Workstream Collaboration apps are quickly taking over the communication scene in all types of organizations. The competition is fierce, and so the apps offer a lot of features to get ahead with the users. It is very important to understand these features to get the most out of these apps and increase your productivity.
Microsoft Teams, the WSC app of choice for a lot of organizations, is also loaded with many such features. One such unique feature it offers is the Command Bar and Commands.
Commands are shortcuts for performing common tasks in Teams. Commands can help you save a lot of time by letting you perform complicated multi-click tasks with just a click or two. The one benefit of using commands is that they can be used from anywhere in Microsoft Teams. You can access a channel even if you are in Chats or vice versa.
The command bar has four main functions in Microsoft teams: to let you multi-task, take quick actions, query for data, and use it in even other apps.
The central search box at the top of Microsoft Teams is called the Command Bar. It’s where you enter the commands.
To use commands, go to the command box. You can also press ‘Ctrl + E’ keyboard shortcut in Teams app to go to the command bar quickly. Then, type ‘/’ to see the full list of commands available in Microsoft Teams currently. Commands can be used to call or chat with members, set your status (which normally takes a few clicks), and do a lot more.
You can select a command from the list in the command box and press the ‘Enter’ key to use it if you don’t feel like typing it.
For example, use the ‘/goto’ command to go quickly to any team or channel.
Below is a list of all commands available in Microsoft Teams.
| Command | Function |
|---|---|
| /activity | See someone’s activity. |
| /available | Set your status to available. |
| /away | Set your status to away. |
| /busy | Set your status to busy. |
| /call | Call a phone number or Teams contact. |
| /dnd | Set your status to do not disturb. |
| /files | See your recent files. |
| /goto | Go right to a team or channel. |
| /help | Get help with Teams. |
| /join | Join a team. |
| /keys | See keyboard shortcuts. |
| /mentions | See all your @mentions. |
| /org | See someone’s org chart. |
| /saved | See your saved messages. |
| /testcall | Check your call quality. |
| /unread | See all your unread activity. |
| /whatsnew | See what’s new in Teams. |
| /who | Ask Who a question about someone. |
| /wiki | Add a quick note. |
In addition to the / commands, you can also use ‘@’ commands in the command box. Use the @ commands to message members directly without having to go to Chat, or access apps that you’ve added to Microsoft Teams directly from the command bar.
New commands keep appearing when you add more apps to your Microsoft Teams account if they are compatible with commands.
Note: Anyone can use commands in Microsoft Teams. But if some commands aren’t available for you, your organization might have disabled them. For example, you can’t use the Chat commands if Chat has been disabled by your organization.
Conclusion
The command bar is a precious piece of real estate in Microsoft Teams. It’s the tool to utilize to increase your productivity exponentially. Use the various / or @ commands to get work done faster. And keep checking the command list, as it keeps getting updated.
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