Introduction to Skype for Business

Skype for Business lets you connect with colleagues or students no matter where they are or what device they are using. Skype for Business provides you with a wide range of tools to meet virtually within the Pellissippi community. Some of the features and uses available include:

Start conversations with IM, voice, or video calls.
See when your contacts are available online, in a meeting, or presenting.
Broadcast online to a large audience or meet individually.
Present your screen during meetings or give control to others.
Use Skype for Business in other Office programs to chat, call, or join a meeting with a click.
Integrated in Outlook to easily setup a virtual meeting with anyone in the Pellissippi organization.
Virtual office hours to meet with your students when you or the student is off campus.
Course group meetings and collaboration.

The Basics

Skype for Business helps you stay connected to the people who are important to you via instant messaging, email, audio and video calls, persistent chat rooms, and online meetings and presentations. This article takes you through some basic Skype for Business tasks to get you started. Learn more about the basic tasks.

Setup a Meeting in Outlook

You can use Outlook or Outlook Web App to schedule a Skype for Business meeting—the same way you schedule meetings normally but with one or two extra clicks. If your account is configured for dial-in conferencing, the Skype for Business meeting request will automatically include call-in information (phone number and conference ID).

Skype for Business Online users: If you don’t use an Outlook program or Outlook Web App in a browser that supports the full version of Outlook Web App, you can set up new meetings by using the Skype for Business Web Scheduler.

Meet and Share

Skype for Business allows you to share your desktop and programs during a meeting. In order to share your desktop or program you must be a presenter in a Skype for Business meeting. If the option is grayed out, ask one of the presenters to give you presenter access.

Present Desktop when you need to switch between multiple programs, or work on files from different programs.
Present Programs when you need to present specific programs or files and don’t want people to see anything else on your computer.

To learn more about Meeting and Sharing, preview the video Meet and Share using Skype for Business.

Audio Setup

Learn how to set up and use your computer’s built-in mic and speakers, a headset, or another device for Skype for Business audio. Testing prior to a meeting will ensure minimal issues will arise during your future meetings.

Video Setup

For the best results during a Skype for Business video call, set up and test your camera before you use it. You need a camera to make a video call or share your video in a meeting, but you don’t need one to receive a video call or see other people’s videos. Learn more about setting up your video.

Make and Receive a Video Call

Pellissippi accounts in Skype for Business are enabled for video calls. This gives you the option to make face-to-face video calls with your contacts. All you need is a camera and your computer’s speakers and microphone. You can also use a headset if your computer doesn’t have a built-in audio device. Learn how to make and receive video calls.

Presence and IM

Skype for Business instant messaging (IM) is an efficient way to connect with your contacts in real time and on a moment’s notice. Less formal than email, faster than a phone call—IM is tough to beat for speed and ease of use. You can send an instant message from anywhere in Skype for Business where you see a contact. Just check that the person’s presence indicator is green first. This indicates that they are available. Visit Presence and IM in Skype for Business.

Add a Contact

In Skype for Business, you can add people to your Contacts list so they’ll be just a click away. Every contact you add is assigned membership in one or more of your contact groups. Visit adding contacts in our organization to learn how to manage contacts.

Skype for Business Extended Training

If you would like to continue learning about everything that Skype for Business can do then check out the Skype Training Course at Lynda.com after you create your Lynda.com Profile.