Microsoft has announced the closure of Skype for Business, scheduled for July 31st 2021. From that date, Skype users who want to stay with Microsoft will have to use the Teams platform. In addition, since September 1st 2019, all new Office users have been automatically directed to the Teams platform and not Skype for Business for their discussions. Teams is built on a modern platform for audio and video, and uses the latest cloud infrastructure on Azure for optimized global coverage – bringing several performance and networking benefits. Here is what we can tell you about the replacement of Skype with Teams: 

Teams, the Heir to Skype for Business 

The functionality of Skype for Business is slowly being replaced by the functionality of Teams, and it will soon be replaced entirely. Here’s how it translates: 

• With Teams functionality from Skype, chat live with any collaborator from within the Teams conversational interface 
• Group conversations are available within Teams, but also from the conversation interface. 
• The possibility for users to create video conferences with all employees 
• The voice call feature that allows you to contact your employees via the contact list is also available 

All of these features tend more and more towards making Teams the platform of choice for all interactions between employees. 

A Smooth Migration to Teams 

1. You may not have to do anything 

This is because for small businesses that don’t have hybrid or local dependencies and that use Skype for Business Online, Microsoft offers an automatic update. In this case, you will be notified by email of this automated migration. 

2. Microsoft Teams comes with built-in updates and interoperability options 

Whether you are coming from Skype for Business Online or a server, or have a hybrid system, you will benefit from these features. 

3.Gradually integrate Teams into your organization

While setting up Teams in your organization, Skype and Teams can coexist until there is full room for Teams. In this way, as you gradually integrate users or user groups into Teams, you have the flexibility to ensure that the prerequisites are in place for SharePoint, OneDrive, and other application’s synchronization requirements. 

In short…

With the announcement by Microsoft of the discontinuation of Skype for Business, the possibility of centralizing exchanges between employees within a single tool is gradually emerging. In addition, Microsoft has confirmed its desire to make Teams the benchmark tool in terms of collaborative work. If you need more information about your Skype for Business to Teams migration, contact one of our experts.