How to use the Wiki tool in Microsoft Teams

Of all the tools available on Microsoft Teams, Wiki is by far the most underused feature. While this is a handy productivity tool, only a few teams use the Wiki tool in their channels.

This is because most people don’t seem to have a clear understanding of how it works. If you don’t know how to use wikis in Microsoft Teams, then this article is for you!

Wikis is a default Microsoft Teams app that allows team members to use their channels to create, add, or edit information within Microsoft Teams. It also serves as a smart text editor and communication tool for the team.

It also allows you to start different sections within the Teams channel and collaborate with other members to collect information in one centralized place. There is a lot you can do with wikis on Microsoft Teams.

Creating a Wiki tab

While every channel in Microsoft Teams comes with a default Wiki tab, you can create additional tabs depending on your current needs and the size of your team. You can even delete the original Wiki that came with Microsoft Teams and create your own custom Wiki.

To create a new Wiki tab, do the following:

1. Click on the Add a tab on your Wiki tab.

2. Search and select Wiki.

3. Rename your Wiki as you wish. (An ideal name would be the subject of the Wiki because that will make it easier to find).

4. Click on To safeguard.
5. Start adding information to your Wiki.

Adding Pages

The first thing you need to know about your Wiki tab is how to add pages. Once you have created the first page and want to add additional pages with additional information, you just need to:

1. Minimize your Wiki menu by pressing the button at the top left.
2. Click on the New page option.

3. Rename your page.

4. Finally, click on the page and start editing.

Viewing a Wiki Page

To display an already existing Wiki page:

1. Select your Wiki tab from your team’s channel.

2. Once it’s open, search the screen for the Wiki you want to access.

3. Click on the Develop the wiki button to display the available pages and sections.

4. Choose the desired page or section and Wiki will display it on the screen.

Editing a Wiki Page

One of the advantages of using Wiki Pages is that you can always edit and update information without difficulty. As long as you have access to the pages, you automatically have permission to edit the page.

This largely works in favor of teams working together on a project. To edit a Wiki page:

1. Click any action on the Wiki page of your choice to activate edit mode.
2. Enter your changes or additions to the page.
3. Format the page the way you want using the formatting options.

Note that Wiki has all of the common formatting options, including bold, italics, underline, etc.

Adding Sections

Adding sections to your Wiki Pages will help you organize the content of your Wiki Pages into subsections. It also makes it easier for you and your team to communicate and comment on specific sections without being too general.

You can create multiple sections in a single Wiki page and label them however you want for easier access. To do this:

1. Hover over an existing section title.
2. Click on the + symbol that will appear, prompting you to Add a new section here.

3. A new section will appear under your previous section. Rename it and add information as you want.

Editing Your Sections

You can edit your existing sections by organizing their order or even deleting the ones you don’t want.

1. To view your sections, click on the Reduce section menu located on the left of the screen.
2. Rearrange your sections by moving them up or down as desired.
3. If you don’t need a section on your Wiki page, you can remove them by clicking More options > To delete.

Mention people on a wiki page

Collaborating on a Wiki page will often require you to grab the attention of your teammates on the particular page. To attract them to the page, you can use @ mentions followed by their usernames.

This feature comes in handy when you need action from a specific member rather than the whole team. To mention a collaborator:

1. Type a @ on the open Wiki page you are editing, with the person’s name.
2. From the list of suggestions that appears, choose your target collaborator.
3. The team member will then receive a notification of the mention, prompting their response.

Start a section conversation

When doing Wiki Page collaborations, you can ask team members to contribute and comment on the Wiki Pages you are working on. However, the last thing you want is for these comments to appear on the Wiki Pages themselves.

To avoid this, you can create a separate conversation section for these discussions.

1. In the right margin of the section, select the Show section conversation button.

2. In the conversation pane that appears, type the message you want.

3. Click on To send.
4. Note that team members can also see this conversation on the team channel.

The benefits of using wikis in your team

Now that you know all about wikis and how to use them, you might be looking for new ways to integrate them into your team. Here are some ideas on using wikis.

Work rules

Every organization relies on rules to function properly. Yours is no exception. You can use wikis to save and share your business rules with your entire team. For example, if you are working with a remote team, you might want to create a Wiki page to guide them on what to expect from them.

Resources

If you’re struggling to find the perfect way to issue team credentials to members without risking unauthorized access, you should consider posting them to a wiki. This way, you can allow limited access only to those who need the resources, while maintaining their security. Team members can also share relevant links that will help them with their tasks.

Practical guides and instructions

Wiki pages are great for describing instructions you might want to share with the whole team. These instructions can include project guidelines or the workplace hierarchy. All of this will come in handy when dealing with new employees. It’s also great for detailed instructions and steps that your team members may need to refer to from time to time.

Faq

Does your team have an FAQ section? Otherwise, you need to create one with Microsoft Teams. You can use the Wiki along with your FAQs to describe any issues that may arise within the team, such as what processes the team should perform and when. This can be extremely useful for your team.

Sharing notes on a project

Do you have a project to implement in phases? Then you need a virtual notebook which will contain all the details of each stage of the project and which will be accessible to all team members at each phase of the project.

Wiki Pages allow your team to do just that. Using Wiki Pages, team members can detail all information related to their project phase for the next team’s reference. This enables seamless transfer and increases productivity.

Related: The Best Productivity Apps For Microsoft Teams

Improve your productivity today

One of the best ways to increase your team’s productivity is to encourage the use of wikis. With Wiki, team experts can share their knowledge and create a repository from which new team members can draw instruction and technical know-how.

This will help you save on unnecessary and repetitive training every time a new team member comes on board.

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