Microsoft Teams and Slack are two of the most popular messaging and collaboration platforms. While they both offer many of the same features, they can also be used together to create an even more powerful toolset. In this article, UC Today explains how to integrate Slack with Microsoft Teams. It also explores some of the benefits of using both platforms together.
Microsoft Teams and Slack: Top Two Collaboration Tools
Microsoft Teams is an essential part of Microsoft’s “modern workplace” idea, which attempts to establish an agile and scalable system using cloud-based capabilities. Teams can be used as an alternative to — or even a complete substitute for — email and traditional telephony. Slack is a communication platform developed by Slack Technologies, now a Salesforce-owned company. It is a chat-focused workplace collaboration app that brings together conversations, tools, and files in one place.
Slack and Microsoft Teams are both tools that can be used on the computer or phone to communicate with teams and keep people up to date on essential news and events.
How to Integrate Slack with Microsoft Teams?
The three methods below will guide users in connecting Slack and Microsoft Teams for the best results.
1. Use the Teams Calls app for Slack
In April 2020, we discussed that Slack is currently working on a Teams Calling integration, and the feature is now available via a Slack app. This method is probably the easiest way to integrate Slack with Microsoft Teams. It assumes Slack will remain your primary collaboration platform while Microsoft Teams coexists in the background.
While chatting on Slack, sharing files, or performing any other task, the integration allows users to switch to a Microsoft Teams call quickly. Users will use their Microsoft credentials for calling purposes, and one can also benefit from Teams’ ability to add more participants to a call. Here are the steps to follow:
- In the Slack App Directory, go to the Microsoft Teams Calls page.
- Add to Slack by clicking the Add to Slack button.
- To give Microsoft Teams access to Slack, click Allow.
- Users can log in to their Microsoft account to get started.
- To return to the workspace, click Open Slack when prompted.
This integration enables a couple of additional benefits. You can type in the /teams-calls command into Slack’s address bar to launch a Teams call with minimal effort, and you can also set the Teams calls app as the default calling service. Further, the integration pushes any calendar notifications of Teams calls via Slack.
2. Use Zapier to set up integrations and automation
While the previous Slack-Teams integration method focused on video calling, this option lets you set automated workflows that cut across both platforms. Zapier currently has four pre-configured automation options, which you can start using right away. This includes automatically sending starred Slack messages to a Teams channel, receiving Slack notifications for Teams channel conversations, sending a Slack message whenever there is a new Teams message, and sending a Teams message whenever there is a Slack notification. Each event on one platform will trigger an automated action on the other platform.
- Authenticate Slack and Microsoft Teams.
- Visit the Zapier app and choose one of the applications to act as a trigger for automation.
- Choose an action from the other app as a result.
- Users can choose the information they wish to transfer from one app to another.
You need a Zapier account to use this method; click here to get started.
3. Enable messaging interoperability in your communication estate
It is possible to sync internal Slack users with internal Teams users by enabling message interoperability in the organization’s communication estate, as long as both platforms exist in the same landscape. This implies that workers who use Slack – whether on the sly or with permission – can now message their colleagues who utilize Teams across platforms. Microsoft announced this integration capability in October 2020, and it works in partnership with Mio.
Users select which channels and teams to synchronize when a third-party federation service, Mio, is installed in the background, ensuring that users and their business colleagues are always on the same page. Mio (certified by Microsoft) syncs all of the features that business teams rely on daily once they are connected. The Microsoft Teams users can stay in Teams instead of utilizing Slack by translating communications from Teams to Slack (and vice versa).
4. Manually configure integration webhooks
The last and probably the most technical way to integrate the two platforms is by using Slack webhooks. Webhooks are a form of Slack Events APIs that allow external applications to receive data in real time whenever the corresponding event occurs on Slack. One can set up a webhook to trigger virtually any Teams action based on a Slack event, which provides you with greater flexibility. On the downside, it requires a lot of manual configuration, and it is cumbersome to scale webhooks for each channel individually.
Benefits of Integrating Slack with Microsoft Teams
There are several benefits of integrating Slack with Microsoft Teams:
- Users can synchronize channels and users within a business. This enables you to send messages to numerous platforms.
- Companies can connect the platforms in the background, allowing their employees to continue using the medium of their choice.
- Users can start Microsoft Teams calls through Slack.
- It allows for better communication between team members using different applications.
- It provides a more centralized location for all communications, making it easier to stay organized.
- It can help reduce the risk of missed messages or essential information.
- Users can configure outcomes for different scenarios between the two platforms.
The Bottom Line
Slack and Microsoft Teams can be integrated to work together. Slack has many features which make it an excellent choice for team communication, including but not limited to direct messages, group chats, file sharing, and integrations with other applications. Microsoft Teams offers similar features as Slack and additional benefits such as powerful calling, threaded conversations, and planner integration. Slack and Microsoft Teams offer the best of both worlds for team communication when used together.
from UC Today https://ift.tt/f7skuYw
0 Comments