Zoom & Microsoft Teams
Meet, communicate, and collaborate online with Boston University’s supported Zoom and Microsoft Teams services.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT TOOL
Zoom or Microsoft Teams?
Both platforms support online meetings and collaboration at BU, but they work best for different types of activity. Start with what you need to accomplish.
Zoom
A strong choice when the meeting itself is the focus. Use Zoom for virtual classes, office hours, presentations, guest speakers, breakout sessions, and meetings with participants inside or outside BU.
Good for: scheduled meetings, breakout rooms, guest participants, virtual instruction, cloud recording, and larger meeting workflows.
Microsoft Teams
A strong choice for ongoing teamwork. Teams combines meetings with persistent chat, shared files, channels, presence, and Microsoft 365 collaboration.
Good for: departments, project teams, internal collaboration, persistent conversations, shared documents, and meetings connected to ongoing work.
BU REQUIREMENTS
Minimum Security Checklist
BU’s Minimum Security Standards establish baseline protections for devices that access, store, or process University information. Use this checklist as a starting point.
02
Choose SSO
Select SSO rather than entering an email address and password directly into Zoom.
03
Enter the BU Domain
Enter bostonu as the company domain and select Continue.
04
Complete BU Login
Your browser will open the BU Login page. Enter your BU credentials, authenticate as required, and Zoom will return you to the application.
Using Zoom Meetings for HIPAA? The sign-in process uses a different company domain. Enter bu-hipaa instead of bostonu and follow BU’s HIPAA Zoom guidance.
MICROSOFT TEAMS
Meet, Chat & Collaborate in Teams
Teams is more than a meeting application. It brings online meetings together with persistent conversations, shared files, Microsoft 365 collaboration, and ongoing team workspaces.
Meetings & Calls
Hold online meetings, presentations, and video calls, share your screen or applications, and collaborate using meeting tools such as whiteboards.
Persistent Chat
Keep conversations available before and after meetings instead of moving every discussion back to email.
Shared Files & Collaboration
Share files with colleagues and work together on Microsoft 365 documents as part of an ongoing collaboration space.
Outlook Integration
Teams integrates with your BU Outlook calendar, making it easy to add Teams meetings to scheduled events.
Before Your Teams Meeting
A few quick checks can prevent many of the most common meeting problems.
Keep Teams Updated
Use the latest version of the Teams application. If Teams is already installed, check for available updates before an important meeting.
Check Your Audio & Video
Verify that Teams is using the microphone, speakers, and camera you intend to use. You can make a test call from the application’s device settings before your meeting.
Use a Headset When Possible
Headphones with a built-in microphone can reduce feedback and echo and often provide clearer audio than a computer’s built-in microphone and speakers.
Choose Your Environment
Find a location with minimal background noise and consider what will be visible behind you when your camera is on. Teams also provides background effects when appropriate.
The collaboration can continue after the call. Meeting chat and files shared during a Teams meeting are automatically retained in Teams, allowing participants to return to the conversation and shared materials afterward.
COLLABORATE RESPONSIBLY
Think About What You're Sharing
Online meetings can generate more information than the conversation itself. Consider the sensitivity of meeting recordings, transcripts, chat messages, shared files, and other content when choosing features and collaboration tools.
Zoom - Control Who Can Join
Zoom provides controls for securing meetings, including authentication requirements, waiting rooms, passcodes, and registration. Meeting authentication can restrict participation to signed-in users while still allowing exceptions for invited guests when needed.
Teams - Know What You're Sharing
Teams combines meetings with chat and file storage, so information shared during collaboration can remain available after the meeting. BU Teams is approved for Restricted Use data, including HIPAA, but users should still follow BU requirements for handling and sharing that information.
INTEGRATIONS & FEATURES
Connect Your Collaboration Tools
Zoom and Teams can work with other BU-supported services to make scheduling, meetings, and ongoing collaboration easier.
Schedule from Your Calendar
Zoom can integrate with BU Outlook or Google Calendar so upcoming meetings appear in Zoom and can be joined directly from the application.
Extend Zoom with Apps
Zoom Apps add approved third-party functionality directly to meetings. Apps available through BU must be reviewed and approved by IS&T before they can be used.
Keep Team Files Together
Teams combines conversations and meetings with shared files and Microsoft 365 collaboration, making it useful when the work continues beyond a single meeting.
Last content review: August 24, 2026
COMMON QUESTIONS
Quick Answers
Which should I use: Zoom or Teams?
Choose Zoom when the meeting itself is the primary activity—for example, a virtual class, guest presentation, breakout session, or scheduled external meeting. Teams is often a better fit when meetings are part of ongoing collaboration involving chat, files, and a group workspace.
Is BU Zoom free?
Yes. Current BU students, faculty, and staff automatically receive a standard Zoom Meetings license at no charge when they sign in. Standard licenses support meetings of up to 300 participants.
How do I sign in to BU Zoom?
In the Zoom application, select SSO, enter bostonu as the company domain, and complete authentication through BU Login.
Can people outside BU join my Zoom meetings?
Yes. BU Zoom supports guest participants who do not have Zoom accounts. Hosts can also use authentication settings and exceptions when tighter access controls are needed.
Can I use Teams with people outside BU?
Yes. BU describes Teams as supporting collaboration with peers and guests, including people outside Boston University.
Where do files and chat go after a Teams meeting?
Teams automatically retains meeting chat and files shared during the meeting so participants can access them afterward.
Need Help with Zoom or Teams?
If you're having trouble signing in, setting up a meeting, configuring your audio or video, or choosing the right collaboration platform, use BU's service documentation or contact support.
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