What is YakChat for Microsoft Teams?

What is YakChat for Microsoft Teams?

YakChat adds Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging to Microsoft Teams (Teams), making it quick and easy to send and receive text messages from within Microsoft’s collaboration app. YakChat for Teams consists of two elements:

  • A text messaging app that lets you manage your contacts and text conversations quickly and easily.
  • A bot that will notify you of new text messages wherever you are in Teams. This is only a notification service and cannot be used to reply to messages.

How do I access YakChat?

The NYSED YakChat application and bot will be added to your Teams profile by NYSED ITS. This process will automatically ‘pin’ both elements to the Teams sidebar and you will only need to sign in initially to start sending and receiving SMS text messages. Only those counselors and staff authorized by their District Office Manager, Regional Manager or Central Office will have access to YakChat for Teams.

What number will YakChat use?

YakChat/NYSED ITS will assign a number to your account based on your local area code. This number is not a voice enabled phone number and if a recipient of an SMS text does attempt to call this number, a pre-recorded audio message will play.