Setting Up Recurring Reminders in Microsoft Teams: Step-by-Step Tutorial with TeamsReminder

Consistent follow-ups and regular check-ins are crucial for team productivity. Microsoft Teams offers basic reminder functionality, but for teams that need more robust, recurring reminder options, the TeamsReminder app provides powerful capabilities. This tutorial walks through the complete process of setting up recurring reminders that keep your team on track without manual intervention.

Why Recurring Reminders Are Essential

Recurring reminders serve several critical functions in organizational workflows:

• Consistency - They ensure regular processes happen on schedule without fail
• Reduced cognitive load - Team members don't need to remember recurring tasks
• Accountability - Automated follow-ups maintain momentum on ongoing initiatives
• Habit formation - Regular reminders help establish productive team habits

Studies show that teams using structured reminder systems complete recurring tasks with approximately 80% greater consistency compared to teams relying on manual follow-ups.

Native Teams Reminders vs. TeamsReminder: Functionality Comparison

While native Teams reminders work for basic needs, TeamsReminder provides the robust functionality needed for complex organizational processes and consistent team communications. For a complete feature-by-feature comparison, see our in-depth analysis of TeamsReminder vs. native Teams reminders.

Installing TeamsReminder

Before setting up recurring reminders, you'll need to install the TeamsReminder app:

1. Open Microsoft Teams and click on the Apps icon in the left sidebar
2. Search for "My Reminders" in the search bar
3. Select the app from the search results
4. Click "Add" to install the app for your Teams account
5. Grant permissions when prompted to allow the app to send messages and access necessary data

Once installed, you'll see the TeamsReminder app in your left sidebar and as an available extension when composing messages.

Setting Up Daily Recurring Reminders

Method 1: Using the Compose Extension

1. Navigate to the chat or channel where you want the recurring reminder to appear
2. Click the "+" icon below the compose box to open extensions
3. Select "My Reminders" from the available options
4. Enter your reminder message, such as "Daily standup meeting in 15 minutes"
5. Set the first occurrence time using the date and time picker
6. Enable the "Recurring" toggle to display recurrence options
7. Select "Daily" from the recurrence pattern dropdown
8. Configure additional options if needed:
   • Select specific days of the week
   • Set an end date (or leave blank for indefinite recurrence)
9. Click "Schedule" to create your recurring reminder

Method 2: Using the TeamsReminder Dashboard

1. Click on the TeamsReminder app in your left sidebar
2. Select the "Dashboard" tab at the top of the app
3. Click the "New Reminder" button in the top right
4. Select the target (yourself, a chat, or a channel)
5. Compose your reminder message with any needed details
6. Set the initial delivery time
7. Enable "Make this a recurring reminder"
8. Choose "Daily" from the pattern options
9. Configure any schedule exceptions if needed
10. Click "Create Reminder" to schedule

Setting Up Weekly Recurring Reminders

Weekly reminders are ideal for team meetings, report submissions, and regular review cycles.

1. Follow the same initial steps as for daily reminders
2. When configuring recurrence, select "Weekly" from the pattern options
3. Choose which days of the week the reminder should occur on
4. Set frequency (every week, every 2 weeks, etc.)
5. Optionally set an end date (useful for project-specific reminders)
6. Complete the scheduling process by clicking the final button

Example: Weekly Status Report Reminder

A practical example for a weekly reminder:

• Reminder text: "Please submit your weekly status report by EOD today"
• Schedule: Every Thursday at 10:00 AM
• Recipients: Team channel
• Recurrence: Weekly, no end date

Setting Up Monthly Recurring Reminders

Monthly reminders work well for:

• Monthly report deadlines
• Regular maintenance tasks
• Billing or invoice reminders
• Team retrospectives or reviews

1. Follow the standard reminder creation process
2. Select "Monthly" as the recurrence pattern
3. Choose either a specific day of the month (e.g., the 15th) or a relative position (e.g., first Monday)
4. Set how often the pattern repeats (every month, every 3 months, etc.)
5. Complete the scheduling process

Example: Monthly Team Review

A practical example for a monthly reminder:

• Reminder text: "Monthly team retrospective meeting tomorrow at 2 PM. Please prepare your talking points using the shared template."
• Schedule: Last Thursday of every month at 2:00 PM
• Recipients: Project team channel
• Recurrence: Monthly, on the last Thursday

Customizing Reminder Notifications

TeamsReminder offers several ways to customize notifications for maximum effectiveness:

Message Formatting

• Use rich text - Apply bold, italics, and bullet points for clarity
• Include actionable details - Specify exactly what action is needed
• Add context - Provide links to relevant documents or resources

Timing Strategy

• Consider lead time - Send reminders with enough advance notice for action
• Respect working hours - Schedule for appropriate times in recipients' time zones
• Avoid notification clusters - Spread reminders throughout the day or week
• Mobile accessibility - Ensure your reminders are accessible on mobile devices for team members on the go

Managing Existing Reminders

Once you've set up recurring reminders, you can manage them from the TeamsReminder dashboard:

Viewing All Reminders

1. Open the TeamsReminder app from the Teams sidebar
2. Select the "Dashboard" tab
3. View the complete list of scheduled reminders, including recurrence patterns

Editing a Recurring Reminder

1. From the dashboard, locate the reminder you want to modify
2. Click the "Edit" icon (usually a pencil symbol)
3. Modify the content, timing, or recurrence pattern as needed
4. Choose whether changes apply to all occurrences or only future ones
5. Save your changes

Pausing or Canceling

1. Find the reminder in the dashboard
2. Click "Pause" to temporarily suspend the reminder series
3. Or click "Delete" to permanently remove the reminder series
4. Confirm your choice when prompted

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Reminders Not Appearing

If scheduled reminders aren't appearing:

• Verify the app has proper permissions
• Check that you haven't accidentally paused the reminder series
• Ensure the target channel or chat still exists
• Confirm you have the latest version of the app

Recurrence Pattern Issues

• Delete and recreate the reminder if the pattern is incorrect
• Verify time zone settings in your Teams profile
• Check for conflicts with non-working days in your organization

Advanced Configuration Options

For power users, TeamsReminder offers additional configuration options:

• Reminder templates - Save commonly used reminder formats
• Dynamic content - Include date variables that update automatically
• Conditional reminders - Set reminders to trigger only under certain conditions
• Multi-channel delivery - Send the same reminder to multiple locations simultaneously
• Workflow integration - Connect TeamsReminder with your existing workflow tools for seamless automation

Conclusion

By implementing recurring reminders with TeamsReminder, you create a reliable system for team communication and workflow management. This automated approach ensures consistent follow-through on regular processes while reducing the manual overhead of tracking and sending reminders.

Start with a few critical recurring reminders and gradually expand your system as you identify more opportunities for automation. With each implemented reminder, you'll free up mental bandwidth for more valuable work while maintaining or improving process reliability.

Take Your Team's Productivity to the Next Level

Looking to maximize the impact of TeamsReminder in your organization? Check out our guides onboosting remote team productivity andcomparing free vs. premium features to unlock the full potential of automated reminders for your team.