Using Webex Teams
The all new Webex is one easy-to-use and secure app you can use to call, message, meet, and get work done:
Check out this quick demo of the Cisco Webex Teams platform and a step by step on how to use it to collaborate with your teams. In the July update for Microsoft Teams Room version 4.5.35.0, a new feature known as Direct Guest Join was released that allows MTR devices to join Cisco Webex meetings directly without any gateway or cloud interop service. This feature expands the capabilities of Teams Room Devices and allows interoperability with Cisco Webex meetings with one. Learn best practices and the tools needed to use Teams like a boss. Webex is known for the Meetings platform, but the newest addition to Webex is a complete collaboration platform called Webex Teams. Use Virtual Backgrounds. Bored or embarrassed of your real background while attending video calls.
It brings everyone together to do exceptional work.
It makes you smarter; it’s personalized to you.
It gives you options to choose how you work.
It moves fluidly while you call, message, and meet.
We're glad to have you join us! If your company’s already given you an account, you’re ready to get started.
If you don’t have an account yet, first choose a plan that works best for you, then you can get started using web.webex.com or by downloading the app. When you sign in for the first time, you're guided through some tips on how to use the app.
Our tips here focus on how to do things with the desktop app, but details about how to do these same things on web and mobile are included in the links. You can do some things the same way no matter which app you use, but for others you need to use the desktop app. |
Start working together
When you start a conversation with someone, it creates a space between you and the people you invite to the conversation. You can invite anyone (including people outside your organization) to join in on a conversation. All you need is their email address.
All your work takes place within spaces and teams. Spaces give you a place to collaborate on a specific topic or project. In a space, you can send messages, schedule meetings, and call other people.
If your original intention changes and your project outgrows its original purpose, you can create a team and then move a space into a team. Teams help you keep everything organized by putting multiple spaces under a common theme. Teams are great for a consistent group of people who are going to be working on something for a long time. That something can involve many activities or can be subprojects happening at the same time.
And you find that you're in too many spaces and some of them don't require your input or you don't need to keep up with that particular conversation, you can leave any space at any time.
Elevate important information
Right away, you're notified about all messages coming your way. Work smarter by keeping track of what's important to you. You can play around with your notifications until you figure out what works best for you. For example, you can set it up so that you're only notified when you're @mentioned in any space or when any message gets posted in your most important spaces. And if you're not interested in a particular space, you can leave it or hide it so that you're no longer notified about messages posted to that space and it doesn't show up in your Spaces list.
You can also see other people's availability so that you can find the right time to connect with them. For example, if you see a green circle around someone's profile picture, it means they've been using the app within the last 10 minutes so chances are, you'll get a response if you reach out.
On the other hand, if you see someone doesn't want to be disturbed, you might want to wait before reaching out.
Personalize Webex
Make Webex feel more like your own by personalizing it a bit. Start by adding your own photo as your profile picture so that other people can recognize you.
You can change your display name to a nickname.
Add more color to your view by choosing your preferred color theme.
Using Webex Teams
You can change your status to be something more descriptive. If you have to step out for a bit or you're busy, you can let people know just by changing your status in the app. For example, you can set it to Be right back or let people know you don't want to be disturbed. You can also make up a custom status so people know what you're up to.
Webex Teams For Mac
If you're in a call or meeting and you're sharing your video, you can blur your background to hide anything around you or even use a fun virtual background.
There was a time when if you wanted to learn more about Webex, a simple search with your good friend Google would give you a pretty good idea. But recently Cisco has made some changes to its marketing strategy, extending the Webex family to include Webex Meetings, Webex Teams, Webex Room series, and Webex Share.
Just between you and I, there are many useful, and dare I say even ‘wow’ features available, which will make your working life easier and even a bit more fun. I will talk about that in detail in another day, but today I wanted to address the common question; What’s the difference between Webex Meetings and Webex Teams, and what should I use when?
What is Webex Meetings?
Webex Meetings is a virtual meeting place where you can meet in real-time from your web browser, the app on your computer, or even access it on your mobile. This gives one consistent experience, providing options to connect easily wherever you may be. Webex Meetings is globally available, secure and made to optimise bandwidth, to reduce delays so that everyone has a good experience no matter where they are in the world, which I can vouch for having delivered global projects using Webex Meetings.
Webex Meetings gives you HD video with customizable layouts making a good alternative to face to face meetings but without the travel. It keeps teams singing from the same hymn sheet with the help of screen or application sharing, get creative with the Whiteboard, and the list goes on. Basically, you can get stuff done quickly and efficiently using Webex Meetings.
What is Webex Teams?
Formerly known as Cisco Spark, Webex Teams is an app for continuous teamwork with video meetings, group messaging, file sharing and whiteboarding. Webex Teams goes beyond the meeting itself, after all, meetings are just one part of a team journey. It aims to integrate the whole collaboration experience before, during and after meetings.
All this collaboration and action happens within Spaces. You can create Spaces and add people who share the same interest or are on the same project team as you.
Check out Stu’s blog explaining exactly what Webex Teams is
What is the difference between Webex Meetings and Webex Teams?
This question is often asked by people familiar with Webex Meetings, who are then asked to try Webex Teams. As is the typical experience, new tools and products are launched with the drop of an email with little to explain the purpose and benefits to the people. This creates a confused and unsure workforce.
Traditionally Webex Meetings is used for all types of meetings from team meetings scheduled with an invitation, to a 1:1 ad-hoc meeting where a meeting link is shared. Within Webex Teams you can also schedule meetings or schedule from your email calendar. But it’s even easier to start ad-hoc or on the fly meetings with people.
I thought it may be clearer to create a small table showing the feature comparison.
Webex feature comparison
I have a couple of recommendations from my own experience using both Webex Meetings and Webex Teams:
Microsoft Teams And Webex
Scheduled, client or more formal meetings
I would advise using Webex Meetings, it’s easy to schedule and amend, there are a number of ways your attendees can join. Maybe they have low bandwidth so the option to dial into the meeting would be perfect for them.
Ad-hoc, 1:1 or internal team meetings
I would suggest using Webex Teams in these instances. It’s my favourite feature and the simplest way ever to start a meeting. It’s even easier than making a phone call and has been my biggest ‘WOW’ to date. We use it numerous times a day, see for yourself give it a try.
Presentation delivery
So, Webex Meetings wins here, you can load your documents before your attendee have even joined and annotate together. If you are using the Whiteboard, however, Webex Teams wins simply by saving your Whiteboard to your space for everyone to see, edit and review. Your Whiteboard in Webex Meetings is gone and lost forever unless you remember to save it to your desktop and email it to everyone.
Using Webex And Teams
Continue the conversation: persistent chat
Cisco Webex Meetings Webex Teams
Webex Teams is the definite winner here. Within your spaces, you can start a conversation before, during or after your meeting, keeping the conversation alive and everyone on track.
Host privileges
Webex Meetings allows for a more professional type of meeting and what I mean by that is, you can mute all attendees on entry so no disturbance if someone is late to your meeting or eating crisps. Websites to download music for free on mac. You can pin the presenter video so everyone is focussed on the message being delivered.
Microsoft Teams Using Webex
Files and documents
A great feature in Webex Teams, which has saved my bacon a few times is, all files and documents shared are stored in your space and are easily searchable. Taking the stress and frustration away when time is of the essence.
My Recommendation: Webex Meetings or Webex Teams?
Webex Meetings and Webex Teams are both great at what they do, the right one for you very much depends on what you want to do with it. Establishing your business drivers early will help you design use cases that work for your people. And, of course, it doesn’t have to be one or the other. Webex Teams and Webex Meetings can work in perfect harmony together if those use cases have already been established and clearly communicated.
Leaving change to chance never works
Employees won’t use your new digital workplace tools if you don’t tell them why and teach them how. Future Worx gets everyone using new tools in the best ways by raising awareness, revealing the value and showing how to work smarter in this digital age. They’ll be happier and more effective. You’ll transform the business.
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