WorkingSmart Guidelines for Consistent Collaboration
using Microsoft (MS) TEAMS
(Draft ready for deciding policies)

1. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION Guidelines

Posts use for ALL internal messages to members of TEAMS (Not email)
Chats use only for short-term messaging (Note: Chat messages not retained for long)
New Messages: Everyone checks ‘Activity’ frequently & responds to messages promptly
Internal Emails use only be used for communications ACROSS teams
Video Online Meetings – only use MS TEAMS > Meetings Chat can/cannot be used

FILING: All Shared Files to be located only in TEAMS/SharePoint
Legacy Filing (e.g. Box or Dropbox or LiveLink) should be transferred to TEAMS/SharePoint by [date TBA], The legacy filing location should cease to be used from [date TBA].
OneDrive to be only used for storing single-user private files
Only have one copy of each file (Avoids time-wasting with multiple versions)
Only circulate LINKS to files. DO NOT CIRCULATE COPIES of files as attachments to Posts/Emails
NAMING: Folder Naming use convention: Function/Project
File Naming use convention: Contents/Purpose (NB Do NOT add dates – see ‘Version Control’ )
Keep same file names unchanged to protect version histories
Note Version Control: SharePoint files have automatic version control. Files are continuously autosaved, creating new versions in ‘Version History’, where all previous versions can be opened.
Tip! Use this procedure: Click on file name at top of screen > Left click > ‘Version History’

External Meetings: Set-up meetings in Outlook
- Meeting Notes & Actions: Use OneNote (Note: Pages can be emailed to external people)
Internal Meetings with everyone in same TEAM: Set-up meetings in relevant MS TEAMS Channel
(Note: This enables Meeting Chat & Recordings to be accessible in Channel Posts.)
Meeting Notes: Use shared OneNote books in relevant MS TEAMS Channels
Actions: Use PLANNER Tasks for Meeting actions in the same MS TEAMS Channels
Progress: Everyone update Statuses for assigned PLANNER Tasks, so progress is
visible to all