7+ Microsoft Teams Productivity Apps in 2024

At Matter, we believe in fostering thriving workplaces where team members can connect, recognize contributions, and grow together. Microsoft Teams is an exceptional collaboration tool that supports productivity, communication, and teamwork across businesses of all sizes. By integrating the right Microsoft Teams apps, companies can unlock powerful features to enhance the platform's capabilities, manage projects, track tasks, and boost employee engagement. With various Teams apps readily accessible, users can streamline workflows, save time, and keep everyone aligned within a shared workspace.

This article dives into the best practices for using productivity apps in Microsoft Teams, highlights their benefits, and explores some of the top Microsoft Teams productivity apps available.

How to use productivity apps in Microsoft Teams

Maximizing productivity in Microsoft Teams hinges on using the right mix of apps and integrations to streamline workflows and support team collaboration. Microsoft Teams apps provide versatile productivity features that enhance task management, facilitate time tracking, and keep teams organized. Here's a deeper dive into how to leverage these productivity tools within the Teams platform:

1. Task Management for Streamlined Workflows

Effective task management is central to team productivity. Many Microsoft Teams productivity apps, such as Microsoft Planner and Trello, directly offer robust project and task management capabilities within Teams. These tools allow team leaders to assign tasks, set due dates, and monitor project progress within dedicated Teams channels. This integration guarantees that all team members can access and prioritize tasks in a single location, minimizing the need to switch between multiple apps and helping everyone stay on track.

• Assigning Tasks Easily: With apps like Planner and Trello, tasks can be delegated to team members with detailed instructions, due dates, and priorities, keeping everyone aligned with project goals.
• Tracking Progress: Visual task boards and lists make it easy for everyone to see the progress of their tasks from start to finish, ensuring accountability and streamlined workflows.
• Managing Reminders and Notifications: Customizable notifications keep team members informed of upcoming deadlines or task updates, reducing missed deadlines and boosting team efficiency.

2. Time Tracking to Identify Efficiency Gaps

Tracking time is essential for monitoring productivity and identifying bottlenecks hindering team progress. Microsoft Teams apps like Timeghost and Clockify provide time-tracking tools directly within the Teams platform, making it easy to measure how long specific tasks and projects take to complete. This insight helps team leaders understand where resources might be wasted or where additional support may be needed.

• Real-Time Time Logs: These apps allow employees to log hours spent on tasks in real time, giving managers a clear view of task completion times and productivity.
• Reporting and Analysis: Detailed reports highlight where time is spent, helping leaders identify time-draining activities and improve overall task management.
• Improving Resource Allocation: By understanding the time spent on various tasks, teams can better allocate resources, guaranteeing that essential tasks have the necessary focus.

3. Calendar Integration for Organized Scheduling

Calendar integration within Microsoft Teams is crucial for coordinating schedules across the team. Apps like Outlook Calendar or Microsoft Teams' native calendar features allow users to view upcoming tasks, appointments, and deadlines in one centralized location. Calendar integrations are particularly valuable for remote and hybrid teams that rely heavily on synchronized schedules for virtual meetings and collaborative work.

• Scheduling Meetings and Events: With calendar apps, you can quickly set up and view meeting schedules, sync with your Microsoft 365 calendar, and send out calendar invites.
• Ensuring Task Visibility: Team members can see when tasks are due and when meetings are scheduled, helping everyone stay aligned on what needs to be prioritized.
• Reducing Overlaps and Conflicts: With calendar integration, teams can avoid scheduling conflicts, ensuring smoother collaboration and task hand-offs.

4. Collaboration Tools to Enhance Communication and File Sharing

Collaboration tools within Microsoft Teams support seamless communication, document sharing, and real-time collaboration. Productivity apps like SharePoint and OneDrive and collaboration-focused tools like ClickUp ensure that teams can work together smoothly by ensuring uniformity among all individuals through the utilization of shared documents, conversation threads, and real-time editing capabilities.

• File Sharing and Document Collaboration: With tools like SharePoint and OneDrive, team members can access shared files, collaborate on documents, and obtain instantaneous notifications regarding modifications, making it easy to work together on the same files.
• Teams Chat and Conversations: Integrated chat functions allow team members to have discussions directly within Teams channels, reducing the need for external email communication and ensuring that conversations are easily accessible.
• Keeping Everyone in the Loop: Collaborative tools ensure that project information, files, and updates are stored in one place, making it easy for everyone to access critical project resources and stay updated on progress.

By understanding and fully utilizing these productivity features, your team can get the most out of Microsoft Teams. When leveraged effectively, these tools boost productivity, improve team cohesion, streamline workflows, and ensure that everyone is focused on shared goals.

What are the benefits of productivity apps in Microsoft Teams?

Integrating productivity apps within Microsoft Teams brings substantial benefits, helping teams boost productivity, streamline workflows, and improve overall communication. 

Here are some of the key advantages of using Microsoft Teams productivity apps:

• Enhanced productivity: With apps like Microsoft Planner, Trello, and ClickUp, team members can manage tasks efficiently, organize projects, and monitor timelines. Microsoft Teams apps provide a structured approach to task management, helping team members focus on high-priority items and reducing wasted time.
• Improved communication: Built-in tools for video calls, group chat, and dedicated Microsoft Teams channels allow for real-time collaboration and communication. Apps that support these features, like Zoom or ClickUp, keep everyone connected and aligned on project goals and tasks.
• Employee engagement: Employee engagement tools, such as Matter, a leading employee recognition platform, help foster a positive workplace culture. Matter's integration with Microsoft Teams allows team members to give kudos, provide feedback, and celebrate wins. Recognizing contributions improves morale, enhances employee satisfaction, and builds a supportive team environment.
• Business insights and analytics: Tools like Power BI provide valuable insights by visualizing data and generating reports that help leaders make informed decisions. With Power BI integration in Microsoft Teams, teams can track performance, monitor KPIs, and create interactive reports that aid in data-driven decision-making.
• Secure environment: Microsoft Teams offers a secure environment with features like file encryption and controlled access to shared documents. Integrations with apps like Matter and Microsoft Planner adhere to stringent security standards, ensuring that data remains confidential and accessible only to authorized team members.

By choosing the right Teams apps, organizations can maximize the value of Microsoft Teams, foster a positive work culture, and enable team members to be engaged and productive.

3 Paid Productivity Apps for Microsoft Teams

Here are three top productivity apps for Microsoft Teams that enhance team collaboration, task management, and organization. While each app offers valuable free features, opting for a paid plan unlocks additional tools and support for a more comprehensive productivity experience.

1. Matter

About Matter: Matter is an employee recognition and feedback platform designed to strengthen team culture and boost employee engagement. Through its seamless integration with Microsoft Teams, Matter allows team members to show appreciation for each other's contributions with customizable kudos recognition, coins, and feedback. By promoting a culture of gratitude, Matter helps teams celebrate achievements, foster positive relationships, and enhance collaboration.

• Kudos and coins: Matter's kudos feature lets team members send personalized recognitions for contributions that align with company values. Coins can be awarded alongside kudos, which team members can redeem for employee rewards.
• Feedback Fridays and custom templates: Matter offers custom templates and reminders for regular recognition events, such as Feedback Fridays or Thank-You Thursdays, helping to keep feedback consistent and meaningful.
• Engagement analytics: With in-depth analytics, managers gain insights into employee engagement and the impact of recognition, supporting data-driven decisions for a thriving workplace culture.

Integrating Matter into Microsoft Teams helps create an inclusive, appreciative workplace where team members feel valued, supported, and encouraged to operate at their highest potential.

2. Remind

About Remind: Remind is an intuitive tool that keeps your team on top of important tasks, meetings, and deadlines. By setting reminders for yourself, specific teammates, or entire channels, Remind helps reduce missed deadlines and forgotten tasks. Simply type a reminder command into the Microsoft Teams chat with a "what" and "when" pattern, such as "send the report by 3 pm," and Remind takes care of the rest.

• Personalized and team reminders: Remind allows users to set one-time or recurring reminders, which can be viewed and managed through a tab within a Teams channel.
• Outlook and Office integration: With Remind's integration with Outlook and Office, users can set reminders across multiple platforms, ensuring tasks don't slip through the cracks.
• Centralized reminder management: The app's reminders tab offers a single location to view and adjust all reminders, making it effortless to maintain organization and monitor numerous duties.

Remind is an excellent choice for teams juggling multiple priorities, helping everyone stay aligned and organized within the Teams app.

3. ClickUp

About ClickUp: ClickUp is a powerful, all-in-one productivity platform offering task management, project tracking, and collaboration tools. With its wide range of features, ClickUp is ideal for teams that need a flexible tool to oversee all aspects, from routine assignments to intricate initiatives. ClickUp's integration with Microsoft Teams allows users to create, assign, and track tasks directly within the Teams platform, making it one of the best productivity apps for Microsoft Teams.

• Customizable ClickApps add-ons: ClickUp's ClickApps provide additional customization options for your team, allowing you to tailor the platform to your project's specific needs.
• Real-time notifications and task updates: Stay updated on task progress and changes by subscribing to spaces, folders, or lists in ClickUp, helping everyone stay informed.
• Rich task management tools: ClickUp allows users to search for and attach tasks directly to Teams conversations, streamlining project-related discussions and ensuring all relevant information is easily accessible.

ClickUp's seamless integration with Microsoft Teams boosts productivity by providing tools for organized, transparent project management, helping teams meet deadlines and stay aligned on goals.

4. Decisions

About Decisions: Decisions is a versatile meeting management tool that optimizes both virtual and in-person meetings within Microsoft Teams. With features allowing teams to set agendas, assign presenters, track time, and vote on decisions, Decisions ensure that meetings are productive, organized, and focused on actionable outcomes.

• Agenda builder and custom templates: Create detailed agendas with descriptions and attachments, then share them in Teams channels so everyone is prepared ahead of the meeting.
• Time-tracking for meetings: Keep meetings on schedule with built-in time-tracking, ensuring discussions stay productive and goal-oriented.
• Task syncing with Microsoft Planner and To-Do: Automatically sync tasks and decisions from meetings with Microsoft Planner and To-Do, ensuring follow-ups are managed efficiently.

Decisions is an ideal Microsoft Teams app for teams looking to optimize their meeting productivity and ensure that each session results in clear action items, helping team members stay organized and productive.

These Microsoft Teams apps offer valuable enhancements to task management, collaboration, and employee engagement. For a seamless and positive team environment, Matter provides an easy way to integrate employee recognition and rewards directly within the Microsoft Teams platform. By utilizing these productivity apps, teams can improve workflows, maintain team alignment, and create a culture of continuous recognition and feedback.

3 free productivity apps for Microsoft Teams

Exploring free productivity apps for Microsoft Teams offers a cost-effective way to enhance team collaboration and efficiency without financial commitments. Here are the top three free productivity apps available for Microsoft Teams, each packed with features to help you streamline workflows and keep your team organized.

1. Trello

Trello is a versatile project management instrument that supports team collaboration in a visual, engaging way. It enables teams to boost productivity by organizing tasks on visual boards, making tracking progress and managing workloads easier. Trello's integration with Microsoft Teams allows users to view cards, lists, and boards and manage tasks directly within the Teams environment.

Key features include:

• Establish deadlines to ensure adherence to the timeline
• Mark cards as complete to track task progress
• Add a Trello board as a tab within Teams channels for easy access
• Use the message extension to share Trello card information in conversations

With Trello, project management becomes simple and accessible, helping teams stay aligned and organized as they move tasks forward.

2. Asana

Asana is another powerful task management app that works seamlessly within Microsoft Teams. It's ideal for tracking project progress, setting clear deadlines, and managing team workloads. This app's interface makes it easy for teams to stay organized and on top of project details. 

Key features of Asana for Microsoft Teams include:

• Create lists and manage them directly in Teams
• Invite team members to join a collaborative workspace
• Organize tasks with labels and color-coded categories for easy navigation
• Assign tasks to team members and set deadlines
• Receive notifications when tasks are created, completed, or updated

Asana keeps the team aligned and informed on project statuses, ensuring that all tasks are completed efficiently and on time.

3. Azure Boards

Azure Boards is a project tracking tool built into the Microsoft Teams environment, making it easy for development teams to organize and manage their workflows. Designed with agile project management in mind, Azure Boards helps teams create tasks, assign deadlines, and track work progress seamlessly. 

Key features of Azure Boards include:

• Visualize team workloads with a Kanban board to monitor project status
• Create and prioritize tasks based on project needs
• Assign tasks to specific team members, allowing for clear accountability
• Customize fields to fit team and project requirements
• Access board analytics to gain insights into team productivity and project timelines

With Azure Boards, teams can monitor progress in real-time, ensuring that projects remain on schedule and deadlines are adhered to. This tool provides a robust solution for managing complex projects directly in Microsoft Teams.

Get started with free productivity apps

These free productivity apps in Microsoft Teams enable businesses to optimize collaboration and task management without additional costs. Whether your team needs visual task boards with Trello, comprehensive project tracking with Asana, or agile workflow management with Azure Boards, these tools are essential for improving team productivity and maintaining organized project workflows. Try one or more of these free apps to boost your team's efficiency and keep everyone on the same page.

Improve collaboration with Microsoft Teams productivity apps

Microsoft Teams productivity apps empower teams to collaborate more effectively, streamline repetitive tasks, and stay focused on their goals. By integrating essential tools like Matter, ClickUp, and Power BI, the Teams platform becomes a powerful hub for managing all the tools necessary to drive productivity and collaboration. These apps bring advanced features like automated workflows, business intelligence, and easy access to shared resources, creating a unified, customized workspace that aligns with each team's specific needs.

Using Microsoft Teams apps helps team members maintain seamless communication, manage projects, and access internal resources all within one platform. Productivity apps in Teams simplify task management, allow for real-time collaboration, and help teams stay on the same page, making it easier to coordinate project goals and track progress. For instance, integrating a survey app or business intelligence tools like Power BI gives teams valuable insights into project performance and employee engagement, supporting data-driven decision-making.

To maximize the impact of Microsoft Teams, choose productivity apps that cater to your team's unique requirements. Whether your focus is on tracking progress, automating repetitive tasks, fostering team member engagement, or enhancing business intelligence, the right Microsoft Teams app transforms your workspace into a hub of productivity and efficient collaboration.

9 tips for Microsoft Teams productivity apps

Here are some essential tips to help you maximize the use of Microsoft Teams productivity apps:

1. Leverage app features: Explore each app's features to ensure maximum utility for your team's goals.
2. Customize workspaces: Tailor apps like ClickUp to match your team's specific workflows and preferences.
3. Set reminders and notifications: Keep track of important tasks and meetings with custom notifications.
4. Encourage team connection: Use recognition tools like Matter to motivate team members and build a supportive environment.
5. Integrate existing tools: Sync your email, calendar, and other apps with Teams for a seamless workflow.
6. App search: Use the app search function to quickly find relevant apps for different tasks.
7. Combine apps: Pair apps like Planner and Power BI for comprehensive project management and performance insights.
8. Monitor progress: Use analytics and real-time updates to keep track of team progress on tasks.
9. Boost employee engagement: Implement Matter to create a culture of recognition and motivation.

With these tips and the top Microsoft Teams productivity apps, you can ensure that your team remains organized, engaged, and productive. Improve your workplace efficiency and collaboration by integrating Matter and other essential tools into your Teams environment.

Microsoft Teams productivity apps are game-changers for fostering collaboration, automating workflows, and driving team productivity. Integrating tools like Matter allows your team to create a supportive, engaged workplace where everyone feels valued. Apps within Microsoft Teams enable seamless communication, organized task management, and insightful business intelligence—all in one central platform designed for modern teams.

Take your team engagement and productivity to the next level with Matter, the ultimate app for employee recognition and feedback within Microsoft Teams. Matter brings appreciation to the forefront by allowing team members to celebrate each other's contributions, fostering a culture of recognition that enhances morale and motivation. Ready to build a stronger, more collaborative team? Get started with Matter for free today in your Microsoft Teams environment and experience the positive impact firsthand!