Microsoft announced the Queues app for Microsoft Teams in March 2024, at their keynote during the Enterprise Connect show. While Microsoft Teams has long supported voice calling and call queues, critical features like in-app reporting, advanced queue management, and real-time agent monitoring were notably absent.
To bridge this gap, Microsoft introduced the Queues app as a collaborative call-handling solution, enabling team members to manage customer calls and supervisors to access insights and configure call queues—all seamlessly integrated within Microsoft Teams.
This blog post has been updated to include the latest features, changes, and enhancements introduced since the initial announcement, as well as some additional insights from Tom Arbuthnot, a prominent Microsoft Teams influencer.
What features does the Queues app in Microsoft Teams have?
The Queues app offers an easy way to manage incoming calls, oversee agents, and monitor call performance—all from within Microsoft Teams. It is designed for organizations needing light contact center features rather than a fully-fledged solution. Here’s an overview of its capabilities:
Key Features
- Agent Management – Agents can opt in or out of queues, and managers can manually adjust these statuses.
- Real-Time Monitoring – Supervisors have access to live queue statistics, including:
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- Number of waiting calls
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- Average call answering time
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- Longest call waiting time
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- Service levels (as a percentage)
- Historical Reporting (New) – Users can view historical call data for up to 27 days to identify trends. However, exporting this data is not yet available.
- Collaborative Call Handling – Agents can place outbound calls using queue or auto-attendant phone numbers.
- Delegated Administration – Managers and team leads can configure call flows, manage agents, and edit queue settings directly from within Teams.
- Integration with Teams Clients – The app integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams desktop, Mac, and VDI clients, ensuring consistent functionality across platforms.
For a more comprehensive list of the announced features, see the comparison table below.
What’s Missing from the Queues App?
While the Queues app is capable of basic queue management, it falls short in some areas that are important for more complex call centers. According to industry insights, key limitations include:
- Advanced Routing and AI Features – The app lacks intelligent call routing, AI-driven enhancements, and multi-channel capabilities.
- Reporting Limitations – Reporting is restricted to 27 days of data and does not support exporting or deeper analysis.
- Lack of Third-Party Integration – There is no support for third-party tools or integrations with CRM systems or the Microsoft Power Platform (e.g., Power Automate, Power BI).
- No Custom Workflows – Businesses cannot create or deploy tailored workflows.
- Customer Support Challenges – Microsoft support for the Queues app falls under general M365 support, which is not always prompt. Many organizations rely on their Microsoft partner for assistance.
What is the price for the Queues app in Microsoft Teams? Is it included with a Microsoft Teams Voice license?
The Queues for Microsoft Teams app is available as part of Teams Premium, an add-on license that provides additional features to Teams. The Queues app is not available for basic Teams Voice users.
Is the Queues app in Microsoft Teams right for me?
The Queues app may be a good fit for organizations that are already using native Teams queues or receptionist apps (such as Landis Attendant Console) but want to add basic reporting and agent management features. While the Queues app in Microsoft Teams adds some reporting features and better management of agents and users to the Teams app, it is not a contact center and does not include features that are important to many call centers.
In comparison, Landis Contact Center is a fully featured contact center that includes intelligent call routing options with IVRs, in-depth reporting, policy call recording and other features that are not included in Teams or the new Queues app. Refer to the table below for some of the features that Landis offers.
How does the Queues app compare to Landis Contact Center?
Data in the table for the Queues app is based on Microsoft’s documentation, as accessed in January 2025. Future updates from Microsoft may include additional features that are not included in this comparison.
| Feature |  Queues App |
Landis Contact Center |
|---|---|---|
| Available as an app in Teams | Yes | Yes |
| Live queue stats and wallboards | Yes (basic) | Yes (advanced, with wallboards) |
| See call history of queues | Yes | Yes |
| Setting to allow agents to opt themselves in and out of queues | Yes | Yes |
| Setting to allow managers to sign agents in and out of queues, add members and change queue greetings. | Yes | Yes |
| Setting to allow delegated access for managers to manage users in a queue | Yes | Yes |
| Historical reports (with the ability to export) | Limited (27 days, export not available) | Comprehensive (min. 24 months, export available) |
| Call coaching features for managers (Whisper and Barge in) |
Roadmap | Yes |
| Auto Attendants | Not in Queues app (Can be set up separately in Teams admin center) |
Yes |
| IVR for intelligent call routing (with data dip and regex capabilities) | No | Yes |
| Call journey report (with IVR and queue interactions) |
No | Yes |
| Detailed agent timeline | No | Yes |
| Policy call recording (Can be set per queue or org-wide) |
No | Yes |
| Webhooks that fire at the beginning or end of queue calls | No | Yes |
| Wrap-up time and wrap-up questions | No | Yes |
| Dedicated US-based support team (24/7 emergency support included) |
No | Yes |
Insights from an Industry Expert
Tom Arbuthnot, an influencer in the Microsoft Teams ecosystem, recently provided his perspective on the Queues app. Here are his highlights:
Positives:
The Queues app is a convenient “in-the-box” solution for Teams Premium users, offering a single-vendor approach and the ability to scale licenses monthly (though most organizations opt for annual plans).
Challenges:
The app does not include advanced routing, third-party app integration, or AI-driven features, and its reporting capabilities remain limited.
User Experience:
While the app is easy to use and integrates seamlessly with Teams, organizations requiring a robust contact center experience will benefit from certified third-party solutions like Landis Contact Center.
Customer Support:
Microsoft’s general support is known for slower response times, making Landis’s 24/7 dedicated support a significant advantage.
What’s Next for the Queues App?
Microsoft has outlined several roadmap enhancements for the Queues app, including:
- Call Monitoring and Coaching (Whisper, Barge, Takeover)
- Expanded Reporting Features with export functionality
- Better Device Compatibility with Teams-certified hardware
While the Queues app continues to improve, its feature set will likely remain focused on light queue management, leaving robust contact center requirements to certified third-party solutions.
Conclusion
The Microsoft Teams Queues app provides essential call queue functionality and is a good starting point for organizations already invested in the Teams ecosystem. However, for those requiring a more advanced, full-featured contact center, Landis Contact Center remains the trusted choice. With features like intelligent routing, advanced reporting, and Power Platform integration, Landis offers a seamless and scalable solution that fully integrates into Microsoft Teams.
Ready to explore how Landis Contact Center can enhance your communication workflows? Contact us today for a demo.
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