Give River for Microsoft Teams

Installation & User Guide

Transform your workplace culture with Give River's employee recognition platform. Our Microsoft Teams integration lets you easily recognize colleagues, participate in team challenges, and make meaningful charitable impact—all without leaving Teams.

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Overview

In order to use this app, you need to have an active Give River account.

The Give River extension for Microsoft Teams brings our powerful employee recognition, engagement, and team-building platform directly into your Teams environment. This integration allows your team to effortlessly give and receive recognition, participate in team challenges, and build a culture of appreciation without leaving the Teams interface.

Key Benefits:

• Recognize teammates in real-time with just a few clicks
• Foster a culture of gratitude and teamwork
• Create meaningful impact through charitable giving
• Seamlessly integrate recognition into daily workflows
• Access all Give River features without switching platforms

App Value Proposition: Give River transforms workplace culture by turning everyday recognition into meaningful impact. Our Teams app empowers employees to recognize colleagues, track team goals, and direct corporate giving—all within your existing Teams environment. Build happier, healthier, higher-performing teams with our research-backed approach to employee engagement and recognition.

Prerequisites

Before installing the Give River extension for Microsoft Teams, ensure you have:

• An active Give River account and subscription for your organization
• Microsoft Teams installed and properly configured
• Admin rights (for administrators installing the extension)
• Microsoft Teams version 1.4.00 or higher
• A supported browser (Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari)

Important limitations:

• Free trial accounts have limited functionality within the Teams app
• Organizations must have at least 10 users to use advanced team features
• Some features may require additional permissions from your IT administrator

Installation Process

For IT Administrators

1. Access Microsoft Teams Admin Center
   • Log in to the Microsoft Teams Admin Center
   • Navigate to "Teams apps" > "Manage apps"
2. Find the Give River Extension
   • Click "Add" in the top right corner
   • Search for "Give River" in the Microsoft Teams app store
   • Select the Give River application
3. Approve and Configure Permissions
   • Review the permissions requested by Give River
   • Grant necessary permissions for the app to function
   • Configure organization-wide settings if desired
4. Deploy to Your Organization
   • Choose your deployment method:
     • Organization-wide (recommended)
     • Specific teams only
     • User-controlled installation
   • Click "Add" to complete the installation
5. Verify Installation
   • Confirm the app appears in your Teams app list
   • Test basic functionality with a sample user account

For Team Members

If your administrator has enabled user-controlled installation:

1. Access the App Store in Teams
   • Click the "Apps" icon in the left sidebar of Teams
   • Select "Find an app" or search directly for "Give River"
2. Add Give River to Your Teams
   • Click on the Give River app icon
   • Select "Add" to install the extension
   • Choose which team(s) to add the app to if prompted
3. Sign In to Your Give River Account
   • Click on the newly added Give River icon
   • Enter your Give River credentials or use SSO if configured
   • Follow the prompts to complete the setup

Getting Started

After installation is complete, here's how to get started with Give River in Microsoft Teams:

1. Find the Give River App
   • Look for the Give River icon in your Teams left sidebar
   • If not visible, click "..." to see more apps
   • You can also access Give River by typing "@GiveRiver" in any chat
2. Sign in to Your Account
   • Use your existing Give River credentials
   • If you don't have an account, visit www.giveriver.com/
   • Single Sign-On (SSO) may be enabled depending on your organization's settings
3. Complete Your Profile
   • Update your profile information if needed
   • Select your preferred charitable causes (if applicable)
   • Customize your notification preferences
4. Explore the Dashboard
   • Familiarize yourself with the main dashboard
   • Review any pending recognitions or team challenges
   • Check out the team activity feed
5. Watch the Quick Start Video
   • Access the built-in tutorial for a visual walkthrough
   • Learn about key features and best practices

Using the Give River Extension

Giving Recognition (Drops)

Recognition in Give River is given through "drops" - our digital token of appreciation. Here's how to give drops in Teams:

1. Quick Recognition
   • Click the Give River icon in the left sidebar
   • Select "Give Recognition" or "Add a Drop"
   • Choose the recipient(s) from your team list
   • Write a brief message explaining the recognition
   • Select relevant core values tags (if configured)
   • Click "Send" to deliver the recognition
2. In-Chat Recognition
   • Type "@GiveRiver" in any Teams chat
   • Select "Give Drop" from the command options
   • Complete the recognition form that appears
   • All chat participants will see the recognition
3. Scheduled Recognition
   • For milestones or recurring recognition
   • Set up automated drops for work anniversaries or birthdays
   • Configure through the "Scheduled Recognition" section

Team Chat Features

Give River enhances your Teams chats with these features:

1. Recognition Feed
   • View recent recognitions across your team
   • Filter by person, department, or time period
   • React to and comment on recognitions
2. Team Challenges
   • Join active challenges directly in Teams
   • Track progress toward challenge goals
   • Celebrate achievements when challenges complete
3. Charitable Impact
   • See your team's collective charitable impact
   • View causes supported by your organization
   • Track donation progress in real-time

Accessing Your Dashboard

Your personal Give River dashboard is available directly in Teams:

1. Personal Stats
   • View drops given and received
   • Track your recognition patterns
   • See your charitable impact
2. Team Insights
   • Visualize team recognition patterns
   • Identify core values being recognized
   • Spot opportunities for more recognition

Viewing Team Activity

Stay connected with your team's recognition activity:

1. Activity Feed
   • Real-time updates of recognition across your team
   • Filter by department, team, or individual
   • Comment and react to recognition posts
2. Recognition Metrics
   • Track recognition frequency
   • Monitor engagement levels
   • Identify recognition trends

Administrative Features

For team leaders and administrators, Give River offers powerful management tools:

1. Team Management
   • Add or remove team members
   • Assign roles and permissions
   • Organize teams and departments
2. Recognition Settings
   • Configure core values tags
   • Set maximum daily drops
   • Customize recognition templates
3. Reporting Dashboard
   • Access detailed recognition analytics
   • Track engagement metrics
   • Generate custom reports for leadership
4. Challenge Creation
   • Design custom team challenges
   • Set goals and timeframes
   • Configure rewards and incentives

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with the Give River extension:

1. App Not Appearing
   • Refresh Microsoft Teams
   • Check if the app is hidden (click "..." to see more apps)
   • Verify installation with your IT administrator
2. Cannot Give Recognition
   • Ensure you have available drops to give
   • Check your internet connection
   • Verify the recipient is in your organization
3. Sync Issues
   • Ensure you're signed in to the correct account
   • Check for any firewall restrictions
   • Refresh the app by closing and reopening
4. Permission Errors
   • Contact your IT administrator to verify permissions
   • Ensure you have the appropriate role assigned

FAQ

Q: How many drops can I give per day? A: The default limit is typically 5 drops per day, but your organization administrator may configure different limits.

Q: Can I recognize people outside my team? A: Yes, you can recognize any member within your organization who has access to Give River.

Q: How are charitable donations processed? A: Drops converted to donations are pooled and distributed to charities according to your organization's configured rules. Typically, donations are processed at the end of each month or quarter.

Q: Can I customize the recognition categories? A: Administrators can customize recognition categories to align with your organization's core values and goals.

Q: Is my recognition data private? A: Recognition messages are visible to the team members involved and according to your organization's visibility settings. Your personal dashboard data is private to you.

Q: Can I use Give River on mobile Teams? A: Yes, the Give River extension is fully compatible with the Microsoft Teams mobile app.

Support and Contact

If you need additional help:

• In-App Help: Click the "?" icon in the Give River extension
• Knowledge Base: Visit help.giveriver.com
• Email Support: support@giveriver.com
• Phone Support: +1 (555) 123-4567, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm ET
• Get Started: www.giveriver.com/teams-signup

App Privacy & Security

Give River respects your privacy and protects your data. We use industry-standard security measures and comply with all relevant data protection regulations. View our full privacy policy.

© 2025 Give River, Inc. All rights reserved.

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