Microsoft has officially confirmed its roadmap for bringing Skype for Business Online features into Microsoft Teams, signaling the end of Skype for Business as the primary communications client within Office 365. As of now, Microsoft Teams is the go-to platform for messaging, meetings, and calls, making this transition a significant shift for businesses worldwide. This transition is an excellent opportunity for companies to harness the benefits of intelligent collaboration, offering a more seamless and integrated experience for users.
With Skype for Business now being incorporated into Teams, users will enjoy a single, unified hub for teamwork. This combines messaging, meetings, voice and video calls, as well as powerful collaboration tools, all in one place. But what does this transition mean in practical terms for businesses and users?
What’s the Difference Between Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams represents a more modern and enhanced approach to collaboration when compared to Skype for Business. Teams is designed to go beyond simple communication by integrating various work tools and functions. Here’s a brief breakdown of how Teams changes the game:
- Before a Meeting: In Teams, users can access relevant documents and rich participant information, helping them prepare more effectively for meetings. This feature ensures that everyone is on the same page before the meeting even starts.
- During the Meeting: Teams enables the conversation to be captured and transcribed in real-time. This includes time-coding, closed captioning, and voice recognition for attributing remarks to specific individuals. These features enhance accessibility and make meetings more efficient.
- After the Meeting: Teams automatically saves the cloud recording and transcript, adding them to the appropriate channel. This allows teams to review conversations, documents, notes, and action items later, while also making it easy to search and index information for future reference.
If you’re interested in a more detailed comparison, you can refer to Microsoft’s full list of differences between Skype for Business and Teams.
What Does This Transition Mean for Customers?
Microsoft’s decision to phase out Skype for Business has important implications for customers. Starting October 1, new Office 365 customers with 500 seats or fewer will no longer have access to Skype for Business Online. For existing customers, however, Skype for Business Online will remain available without interruption until they decide to transition to Microsoft Teams. From November 1, Microsoft will begin offering automated upgrades to Teams, with customers being directly notified about their upgrade options via email and through the Office 365 Message Centre.
How to Upgrade from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams
Businesses can transition from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams in a couple of ways. Here’s how the process works:
- Admin Centre Upgrade: The Microsoft Teams & Skype for Business Admin Centre allows administrators to upgrade individual users or their entire organization from Skype for Business to Teams. This center also offers the ability to manage interoperability, messaging, and guest access policies for users.
- PowerShell Cmdlets for Advanced Installations: For larger or more complex deployments, IT teams can utilize PowerShell cmdlets to upgrade groups, departments, or even entire organizations. These cmdlets allow administrators to configure Teams settings at a granular level.
What Happens Once Users Are Upgraded?
Once users have been upgraded to Teams, the platform becomes the default client for chat, voice, video, and meetings within Office 365. Here’s what users can expect after the upgrade:
- Skype for Business Client: After the upgrade, the Skype for Business client will be disabled for the user. All chats and calls will be redirected to Teams, but the Skype for Business client will not be uninstalled from users’ desktops.
- Scheduled Meetings: Any Skype for Business meetings that were scheduled prior to the upgrade will still function as usual. However, all new meetings will be scheduled through Microsoft Teams.
- Skype for Business Meetings: Previously scheduled Skype for Business meetings will still connect through the Skype for Business desktop client or the Skype Web App.
- Signing into Skype for Business: If users try to sign into Skype for Business after the upgrade, they will receive a notification indicating that they have been upgraded to Teams.
- Mobile Devices: IT administrators or users will need to manually uninstall the Skype for Business client from mobile devices, as the upgrade process does not handle this automatically.
Benefits of Transitioning to Teams
The transition from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams brings several key benefits that can significantly improve the way businesses collaborate. These include:
- Enhanced Collaboration: Teams integrates messaging, video, calls, and file sharing, creating a central hub for teamwork.
- Greater Productivity: With features like real-time transcription, automated meeting notes, and cloud recordings, Teams streamlines workflows and boosts productivity.
- Intelligent Features: Teams integrates with Office 365 and Microsoft 365 apps, offering intelligent tools like automated task tracking and document sharing.
- Scalability and Flexibility: Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Teams can scale to meet your communication needs.
Conclusion
While the transition from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams may seem daunting, the process is streamlined and offers numerous advantages. By upgrading to Teams, organizations can unlock a more efficient, productive, and intelligent collaboration platform, bringing employees closer together, no matter where they are.
For assistance with your migration or if you have questions about upgrading from Skype for Business to Teams, feel free to reach out to us at 0333 444 3455. We’re happy to help guide you through the process and ensure a smooth transition for your team.
