Direct messaging through Microsoft Teams

You can enable this functionality to give your users the ability to send Microsoft Teams messages from your digital workplace to other digital workplace members. When enabled, you have the option of displaying user avatars as squares or circles. Hovering over any avatar that would normally display a profile card displays a link to view the profile card, and a link to send a message to the user with Microsoft Teams (if the user has entered their team's account in their profile and made it accessible to others in the digital workplace). The link to send a message with Microsoft Teams is also available on a user's Profile Card and Profile page. 

The Teams messaging link on a profile picture.

Note: If your digital workplace uses Premium Profile fields the Microsoft Teams profile field may not be present on user profiles. Please contact the Igloo Support Team to have this profile field added to your Premium Profile.

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Enabling direct messaging through Microsoft Teams

Direct messaging through Microsoft Teams is disabled by default in your digital workplace. Follow the steps outlined below to enable it.

The direct messaging option in the control panel.

  1. Select Control Panel to open the Control Panel.
  2. Select Global Settings from the Control Panel.
  3. Scroll to the section labeled avatar and select the Enable direct messaging from avatars.
  4. Select whether you want to display user avatars as Squares or Circles.

Managing Team IM accounts and privacy in your digital workplace

Users must have their Microsoft Teams IM account entered into their profile to allow other users to message them. This value is typically the email address associated with the user's O365 account. While users can update this value themselves by editing their profiles, administrators can manage this field by editing it directly, the bulk upload, or through the ILST.

In addition to having a valid Microsoft Teams IM account entered in their profile, users should also set the privacy value of the field so that it is visible to other members of their digital workplace. Privacy settings are managed from the Privacy Tab of a user's profile when it is being edited. 

Note: The direct message link does not appear if a user has not entered a Microsoft Teams IM account or has not made the Teams field of their profile available for others to view.

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Sending a direct message through Microsoft Teams

To send a direct message to a user through teams, select the Microsoft Teams icon that appears when hovering over a user's avatar. You can also send a message by selecting the Microsoft Teams icon located on a user's Profile Card or Profile page and then selecting Send Message. Mobile app users must navigate to a user's full profile in the app to use this functionality (tap a user's avatar and then select Full Profile), it does not function in responsive view.

After selecting the Microsoft Teams icon, you will be directed to a page that will prompt you to open/download the Microsoft Teams app, or join on the web instead. Microsoft Teams will then load a personal chat with the user.

Microsoft teams interstitial page.

Appearance

You can select square or round avatars after enabling direct messaging through Microsoft Teams.

Square profile photos.Round profile photos.

Avatars that are 48px or less will show the Profile Card and Microsoft Teams icons in a vertical menu and not display the status indicator, while larger avatars will overlay these icons over the photo.

Profile drop down.Profile options appearing on the photo.

In addition to the above locations, Microsoft Teams direct messaging can also be done from a user's Profile Card and Profile page.

Sending a teams message from a contact card.Igloo_MSTeamsMessaging_ProfilePage.png