Service overview
Yammer is a private and secure enterprise social network that allows members to connect with other members who belong to the same email domain. McGill’s Yammer site is like a private Facebook site specifically for the McGill community. Use Yammer to share information, collaborate and make group decisions.
Members can self-organize into groups with similar interests, a feature which can be used as an alternative to Listservs or Email distribution lists, particularly in cases where all group members need to actively post messages. Note, however, unlike email, which is “pushed” to members’ Inboxes, Yammer is a “pull” technology, meaning users have to go there to view the content.
External participants can be added to individual Yammer conversations if needed, but they cannot browse the Yammer site or find other McGill members.
Yammer is also integrated with McGill’s Office 365 portal.
Who can use it
All McGill Staff, Faculty and Students with a valid McGill email address (first.last@mcgill.ca, or first.last@mail.mcgill.ca).
External individuals may be given access as participants in a discussion or private chat, and they can be added as members of “External Groups”, but they cannot browse McGill’s Yammer site and cannot become members of any McGill internal groups.
How to request & access the service
Web interface:
Active students, faculty and staff can go to the Microsoft Office 365 site: https://portal.office.com. Sign in with your McGill Username and McGill Password; then click on the Yammer icon.
NOTE:
If you already have an account in Yammer and you were accessing the public McGill Yammer site before it was brought in as a McGill service, you now need to sign in with your McGill Username and McGill Password.
Alumni and retired McGill faculty & staff need to sign in at yammer.com
Click on the Gear icon in the upper right corner to access your Profile, Settings and Preferences.
Yammer mobile app:
A Yammer app is available for Windows mobile, iOS and Android devices. Visit the corresponding app store to download it for your device.
Delete your Yammer Enterprise Account
If you want to delete your Yammer account, log into Yammer and click on the Gear icon of your Profile on the bottom left side of the screen. Click Settings > Preferences > Delete your Yammer Account.
Cost
There is no cost associated with this service.
Availability
This service is available 24 X 7. Check the Microsoft Office 365 website for announcements of any maintenance or unexpected downtime.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I create a new group in Yammer?
Yes. Just click the + Create Group link in the left side panel of the Yammer page; enter the group name and add members. Groups can be Public (allows anyone at McGill to join) or Private (limited to the members you specify). - How can I add an external participant to a group conversation or private chat?
- Can the administrator of a group delete posts made by others to that group?
Yes. If someone posts an inappropriate comment or new conversation, the site administrator can remove it. See Manage a group in Yammer
Best practices & policies
Edit your Office 365 Profile by adding a photo and any details you want to share with fellow McGillians.
Yammer is governed by the Terms of Use, which are stated within the site itself. In brief, Yammer use must respect McGill’s Policy on the Responsible Use of Information Technology, as well as the Cloud Directive.
Keep your posts respectful and professional, with the assumption that although the site is intended for sharing within McGill, your content could end up elsewhere, simply due to the nature of social media and the Internet.
Training & documentation
Self-serve resources:
Support
For access/authentication issues, contact the IT Service Desk.