Methods to use MS Groups [2024 step by step guide]

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As distant and hybrid work environments develop into the norm, many groups depend on digital communication instruments like Microsoft Groups for seamless collaboration. In the event you’re new to Microsoft Groups, navigating its options could be a bit overwhelming. 

This step-by-step information will aid you get began utilizing Microsoft Groups successfully for video conferencing, crew collaboration, and extra. We’ll stroll you thru the software’s key options and pricing, so you possibly can decide if it’s the most effective match on your crew. 

Plus, you’ll discover tricks to maximize your expertise with Microsoft Groups!

Desk of Contents

Let’s get began.

What’s Microsoft Groups?

Microsoft Groups is an internet communication and crew collaboration software that’s a part of the Microsoft Workplace 365 Suite. Whereas it’s principally used for video conferencing by distant groups, that’s not the one factor it could actually do.

Groups can assist you:

• Create devoted channels for particular duties or groups.
• Document audio and video conferences.
• Simply share your display screen with crew members for detailed explanations.
• Rapidly search via archives utilizing its command field.

Methods to use Microsoft Groups (step-by-step information)

Utilizing a distant communication software like Microsoft Groups is important to make sure that your crew stays related even when they’re hundreds of miles away.

However should you’re not conversant in the software, this may be difficult.

If that’s the case for you, don’t fear!

Simply comply with this straightforward step-by-step information to make use of Groups the correct manner.

We’ll cowl the steps you want to comply with on desktop and cell platforms over:

• Methods to get began with Microsoft Groups
• Methods to create groups and channels
• Methods to arrange video conferencing
• Methods to schedule conferences

A. Methods to get began with Microsoft Groups

Right here’s a step-by-step information that will help you get began with Microsoft Groups:

1. Create an account

A) For desktop

Step 1: Go to the Microsoft Groups webpage and click on on the profile icon on the top-right nook of the display screen.

Step 2: Within the “Register” web page that seems, click on on the “Create one!” hyperlink to arrange a brand new account.

Step 3: On the “Create account” window, enter your e-mail tackle (ideally a piece e-mail tackle) and click on on the “Subsequent” button.

Step 4: Observe the on-screen directions to create a password and enter your particulars on the pages that comply with.

When you’ve entered all of your particulars and verified your e-mail, go to the Microsoft Groups homepage to start utilizing the Groups internet app.

B) For cell

To create a Microsoft account in your cell, obtain the app and comply with the identical directions talked about above.

2. Obtain Microsoft Groups app

A) For desktop

Step 1: To obtain the Microsoft Groups desktop app, return to the Microsoft Groups internet web page and click on on “Obtain Groups” on the prime of your display screen.

Step 2: Click on on the “Obtain for desktop” button to web page leap to the obtain hyperlink for both Mac OS or Home windows, relying upon your system.

This hyperlink will present up as “Obtain Groups.”

Click on on this to proceed along with your obtain.

Step 3: Open the downloaded file and comply with the directions offered to put in Microsoft Groups.

B) For cell

Step 1: Obtain the Microsoft Groups app from the iOS App Retailer or Google Play Retailer for Android.

Step 2: As soon as put in, open the app and log in to your Microsoft account to start out utilizing Microsoft Groups.

B. Methods to create groups and channels

In Microsoft Groups, a Group is a gaggle of people that collaborate collectively, normally consisting of your entire group.

In the meantime, Channels are segregated conversations, the place each could be devoted to a division, mission or perhaps a process.

Listed below are the steps to create groups and channels in Microsoft Groups:

1. Create a crew

A) For desktop

Step 1: Open the Microsoft Groups app and click on on the “Be part of or create a crew” possibility on the backside of the Groups sidebar on the left.

Step 2: On the brand new display screen that seems, click on on the “Create crew” button.

Step 3: On the next display screen, you possibly can select:

• Construct a crew from scratch
• Create from an current Workplace 365 group or crew

In case your crew was utilizing Workplace 365 earlier than signing up for Groups, you will have current teams that may be added utilizing the “Create from…” possibility.

In any other case, go together with “Construct a crew from scratch.”

Step 4: Subsequent, outline who’s a part of the Group.

Make your alternative primarily based on the way you wish to manage your platform:

• Personal: If the crew ought to solely have a couple of particular members, choose Personal.
• Public: Finest for groups with altering members.
• Org-Large: If you wish to host your total group as one “crew” on the platform and use channels to divide departments, Org-wide is the perfect possibility.

Step 5: When you’ve chosen the kind of crew you wish to create, you want to give it a reputation.
Select an acceptable crew identify, like “Advertising and marketing” or “Social Media”, after which click on the “Create” button on the backside proper.

Step 6: Your new crew will now seem on the left sidebar of your Groups app (“Advertising and marketing” within the picture beneath).

So as to add members to the crew, click on on the three dots subsequent to the crew identify and choose “Add member.”

Step 7: Kind within the names of the members you wish to add.

In case these are “company” resembling exterior customers from outdoors your group, you can provide them visitor entry via their e-mail tackle as a substitute.

B) For cell

Step 1: Open the Microsoft Groups app.

Step 2: Faucet on the “Groups” icon on the backside of the display screen, then an icon of “two folks and a plus signal” within the prime proper. You must attain the Handle groups web page.

Step 3: To create your new crew, give it a reputation, add an outline and set the privateness settings.

When you’ve created the crew, faucet the “Extra choices” icon with three dots and choose “Add members.” Kind within the names of your crew members so as to add them.

Notice: So as to add teams of individuals/a number of people concurrently, you want to use the desktop or internet app.

2. Create a channel

A) For desktop

Now that you just’ve obtained a crew arrange, it’s time so as to add channels.

By default, Microsoft Groups creates a normal channel for all crew members.

To create extra channels, comply with the steps beneath:

Step 1: Click on on the three dots subsequent to the Group you wish to create a brand new channel in, and click on on the “Add channel” possibility.

Step 2: Within the pop-up window that seems, you possibly can:

• Choose a channel identify.
• Add a channel description.
• Change privateness settings to permit entry to each crew member or solely a choose few members.

When you’re completed with these settings, click on on the “Add” button to create the channel.

B) For cell

Step 1: Within the cell app, click on on the Groups icon on the backside.

Step 2: Faucet the three dots (“Extra choices” icon) for the crew you wish to add to the channel. Then, click on on “Handle choices.”

Step 3: Click on on “Add +” to start creating a brand new channel. Add a reputation for the channel and an outline should you want to.

Step 4: To create an ordinary channel, merely faucet “Completed.” To create a personal channel, faucet on “Privateness,” choose “Personal,” then return and faucet “Completed.”

Step 5: In the event you selected to create a personal channel, the “add members” display screen will routinely open up. You possibly can add members at this stage itself, or skip this step and add members later.

C. Methods to arrange video conferencing in Microsoft Groups

Video conferencing is very simple with Microsoft Groups.

Right here’s how you can do it:

A) For desktop

Step 1: Open the Microsoft Groups app, and go to the crew/channel you wish to maintain a video convention with.

Click on on the small digital camera icon underneath the compose field.

Step 2: If you would like, you possibly can add a topic to the video name. Then click on the “Meet now” button to start out.

Step 3: Within the video name display screen that seems, you should use the toolbar to show your digital camera and microphone on/off, in addition to share your display screen with everybody who joins the decision.

B) For cell

Step 1: Open the Microsoft Groups cell app and go to the chat you wish to begin a video name with.

Step 2: Within the chosen chat, faucet “Video name” to start out video calling. Members can reply from both of their desktop or mobiles.

Now that you understand how to arrange video calls, you possibly can simply maintain on-line conferences and discussions along with your crew members!

D. Methods to schedule conferences

For vital conferences that want everybody’s presence, it’s finest to schedule them prematurely. This fashion, folks can clear their schedules for the assembly and sync it with their calendars.

Right here’s how one can schedule conferences in Microsoft Groups:

A) For desktop

Step 1: Choose “Schedule a Assembly” (calendar icon) beneath the compose field.

Step 2: Go to “Calendar” on the left pane and click on on “New assembly,” which is situated on the prime proper.

Step 3: When you’ve chosen a time vary within the calendar, a type will open that will help you out.

Step 4: Add a title for the assembly, invite individuals and add different particulars. The Scheduling Assistant can assist you test everybody’s availability.

Step 5: Hit “Save” to finish the method. An invitation will routinely be despatched to every participant’s Outlook inbox!

B) For cell

Step 1: Faucet the Calendar on the backside of the app and go to “Schedule a gathering” close to the top-right.

Step 2: Faucet on “Add individuals” to ask everybody you want.

Step 3: Set the beginning time and finish time for the assembly. Write an outline as effectively.

Step 4: Faucet “Completed” to complete scheduling your Groups assembly!

Three extra options of Microsoft Groups

Listed below are three options that make Groups a wonderful communication software for distant in addition to in-office groups:

1.Stay occasions

Groups’ stay occasions are broadcasts created for giant audiences.

In contrast to video conferences and calls, stay occasions are a type of communication, the place viewers interplay stays restricted to solely viewing the content material you’re placing out (like these free concert events musicians are internet hosting on social media).

With Microsoft Groups, you possibly can:

• Host stay occasions for upto 10,000 attendees
• Document stay occasions for audiences to stream after the published
• Permit restricted entry to the published or make them public.

2. Immediate messaging

Since Microsoft Groups is a collaboration software, it has an instantaneous messaging characteristic to maintain the crew related.

It allows you to:

• Have a fast group chat or hop on a video name.
• Transfer e-mail replies out of your Outlook inbox into a fast chat.
• Have casual conversations with gifs and stickers.

3. App integrations

Microsoft Groups integrates with tons of office apps to assist streamline your communication throughout numerous platforms.

It integrates with apps like:

• MeisterTask: A process supervisor constructed for collaboration between agile groups
• Azure boards: A mission tracker that includes kanban boards, scrum boards and dashboards
• Nimble Contacts: A CRM that helps entry buyer insights from inside Groups

Latest updates in Microsoft Groups for 2024

Microsoft Groups continues to evolve, and 2024 has introduced a sequence of impactful updates that improve productiveness, collaboration, and safety. These updates intention to streamline workflows, present extra insightful instruments for conferences, and introduce superior AI-driven capabilities. Beneath are the important thing updates:

1. AI-powered assembly summaries

One of the crucial important additions to Microsoft Groups is the AI-powered assembly abstract characteristic. With the assistance of synthetic intelligence, Groups can now routinely generate detailed summaries of conferences, together with key dialogue factors, selections made, and follow-up duties. This characteristic ensures that each one crew members, even those that couldn’t attend the assembly, keep knowledgeable with no need to look at a full recording.

2. Copilot in Microsoft Groups

Microsoft Groups launched Copilot, a game-changing AI assistant that helps streamline collaboration, automate repetitive duties, and increase productiveness. Powered by Microsoft’s GPT-4 expertise, Copilot can help with producing responses, drafting emails, summarizing conversations, and even suggesting subsequent steps throughout conferences.

Key Copilot capabilities:

• Drafting messages: Copilot can routinely draft replies primarily based on ongoing conversations in Groups, saving customers time when they should reply rapidly.
• Assembly summaries: It could possibly present on-the-fly summaries throughout or after conferences, providing concise overviews of key factors.
• Job automation: It assists in establishing duties, reminders, and scheduling follow-up conferences straight throughout the platform.
• Information insights: Copilot can analyze information shared throughout conferences and supply instantaneous insights or suggestions.

3. Enhanced safety for video calls

Microsoft Groups has additional strengthened its safety for video calls, including options like end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for group conferences and expanded information loss prevention (DLP) measures. That is particularly vital for industries that cope with delicate information, resembling finance and healthcare, guaranteeing that confidential info stays protected throughout conferences.

4. Customized backgrounds for video conferences

Groups has launched extra customizable background choices, permitting customers to add their very own backgrounds or select from an expanded choice. This enhances the visible expertise of conferences, whether or not customers wish to current a extra skilled surroundings or add a private contact to their digital workspace.

5. New collaborative apps built-in into Groups

2024 additionally brings a number of new collaborative apps built-in straight into Microsoft Groups, enhancing how totally different departments work collectively. These apps embody extra superior options for cross-functional collaboration, particularly for mission administration and content material creation.

Key integrations:

• Loop elements: Groups now helps Microsoft Loop, which allows real-time collaboration with dynamic content material components, resembling process lists, tables, and brainstorming boards. These elements are stay and replace throughout all apps the place they’re embedded, guaranteeing everybody stays aligned.
• Energy BI integration: Microsoft Groups now permits customers to combine interactive Energy BI stories straight into conferences, permitting crew members to investigate real-time information with out leaving the app.

6. Expanded capability for stay occasions

With the rising demand for large-scale digital occasions, Microsoft Groups has elevated the capability for stay occasions, permitting as much as 20,000 attendees in a single occasion. That is notably helpful for internet hosting webinars, company city halls, and digital conferences.

These 2024 updates to Microsoft Groups, together with the highly effective AI-driven Copilot, enhanced safety, and new integrations, make it a extra versatile software for companies navigating the hybrid and distant work panorama. By staying updated with these new options, groups can proceed to collaborate successfully, streamline workflows, and improve total productiveness.

Microsoft Groups pricing

Microsoft Groups is a part of the Workplace 365 suite, which presents a number of plans as per your wants.

Right here’s a more in-depth take a look at the plans that embody Groups:

• Microsoft Groups (Free): Affords fundamental options resembling instantaneous messaging, audio and video chat.
• Microsoft 365 Enterprise Primary: $6.00 consumer/month – Affords “Microsoft Groups (Free)” options + video conferencing for as much as 300 folks.
• Microsoft 365 Enterprise Customary: $12.50 consumer/month – Affords “Enterprise Primary” options + desktop variations of MS Excel, Phrase, Entry, and so on.
• Microsoft Groups Necessities $4 consumer/month -Limitless group conferences for as much as 30 hours and 300 individuals, 10 GB of cloud storage per consumer.

Three bonus suggestions for utilizing Microsoft Groups

Microsoft Groups could be a highly effective software to spice up your crew’s productiveness. Listed below are a couple of tricks to take advantage of it.

A. Ceaselessly use slash instructions

Microsoft Groups helps slash instructions to streamline the end-users expertise.

Slash instructions pace up important duties like sending messages or viewing somebody/s exercise.

Kind these into the command bar to attempt them out:

• /goto – Bounce to a Groups channel or crew
• /point out – Observe your mentions rapidly
• /out there – Set your availability standing

B. Work in your information within the doc library

Microsoft Groups lets you work on shared Phrase, Excel or PowerPoint information with out leaving its interface.

Right here are some things you are able to do with Groups’ file-sharing characteristic:

• Add information to a shared file storage
• Edit information on Group apps
• Collaborate in actual time
• Share information with members outdoors your group

C. Take advantage of out of Microsoft Groups’ cell app

The Microsoft Groups’ cell app helps you keep up to date once you’re on the go.

Its highly effective capabilities can help most of desktop app’s options, resembling:

• Audio and video conferencing
• Sharing or viewing information
• Becoming a member of totally different groups and channels
• Scheduling conferences on the go

Conclusion

Distant work isn’t all the time a bit of cake, particularly once you’re not used to it.

Nevertheless, with the correct instruments, it’s rather more comfy!

Now that you understand how to arrange and use Microsoft Groups, your group can collaborate simply with its highly effective options.

And if Microsoft Groups doesn’t appear to be the correct match on your wants, you possibly can all the time take a look at alternate options like Skype for Enterprise, Zoom and Slack!