Microsoft Teams adds free communities feature, plans to take on rivals

Microsoft Teams on Thursday launched the free version of 'communities' -- a part of its enterprise offering allowing community discussions, sharing files and photos, joining video calls, and planning events -- for general consumers, to offer the same functionality to everyone.

The new feature will allow users to easily post messages to everyone in the group, organize events and add them to the community calendar. It will also enable them to share and store documents dedicated to group activity, and filter content to quickly access photos, videos, events, and links.

Community owners can invite group members via their email address or phone number, or by sharing a link or QR code so they can join directly. They also have the ability to manage settings, set community guidelines, and moderate content by adding or removing participants and posts as needed to help community members feel safe.

“Whether your group is a recreational sports team, event planning committee, parent-teacher association, or even a small business, this new experience gives groups of all kinds a digital space to stay connected before, during, and after gatherings. Communities are currently rolling out in the free version of Microsoft Teams,” Manik Gupta, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft Teams Product said.

Previously, Microsoft offered a similar service on its Yammer Communities platform, as a part of its Microsoft 365 for enterprise solutions. Microsoft 365 for enterprise is designed for large organizations, but it can also be used for medium-sized and small businesses that need the most advanced security and productivity capabilities.

Gupta said: “We already have a lot of value in the product that we are offering in the enterprise and we want to bring that same goodness to every user. Our mission is to empower every person and organisation to achieve more.”

The users add new events or meetings to the community calendar, invite guests, track attendance, and follow up with attendees through direct private chats. Users will be able to organise virtual, hybrid, or in-person events in Communities.

Hybrid and virtual guests can join events from any device via audio or video. And features such as adding an event cover image, together mode, and screen sharing can help in creating a sense of unity and engagement during meetings—no matter where everyone’s located. For in-person events, you can add a location and give attendees precise directions with a visual map.