Recently, I was talking with someone about technology adoption and how they could better integrate Microsoft Teams and other Microsoft 365 tools into their daily workflows. As we talked, I showed her several features and shortcuts that I use regularly. To me, they seemed completely ordinary. But over and over, her response was “I didn’t know you could do that.”

It reminded me of a quote that’s been attributed to several people: “What’s ordinary to you is extraordinary to others.” The same principle applies far beyond technology. Many of us underestimate the value of our experiences, knowledge, and skills because we use them every day. We assume everyone else knows what we know, but they often don’t.

Whether it’s a technology shortcut, business process, a leadership lesson, or something you’ve learned through experience, don’t keep it to yourself because it feels too basic. Share it. Teach it. Pass it along. You never know whose day might improve, whose frustration you might eliminate, or whose work you might make a little easier.

With that in mind, here are five Microsoft 365 tips that generated several “I didn’t know you could do that” moment during our conversation.

Five Microsoft 365 Tips You May Not Know

1. Create a New Team Using an Existing Team as a Template

If you’ve built a team with the right channels, tabs, and settings, you don’t have to start from scratch every time.

When creating a new team, select Create from an existing team to copy the structure and save valuable setup time.

See Microsoft’s instructions here.

2. Build Microsoft Forms Links That Pre-Fill Information

Microsoft Forms allows you to create links that automatically populate certain fields before someone opens the form.

This can simplify data collection, improve accuracy, and create a smoother experience for users completing survey, registrations, or requests.

Get instructions from the Microsoft Community blog here.

3. Use Forms Presentation Mode for Live Polling

Presenting to a group? Microsoft Forms includes a presentation mode that lets attendees scan a QR cod or visit a link from their phones and vote in real time. The results appear instantly, making meetings, workshops, and training sessions far more interactive. Simply click the Present button in the form you want to show and a website will open with a QR code and responses.

4. Host Professional Webinars in Microsoft Teams

Many organizations already own webinar capabilities through Microsoft Teams and don’t realize it. Teams webinars include registration pages, attendee management, reminder emails, reporting, and presenter controls that help you deliver polished virtual events without purchasing another platform.

See Microsoft’s documentation here.

5. Create Email Templates in New Outlook

If you find yourself typing the same messages repeatedly, save them as email templates. Whether it’s meeting follow-ups, customer responses, appointment confirmations, or status updates, templates can save time and ensure consistency.

See how to here.

The Challenge

This week, share one thing you know that feels ordinary to you. Maybe it’s a technology tip, leadership lesson, or process that saves five minutes per day. Someone out there probably needs it more than you realize.

Perry Myers
​The Outlier Team​