Add Smart Reminders to Microsoft Teams

Smart Reminders can be added to Microsoft Teams in several ways, each serving different purposes. This guide walks you through all installation options.

Installation Methods Overview

Smart Reminders can be added as:

1. Personal App: For managing your own reminders
2. Bot: For conversational interaction and notifications
3. Channel Tab: For team-wide reminder management
4. Meeting Tab: For meeting-specific reminders and context

All these components are included in a single installation from the Teams app store.

Install Smart Reminders as a Personal App

The personal app provides your private reminder dashboard within Teams.

Installation Steps

1. Open Microsoft Teams

   • Launch the Teams desktop app or web version

2. Access the Apps Store

   • Click the Apps icon in the left sidebar
   • Alternatively, click the … (More options) icon

3. Search for Smart Reminders

   • Type “Smart Reminders” or “Udyamo Smart Reminders” in the search box
   • Press Enter to search

4. Select the App

   • Click on the Smart Reminders app tile from search results
   • Review the app description and permissions

5. Add the App

   • Click the Add button
   • If prompted, click Add for me to install as a personal app

6. Access Your Dashboard

   • The Smart Reminders icon appears in your Teams sidebar
   • Click it to open your personal reminder dashboard

What You Get

Once installed as a personal app, you can:

• View all your personal reminders in one place
• Create new reminders using the dashboard interface
• Access reminder history and statistics
• Configure your personal settings and preferences

Enable the Smart Reminders Bot

The bot is automatically enabled when you install Smart Reminders. It allows natural language interaction.

Start Chatting with the Bot

1. Find the Bot Chat

   • Look for “Smart Reminders” in your Teams chat list
   • If not visible, search for “Smart Reminders” in the chat search bar

2. Initiate Conversation

   • Click on the Smart Reminders chat
   • Type a greeting like “hi” or “help”
   • The bot responds with available commands

3. Create Reminders via Chat

   • Type natural language commands
   • Example: remind me to review document tomorrow at 2pm
   • The bot confirms and creates the reminder

Bot Capabilities

The Smart Reminders bot can:

• Create one-time and recurring reminders
• List your upcoming reminders
• Edit or delete existing reminders
• Send reminder notifications
• Answer questions about your reminders
• Provide help with command syntax

Add Smart Reminders as a Channel Tab

Adding Smart Reminders to a channel allows teams to manage shared reminders collaboratively.

Installation Steps

1. Navigate to the Channel

   • Open the Teams team and channel where you want to add Smart Reminders

2. Add a New Tab

   • Click the + icon in the channel’s tab bar
   • This opens the “Add a tab” dialog

3. Search for Smart Reminders

   • Find Smart Reminders in the list or use the search box
   • Click on the Smart Reminders tile

4. Configure the Tab

   • Enter a tab name (default: “Smart Reminders”)
   • Choose whether to:
     • Show team reminders only
     • Include personal reminders
     • Filter by specific tags or categories

5. Save the Tab

   • Click Save to add the tab to your channel
   • A notification appears confirming the addition

6. Access the Tab

   • Click the tab to view the channel’s reminder dashboard
   • All channel members can view and interact with shared reminders

Channel Tab Features

The channel tab allows team members to:

• View all reminders created for the channel
• Create new team reminders that notify all members
• Assign reminders to specific team members
• Track completion status of team tasks
• Filter and search channel reminders

Permissions

By default:

• All channel members can view reminders
• All members can create reminders
• Only the reminder creator and channel owners can delete reminders
• Channel owners can configure additional restrictions in settings

Add Smart Reminders to a Meeting

Meeting tabs help track action items and follow-ups from specific meetings.

Installation Steps

1. Join or Schedule a Meeting

   • Open an existing meeting or create a new one

2. Access Meeting Tabs

   • Click the + icon in the meeting’s tab bar
   • This is visible in the meeting details or during the meeting

3. Select Smart Reminders

   • Find and click Smart Reminders from the available apps

4. Configure Meeting Tab

   • Choose a name for the tab
   • Select whether to:
     • Track action items from this meeting
     • Link to existing reminders
     • Create a new reminder workspace

5. Save and Access

   • Click Save
   • The tab appears in the meeting interface
   • Access it before, during, or after the meeting

Meeting Tab Use Cases

Meeting tabs are ideal for:

• Recording action items during meetings
• Assigning follow-up tasks to attendees
• Setting deadlines for meeting outcomes
• Tracking completion of meeting decisions
• Creating recurring reminders for recurring meetings

Granting Permissions

When installing Smart Reminders for the first time, you may need to grant permissions:

Required Permissions

• Access your profile: To identify you and personalize reminders
• Send notifications: To deliver reminder notifications
• Read channel messages: To create reminders from channel context (optional)
• Post messages: To send reminder notifications to channels

How to Grant Permissions

1. When prompted, click Review permissions
2. Read the permission descriptions
3. Click Accept if you agree
4. If you’re not an admin, a request is sent to your IT administrator

Admin Consent

Some organizations require IT admin approval for new apps:

• Your admin receives a notification
• They can approve or deny the app
• You’ll be notified of their decision
• Once approved, the app is available for installation

Uninstalling or Removing

Remove Personal App

1. Right-click the Smart Reminders icon in your sidebar
2. Select Uninstall
3. Confirm the action

Note: Uninstalling the app doesn’t delete your reminders. They remain stored and accessible via the web.

Remove Channel Tab

1. Navigate to the channel
2. Click the … (More options) next to the Smart Reminders tab
3. Select Remove
4. Confirm removal

Stop Bot Notifications

1. Open chat with Smart Reminders bot
2. Type pause notifications
3. Or mute the chat using Teams’ built-in mute feature

Troubleshooting Installation

App Not Found in Store

• Verify your organization allows third-party apps
• Check with IT admin if app store is restricted
• Ensure you’re signed in with the correct account

Installation Fails

• Check your Teams version is up to date
• Verify internet connectivity
• Try logging out and back in to Teams
• Clear Teams cache and retry

Permissions Denied

• Contact your IT administrator
• Ask them to review Smart Reminders in the Teams admin center
• Provide the app ID if requested

Next Steps

After installing Smart Reminders in Teams:

1. Create your first One-Time Reminder
2. Set up Recurring Reminders for regular tasks
3. Learn to Manage Reminders effectively
4. Explore all App Features

You’re now ready to use Smart Reminders across all your Teams workspaces!