When installing Officely in MS Teams, admins can sometimes choose between two different setup routes:
- Add Officely to a Team
- Grant admin consent for the whole organization
These two options do different things, and this is often what causes confusion during setup.
If Officely is only added to a Team, some users may still run into repeated permission prompts or be asked to install the app again. This is usually because admin consent has not yet been granted for the wider organization. This guide explains the difference and when to use each option.
Quick answer
Add Officely to a Team if:
- you want to install Officely into a specific Team
- you are starting setup from a Team/channel
- you want to get Officely set up in one Team first
Grant admin consent if:
- you want Officely approved for the whole organization
- you want to avoid repeated permission prompts
- your Microsoft 365 settings require admin approval for apps
- users are getting stuck in a permissions loop
What does “Add to a Team” mean?
Adding Officely to a Team means installing the app into one specific Team in Microsoft Teams.
This is the route many admins take when first installing Officely:
1. Open the Teams App Store
2. Search for Officely
3. Click the dropdown arrow
4. Select Add to a Team
5. Choose the Team you’d like to install Officely into
Once you do this, Officely will be available in that Team and you can continue the setup from there.
In short:
Adding Officely to a Team installs it in one Team context.
What does “Grant admin consent” mean?
Granting admin consent means a Microsoft 365 admin approves Officely’s permissions for the entire organization.
This is different from simply adding the app to one Team.
When admin consent is granted:
- Officely is approved at the organization level
- users are less likely to see repeated approval prompts
- setup is smoother across the company
- admins can avoid the “install/approve again” loop
In short:
Admin consent approves Officely for the wider organization, not just one Team.
Why this might cause confusion
A common assumption is:
“I added Officely to a Team, so everyone in the company should now be able to use it.”
Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case in MS Teams.
Adding Officely to a Team does not always mean the app has been approved across the entire organization.
That means another admin or employee may still see:
- a request to approve the app
- a request to install it again
- a message saying admin approval is required
- a setup flow that feels like it keeps looping
This is the permissions loop many customers run into.
Why the permissions loop happens
This usually happens if Officely has been added to a Team, but the required permissions have not been approved for the whole organization.
Depending on your Microsoft 365 settings:
- some users may not be allowed to approve apps themselves
- some permissions require admin approval
- one admin may complete setup in a Team, but other users still can’t access Officely properly
So from one person’s point of view, the app looks installed — but from Microsoft’s point of view, organization-wide approval is still missing.
When should I use “Add to a Team”?
Use Add to a Team if:
- you are doing the first install
- you want to set Officely up in one Team
- you are testing Officely before a wider rollout
- your organization does not require wider admin approval
For some smaller or less restricted setups, this may be enough.
When should I grant admin consent?
You should grant admin consent if:
- users keep being asked to approve Officely
- different people are being asked to install it again
- your company requires apps to be approved by IT or a Microsoft 365 admin
- you want Officely available more smoothly across the organization
If you’re seeing a permissions loop, this is usually the missing step.
Example scenarios
Example 1: Officely works for one admin, but not everyone else
An admin adds Officely to a Team and completes setup.
✅ Officely has been installed in that Team
But when other users try to access it, they get asked for approval again.
❌ Organization-wide approval is still missing
Fix: ask a Microsoft 365 admin to grant admin consent.
Example 2: Your company has stricter app controls
You install Officely, but Teams keeps showing approval requests before employees can use it.
✅ This usually means your Microsoft 365 environment requires admin approval
Fix: have a Microsoft 365 admin grant admin consent for Officely.
Example 3: You want to test Officely in one Team first
You’re trialling Officely with one department before rolling it out more widely.
Start by adding Officely to a Team
If you later want smoother access across the wider company, the next step may be to grant admin consent.
Best practice
We recommend the following:
Option 1: Start small
Add Officely to a Team
Option 2: Roll out more widely
Have a Microsoft 365 admin grant admin consent for the whole organization
If users are getting stuck in repeated approval prompts, the second option is usually what’s needed.
FAQs
Does adding Officely to a Team approve it for the whole organization?
No. It installs Officely in that Team, but it does not always approve it organization-wide.
Does granting admin consent add Officely to every Team automatically?
No. Admin consent approves permissions for the organization, but it does not automatically add Officely to every Team or channel.
Why do users keep getting asked to approve Officely?
Usually because Officely was added to a Team, but admin consent has not yet been granted for the organization.
Who can grant admin consent?
A Microsoft 365 admin with the right permissions in your organization.
Need more help?
If you’re unsure whether Officely needs to be added to a Team or approved for the whole organization, reach out to our team and we’ll be happy to help.