can multitask both as birthday bot and daily reminders
Various built-in templates to set daily and weekly reminders
Ability to send large scale reminders, messages, kudos
9. Stack Overflow
Stack Overflow is a beneficial tool to search and post programming questions from within Microsoft Teams quickly. I use it a lot while video conferences to get through brain-storming sessions. The application is paid, but it lets you do all the stuff you could do on the Stack Overflow site from within the Teams window.
Stack Overflow for Teams is paid and costs at $5/month.
Overview:
Instantly search, post, view, share queries and results from Stack Overflow.
Organize to receive newsletters from Stack Overflow on specific topics
Closing Words
The apps on this list are quite generic, and you should be using them irrespective of the organization’s nature. If you are migrating from Slack, Microsoft Teams is a vast and complex application and has its learning curve. Unlike Slack, it tends to be a little intimidating at the start. For more issues or questions, let me know in the comments below.
