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David Francoeurs Insight on Shared Channels: Revolution vs Opportunity
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Teams Channels
Oct 19, 2022 7:08 PM

David Francoeurs Insight on Shared Channels: Revolution vs Opportunity

by HubSite 365 about Orchestry (David Francoeur)

AdministratorTeams ChannelsTeams Channels

Unlock the power of Microsoft Teams Shared Channels! Enhance collaboration, reduce duplication, and streamline work with this Microsoft expert guide.

The blog post penned by David Francoeur titled "Shared Channels: Revolution or Missed Opportunity" provides a comprehensive review on the functionality and potential drawbacks of Microsoft's Teams Shared Channels. Francoeur unwraps the simple yet potent concept behind these channels, which enable users to access information without the need to switch tenants, thereby improving workflow and reducing friction. The Shared Channels feature promised to resolve numerous common issues related to cross-tenant collaboration, significantly improving the collaboration experience.

However, Francoeur identified a set of significant limitations to Shared Channels. The lack of support for certain functions and features such as Stream, Planner, Forms, LOB apps, bots, connectors, and message extensions was noted. Additionally, notifications from shared channels being excluded from missed activity emails was cited as a significant limitation. These omissions could lead to a decrease in the user experience, which is an aspect Microsoft needs to consider improving.

There's peripheral complexity involved in using Shared Channels. The need for mutual trust - a cornerstone of Teams Channels and the related Azure Active Directory B2B Direct Connect - between collaborating organizations creates a considerable obstacle. Francoeur notes that this trust requirement appears to contradict the Zero Trust model of cybersecurity, broadening the risk landscape for organizations.

Understanding Shared Channels

Experiences among end-users with shared channels have been mixed. Confusion appears to plague the user experience as options for different types of channels broaden. The existence of public and private channels in addition to shared channels, the varied sharing options, and the differentiation between external users and guest users created an intricate web of considerations for end-users. This complication can potentially obfuscate the value offered by Shared Channels and further exacerbate user experience.

On top of that, management hurdles surrounding Shared Channels are highlighted. The inability to convert existing standard channels to Shared Channels may require time-intensive and costly re-architecture. Also, the addition of an essential guest to a Shared Channel is not supported, necessitating the creation of a new Team.

The conclusion, according to Francoeur, was clear. Despite the potential value of Shared Channels and the anticipation that surrounded its launch, security considerations and user experience complexities might impede its adoption. However, optimism exists for the future development and enhancement of this feature, especially concerning organizations with stringent security policies.

  • No cross-tenant switching - a smoother collaboration process
  • Restricted access - lowered risk of oversharing
  • Reduced Team proliferation - fostering 'architecturally deeper’ teams
  • Centrally located channels - duplicate reduction and simplified information management

A coherent understanding of the Shared Channels' potential, its current limitations and envisaged improvements is crucial for its successful adoption. Users should be well-informed about the various channel types, the guest versus external user distinction and the subtleties in sharing options. Enterprises should formulate clear, comprehensive policies for leveraging Shared Channels without compromising their security principles. Strengthening Microsoft Shared Channels begins with nurturing a transparent and informed user base.

Read the full article Shared Channels: Revolution or Missed Opportunity by David Francoeur

Teams Channels - David Francoeurs Insight on Shared Channels: Revolution vs Opportunity

Learn about Shared Channels: Revolution or Missed Opportunity by David Francoeur

The Microsoft Teams Shared Channels, a simple yet powerful concept, revolutionizes how we access information. This feature allows data from different tenants to be available in your home tenant eliminating the need to switch tenants. Having been introduced to the public for preview, many are considering whether it met the hype from last year.


Shared Channels, also known as Microsoft Teams Connect, was one of the most anticipated announcements from Ignite 2021. This new feature is a potential resolution to the friction involved in cross-tenant collaboration. Shifting from different Teams instances to access a message from another tenant can be quite disruptive and hampering workflow. Shared Channels aims to resolve these irritations, offering a more streamlined approach to accessing multiple tenants.


Shared channels bring various benefits like solving common collaboration challenges with external users. Notably, painful tenant switching is eliminated, fostering uninterrupted workflows: viewing cross-tenant channels within your own environment makes the line between organizations blurry. Secondly, Shared Channels come with privacy for content at the channel level, avoiding the risk of users seeing content elsewhere within the Team and Office 365 Group. Also, Shared Channels reduces Team proliferation and improves information visibility.


However, there are certain limitations to the Shared Channels feature. For instance, certain tabs such as Stream, Planner, and Forms are unsupported. Additionally, message extensions, bots, connectors, and LOB apps are not supported. Another limitation is that Teams created from an existing team won't copy over shared channels. Lastly, notifications from shared channels are excluded from missed activity emails.


Shared Channels has significant similarities with Private Channels. Each Shared Channel has its dedicated SharePoint Site, just like Private Channels. Still, it’s a vital decision, making it impossible to convert an ordinary channel to a Shared channel. Choosing wrongly may lead to the need for rework and re-architecture.


Despite the great promise of Shared Channels, there are some considerable use challenges. For example, Shared Channels relies on something known as Azure Active Directory B2B Connect, which differs from B2B Collaboration. This requires mutual trust between two Azure AD organizations to access each other's resources, which some may perceive as counter to the cybersecurity concept of Zero Trust. It is disappointing to many, considering it requires a security stance against the well-known adage “never trust, always verify.”


The user experience of Shared Channels is also a source of confusion for many end-users. An array of issues arises from the complexity of sharing Teams Channels with external users. The rules for creating channels, sharing them, and who can access them are often misunderstood. There is also confusion between External Users and Guest Users, which can complicate who can be invited to a Shared Channel.


Shared Channels have much potential and promise. However, due to the significant security conversation and the many limitations, many organizations are left unable to leverage this feature fully. While there are challenges, there remains a prospect for the feature, even in organizations with strict policies. The journey of Shared Channels continues.

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