In this SharePoint tutorial explains how to change a SharePoint Online team site to Microsoft Teams. Also, we will discuss the differences between the SharePoint Online team site vs Microsoft Teams. Using the Microsoft Teams App, I will show you how to create a Microsoft Teams from SharePoint Online Team Site.
A SharePoint Online Team site is a place where team members can work on projects and store and share documents using various SharePoint lists and document libraries.
Microsoft Teams is a collaboration app built to communicate easily using real-time chat, online calling, web conferencing, and screen sharing. Also, It helps the team members focus on the most important content by adding SharePoint tabs to Teams.
Convert existing SharePoint Online team site to Microsoft Teams
In this section, we are going to see how to convert the existing SharePoint Online team site to Microsoft Teams
- Open a modern SharePoint team site that should be connected with Microsoft 365 Group.
- Click on Add Microsoft Teams under the Add real-time chat (from the left bottom of the home page).
- It opens the Add Microsoft Teams dialogue box -> Click on Continue.
- In the Pin resources as tabs in Teams page, the Home tab will be selected by default -> Click Add Teams.
- After adding Microsoft Teams, it will be launched automatically.
- A Microsoft Teams icon will be displayed on the top of the SharePoint Team site. Also, the Teams option in the SharePoint Site left navigation as in the image below.
- Once we click on Teams, it will redirect to the page of Microsoft Teams.
This is how to convert the existing SharePoint Online team site to Microsoft Teams.
Convert existing Microsoft Teams to SharePoint Online team site
Likewise, we will see how to Create a Microsoft Teams from SharePoint Online Team Site using the Microsoft Teams App.
- Open the Microsoft Teams application (Either from the Desktop app or from the Online Browser) -> Click Join or create a Team present at the bottom left corner.
- Click on Create team under Join or Create a team as shown below :
- In the next screen (Create a team), there will be two options:
- From scratch
- From a group or team
- We have selected From a group or team according to our requirements.
- Select Team, in the Create a new team from something you already own page.
- If you want to change the new team information, then provide the below details:
- Team name = Provide a new name to the team.
- Description = Enter the team’s description.
- Privacy = Provide permission to the new team.
- Choose what you would like to include from the original team = Select options if you want to include anything from the original team.
- Once everything is done, click on Ok.
- We can see the Teams will be created as shown below figure:
This is how to create a Microsoft Teams from an existing SharePoint Online Team site using Microsoft Teams.
SharePoint Online Team Site Vs. Microsoft Teams
This section will show the difference between a SharePoint Online Team site and Microsoft Teams.
As per the below image, we can see how the SharePoint Online Team Site looks and how the Microsoft Teams looks:
In this section, we will introduce the SharePoint Online Team site.
- SharePoint Online Team site is a platform where teams can collaborate, document storage, and share content within an organization.
- On the SharePoint Online Team site, we can create subsites, lists, document libraries, folders, and files for projects.
- Users can hide information through the site permission levels in the lists and libraries(Full control, Edit, Contribute, Read, and View).
- We can customize the SharePoint Online Team site and highlight the information.
- Users can create their own web pages using various web parts like Images, lists, libraries, Hero web parts, Embed code, File viewer, etc.
- SharePoint Online Team site page has site navigation on the left side, News posts, a default document library, and Quick links on the right side, as shown figure below.
The screenshot below represents a SharePoint Online Team site for your reference.
What is Microsoft Teams
In this section, We will see about Microsoft Teams and the Components of Microsoft Teams.
- Microsoft Teams is a collaboration app that is built to communicate easily using real-time chat, online calling, web conferencing, and screen sharing from a single workspace.
- It helps the team members focus on the most important content by adding SharePoint tabs to Teams.
- It develops more opportunities to build team culture and community.
- When we create a Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Teams automatically creates the below components.
- A new Microsoft 365 group
- A SharePoint Online site and document library to store team files
- A shared mailbox and calendar
- A OneNote notebook
- Ties into other Microsoft 365 and Office 365 apps such as Planner and Power BI
This is Microsoft Teams and components of Microsoft Teams.
SharePoint Online Team Site Vs Microsoft Teams
This section will show the difference between a SharePoint Online Team site and Microsoft Teams.
| SharePoint Online Team site | Microsoft Teams |
| 1. SharePoint team site has a Survey that can be created easily and make decisions within the team. | 1. Microsoft Teams has Team channels where you can organize discussions by specific topic. 2. Allows the user to follow only the project they are working on. |
| 2. In surveys, we can design answer format as multiple choice or open end format. | 2. Team channels allow the user to follow only the project they are working on. |
| 3. It has Discussion boards, that are replaced by email. All the members can view content, post, and replay. | 3. Microsoft Teams has Tabs, by default, a Conversation Tab, a File Tab, and Wiki Tab will be available. |
| 4. It has SharePoint lists, which store the data in lists like contacts, events, links, tasks, and announcements. | 4. Microsoft Teams has bots where automated flows can be created, which helps to answer questions, navigate the tools, can schedule meetings. |
| 5. SharePoint team site has Document libraries, that can store the information in the form of documents, folders, and files. | 5. Microsoft Teams allow outside members to access it, but by default, it is turned off here. |
| 6. It uses lists and libraries to share with the team and access by the team members. | 6. Teams and Microsoft 365 groups can use connectors. |
| 7. It allows adding owners, members, and visitors to the SharePoint Team site with Permission levels. | 7. Microsoft Teams allows adding of members from scratch and Group or Team. |
| 8. SharePoint team site and Microsoft Teams both allow adding document libraries, planners, and calendars, which provides access to team members in search of any information. | 8. Microsoft Teams and SharePoint team sites both allow adding document libraries, planners, and calendars, which provides access to team members in search of any information. |
These are the main differences between a SharePoint Online Team Site and Microsoft Teams.
Conclusion
Here, I have explained the SharePoint team site and Microsoft Teams. And how to change the SharePoint Online Team Site to Microsoft Teams and convert existing Microsoft Teams to SharePoint Online Team Site.
You may like the following tutorials:
- How to delete a SharePoint Team site
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- How to Share a SharePoint Online Site
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Preeti Sahu is an expert in Power Apps and has more than 6 years of experience working with SharePoint and the Power Platform. As a Power Platform expert for Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Virtual Agents, and Power Pages, she is currently employed with TSinfo Technologies. She is the author of the book Microsoft Power Platform A Deep Dive. She also made a big technical contribution to SharePointDotNet.com in the form of articles on the Power Platform. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her family in her spare time.