Skype for Business User Tip #50: Using Microsoft Flow to Send a Skype4B IM or Create Online Meeting

Today’s Skype for Business user tip comes from @ErwinBierens.

Microsoft Flow now gives access to send instant messages and create a new online meeting. Here is how:
https://erwinbierens.com/microsoft-flow-skype-for-business-connector/

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/connectors/skypeforbiz/

For a ton more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/Skype4BUserTip

Skype for Business User Tip #49: Using IM Consult Transfer and Audio Consult Transfer

Microsoft Skype for Business has recently got an update that allows IM (Instant Message) or audio consult transfer from the PC client.

Instant Message Consult Transfer

If you would like to do consult transfers using IM, go to Option | Call Forwarding and Check “Send IMs when consulting to confirm transfers”

Now let’s go through how an IM consult transfer works. First, get a call.

Next click Call Control | Consult [transfer] and now select a Contact.

Now you will see the consult using IM window.

Now you can IM (1) a contact and verify they want to receive the call. If they wish to (2) receive the call, you can click Transfer (3) at the top of the window.

Now the call will be transferred to the contact using Blind Transfer.

Audio Consult Transfer

If you would like to do audio consult transfers, go to Option | Call Forwarding and UNcheck “Send IMs when consulting to confirm transfers”.

Now lets walk through a transfer after receiving a call.

Click Call Control | Consult [transfer] and now select a Contact.

Now an audio call will be established with the person you want to consult and request to transfer a call to them. (Below)

To complete the audio consult transfer, click Transfer in upper right of the window.

NOTE: Unlike Skype for Business consult transfers in the past, the caller & remote party will not be immediately connected. The consult call will be hung up and the person you just consulted will receive another audio call which will be the remote party.

Summary

This is a great new feature in Skype for Business. A few things I would note:

• Unlike Skype for Business consult transfers in the past, the caller & remote party will not be immediately connected. The consult call will be hung up and the person you just consulted will receive another audio call which will be the remote party.
• A user cannot decide at the point of the transfer whether they want to do an IM transfer or audio transfer using the consult button, but the can, of course, just IM a contact and then blind transfer (Transfer) a call to the other contact.

For a ton more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/Skype4BUserTip

Skype for Business User Tip #48: Quick Jump to Contact or Group

Here is a method to quickly jump to a Contact or Group in a Skype for Business Contact list that I didn’t know existed.

First, lets be clear that this is not Skype for Business Search. This features allows you to quickly jump from one Skype for Business Group or Contact to another when a Skype for Business contact list item (Contact or Group) is selected. This is how is works:

• Click on [1] Contacts | [2] Groups
• Select a [3] Group or Contact
• [4] Now Just type first letter of a Contact or Group to jump to it
• Just type the first letter of the first name to cycle through matching Contacts & Groups
• Another way (a bit more hit or miss) is to just start typing the first several characters of the Group or Contact you want to jump to
• When a contact is selected you can press Enter Enter to send an IM to the contact
  

Notes

• Only Contacts in Open Contact Groups will be jumped to
• Works in Groups, Status, etc

More Skype for Business Contact List Navigation Keys (When Contact or Group Selected)

• Home - Top of Skype for Business contact list
• Arrow keys – Up & Down an item
• Enter (on a Contact) – Show Contact IM, Call, Video, Contact Card, Other Options
• Escape – Allow Arrow key navigation again
• Enter + Enter (on a Contact) - Will send an instant message to the currently selected contact
• Enter (on a Group) – Open / Close Group Toggle

As always, welcome your feedback.

For a ton more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/Skype4BUserTip

Skype for Business User Tip #47: Find & Replace Contacts that Changed

So you are notified that a contact has changed their SIP address and now you want to update your Skype for Business client. How do you find all the “Contact Lists”/Groups this contact is in? Actually not too hard.

First, search for the contact in Skype for Business.

Next click on “More Options” and then “Add to Contacts List” and now you will see a list of all the Contact Lists/Groups that have this contact in them in a light gray font.

Now you can add the new contact in each group and then delete the old contact and your done.

Enjoy Skype for Business & see you next time!

For a ton more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/Skype4BUserTip

Skype for Business User Tip #46: Projecting a Mobile Device Into a Skype for Business Meeting

Recently I was doing a presentation where I wanted to demonstrate the user interface of several mobile apps. What is a simple way to get, say, an Android phone (or other devices that can miracast) projecting into a Skype for Business meeting?

Windows 10’s new “Project to a PC” feature comes to the rescue! Here is the overview:

• On PC1 configure “Projecting to this PC”
• Connect MobileDevice1 to the PC1
• Share PC’s screen in a Skype for Business meeting

Now we’ll do step by step.

On PC1 configure “Projecting to this PC”

On a Windows 10 PC with the latest updates, click on start and type “Projecting to this PC” and open.

Configure the “Projecting to this PC” settings to look like the below.

Note: In spite of the warning that “this device might have trouble…” it worked fine for me. I have noticed that it is a bit hit and miss with which mobile + PC combinations work, so I suggest testing before you meeting!

Now on MobileDevice1 find your “Cast” feature which is usually under Settings | Display on Android devices.

Tap on the PC1 (In this case JN-PC03) and  it should  connect.

If l went well, the MobileDevice1’s screen should  be projecting on PC1

[mobile project to PC picture here]

Now you will need  to get the Connect app out of full screen mode by holding your mouse at the top center of the screen.

So now go into an active Skype for Business Meeting and  share the Windows 10 “Connect” app/window, right? Wrong, Skype for Business does not recognize a Windows 10 Universal Apps (Windows Store app) as a legitimate Window or Application to be shared in a Skype for Business meeting.

But this is just a momentary bump in  the road. We will just share our Windows 10 desktop/Monitor and Full Screen the “Connect” app. And voila! we are (wirelessly) presentting a mobile phone in a Skype for Business meeting!

The experience of others in the meeting looks like the below.

Or in landscape view (tilt the mobile phone)

Some observations:

• The lag is not to bad in my tests
• You can also use this method  to wirelessly & adhoc bring a PC desktop into a meeting (but of course, they have Skype for Business, so why not just join the meeting, eh?)
• All Windows 10 Connect App limitations apply of course

 

For a ton more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/Skype4BUserTip

Skype for Business User Tip #45: Dial a Number from Outlook Contact Using Skype for Business

 

Want to dial a phone number from a Microsoft Outlook Contact? You might expect a “dial” button somewhere near each phone number, instead you find this functionality in Contact | More | Call.

If Skype for Business client is installed it will dial the phone number using Skype for Business.

If you have only one Phone Number for this Contact, or you want to dial the first phone number, you can save one click by just clicking Contact | More | Call. This will dial the first phone number if there are more than one.

Another way to save another click is to add a shortcut to the “Quick Access Toolbar”. Click on More | Call and then right click on Call and “Add to Quick Access Toolbar”. (as shown below)

Now you will have one click access to dial a phone number from an Outlook Contact.

One last interesting thing I’ve noticed is that where you create the “Quick Access Toolbar” shortcut from is significant. 

1. Right clicking on “Call” creates a shortcut that dials only the first Phone Number on a Contact (see below)
2. Right clicking on the phone number list creates a shortcut with a dropdown that gives the opportunity to select a specific phone number. (see below)

Corresponding shortcuts created.

 

For more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/Skype4BUserTip

Skype for Business User Tip #44: Which of Multiple Incoming RGS/Call Queue Calls Will Be Answered First?

Interestingly not all Skype for Business endpoints handle answering Response Group Service / Call Queue calls with the same logic. When multiple calls are coming from a RGS /Call Queue, which will be answered?

For example: Let’s say you have 3 incoming calls from your “FrontDesk” Response Group (or Cloud PBX Call Queue). On your Skype for Business client you will see 3 incoming call toasts. If you press the button on your USB headset, which call will be answered? (LIFO = Last Incoming Call/Oldest Incoming/Longest Ringing will be answered first. FIFO = First Incoming Call/Newest Incoming/Shortest Ringing will be answered first.)

 

Skype for Business endpoint	Answer Method	Behavior
Skype for Business PC client	[Window + Shift + O]	LIFO
USB headset	Headset button	LIFO
Polycom CX300 USB	Pickup handset	LIFO
Yealink IP phone	Pickup handset	LIFO
Lync Phone Edition IP Phone (Polycom CX600/HP 4120/etc)	Pickup handset	FIFO

Of course, if you click on a specific incoming call toast, that call will be answered.

For a ton more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/Skype4BUserTip

Skype for Business User Quick Tip #43: Add a Menu Item to Meet Now in Your Dedicated User Meeting Space

Anthony Caragol has done a nice write up on how to add a “Meet Now in Dedicated User Meeting Space” which I wanted to include in this “Skype for Business User Quick Tip” series:
http://www.skypeadmin.com/2016/09/12/add-a-skype-menu-item-for-meet-now-dedicated/

For a ton more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/Skype4BUserTip

Skype for Business User Quick Tip #42: Using Multiple Audio Devices Without Surprises

In general the Skype for Business client supports more than one audio device and handles the multiple devices well, but there are some gotchas that are worth noting to ensure the experience includes no surprises. Two items to be aware of:

• Users cannot select the audio device for the next call while that call is Ringing from the Skype for Business client.
• The Skype for Business client will no longer “see” (it will lose call control) a call that is answered using an “Aries” series IP Phone connected to a PC w/Better Together which is not the default/Primary Skype for Business audio device.

We will illustrate where these gotchas might show using the two scenarios described below.

One possible configuration if a user is trying to replicate all the functionality of an IP desk phone (handset & speakerphone) is:

• Skype for Business client
• Headset (Default Skype for Business audio device)
• Speaker phone (Like Jabra Speak 410 or 510)

In this scenario the headset will likely be the default Skype for Business audio device. This means that if the user clicks to accept an incoming audio call toast the audio will be on the headset for this call.

But what happens if Skype for Business client is configured this way and the user receives an incoming call toast and they want to answer using the speaker phone audio device?

• IF the user presses the Answer button on the Jabra Speak (for example) the call will be answered & the audio will be on the Jabra Speak (all is good!)
• If the user tries to answer using the Skype for Business client, they will likely get a slightly unexpected experience.
  • If, while the incoming call is ringing, the user tries to change the default Skype for Business audio device (using the “Select Primary Device” at the bottom of the Skype for Business client—shown above) and then answer the call using the Skype for Business client…the audio will be sent to the previously set headset because WHEN SKYPE FOR BUSINESS IS RINGING YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE DEFAULT AUDIO DEVICE. (what the user has just done is change the default Skype for Business audio device FOR THE NEXT CALL.)
  • What the user will now need to do from the Skype for Business client to get the audio to the appropriate device is the following steps:
    • On the Current Conversation window: Call Controls | Devices | “Switch your device”

This scenario is merely to demonstrate that there is no way to select (from the Skype for Business client) which audio device will answer the call while Skype for Business client is ringing. If the audio device has an “Answer” button (in some cases: see below) it will direct the audio to that device.

Another common scenario is a user having a USB headset and an IP phone with Better Together so the user can answer either device:

• Skype for Business client (w/Integration to some PC level CEBP integration)
• USB Headset (Default Skype for Business audio device)
• IP Phone (Polycom CX600 w/Better Together)
• Polycom VVX w/BTOE

This combination brings another possible confusing scenario. Let’s say generally the user is taking calls using the USB headset. They have a PC integration they depend on that does call pop (Using the Skype for Business client SDK) For a particular call they “fall back” and answer using the Polycom CX600 connected to the PC using USB Better Together instead of the Default/Primary USB headset. The call will “disappear” from the Skype for Business client since the CX600 phone is not the Default/Primary audio device, even though it is connected to the PC via Better Together. (USB or Better Together over Ethernet.)

So to recap:

• Users cannot select the audio device for the next call while that call is Ringing from the Skype for Business client.
• The Skype for Business client will no longer “see” (it will lose call control) a call that is answered using an “Aries” series IP Phone connected to a PC w/Better Together which is not the default/Primary Skype for Business audio device.

Enjoy Skype for Business & see you next time!

For a ton more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/Skype4BUserTip

Skype for Business User QuickTip #41: How to Save Meeting Participant List Using OneNote

You are in a Skype for Business meeting and you would like to get a list of all the participants and their Skype for Business ID/Email. How do you do it? You are correct there is no “Select All” and Copy. You could “Open Participant List” (shown below) and try to screenshot the participant list, but this is problematic in large meetings and because it does not give you an actionable list.

What is a much more elegant way to do this? Microsoft OneNote! Skype for Business meetings have a “My Notes” feature under “Present” which will nicely export all the participants of the current meeting. Just click Present | My Notes |

Now you will be prompted to select which OneNote Notebook you wish to send the meeting to.

The OneNote Meeting Note will now be created. (below)

Someone attending a Skype for Business meeting as an “Attendee” can create “My Notes” with participant list. (does not need to be a “Presenter”). If the meeting has IM/Participant List restricted they will not be able to get the participant list.

The Participant List in the newly created OneNote is interactive in several ways:

• You can Collapse/Expand the participant list. (especially helpful for large meetings)
• Single click on a participant name/hyperlink to send an email to them.
• Hover over a participant name/hyperlink to open the Skype for Business/Outlook Contact Card. (Shown below, same functionality as Outlook)
  • 
• You can email this list to all participants by clicking “Email Page” in OneNote.
• How to collect a list of all the email addresses/Skype4B ID’s that participated in a meeting?
  • Click Email Page” and then copy and paste the email address list from the “To:” of the unsent email.
• How to see the presence of Participants of a Meeting at a glance? (Post Meeting)
  • Click Email Page” and then take a look at the “To:” of the unsent Outlook message.
  • 
• Very Cool: If new people join the Skype for Business meeting after you have created the OneNote page they will be added to the participants in OneNote. (see below: contacts that have joined the meeting after it was initially created. It seems to update live.)

Limitations

• No way to see the presence of each participant embedded in the OneNote page. (you will need to hover)

Notes

• The “In Attendance” Tag/Icon can be checked/unchecked but doesn’t seem to have importance other than visual
• If a participant joins the meeting and then leaves again, they will be added and stay in the Participants in OneNote
• Participant List can be sent to OneNote even if it is a large meeting and users see the “The full participant list isn’t available for large meetings.” (below)
• 

While Skype for Business “My Notes” might not be specifically designed to “export participants” it doesn’t do a bad job of it.

For a ton more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/LyncUserTip

Skype for Business User QuickTip #40: Easily See Presence & Call Contacts in Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet Columns

Ever get an Excel spreadsheet that has a column of contact phone numbers (or, even better yet, Skype for Business SIP URIs…) that you need to call? Calling though a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet list can be made a lot easier with a little work.

Skype for Business can handle URL beginning with SIP: or TEL:. We will leverage this by simply making 2 columns with the below formula’s. Replace the “A3” with the column/cell that has your SIP URI’s in it and likewise with the TEL:.

=HYPERLINK("sip:" & A3)

=HYPERLINK("tel:" & C3)

So first type in the formula and then drag the new formula down to the bottom of the column. Repeat for “tel:”

Now when you click on a SIP URI you will see the presence and have all Skype for Business modalities like IM, Call, Voicemail, Video, Collaborate available. With an additional click you can dial this Skype for Business contact. Or you can hover over the Contact name and see more information in the “Contact Card.” If your company has open federation enabled you will be surprised how many other contact have Skype for Business federation available!

For a ton more cool User Tips, get the Skype for Business User Tips & Tricks for Anyone Free eBook

See the other Skype for Business User QuickTips (formerly known as Lync)
http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/search/label/LyncUserTip