How Microsoft Teams Calls App for Slack Works

Slack and Microsoft Teams have surprised industry watchers by adding a "Microsoft Teams Calls" Slack app. A question is: How does this work? Let's install and see.

Setup

First you will need a Slack and Teams account. Sign into Slack and go to: https://slack.com/app-pages/teams-calls. Click "Add to Slack"


Now you will get a Slack permission. Next Teams permissions. (screen shots coming)

Create & Join Meetings

In essence you will now have a "/teams-calls" bot in Slack that you can create a meeting in any Slack channel. (Essentially the user creates a message which has a link to a Teams meeting.) Using the Join button on the message others in the Slack channel can join the meeting. (as Guest of course if they don't have a Teams account.)

From my test the time "Meeting started xx ago." is when the meeting was created. The only user that shows for me is the user that created the meeting. If more people join the meeting, the do not show up in the bot post in the channel.

The below example was created 10 minutes ago. I joined the meeting 5 minutes ago. And another user joined after that, but does not show in the channel link to the meeting.

Calls

Slack has a call button at the top of the screen. It looks you can set this call button to use Microsoft Teams. I suspect this will use the protocol handler to dial a call using Microsoft Teams (similar to how Outlook and webpages dial from Teams) but I could not get this feature to work.

Summary

Attendant Pro Q2-2020 Update: Additional Advanced Search Filters & Stability Enhancements

Below is a summary of the new features in the Q2-2020 update for Attendant Pro, which can be downloaded here as a MSI Installer.

Updates:

• Fix several issues causing AP to crash
• Fix issue where an RGS/Queue call could cause AP to steal focus from another app
• Fix issue where hold time is not reported correctly if call is transferred while on hold
• Add ability to use these fields as advanced search filters: emailaddress, sipaddress, mobilephone, and workphone
• Changed Search_DbSearchFilter to use contains instead of equals
• Search prefilter works correctly even if not using filterfield:(filterterm) syntax
• Org info can be retrieved for unknown or invalid contacts by setting these hidden properties to true: 
• GetOrgInfoForUnknownTypeContacts and GetOrgInfoForInvalidTypeContacts
• Switched these properties to string arrays so they can be set from registry using multi string value keys: 
• Search_DbSearchFilter, Search_PublicFolderList, Search_PersonalContactFolderList

Additional Advanced Search Filters

Add ability to use these fields as advanced search filters: emailaddress, sipaddress, mobilephone, and workphone.

Update on Landis Technologies Native Attendant Console for Microsoft Teams

Landis Technologies is eager to create a native Microsoft Teams attendant console, but at this time Microsoft has not provided the needed Client API/SDK to create this solution. You can help by voting on this Teams UserVoice item.

Solution Today: Teams Attendant Console Using Skype for Business Client Interop

In the interim, a few things we have done to make Attendant Pro facilitate Microsoft Teams:

• A user interface that looks just like Microsoft Teams
• The ability to select Microsoft Teams Teams and transfer to users
• Ability to search & transfer to Teams users using our AD search

To use Attendant Pro in a Microsoft Teams environment means installing the Skype for Business client and using interop between Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business. How to configure this and the limitations are available in this Landis knowledge base article.

We think that this is the best client only attendant console solution available at the moment.

We Are Already Working on Code for a Native Attendant Console for Microsoft Teams

We already have some portions of the SDK that we will need to create an attendant console for Microsoft Teams and have already code to do portions of the next generation, native Microsoft Teams Attendant Console:

• Microsoft Teams App
• Integrated Microsoft Sign In
• Teams and Teams Contacts display & search
• Statistics inside Microsoft Teams client

To create a fully working client based attendant console solution will require additional client SDK/API's that Microsoft hasn't released yet. Microsoft has not given an ETA on a Client SDK/API at this time.

What Can You Do? Vote for Microsoft to Create a Teams Client SDK/API on UserVoice

Vote here:
https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/38534776-full-teams-client-api-including-call-control

Attendant Pro Q3-2019 Update: Searchable Note Field, Custom Contact Fields, Improved Japanese Translation, More

Below is a summary of the new features in the Q3-2019 update for Attendant Pro, which can be downloaded here as a MSI Installer.

• New Features
• Ability to add custom searchable columns in the advanced search CSV file.
• Enhancement
• Improved Japanese translation with human translations provided by Japanese partner SMX.
• Update Click-Once update so that it doesn't use the native method to prompt user to install
• user.config file reliability enhancements
• Backup user-config on Attendant Pro exit and import config backup if existing config appears to be corrupt when starting Attendant Pro.
• Bugs Fixed
• Bug Fix: If there is an invalid regex for the call pop phone number, the incoming call toast will now appear.
• Bug Fix: When performing a normal consult transfer, the initial call no longer shows the error message "Previous transfer to this contact failed" when making the call to the consultee.
• Bug Fix: When executing a blank "property" search like department:() we now show "No Results" instead of returning all contacts.

Ability to search and display additional contact fields

You can now add additional columns to the advanced search csv contact list. These additional columns will be imported and are shown in the Contact Details. They can be searched, even as a specific search field. They can also be added to the Contact Card using the Configurable Contact Layouts.

Landis SEFAUtil Server Q3-2019 Update: Skype for Business Server 2019 Support, New Get-CsUserDelegates & Get-CsUserTeamMembers Cmdlets & More

Landis Technologies' SEFAUtil Server for Skype for Business Server 2019, 2015 & Lync Server 2013.


New Features

•  Updated to work with Skype for Business Server 2019
•  Added a Get-CsUserDelegates and Get-CsUserTeamMembers cmdlets 

Enhancements

• Improved the output of the Get-CsUserForwarding cmdlet to more closely mirror the SfB client
• To get the old output, use the -V1 cmdlet
•  Improved the output of Set-CsUserForwarding, Set-CsUserDelegates, Set-CsUserTeamMembers, Set-CsUserNote, and Set-CsUserPresence.
• We behave like Set-CsUser in that when a change is made, there is no output. 
• When nothing changes, we show a warning. 
• Improved error messages when sip address not found.
• Improved error message when trying to forward to a delegate but no delegate set.

Bug Fixes

• When adding delegates, we now only mark to Receive Calls the delegates that you are adding. All other delegates not marked to Receive Calls will remain unmarked. When removing delegates, we now only remove delegates that are checked to receive calls. 
• Previously, the SEFAUtil Server user was added to the Workgroup relationship of the user being changed. We removed that behavior and instead added a setting named AllowIMBotNotifyUserWhenDND which when set to true will temporarily add the SEFAUtil Server user to the Workgroup relationship so that it can notify the user if on DND but it will then be removed again. 
• Fix issue with AddRemoveDelegates where we were doing a case sensitive comparison that caused some delegates to be removed 
• Improved handling when setting call forwarding to a number and using the tel: prefix 
• If calls are being forwarded to another number (Other Destination) and you use the Set-CsUserForwarding cmdlet to change to sim ring or forwarding disabled, we clear out the other destination which sets unanswered calls back to voicemail. This is the same behavior as the SfB client. 

Notes

• Licensing in product updated to match actual licensing. 
• Requires .Net Framework 4.7.2
• The SEFAUtilServerService.exe.config file contains the parts needed for Skype for Business 2015 or Lync Server 2013 but commented out 
• We have tested this update against Skype for Business Server 2015 and 2019 but not Lync Server 2013. 

Upgrade Instructions

To upgrade SEFAUtil Server, just uninstall the old version and install the new version. You do not need to run any Trusted Application cmdlets when doing an upgrade. If you have made edits to the SEFAUtilServerService.exe.config file or the SSAdminPermissions.txt file, make a backup of those files before uninstalling SEFAUtil Server.

To run SEFAUtil Server against Lync Server 2013 or Skype for Business Server 2015, open the SEFAUtilServerService.exe.config file in the installation directory and make the following edits: 

To get the update click here.

Landis Technologies to Demonstrate First Native Microsoft Teams Contact Center at Comms vNext

Ephrata, USA - 5/31/2019 - Landis Technologies will do a walk through of their Office 365 Contact Center for Microsoft Teams at Comms vNext. They are emphasizing as core characteristics of their native contact center that it is very simple to setup, looks just like Microsoft Teams, already has the most needed features & tightly connected to Office 365 via integrations to Flow & PowerApps.

"We are excited to be showing our native Teams Contact Center to the Microsoft community. Much of the native Microsoft Teams contact center functionality we demonstrate at Comms vNext, like native Agent Panel, Call Recording & Microsoft Flow integration will be for first time publicly." noted Landis Technologies owner, Matt Landis.

Landis Technologies is a platinum sponsor of Comms vNext and provides Attendant Console & Contact Center for Microsoft Teams & Skype for Business.

Wendell Martin, head of Global Sales at Landis Technologies, notes that the Office 365 Contact Center native Microsoft Teams functionality release “will coincide with Microsoft Calling APIs completion and General Availability”. He noted "We are ready to provide this functionality to the Teams Community when Microsoft is ready."

Comms vNext Session: https://commsvnext.com/sessions/landis-technologies-session/

Office 365 Contact Center Home: http://landistechnologies.com/office365contactcenter

Attendant Pro Home: http://landistechnologies.com/attendantpro

About Landis Technologies LLC

Landis Technologies is a Microsoft Gold Partner which has been focusing on Microsoft technologies since 1995. Landis Technologies is known internationally for deep knowledge around Microsoft Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams & Office 365 and was the first to deliver a client-based Skype for Business & Office 365 attendant console to the market. Landis Technologies has provided Skype for Business software & solutions to customers in over 50 countries via a network of over 200 Microsoft Partners. Landis Technologies is headquartered in Ephrata Pennsylvania. http://www.landistechnologies.com

Contact: sales@landiscomputer.com

Attendant Pro Q1-2019 Update: Improved Office 365 Sign In & Better Advanced Search Experience

Below is a summary of the new features in Q1-2019 (January 2019) update for Attendant Pro, which can be downloaded here as MSI installer.

• Improved Office 365 OAuth sign in for users whose UPN doesn’t match their email address.
• Advanced Search: Improvements in cancelling currently executing search when new searches are executed in rapid succession.

Update on Microsoft Teams Attendant Console Functionality

Landis Technologies is planning to bring attendant console functionality to Microsoft Teams as soon as Microsoft provides the client call control API’s necessary to do so. In the mean time the Attendant Pro can provide receptionist functionality using Skype to Teams Interop and our Microsoft Teams user interface (as shown below).

Using Skype to Teams Interop involves having the attendant console user be a Skype for Business user and being logged into the Skype for Business client. Calls are routed to this Skype for Business user who can transfer to Microsoft Teams user via Skype/Teams Interop.

We understand that this is an interim solution and are eager to provide a native solution.