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Team Collaboration App Guide

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOST POPULAR SOFTWARE (+ STEP- BY- STEP USER GUIDES!)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 3 COMPARISON TABLE 4

SLACK 5 12 WORKPLACE FROM FACEBOOK 18 RYVER 24 26 FLOCK 28

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM In the wake of COVID-19, more and more business teams are finding themselves 3 INTRODUCTION forced to work from home. For many teams accustomed to directly communicating in the office, transitioning to remote work might have some initial hurdles, especially in the way of communication between team mates.

Thankfully, there are several team collaboration and chat apps out there which can help with this. They usually feature in-app chats, voice or video calling, , , workflows, etc., bringing together everything you need to collaborate seamlessly with your team.

To help you make the best choice for your team, we have compiled a list and comparison table of the most popular team collaboration apps to help you choose the right one for you.

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 4 COMPARISON TABLE

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 5 Slack is one of the most widely-used team chat and collaboration SLACK apps globally. Jokingly nicknamed as ‘email killer’, it presents itself as being a single place to gather all your communication together, be it messaging, files, and tools.

Slack is well-known for their team channels, where you can add team members to different channels for different tasks, topics, or projects. You can then chat, share files, and integrate tools into each channel. By keeping all communication about those projects to their respective channels, it is much easier for you to keep track of your team.

One reason why Slack is so popular is because of its integration with dozens of other office apps that many already use. For example, you can integrate your , Zoom, , , or Office 365 accounts directly into Slack to have all your work in one place. You can even build your own in-app tools with Slack’s API if they don’t have a tool you need.

Find out more about Slack here: https://slack.com

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 6 SLACK PRICING

FREE STANDARD PLUS - Access to 10,000 recent US $6.67/USER/MONTH US $12.50/USER/MONTH - 5GB storage space - Unlimited messages and app - Advanced security and - Integrations with max. 10 apps - 1:1 integrations compliance features voice and video calls - 10GB of storage per team member - 20GB storage per team member - Voice and video calls with up to 15 - User management people - 24/7 support

PLATFORMS Windows, Mac, , iOS, Android, web SUPPORTED

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 7 HOW TO USE SLACK 1. SIGN UP 3. INVITE PEOPLE Sign up for a Slack account here. You can To add more people into your workspace, click on the download the Slack app for your desktop ‘+Add’ button on the People tab. You can then either here. Alternatively, you can also use Slack on send them an invitation through email or through an the web. invite link. You can also set which channels your new members will be added to. 2. CREATE WORKSPACE After signing up and verifying your account, you will need to create your organisation’s workspace. Follow the instructions, and you will be brought to your workspace.

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 4. CREATE A CHANNEL 5. JOIN A CHANNEL 8 To create a new channel, click on the '+' icon on To join an existing channel, click on the ‘+’ icon on the Channels tab, then click 'Create a channel'. the Channels tab, then click ‘Browse channels’. Choose a channel to join or search for one in the search bar, then click ‘Join channel’.

Then, fill in your channel name and description. You can also set your channel to private here. Click 'Create'.

You will be prompted to add people into your channel, which you can do by typing in their names or emails. You can also automatically add in everyone in your organization (although only admins would have this option).

Make sure to create different channels for PRO TIP! different projects/topics to keep your team organized.

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 9 6. CHAT Mention someone by typing an ‘@’ before Once you’re in a channel, you can start messaging your their name. They will receive a notification colleagues and sharing files with them. Keep your that you have tagged them in a chat. conversations focused on the specific project or topic!

Here are some handy tips and shortcuts you can use in a chat: Use reactions instead of messages to avoid clutter in your chat. To do so, click the icon on the right side of a message to add a reaction to it.

Set custom by typing ‘/remind’ followed by a person (@user) or a channel (#channel), action, and time.

For example: /remind #team on weekdays to “Please post your daily schedule here!”

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 10

8. SHARE A FILE 7. PRIVATE MESSAGES To share a file, simply drag and drop your file into To message someone privately, click on the ‘+’ icon your chosen channel or direct message. You can also next to the Direct messages tab. Choose the select multiple channels or people to share it with. person you’d like the message, then click ‘Go’.

Similar to a channel, you can send messages and files through direct messages as well. You can also view and search all your team’s files by clicking on the Files tab.

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 11

9. MAKE A CALL You can start audio or video calls with your team on Slack.

If you are on the free version of Slack, you can only make 1:1 calls. To do so, click on the People tab and search for the person you’d like to call. Click on their icon, then click ‘Call’.

If you are on the paid plan, you will be able to start a call with a team of up to 15 people. To do so, choose a channel and click the ‘Details’ button on the top right. Click ‘Call’, then your call will be posted in the channel and any member will be able to join (up to 15 people).

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 12 Microsoft Teams is one of the best options if you often collaborate MICROSOFT with your colleagues on Word documents or Excel sheets. Teams is compatible with apps, allowing sharing and TEAMS editing of documents in real time. This means you can also integrate your Teams app with Microsoft OneDrive to store your company files in the cloud and in your desktop.

Teams allows for voice and video meetings with up to 250 people, or even Live Events for up to 10,000 people at once, no time limits. They also allow integrations to your favourite third-party services and tools directly within Teams, including , , Cisco Webex, Mailchimp, and Zoho.

Another unique feature of Teams is their new scheduling and shift management tool. This allows you to schedule shifts and off days within Teams, with the changes visible to everyone within your team.

Find out more about Microsoft Teams here: https://products.office.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 13 MICROSOFT TEAMS PRICING

FREE MICROSOFT 365 MICROSOFT 365 OFFICE 365 E3 - Unlimited messaging and BUSINESS BASIC BUSINESS STANDARD US $20/USER/MONTH search US $5/USER/MONTH US $12.50/USER/MONTH - Unlimited users and file - 10GB storage across all teams - 1TB storage per organization + Subscription to Microsoft upload size - Unlimited app integrations 10GB per license Office apps - Unlimited personal cloud - Access to Microsoft Online - Video conferences with up to storage apps 250 people - Meeting recordings and audio - Group voice and video calls - 1TB of personal cloud storage conferencing features - Advanced security features and admin tools

PLATFORMS Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, web SUPPORTED

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 14 HOW TO USE MICROSOFT TEAMS

1. SIGN UP 3. INVITE PEOPLE Log on to the Microsoft Teams website and sign First, you should invite participants to join your up for an account here. team. To do so, click ‘Invite people’ at the bottom left of the window. 2. DOWNLOAD You will be given the option of sharing a link After signing up, you will be prompted to with your colleagues, or inviting them through download the Teams application or use the web email. app. For a smoother experience and to access all their features, it is recommended that you download the desktop app. Download and install the file, then launch it and sign in to your account.

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 15 5. CREATE A CHANNEL 4. CREATE A TEAM Once you have created a team, you can create To create a new team, click on 'Join or create a different channels within a team to organize team' at the bottom of the window. Then, click according to different projects or topics. This way, 'Create team'. you can keep your conversations within a certain topic to easily keep track of.

To start a channel, click on the three dots next to your team name, then click ‘Add channel’.

Follow the onscreen instructions, then click ‘Create’. You would then be prompted to invite participants into your team by filling in their email or name.

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 16

6. CHAT 7. PRIVATE CHAT In a channel, you can then send messages, To start a private chat, click on the Chat tab, announcements, emails, and files to your then choose a contact to chat with. Similar to the colleagues. channel page, you can send messages and files in the chat. Here are some tips and shortcuts that you can use in a channel: 8. START A GROUP CALL To make a group video call, go to your chosen - Mention someone by typing ‘@’ before their channel, then click on the ‘Meet Now’ button name. This way they will be notified that they have beneath the chatbox. Feel free to add a subject been tagged in a chat. name, then click ‘Meet Now’. - Share files by dragging and dropping your file into the chatbox. You can also click on the paper clip icon to upload a file from your computer or OneDrive.

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 17 10. SCHEDULE MEETINGS 9. START A PRIVATE CALL You can also schedule meetings through Teams. To start a private call with a colleague, go to the To do so, go to the Calendar tab, then click ‘New Calls tab and click ‘Make a call’. Then, type in meeting’ on the top right. Then, fill in all the your colleague’s name and click on the Video Call required details of your meeting. or Audio Call button to start a call.

You can click on the ‘Scheduling Assistant’ tab to view your schedule, as well as the schedules of the required attendees of your meeting. Once done, click ‘Send’. NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM Workplace is Facebook’s team collaboration offering, prominently 18 featuring Facebook’s familiar interface and news feed. This would be WORKPLACE a great option for those in urgent need of a team chat software, FROM without the fuss of learning to use a whole new interface. Workplace features a news feed just like your personal Facebook FACEBOOK page. You can get important updates from your organization, run polls, share files, and create groups for different teams, just like Facebook.

Workplace also allows you to chat with your colleagues through text, voice, and video. Their auto-translate feature eases communication with your international team mates by instantly translating their text posts.

You can integrate your most-used productivity and office apps directly into Workplace, such as G Suite, Office 365, and Dropbox. One of their unique features is that you can build your own bots within the app to automate tasks.

To get started with Workplace, click here: https://www.facebook.com/workplace/ NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 19 WORKPLACE PRICING

FREE ADVANCED ENTERPRISE - Max. 50 groups US $4/USER/MONTH US $8/USER/MONTH - Unlimited chats - Unlimited groups - Unlimited file storage per person - Group video calls - 1TB of storage per person - Advanced live streaming - 5GB of storage per person - Organisation chart capabilities - Advanced admin controls - Dedicated support team and security - 24/7 support

PLATFORMS Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, web SUPPORTED

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 20 HOW TO USE WORKPLACE

1. SIGN UP 2. INVITE PEOPLE 3. CREATE A GROUP Create a Workplace account here. To invite your colleagues to your To create a group within your Once you have created an account company page, click ‘Invite company, click on ‘Create Group’ and set up your company, you will be Coworkers’ on the bottom left. Fill in under Groups. brought to the homepage. their names and emails, then click ‘Send invitations’.

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 21 4. ADD MEMBERS To add members into a group, click on the ‘Add People’ button at the top of the group page. 5. CREATE A POST From here, you can share a text post, photos, To create a post in a group, simply select the videos, files, create polls, host Q&A sessions, and group and click on the post . more. Workplace has also come up with a list of ideas you can post, as below:

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 22 6. SCHEDULE A POST You can schedule posts by clicking on the drop-down button, then 'Schedule post'.

7. NEWS FEED You can view updates from all your groups consolidated into your News Feed. To do so, simply click on the ‘News Feed’ tab.

8. GROUP CHAT To chat with a group, click on the ‘Chat’ button at the top of the group page. You can send messages and files through the chat.

9. PRIVATE CHAT To start a private chat with a co-worker, click on the Chats tab, then click 'Create new chat'.

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 23 10. VIEW SHARED FILES You can view all the files that have been shared in a group by clicking on the 'Files' button at the top of the group page.

11. START A GROUP CALL To start an audio or video call with your group, click on the Audio Call or Video Call buttons beneath the group name.

12. START A PRIVATE CALL To start a one-on-one call with a co-worker, start a new chat with them. Then click on the Audio Call or Video Call buttons at the top of the chat.

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 24 Ryver is an all-in-one communication app, combining chats, file RYVER sharing, task management, calls, and integrations. Built to rival big names like Slack and Trello, Ryver offers a more cost-effective team collaboration app full of high-end features.

Ryver’s conversation channels allow you to start open, company- wide forums and private teams within your organization. You can also create topics to focus conversations towards one area, and even create, assign, and track tasks within the app.

Their new voice and video call features allow you to easily hop on a meeting with up to 5 of your colleagues. They also have integrations with thousands of other apps, including Dropbox, Gmail, Mailchimp, and .

To sign up for Ryver, click here: https://ryver.com

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 25 RYVER PRICING

STARTER UNLIMITED ENTERPRISE US $49/MONTH US $79/MONTH FROM US $149/MONTH - Max. 12 users - Unlimited users - Custom users - Unlimited chat, call, and file - Custom invite links - Premium support sharing - Advanced team management - Task management - SSO - Unlimited integrations - Enhanced data security

PLATFORMS Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, web SUPPORTED

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 26 Google Chat (renamed from Hangouts Chat) is Google’s team chat GOOGLE CHAT app, restricted only to G Suite users. It is a great option for those of you who are already signed up for G Suite and are in need of a team collaboration app while remote working.

Google Chat allows you to chat with your team, share your Google Drive files, collaborate on Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, as well as video conferencing through . You can use bots linked to your Drive to automatically be notified when files are shared with you or when you receive comments on your files. You can also use the Meet bot that integrates with your to schedule meetings for you.

Similar to the other apps on this list, you can integrate third-party apps into Google Chat (although they are known as bots here). These include bots for Asana, Giphy, Polly, and more.

Google Chat is a solid option if you are already a customer of G Suite. Find out more here: https://gsuite.google.com/products/chat/

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 27 GOOGLE CHAT PRICING

NOT AVAILABLE AS A STANDALONE APP Only available with G Suite

PLATFORMS Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Linux, iOS, Android, web SUPPORTED

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 28 Flock is another all-in collaboration app, with a well-designed, easy FLOCK to use interface and plenty of features to go around.

Besides the usual chats and channels, Flock allows you to merge all your messages into one feed, so you won’t miss any messages. Video calling is also supported, with up to 20 participants in one call. You can also record voice memos and send it to your team without the need to text.

Flock also has their range of in-built productivity tools to help you stay on track at work. This includes group to-do lists, polls, note and file sharing, reminders, and more. The app also integrates with over 50 other apps, such as Twitter, Google Drive, and Todoist, so you don’t have to switch over to other apps while on Flock.

Their advanced security and admin control features make it an ideal option for anywhere from small to large businesses. Find out more about Flock on their website here: https://flock.com

NCSSITHELP.THUNDERQUOTE.COM 29 FLOCK PRICING

FREE PRO ENTERPRISE - Unlimited chats US $4.50/USER/MONTH FROM US $8/USER/MONTH - 10,000 searchable messages - Unlimited searchable messages - 20GB storage per team member - Max. 10 public channels - Unlimited public and private - Smart channels - 5GB storage per team channels - Advanced channel management - 1:1 video calls - 10GB storage per team member - SSO - Unlimited polls, reminders, and - Group video calls - Dedicated support integrations - Advanced admin controls - Max. 3 automated processes - 24/7 support - Unlimited process automations

PLATFORMS Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, web SUPPORTED

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