Microsoft 365 Groups and Microsoft Teams

Overview

Microsoft 365 Groups is a membership service that brings together various tools and applications within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It facilitates collaboration by creating a centralized identity for a group of users, enabling them to work together across multiple services like Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Planner, OneNote, and more.

At its core, a Microsoft 365 group is an object in Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) that contains a list of members and links to various workloads. This structure allows users to access shared resources, such as email conversations, documents, and calendars, without the need for additional configuration.

Key Features of Microsoft Teams:

• Real-time communication: Text, audio, and video chat within channels for specific topics.
• Integrated collaboration: Seamlessly use SharePoint, Planner, and OneNote within Teams.
• Organized channels: Create public or private channels for focused discussions.
• Virtual meetings: Schedule and conduct meetings with screen sharing and document collaboration.
• Collaborative document editing: Work on Office documents together in real time.
• Customization: Add apps and connectors to tailor Teams to your needs.
• Security: Benefits from Microsoft Entra ID for secure access management and compliance.

Microsoft 365 Groups and Microsoft Teams Together:

When you create a Microsoft Teams team, a Microsoft 365 Group is automatically created to manage the team's members. This group also sets up resources like a SharePoint site and mailbox. This integration ensures that all team members have access to the tools they need for their work, thanks to the powerful collaboration features of Microsoft 365 Groups.

Membership Management:

Teams use Microsoft 365 Groups to manage who is on the team. When someone joins a team, they automatically become part of the related Microsoft 365 Group, giving them access to all connected resources.

Shared Resources:

The SharePoint site linked to a Microsoft 365 Group is where the team's documents are stored. Each channel in the team has its own folder in this SharePoint site, making it easy to find and organize files.

Email and Calendar:

The shared email and calendar created with a Microsoft 365 Group can be accessed by team members using Outlook. While the email is usually hidden by default, you can make it visible using special commands.

Easy Collaboration:

Microsoft 365 Groups and Teams work together seamlessly, making it easy to collaborate using different tools. You can switch between Teams, SharePoint, Planner, and Outlook without losing your work or context.

Life Cycle Management:

If you delete a team in Teams, the related Microsoft 365 Group and its resources (like the SharePoint site and shared email) will also be deleted. However, it might take a short time for the deletion to be complete across all services.

Conclusion

Microsoft 365 Groups and Microsoft Teams work together to create a powerful collaboration platform. Microsoft 365 Groups manage the team's membership and resources, while Microsoft Teams provides the workspace for everyday collaboration. This combination creates secure, flexible workspaces that are fully integrated with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.