Enhancing Communication in Microsoft Teams: An Insight Into The New "Microsoft Default" Setting for Tag Management

 Microsoft Teams, a collaboration tool for businesses, continues to evolve with new features aimed at enhancing workflow and user experience. This time, the spotlight is on a significant change to the Tag Management settings known as the "Microsoft Default" setting.

Introduction of the "Microsoft Default" Setting

Recently, Microsoft announced the addition of the "Microsoft Default" setting to Teams Tag Management settings in the Teams Admin Center. The change in settings reflects Microsoft's continuous commitment to improving user experience, catering to the diverse needs of its user base. This new feature ensures the seamless handling of tags, further enhancing the communication between team members.

How Will the New Setting Affect Your Organization?

The impact of the "Microsoft Default" setting depends on whether you have previously made selections to your Tag Management settings. If you have, rest assured, your tenant will not be affected by this change. However, if you haven't, the Microsoft Default settings will apply. Presently, these default settings map to the "Team Owners" value, although this could change in the future.

Enhancing the Control for Admins

Microsoft encourages admins to adjust the tag management settings to suit tenant-level preferences. For example, the admin can select "Team Owners" to limit tag management to the team owners only. Alternatively, they can choose "Team owners and members," which allows all team members to create and edit tags.

Regardless of the selected settings, users will still see the same options in the Teams client. Microsoft plans to implement these changes between late June 2023 and mid-July 2023.

Preparing for the Change

Preparation is key. Microsoft advises admins to adjust tag management settings according to their preferences. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make the change:

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Teams admin center at https://admins.teams.microsoft.com.
2. Select Teams settings in the left navigation pane under the Teams section.
3. Under the Tagging section, select your preference for "Who can manage tags".

Leveraging Tags for Enhanced Communication

Tags in Microsoft Teams allow users to quickly connect with a specific subset of people on a team. They can create and assign custom tags based on attributes such as role, project, skill, or location. The tags can then be used in @mentions by anyone on the team in a channel post to notify only those people assigned that tag.

Tags are also automatically assigned based on schedule and shift information in the Shifts app. For example, a tag such as "EngineerOnCall" can notify all engineers scheduled to work at the time the tag is used in a chat or channel post.

Conclusion

Microsoft Teams continues to innovate, providing enhanced communication and collaboration features for its users. The introduction of the "Microsoft Default" setting to the Tag Management settings reflects the ongoing commitment to create a user-friendly experience. As an admin, make sure you leverage these new capabilities to streamline communication and improve productivity in your organization.