We are retiring Skype for Business in mid-July. Thereafter, MS Teams will become the University's default online messaging and collaboration environment.
When is this happening?
We plan to begin upgrading all Skype for Business accounts to MS Teams on 16 July. We will send you a reminder and confirmation by Service News email next week.
How will this affect me?
Once your account has been upgraded, you will no longer be able to use Skype for Business for new chats, audio calls, or meetings.
If you have concerns about how you might be affected by this upgrade, please contact us at servicedesk@abdn.ac.uk using the Subject line ‘Retiral of Skype for Business’
What do I need to do?
Your Skype for Business account will be upgraded to MS Teams automatically. Thereafter:
- You will use MS Teams for chat and to make or receive audio calls.
- You will use MS Teams Calendar, or your Outlook Calendar, to create new online meetings.
- You will still be able to join existing, pre-scheduled Skype for Business meetings from the Outlook calendar invite.
What will happen to my Skype for Business data once my account is upgraded?
- You can view past conversations and audio calls in the Conversation History folder in Outlook.
- Your Skype for Business Contacts will be available in MS Teams under Calls.
- You can join existing, pre-scheduled Skype for Business meetings from your Outlook calendar, or via your Teams Calendar. (The Teams Calendar is synced with your Outlook Calendar.)
Where will I find guidance on using MS Teams?
MS Teams was rolled out rapidly to all staff in March, at the onset of lockdown, and has quickly become our key collaboration tool across the institution.
Many of us are already benefiting from chat, online meetings, file collaboration, and having a shared team or project workspace – all from one interface. But if you need help getting started, please visit our Toolkit resource at www.abdn.ac.uk/toolkit/systems/ms-teams/ for user guides and video tutorials on MS Teams.
Why is this happening?
Microsoft are retiring Skype for Business in July 2021, having already discontinued the service for new users in September last year.
They announced that MS Teams would replace the service in September 2017 and have been working hard to ensure the platform combines the business-critical communications capabilities of Skype for Business with the collaboration tools, app integration, and file storage and sharing of Microsoft Teams.
Author: Digital and Information Services