Microsoft Teams can replace your email threads, video calls, file sharing, and even your office phone system - but only if it's set up properly. Here's how to get your Perth business running on Teams the right way.
What you need before you start
- A Microsoft 365 Business subscription (Basic, Standard, or Premium)
- Admin access to your Microsoft 365 account
- About 2–3 hours to set up properly for a team of up to 20
Step-by-Step Setup
Set up your Microsoft 365 tenant
Teams is included in most Microsoft 365 plans. If you don't have M365 yet, choose a plan (Business Basic is $8.80/user/month). Once your tenant is set up, Teams is available immediately at teams.microsoft.com or via the desktop app.
Create your Team structure
A 'Team' in Teams is like a workspace. Create one Team for your whole company, then add Channels within it for different topics (e.g. General, Projects, HR, Finance). Don't over-engineer it at the start - you can always add more later.
Invite your staff
Go to your Team → click '...' → Add member. Add each staff member by their email address. They'll receive an invitation and can join via browser or desktop app. Set appropriate roles: Owner for managers, Member for staff.
Set up your phone system (optional)
If you want to replace your office phone system, Microsoft Teams Phone (available as an add-on) lets staff make and receive calls through Teams. You'll need a Microsoft Calling Plan or a local SIP trunking provider like Aussie Broadband.
Connect SharePoint for file storage
Every Teams channel automatically connects to a SharePoint folder. Encourage staff to save files directly to Teams channels rather than desktop or personal OneDrive - this makes files accessible to the whole team and backed up automatically.
Set your notification preferences
The #1 complaint about Teams is notification overload. Train staff to customise their notifications immediately: mute channels they don't need to follow closely, use @mentions for urgent messages, and set Focus Mode/Do Not Disturb hours.
Pro Tips from Perth IT Professionals
Keep channel names simple
"Marketing" not "Marketing-Team-External-Communications-2025". The simpler the name, the more likely staff will use it.
Pin your most-used tabs
Pin frequently accessed files, apps, or websites as tabs within a channel so your team can find them instantly.
Use @mentions properly
@channel notifies everyone - use it sparingly. @name for specific people, or just type without @ for non-urgent updates.
Record important meetings
Teams can automatically transcribe and record meetings. Enable this for project kick-offs and training sessions so nothing is lost.
Set a Teams-first culture early
The biggest failure mode is staff going back to email after a week. Commit as a team: if it can be said in Teams, don't send an email.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to set Teams up properly for a small team?
For a team of up to about 20 people, budget around two to three hours to work through tenant setup, channel structure, and inviting staff properly, rather than rushing it in ten minutes. Getting the structure right early saves a lot of cleanup later.
How many channels should we create when we start?
Fewer than you think. Start with a small set like General, Projects, and HR, and add more only as a genuine need comes up. Over-engineering the channel structure on day one is one of the most common reasons staff get confused and stop using Teams properly.
Where should staff save files, Teams or OneDrive?
Save shared work files directly into the relevant Teams channel rather than a personal OneDrive or a desktop folder. Every channel is automatically backed by a SharePoint folder, so files saved there are accessible to the whole team and backed up without anyone having to think about it.
How do we stop Teams turning into constant notification overload?
Get staff to set their notification preferences in the first week, muting channels they don't need to follow closely and reserving @mentions for genuinely urgent messages. This is the single most common complaint about Teams, and it's almost always a setup problem rather than a problem with Teams itself.
Teams is just one part of the Microsoft 365 platform. We handle the full setup, licensing, and support for Perth businesses.
Microsoft 365 & Cloud →Want us to set up Teams for your Perth business?
We handle the full Microsoft Teams deployment - setup, staff training, and ongoing support. Most businesses are up and running within a day.
Get a Free QuoteFor related reading, see our guides to Microsoft Teams Phone for Perth Businesses and Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace for Perth Businesses.