Larilyn’s Tip of the Week: Microsoft Teams – Polls

Have you ever tried to wrangle cats?

Okay, I don’t actually have any personal experience with this. However, sometimes I feel like trying to get a group of people to communicate and make a decision is quite similar.

But again, no personal experience with cat wrangling so…..can’t be certain.

Anyway…when it comes to work, sometimes we need to get the input of lots of people! Maybe you need to decide on what to order in for lunch. Perhaps there’s an office debate on whether to spend the years surplas on a new copier or new desk chairs. Or maybe you need help deciding what date to schedule the holiday Christmas party for.

Do you go from person to person asking them for their input? That could take forever! You know it won’t be a twenty second conversation. Without fail, the conversation will take a turn and go off on some tangent.

Do you send out an email? And risk more opinions in return than you really want? And also have to figure out a way to compile the answers so you can compare your options?

Well have I got a tip for you!!

In Microsoft Teams, there is an option for putting out a Poll. You can do this in any Team or Channel, any thread, even in a group conversation.

When you are starting a new conversation, you will see some buttons along the bottom of the typing field. You want to select the little box that has an F on it (which stands for Forms – Microsofts poll application).

This will pop up a window that allows you to create your poll.

Once you edit it (put in your question, put in your answer options, customize it as you want), hit Save. Then send it to the Channel, or Team, or Group message and wait for your responses!