As a current customer of Skype for Business, Microsoft is inviting you to make the switch to Microsoft Teams. The upgrading phase might take some time, but Microsoft is here to help and provide the right level of support and guidance every step of the way. There is never a one-size-fits-all-solution so Microsoft has created two pathways that customers can take. Continue reading to learn more about both pathways and which one would be better for your company.



Upgrade Basic: Is designed for smaller organizations that use Skype for Business for the IM (instant messaging) only or IM + basic meeting functionality. A company who requires a simple deployment can expect a timeframe of 30-45 days for the process to be completed. Microsoft has provided 10 steps for a successful upgrade of moving the entire organization from Skype for Business to Teams.

Step One: Notify your Key Stakeholders
Step Two: Prepare your organization for Teams
Step Three: Know your Skype for Business Users
Step Four: Notify your users that they’ll be upgrading from Skype for Business to Teams
Step Five: Activate the user upgrade notification
Step Six: Remind your users that they’ll be upgrading from Skype for Business to Teams
Step Seven: Upgrade users to Teams
Step Eight: Monitor Teams usage against your baseline
Step Nine: Measure user satisfaction
Step Ten: Maximize your ROI with Teams

Click Here for more information
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/MicrosoftTeams/upgrade-basic

Upgrade Pro: Is designed for larger corporations that require a more complex deployment such as with hybrid or voice. This route is divided into three different phases and will require a longer duration to complete the upgrade process. It allows the company to run Microsoft Teams alongside Skype for Business until Microsoft Teams is ready for the business. In order to ensure this is successful, Microsoft will also provide resources to prepare both technical and everyday users.

Click Here for more information
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/MicrosoftTeams/upgrade-pro

Pre-Upgrade: The Pre-Upgrade phase will prepare your company for Microsoft Teams. This phase will introduce Teams into your organizations' workflow by using Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams together. Allowing employees to begin learning how to use the Teams application. Employees will have a lot of time to test out Teams at their own pace and slowly start to migrate all their activities, contacts, and calendars. You’ll get to experience the value of Microsoft Teams and help your corporation speed up the process of Teams becoming ready for your company. Read the pre-upgrade checklist below to see if your organization is ready for the upgrade phrase:

Days 1-7: Create your upgrade plan to help ensure your organization is set-up for long term success
Days 8-15: Evaluate your organization’s readiness for Teams
Days 16-60: Run a pilot to confirm that your organization is read and inform your optimal journey to Teams
Day 60 until upgrade: Deploy Teams in coexistence with Skype for Business

Learn more about Microsoft Teams by downloading our whitepaper Microsoft Teams Cheat Sheet: Meet the Hub for Teamwork in Office 365. This whitepaper contains all the benefits of Teams and why you should make the switch. Find out why Microsoft has made Teams the primary focus for its intelligent communication platform.

The reign of Skype for Business is coming to an end as Microsoft turns its focus on its newest vision for future intelligent communication, Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft had made Skype into a very successful communication platform since its purchase back in 2011. The application was characterized as the most reliable and easy to use communication platform and was very successful in both the business and consumer markets.
Skype for Business is going to be replaced by Microsoft Teams as its primary communication hub in the Office 365 suite. Microsoft Teams offers plenty of features that will allow businesses to communicate with one another easily and efficiently. Microsoft is going to grow this platform into something even bigger than Skype for Business.

With the Skype-to-Teams customer experience journey, you can see that by the end of 2018 Teams will offer the same features as Skype for Business. Corporations can begin the transition from Skype for Business over to Microsoft Teams, by using both platforms together. Microsoft recommends for firms to use Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams side-by-side until your company can solely rely on Teams.

Current and Updated Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams Capabilities Roadmap https://aka.ms/skype2teamsroadmap

Learn more about Microsoft Teams by downloading our whitepaper Microsoft Teams Cheat Sheet: Meet the Hub for Teamwork in Office 365. This whitepaper contains all the benefits of Teams and why you should make the switch. Find out why Microsoft has made Teams the primary focus for its intelligent communication platform.

Download our Whitepaper on Microsoft Teams Click Here to get started today

Since Microsoft has released an update to its Dynamics CRM Online software, they decided to add a new capability to its system. Skype is a service that allows back and forth communication with people by voice and video using a microphone and a webcam, and instant messaging over the Internet.

Users could make Skype calls when using Dynamics CRM. Microsoft has said that this new feature will "Guide sales and service professionals through predefined lead, opportunity and case-management processes."

But users aren’t forced to use the Skype application. You have the option of “opting in or out” of this new feature. Microsoft understands that their users might prefer to use the Outlook interface instead.

Microsoft has also stated that this new update includes support for Firefox, Chrome Browsers on Windows PC and Safari on Macs. The update also includes more integration with Bing Maps that will create addresses and other information about prospects and leads. In mid-2013, Microsoft is preparing to run a mobile version of CRM on Windows 8 and iPad devices.

Microsoft is moving in the right direction integrating customer relationship management with social media. This is a great way to stay connected and to maintain relationships, whether it’s a B2B or B2C relationship.

The recent news of Microsoft’s purchase of Skype has proven to be a bold move to dominate the global technology space. The 8.5 billion US dollar buyout of the company will cause a shake-up in the telecoms arena.

While speaking at a recent press conference, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stated, “Today is a big day for Microsoft, and Skype, as well as consumers and businesses around the world.”  Moreover,  “…we'll move beyond e-mail and text to rich experiences in the future; talking to friends and colleagues around the world will be as seamless as talking to them across a kitchen table or a conference room.”

With the new acquisition, Skype will become a unit within the Microsoft Corporation and will add to the company's range of products, which includes enterprise-focused solutions and consumer-oriented offerings.

Ballmer further says “at Microsoft, we see enormous opportunity that brings together what people want: data, voice, video, IM, all on a single screen; whether it's a smartphone, a PC, a slate, or the TV. Microsoft and Skype together will define this future and what it really, really looks like.”

One can only anticipate for an updated release that may incorporate Skype communication functionalities with the Microsoft Dynamics GP system.

Recent  Microsoft acquisition of Skype has landed a partnership with US cable giant Comcast Corporation. The ideal partnership will bring Comcast’s television service to be partnered with Skype’s video conferencing service. There will no longer be a need for conferencing through pixelated video on laptops at the boardroom now that businesses will be able to conference in high definition video calls through their projectors.

The forecast of the partnership are still in talks and planning, however, one can only anticipate when “smell-o-vision” will exist.