A project runs more smoothly when everything is in one place: discussions, files, tasks and agreements. In Microsoft Teams you set up a project team for that. Here's how to build one step by step, how to work with it every day and how to close the project properly.
1. One team per project
Create a team with a clear name, such as PRJ - New website. A fixed prefix like PRJ makes project teams easy to spot in the list. In Teams, select Teams > + > Create team, choose a private team and add the project members. The full steps are in create and organise a team in Microsoft Teams.
If you start projects often, use a team template. Teams also has a built-in Manage a project template with channels and apps ready to go. Behind every team is a Microsoft 365 group with a SharePoint site for the files; how that fits together is explained in how Microsoft Teams is built technically.
Who's in the team?
- Assign at least two owners, so the team isn't orphaned if the project lead leaves.
- Add external people as guests with their email address. Guests only see the channels and files of this team.
- Working with an external partner who uses Teams themselves? A shared channel is sometimes easier: they stay in their own environment.
2. Channels per topic
- General for announcements.
- A channel per workstream, such as Design, Content and Technical.
- A private channel for budget or the steering group.
Start with few channels. You can always add more later (see create a standard, private or shared channel), whereas a jumble of empty channels puts people off. Set the most important channels to Shown so they're visible to everyone.
3. Tabs with the right tools
Select + at the top of a channel to add a tab.
- Planner for tasks with owners and deadlines. See Planner in Teams.
- Lists for a risk register or decision log.
- Loop or OneNote for meeting notes.
- A website or SharePoint page with project info, such as goals, planning and contacts.
4. How to work together
- Schedule meetings in the channel, so notes and recordings end up there.
- Start a new topic with a clear title and reply underneath, instead of posting a new message each time.
- Use @channel or tags, such as @Designers, for important posts.
- Keep files in the channel's Files tab, not as attachments in a chat.
Every project member can see their own tasks from all plans together; read all your tasks in one place.
Make agreements at the start
A project team only works well when everyone follows the same habits. Agree in the first meeting: which questions belong in a channel and which in a chat, where the latest version of a document lives, and who updates the planning. Put those agreements in a pinned post in General.
Close the project
- Finish or move any open tasks.
- Store the final report and the key decisions in an obvious place.
- Go to Teams, select More options (...) next to the team > Manage team or Archive, depending on your version. An archived team is read-only but stays searchable.
For admins
Decide who may create project teams, which naming convention applies and when inactive teams expire. With an expiration policy for Microsoft 365 groups and sensitivity labels you keep guests and confidential projects under control.
Nederlandstalige versie: Microsoft Teams inrichten om projecten te beheren