The past few years have made it abundantly clear that remote work is not just a temporary solution but a vital component of how organizations function today. Businesses around the world have shifted to remote or hybrid environments, and the demand for digital collaboration tools has grown exponentially. Among the leading platforms facilitating this new era of work is Microsoft Teams, a powerful communication and collaboration solution developed by Microsoft.
Microsoft Teams has become essential to maintaining business continuity. It supports messaging, video conferencing, file sharing, and integration with various Office 365 apps, making it an all-in-one solution for team collaboration. Due to its increasing importance, companies require skilled professionals to manage and maintain Teams effectively. This is where certifications like the MS-700 come into play.
What Is the MS-700 Certification?
The MS-700 is an official Microsoft certification titled “Managing Microsoft Teams.” It is part of the broader Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate certification track. It validates a professional’s ability to configure, deploy, and manage Microsoft Teams and related Office 365 workloads within an enterprise setting.
The certification exam evaluates a candidate’s ability to manage core functionalities of Microsoft Teams, such as messaging, calling, meetings, and collaboration tools. It also tests one’s proficiency with PowerShell, which is essential for advanced configuration and automation tasks within the Teams platform.
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to manage Teams in a way that supports the organization’s broader IT ecosystem. This includes integrating Teams with SharePoint, OneDrive, Azure Active Directory, Exchange, and other services.
Key Responsibilities of a Microsoft Teams Administrator
As a Teams administrator, you are tasked with overseeing the platform’s deployment and daily operations. Responsibilities include:
- Planning and configuring a Microsoft Teams environment
- Managing chat, meetings, and calling features
- Overseeing app integration and usage policies
- Collaborating with telephony engineers for voice integration
- Ensuring compliance with security and governance policies
- Monitoring service usage and call quality
This role requires frequent interaction with other IT teams, including security, compliance, networking, and device management, to ensure seamless functionality across the organization.
Importance of the MS-700 Certification
Earning the MS-700 certification provides several advantages for IT professionals. It not only confirms your technical capabilities but also demonstrates to employers your commitment to staying current with Microsoft technologies. In organizations where Microsoft Teams is heavily used, having certified professionals can significantly improve the implementation and maintenance of the platform.
Furthermore, the certification acts as a stepping stone toward more advanced Microsoft certifications, such as the Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert credential.
Overview of the MS-700 Exam Objectives
The MS-700 exam tests your knowledge across several domains related to Microsoft Teams administration:
Plan and Configure a Microsoft Teams Environment (45-50%)
This domain includes topics such as network planning, upgrade paths from Skype for Business, governance settings, guest access, and device management.
Manage Chat, Calling, and Meetings (30-35%)
Candidates are tested on their ability to configure messaging policies, manage meeting settings, and handle Teams telephony features like call queues and auto attendants.
Manage Teams and App Policies (20-25%)
This section covers creating and managing teams, assigning app permission policies, and configuring setup policies.
Exam Format and Details
The MS-700 exam consists of 40 to 60 multiple-choice questions. You are given 180 minutes to complete the test, and the passing score is 700. The exam costs $165 and can be taken online or at a certified testing center.
Recommended Experience and Prerequisites
While there are no mandatory prerequisites, having prior experience in Office 365 administration is highly recommended. Additionally, completing the Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals (MS-900) can provide a solid foundation. The MS-700 assumes familiarity with Microsoft Teams and other Office 365 services, making practical experience valuable.
Who Should Consider the MS-700 Certification?
The MS-700 certification is suitable for several professional roles:
Desktop Engineers
If you’re a desktop support professional or someone who enjoys working with PCs and helping users troubleshoot issues, this certification enhances your ability to manage Teams environments. You’ll gain insights into backend configurations and user-level issues.
System Administrators
For system admins already managing Microsoft infrastructure, this certification validates your skills and broadens your expertise. Given the critical role Teams plays in modern communication, being able to administer it effectively adds tremendous value to your profile.
IT Professionals Pursuing Career Growth
If you aspire to take on more responsibility or move into specialized IT roles, the MS-700 helps you demonstrate your capabilities in managing a complex enterprise-grade platform.
Why the MS-700 Certification Is Worth It
In today’s rapidly evolving digital workspace, Microsoft Teams has emerged as a cornerstone for communication and collaboration within organizations. As businesses increasingly adopt Microsoft 365 and Teams to support hybrid work environments, the need for skilled professionals who can manage and optimize Teams effectively has grown substantially. This is where the MS-700: Managing Microsoft Teams certification plays a crucial role. Whether you’re an IT professional looking to level up your credentials, an administrator managing Teams environments, or an organization seeking to streamline collaboration through best practices, the MS-700 certification offers immense value. In this article, we explore why the MS-700 certification is worth your time, effort, and investment—and how it can elevate your career, boost your technical skills, and help your organization thrive.
What Is the MS-700 Certification?
The MS-700 certification validates a candidate’s ability to configure, deploy, and manage Microsoft Teams, including key areas such as team lifecycle and governance, app and policy management, communication and collaboration features (chat, calling, meetings), monitoring and troubleshooting, and security and compliance integration. Upon passing the MS-700 exam, candidates earn the Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate badge, demonstrating practical knowledge of Microsoft Teams administration.
Growing Demand for Teams’ Expertise
Microsoft Teams has seen explosive growth, especially since the pandemic pushed companies toward remote work. According to Microsoft, Teams usage surged from 75 million daily users in April 2020 to over 300 million in 2023. With more organizations embedding Teams into their daily workflows, the demand for professionals who can manage and scale Teams environments has skyrocketed. Organizations now seek Teams administrators who can enforce best practices in communication, maintain secure collaboration environments, integrate Teams with telephony, apps, and compliance tools, and troubleshoot performance and usability issues. The MS-700 certification prepares candidates to meet these demands head-on.
In-Depth Coverage of Teams Administration
The MS-700 is not just a surface-level credential—it delves deep into the operational, security, and governance layers of Microsoft Teams. Preparing for this exam ensures that you gain hands-on experience in several key areas.
Planning and Configuring the Teams Environment
This includes understanding organizational readiness, licensing options, and network requirements for deploying Teams effectively.
Managing Communication Features
Candidates learn to manage chat, calling, and meetings using messaging policies, calling plans, meeting configurations, and live event management.
Handling Teams and App Governance
The exam covers managing templates, creating governance structures, and configuring app setup and permissions to maintain consistency and control across Teams.
Implementing Security and Compliance
You will gain hands-on experience with security controls like DLP policies, sensitivity labels, and information barriers that ensure data protection and compliance.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting
You will use tools like the Teams Admin Center, Call Analytics, and Power BI to monitor and resolve issues, ensuring reliable and high-performance Teams usage.
Recognition and Professional Credibility
Microsoft certifications carry a strong reputation globally, and the MS-700 is no exception. Hiring managers view Microsoft-certified candidates as credible, knowledgeable, and committed to their profession. A certification can serve as a key differentiator in competitive job markets. Employers benefit from the certification because it builds trust in your expertise, shows that you can be onboarded faster with minimal training, and assures them that you can support compliance and governance requirements. Whether you’re pursuing internal growth or seeking new opportunities, MS-700 gives you the credibility to stand out.
Career Advancement and Higher Salary Potential
A Microsoft certification often translates into better career opportunities and higher salaries. According to industry surveys and reports, Microsoft-certified professionals earn up to 20 percent more than their non-certified peers. Teams administrators are among the most in-demand IT roles in enterprises using Microsoft 365. With MS-700 under your belt, you can apply for roles such as Microsoft Teams Administrator, Unified Communications Specialist, Microsoft 365 Administrator, Collaboration Engineer, or IT Systems Analyst. These roles not only offer job stability but also open doors to specialization in security, compliance, or advanced communications.
Gateway to Advanced Certifications
MS-700 is often a stepping stone toward more advanced Microsoft certifications. Once certified, you can choose to expand your expertise with paths like Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert, Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals, or MS-721: Teams Voice Engineer Expert. Each new certification deepens your skill set and broadens your career trajectory. MS-700 provides the foundational skills necessary to move confidently into more strategic IT roles.
Practical, Hands-On Learning
Unlike many theoretical certifications, the MS-700 exam is practical. Studying for it encourages real-world problem-solving using Microsoft Teams Admin Center, PowerShell, Microsoft Entra ID, and analytics tools.
Scenarios You’ll Master
Candidates engage in practical labs and scenarios that include setting up messaging and meeting policies, configuring telephony settings with Direct Routing, troubleshooting Teams call quality using the Call Analytics dashboard, managing team templates and app governance, and implementing retention and DLP policies. This hands-on experience builds muscle memory and directly translates to workplace effectiveness.
Security and Compliance Proficiency
Microsoft Teams is deeply integrated with Microsoft Purview for compliance, Microsoft Defender for security, and Microsoft Entra ID for identity management. A certified Teams administrator knows how to protect data through sensitivity labels and information barriers, enforce governance through access control and conditional access, and maintain compliance through retention policies and audit logs. With MS-700, you become a guardian of your organization’s digital collaboration environment, balancing usability with strict compliance controls.
Affordable and Accessible Learning Path
Compared to many industry certifications, MS-700 is relatively affordable and accessible. The exam fee is around USD 165, and there are multiple free and paid resources available to help you prepare, including Microsoft Learn modules, practice tests, instructor-led courses, and hands-on labs. When you consider the potential salary increase and career opportunities that follow certification, the return on investment is substantial.
Rich Ecosystem of Community and Resources
Microsoft offers a thriving ecosystem of learning and support for MS-700 candidates. You can access discussion forums, blogs, and tips through the Microsoft Learn Community, network with professionals on LinkedIn groups, and follow Microsoft MVPs and YouTube channels for tutorials and exam prep. There are also practice tests and GitHub repositories for applying skills in simulated environments. You’re never alone on your certification journey—thousands of professionals are learning alongside you, and community support is always within reach.
The MS-700 certification is a powerful credential for IT professionals looking to specialize in Microsoft Teams administration. It offers a comprehensive, hands-on approach to managing one of the most widely used collaboration platforms in the modern enterprise. Whether you’re seeking to advance your career, gain practical expertise, or help your organization scale Microsoft Teams efficiently and securely, MS-700 delivers both the skills and recognition you need. With growing demand, competitive salaries, and a rich support ecosystem, the MS-700 is more than worth it—it’s a smart investment in your professional future.
Skill Development
Whether you are new to Microsoft Teams or already working with it, preparing for the MS-700 helps you develop a deep understanding of the platform. You’ll learn about advanced features like telephony integration, security configurations, compliance policies, and guest access management.
Career Advancement
Certification often leads to better job prospects, higher pay, and new career opportunities. Being MS-700 certified signals to employers that you have the technical proficiency to manage Microsoft Teams effectively.
Organizational Impact
Organizations benefit greatly from having certified Teams administrators. Issues can be resolved more quickly, and the platform can be optimized for better collaboration and communication.
Alignment with Microsoft Best Practices
The certification ensures that your knowledge and implementation strategies align with Microsoft’s recommendations and industry best practices.
Planning and Configuring a Microsoft Teams Environment
Overview
The largest section of the MS-700 exam, this area emphasizes the practical aspects of planning and configuring Microsoft Teams in an enterprise setting. It includes the upgrade process from Skype for Business, network planning, governance, security, and lifecycle management.
Upgrade from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams
Many organizations are still transitioning from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams. Understanding the coexistence modes and upgrade strategies is essential.
Coexistence Modes
- Islands Mode: Users can use both platforms independently.
- Skype for Business with Teams Collaboration: Skype is used for communication; Teams for collaboration.
- Skype for Business with Teams Collaboration and Meetings: Skype for chat; Teams for meetings and collaboration.
- Teams Only Mode: Users are upgraded fully to Teams.
Planning the Migration
Planning a migration involves:
- Evaluating existing infrastructure.
- Determining user readiness.
- Choosing a coexistence mode.
- Testing interoperability.
- Communicating changes to users.
Troubleshooting Issues
- Verify DNS and firewall configurations.
- Review logs from the Microsoft Teams Admin Center.
- Use reporting tools to track usage and adoption.
Plan and Configure Network Settings for Teams
Network configuration is vital for a smooth user experience.
Network Planner Tool
The Network Planner helps estimate bandwidth usage and network performance by analyzing:
- User profiles.
- Device types.
- Office layouts.
Calculating Bandwidth
Important calculations include:
- Per-user bandwidth.
- Peak usage requirements.
- Local vs. global office deployments.
Quality of Service (QoS)
QoS helps prioritize Teams traffic:
- Set up port-based tagging.
- Apply DSCP markings.
- Assign group policies to endpoints.
Implement Governance and Lifecycle Management
Governance controls sprawl and ensures compliance.
Team Templates and Naming Policies
- Use templates to predefine team structure.
- Enforce naming conventions with suffixes/prefixes.
Group Creation and Expiry Policies
- Restrict group creation.
- Apply expiration policies.
- Use retention labels for long-term management.
Archive and Delete Teams
- Archive inactive teams.
- Recover deleted teams from the admin center.
Configure and Manage Guest Access
Guest access allows external collaboration while preserving security.
Setup Process
- Enable guest access in Teams.
- Configure Azure AD B2B settings.
- Define meeting and chat policies for guests.
Managing Permissions
- Control guest access to files and channels.
- Use Azure AD to manage access and conditional policies.
Manage Security and Compliance
Teams integrates deeply with Microsoft security tools.
Role Assignments
Delegate roles like:
- Teams Service Administrator.
- Teams Communications Administrator.
Retention and Sensitivity Policies
- Create policies to retain or delete data.
- Apply sensitivity labels to protect documents.
Information Barriers and Alerts
- Use barriers to limit communication between departments.
- Set up automated alerts for policy violations.
Deploy and Manage Microsoft Teams Endpoints
Device management ensures consistent access.
Teams Clients
- Deploy using Microsoft Endpoint Manager.
- Configure policies for desktop and mobile users.
Teams, Rooms, and Devices
- Assign device tags.
- Manage settings and firmware remotely.
Monitor and Analyze Service Usage
Monitoring helps track adoption and resolve issues.
Admin Reports
- View usage analytics in Teams Admin Center.
- Analyze meeting quality and device usage.
Call Analytics and Call Quality Dashboard
- Diagnose call failures.
- Evaluate trends in call quality across the organization.
Power BI Integration
- Build custom dashboards.
- Share reports with stakeholders.
Introduction to Microsoft Teams Communication Features
These capabilities are critical for organizations seeking to optimize how employees communicate across departments, time zones, and remote locations. The MS-700 certification places strong emphasis on ensuring Teams administrators can manage and support these services reliably.
Managing Chat and Collaboration Experiences
Messaging Policies
Messaging policies control what users can do in chats and channel messages. Administrators can create multiple messaging policies and assign them to different users or groups.
Key Settings in Messaging Policies:
- Allow users to delete sent messages
- Enable or disable chat.
- Use GIFs, memes, and stickers.
- Control read receipts
- Enable priority notifications
Steps to Configure Messaging Policies:
- Navigate to the Microsoft Teams admin center.
- Select Messaging policies.
- Choose Global (Org-wide default) or create a new policy.
- Configure settings as needed and assign users.
Managing Channels and Collaboration Spaces
Teams channels can be standard, private, or shared. Each serves a different collaboration need.
- Standard Channels: Open to all members of a team.
- Private Channels: Restricted to a subset of the team.
- Shared Channels: Allow collaboration across different teams or organizations.
Channel Management Tasks:
- Creating and naming channels based on department or function
- Restricting who can create channels
- Configuring channel moderation settings
- Archiving old or inactive channels
Email Integration and Cloud Storage Options
Teams supports email integration and cloud storage for collaborative document editing.
Key Options:
- Allow channels to receive emails using the channel’s email address.
- Connect SharePoint Online for document storage
- Integrate OneDrive for personal file sharing.
- Configure third-party cloud storage like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Box
External Access and Federation
External access allows Teams users to find, call, and chat with people in other domains (e.g., partners or vendors).
Steps to Configure External Access:
- Enable external access in the Teams admin center.
- Add or block specific domains.
- Test communication between domains.
Managing Meetings in Microsoft Teams
Meetings are a core component of Teams. Admins must configure policies and manage settings to ensure a seamless experience.
Meeting Policies
Meeting policies define how meetings are conducted and who can participate.
Common Settings Include:
- Allow scheduling and private meetings
- Enable cloud recording
- Allow transcription and attendance reports.
- Configure lobby settings and automatic admission
Steps to Create and Assign Meeting Policies:
- Open the Teams admin center.
- Go to Meetings > Meeting policies.
- Customize settings and assign to user groups.
Configuring Audio Conferencing
Audio conferencing allows users to join meetings by dialing in via phone.
Steps to Configure:
- Assign Audio Conferencing licenses to users
- Configure bridge numbers and default languages
- Manage dial-in conferencing PINs and conferencing policies.s
Managing Live Events
Live events are broadcast-style meetings used for large-scale communication, such as town halls.
Administrative Tasks:
- Enable live events in Teams settings
- Set policies for who can create and schedule live events
- Configure attendee permissions and video options
Managing Phone Numbers and Telephony
Telephony in Teams includes assigning phone numbers and managing the call infrastructure. Teams Phone is integrated with Microsoft Calling Plans, Direct Routing, or Operator Connect.
Assigning and Managing Phone Numbers
Options for Obtaining Numbers:
- Port existing numbers from a telecom provider
- Acquire new numbers through the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Use Direct Routing for custom number assignment.
Administrative Tasks:
- Assign numbers to users and resource accounts
- Configure emergency locations
- Monitor number usage and availability
Emergency Calling and Location Policies
Dynamic emergency calling routes calls based on the user’s location.
Configuration Steps:
- Set up emergency addresses in Microsoft 365
- Create network sites and subnets.s
- Assign emergency policies to users based on network location.
Managing the Phone System in Teams
Auto Attendants and Call Queues
Auto attendants and call queues manage incoming call routing.
Auto Attendants:
- Provide call menus (e.g., Press 1 for Sales)
- Route calls based on business hours or holidays
Call Queues:
- Handle incoming calls by placing them in a queue
- Assign agents and configure music on hold.
Resource Accounts and Call Policies
Resource Accounts:
- Required for auto attendants and call queues
- Must be licensed and assigned a phone number
Call Policies:
- Control outbound calling, forwarding, call park, and call blocking
Caller ID and Call Routing
Admins can customize caller ID presentation and call routing behavior.
Tasks Include:
- Display custom caller ID names or numbers
- Route calls based on policies or time of day
- Block international or premium calls.s
Direct Routing
Direct Routing allows integration with on-premises telephony infrastructure.
Admin Responsibilities:
- Work with telephony engineers for SBC (Session Border Controller) setup
- Configure voice routing policies
- Test and validate PSTN call functionality
Troubleshooting and Monitoring Communication Services
Teams Admin Center Tools
The Teams admin center provides built-in tools for managing the user experience.
Useful Tools:
- User call logs
- Activity reports
- Teams usage reports
Call Analytics
Call Analytics enables deep-dive analysis into call quality and reliability.
Key Features:
- Track jitter, latency, and packet loss
- Monitor device usage and meeting join methods.
- Identify problematic endpoints or networks.
Call Quality Dashboard (CQD)
CQD provides an organizational view of call quality.
Dashboard Elements:
- Trends over time
- Quality per building or region
- Filter by platform, network, or user
Using Power BI with Teams Data
Power BI allows the creation of custom dashboards for executive insights.
Integration Steps:
- Connect Teams data via APIs or export tools
- Create reports on usage trends, meeting participation, and call quality.
Managing Teams and App Policies in Microsoft Teams
In any enterprise environment, collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams play a pivotal role in ensuring that work gets done efficiently, securely, and in a well-governed manner. While users typically experience Teams as a sleek interface for chats, meetings, and file sharing, behind the scenes, Teams administrators are responsible for setting the rules, policies, and frameworks that ensure the platform is used appropriately and effectively.
One of the most critical tasks for Teams administrators is managing how Teams are created, who can access them, and what apps can be used within them. This involves understanding and configuring team lifecycle governance, membership rules, template strategies, and application permissions. In this article, we’ll explore these components in depth, offering insights that align with the skills tested in the MS-700 certification.
Understanding the Teams Lifecycle
Managing the lifecycle of a team involves controlling how a team is created, maintained, and eventually retired. If left unmanaged, organizations can experience “team sprawl,” where unnecessary or duplicate teams clutter the platform and increase the risk of security or compliance issues.
Team Creation Governance
To manage team creation, administrators can implement policies through Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). By default, any user can create a team, but this behavior can be limited by defining a group of users authorized to create Microsoft 365 groups, which are the foundation for Teams.
This restriction helps centralize governance and ensures teams are only created when necessary and by responsible individuals or departments. By combining this with automated processes, admins can establish naming conventions and approval workflows for creating new teams.
Naming Policies
Naming policies can be enforced through Entra ID, helping to standardize how teams are named and to prevent inappropriate or misleading names. For example, prefixing department names or using unique identifiers helps IT and users easily understand the purpose and ownership of each team.
Admins can define:
- Prefixes and suffixes are automatically applied to team names
- Blocked words or inappropriate terms
- Specific naming formats required by organizational policies
Expiration and Retention Policies
Microsoft Entra ID also allows for the configuration of group expiration policies. These policies automatically prompt team owners to renew their teams periodically, helping to identify unused or obsolete teams.
When a team expires and is not renewed, it is deleted but recoverable for a certain period. This process ensures Teams remains uncluttered and relevant to active projects or departments.
Retention policies, managed via Microsoft Purview, can also be applied to preserve content from deleted teams for regulatory or legal compliance.
Archiving and Deleting Teams
For long-term projects or inactive departments, archiving a team is often preferable to deletion. Archiving freezes the content (making it read-only) but preserves the structure and files, allowing for reactivation if necessary.
Admins can:
- Archive a team from the Teams admin center
- Restore archived teams when needed.
- Delete teams that are permanently obsolete.
Managing Team Membership
Controlling who has access to a team is central to maintaining security and operational efficiency.
Manual Membership Management
Admins and team owners can manually add or remove members and assign roles (owner, member, guest). Owners can manage membership from within the Teams app or through the Teams admin center.
Key considerations include:
- Limiting the number of owners for consistency
- Monitoring guest users for external access risks
- Periodically auditing membership lists
Dynamic Membership
Dynamic membership uses rules based on user attributes (e.g., department, job title, location) to automatically add or remove users from teams. This is configured through Entra ID and is particularly useful for large or frequently changing departments.
Dynamic membership reduces administrative overhead and ensures teams are always appropriately staffed.
Guest Access Management
Teams supports external collaboration by allowing guest users from other domains to participate in chats, channels, and meetings.
Admins can:
- Enable or disable guest access at the tenant level
- Define permissions for guest messaging, file access, and meetings
- Monitor guest activity and access logs.
- Remove or restrict guests based on security requirements
Guest access is controlled not only from Teams but also through Azure AD and Microsoft 365 group settings, providing layered security.
Managing Team Templates
Templates streamline the team creation process by providing predefined structures, including channels, tabs, apps, and settings.
Default and Custom Templates
Microsoft provides several default templates tailored for common organizational needs, such as project management or crisis response. Admins can also create custom templates suited to their company’s unique workflows.
Custom templates may include:
- Predefined channels (e.g., General, Marketing, Design)
- Pinned tabs for files, OneNote, or third-party tools
- Standard apps like Planner, Power BI, or custom bots
Templates reduce inconsistencies, accelerate team creation, and enforce a degree of standardization across departments or functions.
Governance Through Templates
By using templates, organizations can:
- Ensure a consistent structure for similar teams
- Prevent misconfigurations
- Improve onboarding for new teams.
- Integrate governance rules directly into the setup
Admins create and manage templates from the Teams admin center, with options to edit existing ones or build new ones using JSON templates for more advanced scenarios.
Managing App Policies in Microsoft Teams
Apps enhance productivity within Teams by allowing users to integrate both Microsoft and third-party tools directly into the platform. However, this also introduces risks related to data security, compliance, and distraction. Admins must manage what apps are available and how they’re used.
Types of App Policies
There are two primary app policy types:
- App permission policies: Control which apps users can access based on publisher (Microsoft, third-party, custom).
- App setup policies: Define which apps are pinned to the Teams app bar and available by default to users.
Admins can create multiple policies and assign them to specific user groups, ensuring the right users have access to the right tools.
App Permission Policies
These policies allow granular control over what types of apps users can install or use.
Options include:
- Allow all apps (not recommended for security-sensitive environments)
- Allow only Microsoft apps.
- Block third-party or custom apps.
- Define exceptions to the broad rules
Admins can also review app ratings, privacy statements, and compliance certifications before approving them for use.
App Setup Policies
App setup policies customize the Teams interface for users by pinning apps to the app bar, making key tools more accessible. These can include first-party apps like Planner or third-party CRM systems.
Setup policies also allow admins to:
- Hide or show default apps
- Automatically install key apps on user login.
- Group apps based on roles (e.g., marketing, finance, operations)
These policies ensure user experiences are aligned with organizational goals and streamline the adoption of approved tools.
Publishing and Managing Custom Apps
Organizations can build custom apps using Power Platform or third-party development tools and deploy them within Teams.
Deployment Methods
Custom apps can be:
- Uploaded manually by admins
- Deployed via the Teams admin center
- Published to the organization’s app catalog for user self-discovery
Admins can control sideloading (uploading apps manually without admin approval), which is disabled by default for security reasons.
Using App Studio
Microsoft’s App Studio simplifies app development and deployment within Teams. It allows developers to:
- Define app manifest
- Add tabs, bots, and messaging extensions.
- Test and package apps for deployment
Governance and Compliance for Apps and Teams
Proper governance ensures Teams is used safely and in compliance with internal and external requirements.
Information Protection
Admins can implement Microsoft Purview tools such as:
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies for preventing leaks
- Sensitivity labels for classifying and encrypting content
- Retention labels for ensuring legal compliance
These tools work across Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Exchange.
Information Barriers
Information barriers restrict communication between specific groups to prevent conflicts of interest or data sharing violations (e.g., separating HR from finance).
Configured via the compliance center, these barriers are useful in regulated industries or complex enterprise environments.
Shadow IT Monitoring
Shadow IT refers to unauthorized apps or services used by employees. Teams provides reports that help admins monitor app usage and flag unsanctioned tools.
Admins can:
- Generate usage reports by app
- Identify apps with low compliance scores.
- Block or restrict apps that do not meet corporate standards.
Managing Teams and app policies is a critical responsibility for Microsoft Teams administrators. By establishing clear governance for team creation, membership, and app usage, organizations can enhance collaboration while maintaining control over security and compliance.
These administrative capabilities are core to what makes Teams an enterprise-ready platform. Whether it’s structuring teams for large departments or controlling access to third-party tools, mastering this domain empowers administrators to optimize user experiences and meet organizational standards.
For IT professionals preparing for the MS-700 certification, this area represents both a foundational skill and a real-world application of strategic IT governance.
Managing the Teams Lifecycle
The lifecycle of a team involves its creation, active usage, and eventual archiving or deletion.
Tasks Include:
- Allowing or restricting team creation via Azure AD group policies
- Setting naming conventions through Azure AD
- Managing expiration policies with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD)
- Archiving inactive teams to preserve content
Managing Team Membership
Team membership management can be manual or automated.
Administrative Capabilities:
- Add or remove users as owners or members
- Use dynamic membership rules for auto-assigning members
- Enable guest access and manage external user permissions
Managing Team Templates
Templates accelerate the creation of new teams with predefined settings, channels, and apps.
Template Tasks:
- Create custom templates in the Teams admin center
- Define channels, tabs, apps, and settings
- Apply governance via naming and permission structures
Managing App Policies
App policies control how users can discover and interact with apps in Teams.
Types of App Policies:
- Permission Policies: Define which apps users can access
- Set up Policies: Pin apps to the app bar or control app visibility
Admin Tasks:
- Customize Global (Org-wide) app setup policy
- Block third-party or custom apps
- Monitor app usage and adoption with reports
Managing App Permission Policies
App permission policies define access to apps based on their publisher:
- Microsoft apps
- Third-party apps
- Custom apps created within your org
Admins can:
- Allow/block individual apps
- Scope policies to specific user groups
- Control the sideloading of custom apps
Publishing Custom Apps
Organizations can build and publish custom apps within Teams.
Deployment Options:
- Upload custom apps via the Teams admin center
- Publish to your organization’s app catalog
- Use App Studio or Power Platform for development
Governance and Compliance Considerations
Admin governance ensures secure and compliant Teams usage.
Best Practices:
- Use Microsoft Purview for app data classification and DLP
- Enable information barriers to control data sharing
- Monitor shadow IT through app usage reports
Summary
Managing Teams and app policies provides essential governance over collaboration and third-party app integrations. Administrators can streamline user experiences, improve security, and ensure consistency across the Teams environment. In Part 5, we will explore monitoring and reporting in Microsoft Teams to help maintain performance and compliance.
