How to chat with Skype in Office for the web

If you’re working on a file using the Office web apps, then you have a collaboration feature that you might not know about. Whenever someone is editing a document alongside you in Office for the web, in either Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or OneNote, you’re able to have a chat with them in Skype. This lets you settle issues with the document, followup with them, and more. Here’s how you can use it.

Where to find the Skype chat button

To chat with Skype in the Office Web Apps, you’ll first want to make sure that you’ve shared a link to your file. You can share a link to a file by opening the File Menu, clicking Share on the left side, and clicking where it says Share with People. Change the permissions to Anyone with the link can edit and then click Copy Link.

Once the link is shared, you should see an icon that shows you that someone is editing with you in Office for the web. It will show up in a similar way to the picture above. Once ready to chat, click the blue Chat icon to open the chat pane. You’ll then be able to type in the text box at the bottom of the pane to have a conversation.

Taking the Chat on the Go

When using Skype on your phone or from the web, you’ll be able to continue the chat, even if away from your document.  According to Microsoft, the chat should carry over to your list of Skype chats, with the name of the file showing up as the name of the chat. However, if you’re editing with people who don’t have an Office 365 subscription, they won’t have a chat pane in the document when they’re in Office for the web.

Just one way to collaborate

Chatting with Skype in the Office Web Apps is just one way to collaborate with your coworkers. Another great way is to try out Microsoft Teams, which we’ve previously covered here. We’ve also got other helpful guides and how-to’s around Office 365 as well, so feel free to check it out. And, remember to drop us a comment below letting us know how you collaborate in Office 365.