Tutorial / Cram Notes
Prerequisites for Configuring Guest Access
Before you can add a guest to a team, make sure that guest access is enabled in your Microsoft Teams admin center. This is a global setting and must be activated for your entire organization before it can take effect in individual teams.
- Step 1: Log into the Microsoft Teams admin center.
- Step 2: Go to “Org-wide settings” -> “Guest access”.
- Step 3: Turn on the guest access toggle if it’s not already enabled.
- Step 4: Configure the settings under “Calling, Meeting, and Messaging” to establish what guests are allowed to do within Teams.
Granting Guest Access to a Specific Team
Once guest access is configured in the admin center, you can add guests to individual teams:
- Step 1: Navigate to the desired team in the Teams client or the Teams admin center.
- Step 2: Go to the team and click on “…”, then select “Add member”.
- Step 3: Enter the guest’s email address. Remember, guests can be anyone with a business or consumer email account, such as Gmail or Outlook.
- Step 4: Wait for Teams to recognize the input as an “Add a guest” option.
- Step 5: Click on “Add a guest” and then add the guest’s name. A welcome message will be automatically generated, which you can customize.
- Step 6: Review and edit guest settings, deciding which permissions to grant.
- Step 7: Click “Add” to send the invite.
Guests will receive an invitation email from Microsoft Teams. They need to accept this invitation to participate in the team they’ve been added to.
Permissions for Guests in Teams
The table below summarizes the default permissions for guests within a team:
| Feature | Guest Access (Default) |
|---|---|
| Create a channel | No |
| Participate in a chat | Yes |
| Share a channel file | Yes |
| Access organization chart | No |
| Add apps | No |
| Create meetings or calls | No |
| Delete or edit posted messages | Depends on team policy |
These permissions can be further customized to ensure guests only have access to what they need for collaboration.
Example of Configuring Guest Access
Suppose you’re managing a team responsible for a joint project with external consultants. You’d like the consultants to participate in certain channels, share files, and communicate via chat, but you don’t want them to create new teams or access sensitive organizational details.
- Enable guest access on a global level in the admin center as described above.
- Add the consultants as guests to the specific project team in Teams.
- Customize their permissions, allowing chat and file sharing but restricting team creation and org chart access.
Modifying or Removing Guest Access
You can modify or remove guest access at any time:
- Modify Permissions: In the Microsoft Teams admin center or via the Teams client, go to the team’s settings, and adjust the guest permissions as needed.
- Remove Guest Access: You can remove a guest by going to the team, clicking on “…”, selecting “Manage team”, and then removing the guest from the team’s members list.
Best Practices for Guest Access Management
- Regularly review guest access permissions and ensure they match the needs and security policies of your organization.
- Inform team members of the guest’s presence and what they’re authorized to access or do within the team.
- Maintain an inventory of guests across teams for auditing and compliance purposes.
By configuring guest access correctly, you will maximize the productivity of your teams while maintaining control and security over your organizational data. Understanding this process is vital in managing Microsoft Teams effectively and is a key component of the MS-700 exam.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: The only way to add a guest to a Microsoft Teams team is by adding them directly into the team.
- False
Guests can be added to a team directly, but they can also be added to a team by adding them to a group that is already associated with the team.
True or False: A guest must have a Microsoft 365 account before they can be added to a Microsoft Teams team.
- False
Guests do not need to have a Microsoft 365 account; they can be added to the team using any email address, and they will create a Microsoft account when they accept the invitation.
Which of the following can a guest do by default in a Microsoft Teams team? (Select all that apply.)
- A) Create a channel
- B) Participate in private chat
- C) Share a screen during a meeting
- D) Delete the team
Answer: A, B, C
By default, guests in Microsoft Teams can create channels, participate in private chats, and share screens during meetings. However, they do not have the ability to delete the team.
True or False: Licensing restrictions do not apply when adding guests to Microsoft Teams.
- False
Licensing restrictions may apply to the number of guests you can add to your team. Each Office 365 subscription has a limit on the number of guests that can be invited, which is typically five times the number of licenses in the subscription.
To configure guest access on a specific team level, which settings should be adjusted?
- A) Organization-wide settings
- B) Team’s member permissions
- C) Azure Active Directory settings
- D) Channel moderation settings
Answer: B
While organization-wide settings and Azure Active Directory settings must be configured to allow guest access, to configure guest access on a specific team level, you must adjust the team’s member permissions accordingly.
True or False: Guests can be team owners in Microsoft Teams.
- False
While guests can have many capabilities within a team, they are not allowed to be team owners to ensure administrative control remains within the organization.
Where must you first enable guest access before adding guests to a specific team in Microsoft Teams?
- A) Microsoft Teams admin center
- B) Azure Active Directory admin center
- C) Office 365 Groups admin center
- D) SharePoint admin center
Answer: A
Guest access in Microsoft Teams is controlled through the Microsoft Teams admin center. It must be enabled there before guests can be added to any team.
True or False: You can restrict certain features, such as calling, meetings, or messaging for guests in a specific Microsoft Teams team.
- True
In the team settings, you can restrict guest capabilities such as calling, meetings, or messaging by adjusting the member permissions.
True or False: External access and guest access in Microsoft Teams are synonyms and can be used interchangeably.
- False
External access (federation) and guest access are different features in Microsoft Teams. External access allows users to find, call, chat, and set up meetings with users in other domains, while guest access allows users from outside your organization to join a team.
Which role should a user be assigned in Microsoft 365 to configure guest access for Teams?
- A) Teams Service Administrator
- B) User Management Administrator
- C) Global Administrator
- D) Teams Communication Support Engineer
Answer: C
To configure guest access for Teams, a user should have the Global Administrator role, which is required to access and modify the settings in the Microsoft Teams admin center across the organization.
True or False: Guests added to a Microsoft Teams team will have access to all the team’s channels by default, including private channels.
- False
Guests have access to standard channels by default but do not have access to private channels unless explicitly added to each private channel by a team owner.
Which feature must be enabled for guests to edit documents in Microsoft Teams?
- A) Microsoft OneDrive for Business
- B) SharePoint Online external sharing
- C) Microsoft Office 365 Groups
- D) Microsoft Teams file collaboration
Answer: B
For guests to edit documents in Microsoft Teams, they need access to the SharePoint Online site where the files are stored. SharePoint Online external sharing must be enabled to give guests the necessary permissions.
Interview Questions
What is Microsoft Teams Guest Access?
Microsoft Teams Guest Access is a feature that allows users to invite people outside of their organization to collaborate and participate in Teams conversations, meetings, and files.
How do I enable Guest Access in Microsoft Teams?
To enable Guest Access in Microsoft Teams, you need to go to the Teams admin center and turn on the Guest Access setting. You can also choose to allow or restrict certain features for guests, such as screen sharing or creating new channels.
Can I invite anyone as a guest in Microsoft Teams?
No, you can only invite guests who have a valid email address and are not already part of another organization’s Teams environment.
Can guests access all of the Teams features?
It depends on the settings chosen by the Teams admin. The admin can choose to allow or restrict certain features for guests, such as creating new channels or uploading files.
How many guests can I invite to a Team?
You can invite up to 5,000 guests per Team.
Can guests access my organization’s private Teams and channels?
No, guests can only access the Teams and channels that they have been invited to.
How do guests sign in to Microsoft Teams?
Guests can sign in to Microsoft Teams using the email invitation they received. They will be prompted to create a Microsoft account or sign in with an existing account from a supported identity provider.
Can guests share files in Microsoft Teams?
Yes, guests can share files in Microsoft Teams if the Teams admin has allowed this feature.
How can I remove a guest from my Team in Microsoft Teams?
To remove a guest from your Team in Microsoft Teams, go to the Team settings and select the guest you want to remove. Click on “Remove” and confirm the action.
Can guests participate in Microsoft Teams meetings?
Yes, guests can participate in Microsoft Teams meetings if the meeting organizer has allowed guest access.
How can I know if my Teams environment has Guest Access enabled?
Only your Teams administrator can enable Guest Access. If you are not sure whether your organization has enabled Guest Access, contact your administrator or IT support.
Can guests access Microsoft Teams on mobile devices?
Yes, guests can access Microsoft Teams on mobile devices by downloading the Teams mobile app and signing in with their guest account.
Do guests have access to my organization’s OneDrive and SharePoint files?
No, guests do not have access to your organization’s OneDrive and SharePoint files unless explicitly granted access.
Can I limit the ability of guests to edit and delete messages in Microsoft Teams?
Yes, as a Teams admin, you can control whether guests can edit or delete messages in your Teams environment.
How can I ensure that guests follow my organization’s security and compliance policies when using Microsoft Teams?
You can use Microsoft 365 compliance features to enforce policies and controls for guest access to your organization’s Teams environment. For example, you can create policies to prevent guests from sharing sensitive information or downloading certain files.
This blog post on configuring guest access to specific Teams was exactly what I needed! Thanks!
Does anyone know if guest users can access OneDrive files shared within the Team?
I followed the steps but still can’t enable guest access. What could be wrong?
What permissions do guest users have by default in a Team?
This guide helped me configure guest access smoothly. Much appreciated!
Is there a way to limit guest users’ access to only specific channels within a Team?
Can a guest user create and delete channels in the Team?
How do I ensure guest users can’t delete files or important content?