Although the number of commercial enterprises relying on Skype for business needs has likely dwindled in recent years, we're guessing there are still quite a few users being forced to move to Microsoft Teams with Skype's demise. As you probably know by now, Skype is being discontinued on May 5 of this year.

Business customers need to be prepared well in advance. Fortunately, Microsoft announced the end of Skype in late February. Those organizations that got a quick jump on things are likely ready to go with Teams. Those that still haven't started preparations are running out of time.

Streamlining Online Communications

Skype was originally launched in 2003 to provide peer-to-peer video services around the world. Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011. A lot has changed since then. From Microsoft's perspective, the development of their Teams platform has outpaced Skype development by a lot. Skype now seems irrelevant given what users can do with MS Teams.

The decision to retire Skype was actually more about consumers than commercial users. Microsoft says the decision is intended to "streamline our free consumer communications offerings" and better adapt to user needs. Both consumer and commercial users will find that MS Teams offers even more functionality than Skype.

Signing Into MS Teams

In their February announcement, Microsoft indicated that Skype users would eventually be able to login to MS Teams using their Skype credentials. We assume it's now possible. In addition, logging in with Skype credentials gives users access to all their contacts and saved chats.

Users can take advantage of a specialized tool for exporting Skype data, history, and contacts. The tool is made available by Microsoft from within Skype. Microsoft recommends creating backup data during the migration process. This is especially important for commercial users.

Specific Recommendations for Businesses

Our specific recommendation for businesses begins with the concept of early adoption. The earlier organizations begin familiarizing themselves with Microsoft Teams, the easier the transition to the new platform should be. Again, business users are running out of time. We also recommend:

• Investing in Training – Training employees in MS Teams will facilitate a smoother transition with less friction across the board.

• Data Migration – Consider going beyond just backing up Skype data. Utilize Microsoft's tool to fully migrate that data to Teams.

• Integration Testing – In cases where organizations are integrating MS Teams with other software products, now is the time to begin testing such integrations.

Business users with eligible subscriptions can take advantage of FastTrack support from Microsoft. You can learn more about FastTrack support here. Also note that some Microsoft partners can provide the necessary support.

Everything You Need, And More

On a more personal note, we understand that transitioning from trusted software to an unknown product can seem daunting. In addition, there is always the risk of the new software product giving you less than the old one. But that's not the case here. Microsoft Teams offers Skype users everything they are already used to – and a lot more.

Microsoft Teams offers:

• Video calls and messaging.

• File sharing capabilities.

• Similar workflows.

• Enhance collaboration features.

• The latest in communication technologies.

This is one case in which there is no need to fear moving to new software. Microsoft Teams is a top-of-the-line product and a leader in online communication and collaboration. There is a good chance you will not miss Skype once you've had time to really dig into Teams.

Opkalla is a trusted Microsoft partner and leading provider of IT solutions. Contact us for help with all your Microsoft licensing and support needs.