
Communication is perhaps the most important element of any business. Collaboration between employees is at the heart of ensuring customers and clients receive outstanding products and services.
As a manager, executive or owner, it’s essential that you provide your employees with the best tools out there to foster effective communication and collaboration.
We live in a digital age where communication methods have changed but also improved.
Implementing collaboration software will allow your employees to communicate in real-time from anywhere with an internet connection.
Two of the best options when it comes to collaboration software are Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. Each is definitively unique while complementing the other to create a full solution.
If you are currently utilizing Microsoft Office 365, you have the luxury of utilizing the strengths of each to provide your users with a comprehensive collaboration platform.
Keep reading to learn more about the differences of each option – Microsoft Teams vs SharePoint.

Microsoft Teams Overview
Microsoft Teams is Microsoft’s newest collaboration space. A replacement for Skype for Business (and Lync, for those who have been in the industry), it allows team members to communicate and share information instantly in a variety of ways from a single workspace.
Teams is the ultimate collaboration tool. It brings together multiple aspects of communication and collaboration including one-on-one chats, group meetings with audio and video and the ability to replace your PBX phone system.
It uses a chat-based format. Using Microsoft Teams can enhance productivity and save time by providing a central location for team members to work on projects.
Each time you create a Team, Microsoft automatically creates a number of components to help the team function. These include:
- an Office 365 Group
- a SharePoint site
- a shared mailbox and calendar
- a OneNote notebook
Microsoft Teams also integrates with other Microsoft products such as Planner, Forms and Power BI. Additionally, a variety of third-party applications can be accessed including Zendesk, Jira and Trello.
One of the most helpful features of Microsoft Teams is that meetings, calls, content collaboration, and chats can be hosted in the app. This makes information and auditing easier because the information is saved in discussions instead of getting lost in emails.
Data from Microsoft Teams is stored in the Microsoft cloud, meaning team members can collaborate with each other and with their data regardless of their location.
Key Features of Microsoft Teams
Each Team created comes with a few key features by default. Here is an overview.Teams Channels
Channels allow you to organize discussions by topic. If your group is working on more than one project at the same time, create channels to keep discussions and files organized. This also allows team members to follow only the projects they are working on.
Tabs
These allow team members to bring the tools they use daily into the channel so they have access to everything they need in one place. By default in Teams, you will see a Conversations tab, a Files tab and a Wiki tab.Bots
These automated programs help you navigate the tool, answer your questions, and help you complete simple tasks, like scheduling a meeting.Connectors
Connectors are services that you can connect to within your tabs. They allow you to access multiple tools without switching back and forth, saving time and keeping you focused.
Surveys
These can be created to quickly make decisions within the team. You can design the question and answer format (multiple-choice, opened-ended, etc).Discussion Boards
Discussion boards replace email as a place for collaboration. All members can view content, post, and reply. If someone is accidentally left off an email list, they can view the discussion in SharePoint Teams.SharePoint Lists
You can organize your information using preset lists like contacts, events, links, tasks, and announcements, or create your own list categories.Document Libraries
When files are shared with the team, they are added automatically to the SharePoint document library on the team’s site. Files and links to access them are included here for easy access by team members.Choosing the Right Collaboration Software for Your Team
We hope this guide gave you more insight into Microsoft Teams vs SharePoint. The truth is, both tools are great for encouraging collaboration and communication between project management team members.
Throw in OneDrive and your team will be working more effectively and efficiently than ever before.
We’ve worked with 100’s of organizations to learn their specific business needs and provide technology solutions incorporating these tools and more. To learn more about how each of these products could work for you, contact us today. We’d love to help you make the best decision for your business.
0 Comments