Microsoft Teams comes with plenty of collaborative features out of the box. But as you are about to see, there are several add-ons developers can use to extend the software’s functionality and boost your productivity even more.
Microsoft Teams features
Organizations worldwide use Microsoft Teams since it gives them an all-in-one solution for collaborating and getting work done. How does the software accomplish this goal? By providing the following features:
- Video calls – No matter where you are, you can connect with other team members through a video call that also allows for screen sharing for an even more immersive experience.
- Online meetings – Whether you need to hold a virtual meeting with insiders or outsiders, you can do so via Microsoft Teams, as it offers the capability to hold a training session for 10,000 users.
- Channels – Instead of having to sift through thousands of email threads that lead to confusion and information overload, you can use Microsoft Teams’ channels feature to communicate between team members.
- Virtual whiteboard – Use this digital canvas to share new ideas and content, just as you would in an in-person meeting.
While Microsoft Teams offers many more features than those listed above, you may want to get even more out of the software, so it fills every one of your organization’s collaborative needs. Use these Microsoft Teams add-ons for productivity, and you can do just that.
Reading: Microsoft Teams Collaboration Tool Review
Microsoft Teams Productivity Add-Ons
There is no shortage of productivity add-ons for Microsoft Teams, as the software boasts 600-plus integrations. Here are some of the best of the bunch that can improve your software development team’s efficiency so it can churn out top-quality products.
Jira
Development teams who need to track and manage software releases can do so by adding Jira to Microsoft Teams. The productivity add-on is great for project management, collaboration, and boosting overall efficiency.
Trello
One of the most widely used project management tools on the market is Trello, and you can use it with Microsoft Teams to increase productivity via boards, lists, and tasks.
With Trello integrated, you can view your boards within Teams, so you do not have to waste time switching between apps. You will receive notifications about any Trello changes in Teams, and you can add comments directly and perform other tasks just as you would within the app itself. Best of all, using Trello with teams is fuss-free since it is integrated by default.
GitHub
Software developers can develop innovative solutions and solve problems by using GitHub. Integrate it with Microsoft Teams, and you can view your GitHub dashboard within the app to search for issues and add comments, share code, and much more.
Fireflies
Why do most workers say that meetings are unproductive? You could blame it on multitasking, which keeps them from focusing on the task at hand and leads them to miss valuable information.
With Fireflies, one primary culprit of multitasking is taken out of the equation: Recording. In other words, the app records and transcribes meetings automatically so you can remain present and soak in everything that is said.
Beyond recording meetings, Fireflies also makes it easy to pinpoint essential information by searching for keywords. You can find key topics, metrics, and action items almost instantly, and you can automatically share your transcripts with colleagues and other apps like Slack, Dropbox, and Salesforce after each meeting.
Reading: Review of Microsoft Project
AttendanceBot
Many remote teams require the ability to track and manage work hours. AttendanceBot offers that capability with timesheets that can be exported from Microsoft Teams into CSV or Excel reports once integrated, plus it works with iCloud, Outlook, and Google calendars.
You can use AttendanceBot to document when you clock in and out. You can also use it to track any remote hours, breaks, lunches, vacations, sick days, and paid time off. The productivity add-on can be particularly helpful with planning shifts and payroll reports.
Adobe Creative Cloud
Here is a Microsoft Teams add-on that helps designers share graphic resources quickly and efficiently. By having the power to share designs, comments, and feedback, you can ensure that your organization’s graphic assets remain consistent and exude the highest-quality possible.
SoapBox
You can hold a meeting on Microsoft Teams as-is. But to make the most out of your meetings, integrating SoapBox should be your move. SoapBox helps ensure that meetings follow a particular structure, so they do not get off-track. You can use nudges to stay focused on a specific agenda, get suggestions on similar discussion topics, check off items as meetings continue, and more.
Wiki
Another productivity add-on that is integrated with Microsoft Teams by default is Wiki. With it, you can create your own knowledge repository with a smart text editor so your team can create and share notes on the fly. Use Wiki to create a FAQ for quick reference or a set of guidelines that team members can follow.
Reading: Top Collaboration Tools for Web Developers
ScrumGenius
Here is an easy-to-use Microsoft Teams add-on for productivity that helps you automate daily standup meetings. Integrate it with Teams, and a bot will ask questions about progress and any obstacles so you can share that essential info with your colleagues and management.
MasterTask
Teams that employ the agile method can use MeisterTask to boost their daily efficiency by converting newly brainstormed ideas into executable tasks. The app lets you see overall progress with ease, track time, add comments and tags, automatically receive updates once a task is completed, and more.
SignEasy
While signing a document only takes a second or two, getting that signature can take a lot longer, especially when people are on opposite sides of the globe. SignEasy tackles this issue via Microsoft Teams by letting you send and receive signable documents in many forms, such as PDF, Word, Text, JPG, PNG, etc. Besides your signature, SignEasy also allows you to add names, dates, and annotations to docs, making it an excellent tool for those who deal with loads of paperwork on a daily basis.
Wall
It is easy to visualize potential problems and come up with solutions when meeting with others in person. But if you are working remotely, this can be a challenge. That is where Mural can save the day, as it is a Microsoft Teams add-on that lets workers collaborate visually in real-time by creating diagrams.
You can use pre-designed templates or create murals from scratch. Once finished, you can share your mural with just one click.
Reading: Best Project Management Tools for Developers
MailClark
Most members of your team probably use more than one email or messaging platform. MailClark allows you to combine and manage messages from multiple platforms in a single shared inbox.
By centralizing messages, you can save time and ensure that nothing gets lost in the cracks. But beyond seeing those messages in a single inbox, you can also send new ones without leaving Microsoft Teams once MailClark is integrated. MailClark works with Gmail, Outlook, IMAP, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Health Hero
Productivity and results are essential, but you will not get either if the well-being of your team members is ignored. With Health Hero, well-being is the name of the game, as the app creates fun and engaging activities to lift team morale and cohesion, both of which can increase productivity in the end.
