Microsoft Teams is the ultimate hub for collaboration for countless teams in the modern workplace. In an age of hybrid and remote work, Microsoft Teams provides employees from all backgrounds with an environment to share information and connect with colleagues from anywhere.

By supporting everything from file sharing to whiteboard sketching, Microsoft Teams is great for collaboration on its own. However, the flexible AppSource environment for Microsoft Teams also means you can add additional functionality to your ecosystem. 

Today, we’re going to be looking at just some of the fun and free Microsoft Teams apps small businesses can use to enhance collaboration. 

This list is in no particular order

  1. Trello

One of the most popular project management tools on the market, Trello is a convenient environment to organize tasks for your teams via boards, lists, and cards. The Trello app for Microsoft Teams brings the free features of Trello into your collaboration app, so you can view Trello boards, create new cards, and move existing cards between lists without exiting out of Teams.

If you’re looking for a free Microsoft Teams app that makes life a little easier for your employees, Trello will help your team keep track of what they need to complete on their to-do list and ensure work gets done faster. With Trello for Teams, you can:

  • Check card details and to-do lists within Teams
  • Add the Trello board as a tab in your Teams channel
  • Get notifications when card details change
  • Create new cards and assign tasks
  • Set due dates or assign cards as complete

  1. Lucidchart Diagrams

Created by Lucid Software, Lucidchart Diagrams for Teams allows users to collaborate on wireframes, flowcharts, network diagrams, and a range of other essential visuals for creative work in no time. You can add a Lucidchart document to a tab in your team’s channel and use the embedded editor to edit documents or add comments without leaving Teams. 

The flexible and free app for Microsoft Teams can import a range of visual files from programs like Visio and run on all major browsers. It also integrates with Microsoft Office, Salesforce, Jira, Google Drive, and countless other tools. With Lucidchart for the Teams collaboration app, you can:

  • Work on mind maps, Venn diagrams, mock-ups, and wireframes
  • Access visuals from a range of libraries, including Google Drive and Microsoft Office
  • Import files from various essential tools like Salesforce
  • Access Lucidchart documents in personal tabs

  1. Azure Boards

Starting your search within the Microsoft ecosystem is usually a good bet when you’re looking for the best ways to leverage free Microsoft Teams apps. Azure boards are great if you want to plan, track, and discuss work across team environments without worrying about third-party technology. You can track work with team dashboards, backlogs, and Kanban boards.

Azure Boards for Teams also gives you access to drag-and-drop sprint planning, flexible work tracking with traceability, and work activity monitoring. With Azure boards, teams can collaborate and keep track of each other’s workflow more efficiently, without leaving Teams. Azure Boards for Microsoft Teams allows users to:

  • Receive notifications on work items in projects
  • Create new work items and projects, and track progress on boards
  • Examine backlogs and team dashboards
  • Connect Teams channels to Azure DevOps projects
  1. Calendar

Sometimes the most straightforward collaboration app is also the best as companies continue to work with teams across distributed environments, keeping track of exactly who in your team is available and when is extremely useful. Calendar is one of the free Microsoft Teams apps created by Witivio, which allows you to share a synchronized schedule with external and internal users.

This easy-to-use application makes it easy to track exactly who you can contact and when in your Microsoft Teams channels. You can display your calendar in different views, color-code your events, and customize everything. Calendar Pro for Microsoft Teams allows users to:

  • Share and synchronize schedules with internal and external teams
  • Add as many events as necessary to your to-do list
  • Colour code events
  • Create all-day events or track specific hours

  1. Draw.io

While Microsoft Teams already has Whiteboard for sketching purposes, you may find yourself in need of a more specific collaboration app for complex diagrams. Draw.io is a free-to-use tool that allows users to add a diagram tab to their Microsoft Teams ecosystem. This ensures that co-workers can collaborate on diagram files stored in OneDrive without leaving Teams.

The Draw.io solution is ideal for compliance purposes, as you get to maintain complete control over your data while creating a range of visual tools, like organizational charts and flow charts. You can even connect your Draw.io account to Google Drive. With Draw.io for Teams, you can:

  • Create complex charts, flowcharts, and diagrams
  • Brainstorm with hand-drawn informal sketching
  • Import information from Google Drive or OneDrive 
  • Access automated diagram creation for various data points

  1. Poll Everywhere

Polls are an excellent way to keep your finger on the pulse of your distributed team. With Poll Everywhere for Microsoft Teams, you can immediately ask a question in Teams and start encouraging more meaningful feedback and conversation from your staff. The Poll Everywhere app is one of the simplest free Microsoft Teams apps, but it’s excellent for boosting engagement.

You can quickly and easily create multiple choice questions and post them to the channels of your choice. Poll Everywhere allows Teams users to:

  • Ask quick and easy multiple-choice questions
  • Gather real-time feedback and responses from Team members
  • Engage employees before a team meeting
  • Track responses to questions over time

 



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