Microsoft Teams: Team vs Channel

Overview

Microsoft Teams uses Teams and channels to organize people, conversations, files, and collaboration.

This article explains the difference between Teams and channels and provides guidance for determining which option best fits your needs.

Key Information

A Team provides the overall collaboration space for a group, department, project, or other area of work. Channels provide more focused spaces within a Team to organize conversations, files, and work around a specific topic or purpose.

  • Team creation and Team-level permissions are managed by the IT Systems Team.
  • Individuals with appropriate access to a Team can create and maintain channels.
  • Channel creation and permissions are maintained by individual Team owners.
  • Before requesting a new Team, consider whether a channel within an existing Team can meet your needs.
💡 Tip: If the people who need access are already working together in an existing Team, a channel may be all you need. Consider creating a new Team when the group, membership, permissions, or purpose needs to be separate from the existing Team.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • Access to Microsoft Teams
  • An understanding of the group, project, or work you need to organize

Instructions

Decide: Team or Channel?

Use the following information to determine which option best fits your needs.

Team vs. Channel

Feature Team Channel
Purpose Provides a broad collaboration space for a group, department, project, or other area of work. Organizes conversations, files, and work around a specific topic, project, or area of focus.
Membership Controls access to the overall Team. Typically follows Team membership, with Private and Shared channels having additional membership considerations.
Organization Provides the overall workspace for collaboration. Provides a focused workspace within a Team.
Who creates it? IT Systems Team Team Owners
Who manages permissions? IT Systems Team Team Owners


Decision Chart: New Team or New Channel?

Use the following questions to help determine which option is most appropriate:

Question If Yes If No
Is this a completely separate group, project, department, or function? Consider a new Team Consider a channel
Does it need different membership or access from the existing Team? Consider a new Team Consider a channel
Is there already an existing Team where this work belongs? Consider a channel Consider a new Team
Would keeping the work connected to an existing Team make collaboration easier? Consider a channel Consider a new Team
💡 Tip: When in doubt, start by looking for an existing Team that already supports the work you need to do. A channel can often provide the organization you need without creating another Team.

Find a Team Owner

  1. In Microsoft Teams, locate the Team.
  2. Click More options (...) next to the Team.
  3. Select Manage team.
  4. Click Members to review the Team members and identify the person(s) listed as Owner.

Request or Manage a Team

Team creation and Team-level permissions are managed by the IT Systems Team.

To request a new Team or changes to Team-level permissions, submit an IT Service Desk request.

Request or Manage a Channel

Channel creation and permissions are managed by the Team owner(s).

To request a new Channel or changes to Channel-level permissions, Contact a Team owner.

Troubleshooting

I need a new Team

Try the following:a

  • Determine whether an existing Team can meet your needs.
  • If a new Team is needed, submit a request through the IT Service Desk.
  • Include the purpose of the Team and the group or department that will use it.

I need to change Team permissions

Try the following:

  • Submit an IT Service Desk request.
  • Include the name of the Team and the changes needed.
  • Requests involving Team-level permissions will be handled by the IT Systems Team.

I need to change Channel permissions

Try the following:

  • Find the Team owner.
  • Contact the Team owner to create the channel or make changes to channel permissions.
  • If you cannot determine who the Team owner is, submit an IT Service Desk ticket for assistance.

I am not sure whether I need a Team or a channel

Try the following:

  • Determine whether the work belongs with an existing Team.
  • Consider whether the new work needs separate membership or access.
  • Review the Team vs. Channel table and decision chart above.
  • When the work can remain within an existing Team, consider creating a channel instead of a new Team.

Need Additional Assistance?

If you're unable to create or manage a Team or channel after following the steps and troubleshooting guidance above, submit an IT Service Desk ticket.

Include the name of the Team or channel, what you are trying to create or change, and any error messages or screenshots, if available, so the Service Desk can assist you as quickly as possible.

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