Using Skype for Business

All Arts faculty, staff and grad students have Skype for Business accounts that allow them to communicate using their computers (Instant Message, Voice and Video calls, screen sharing). Faculty, Staff and Grad student accounts addresses use UWuserid@uwaterloo.ca

Undergraduate students were given Skype for Business accounts with their access to Office365. Undergraduate student accounts user UWuserid@uwaterloo.ca

Getting the software

Skype for Business is included in Microsoft Office 2016 which the Arts Computing Office installs on University-owned machines.

For personal Windows machines, sign up for Microsoft 365, download the software and install Office 2016.

For personal Mac computers, the latest Skype for Business app can be downloaded directly from Microsoft.

Configuring Skype for Business

Undergraduate students

Enter your sign-in in address as your UW userid followed by @uwaterloo.ca (e.g. username@uwaterloo.ca) and provide your UW/WatIAM/Quest password when prompted.

Faculty, Staff and Graduate students

Enter your sign-in in address as your UW userid followed by @uwaterloo.ca (e.g. username@uwaterloo.ca)

On Windows, wait to be prompted to enter your Username and enter your UW userid with a "nexus\" prefix (e.g. nexus\username).

On a Mac, click on the "Advanced Options" button and enter your User Name as your UW userid with a "nexus\" prefix (e.g. nexus\username).

Password: provide your UW/WatIAM/Quest password

Finding a contact

To find a faculty member, staff member or grad student: enter their userid followed by @uwaterloo.ca in the contacts search area of Skype for Business.

To find an undergraduate student: enter their userid followed by @uwaterloo.ca in the search area (see Windows example below)

Open

Starting the conversation

If you hover your mouse over or click on this avatar/picture you will see options to message, voice call, video call or see their contact card (see Windows and Mac examples below). Click on the appropriate option to begin the conversation.

Windows (search for an undergraduate student):

Open

Mac (search for an undergraduate student):

If the person is online, their status will be "Available" and you will see a green check mark on their picture. Faculty, Staff and Grad students will appear online if they are logged into the Skype for Business app on their computer/device. Undergraduate students will appear online if they are logged on using the desktop software or the web app which is available when using the email, calendar or people apps on the Office365 web interface.