Microsoft Integrates Yammer Into Teams Collaboration Tool

Microsoft has moved to more closely integrate Yammer with Microsoft Teams, as part of broader efforts to consolidate its various enterprise collaboration tools into Teams.

Starting immediately, Teams users can now add a Yammer tab to their channels, loading a specific group or topic feed.

The move means users can view Yammer content without leaving Teams, which Microsoft said should make it easier to use the two tools more closely together.

Users can discuss a Yammer conversaion in Teams before posting a reply to the wider Yammer group, Microsoft said.

Yammer tab

When a Teams user switches to the Yammer tab, they’re authenticated again by Yammer, meaning they only see Yammer content they have access to.

“Using the two efficiently together, employees have a place for their questions and answers in Yammer, while the core team gets alignment on their responses in Teams,” Microsoft said in a blog post.

Teams, introduced in March 2017, is used by more than 329,000 organisations and Microsoft says it is its fastest-growing business application, while Microsoft bought Yammer in 2012 for some $1.2 billion (£910m).

A chat-based collaboration tool that’s based on Office 365, Teams competes with the likes of Google Hangouts Chat, Facebook Workplace and Slack.

Microsoft has been gradually integrating other collaboration tools into Teams, including Skype for Business and Skype Room Systems.

The Yammer tabs currently work only on desktop or web systems, with mobile devices not yet supported, Microsoft said.