Microsoft and Slack work together on Skype integration preview

Slack is a popular tool for team communications, used by organizations like NASA to create communications channels around projects, teams, topics, or just about anything. Microsoft’s Skype is a popular video and voice communication tool, of course, which has been in the news quite a bit lately with a steady flow of improvements. Now, Microsoft wants us to know that a preview of Skype-Slack integration is now available.

Here’s what you can do:

Move your work discussions into a free group call with our Preview of Skype integration for Slack.

The process of creating a group call in Skype from a Slack conversation is relatively straightforward:

Step 1: Click the “Add to Slack” button above to start the setup.
Step 2: Confirm the team you want to integrate with. Select “Authorize” if it’s the team you’re looking for, or “Change teams” to switch.
Step 3: Great, you can now use Skype with Slack. Simply type /Skype in any channel to start a free group call.

You can initiate a call with a team or an individual within Slack by typing /Skype into a channel. Skype accounts aren’t necessary to join a call from within Skype, although for now users will need to use the Web version of Skype (mobile guest calling coming soon). Finally, Slack notifications are available whenever there’s a Skype call to join.

So, there you have it, Slack users. You can now check out Skype as an easy-to-access voice and video call solution for your teams. Check it out, and let us know how it’s working for you in the comments below.