UPDATE: Now entering general availability. Read the update here: Teams Connect shared channels.
Do you work closely with people in other organisations? This new update will let you work in Teams channels with them as if they were in the same team as you…but only if both organisations allow it.
Short version:
Teams Connect shared channels will be rolling out to public preview soon. Shared channels are a new channel type and join the existing standard and private channel types. Shared channels will enable you to collaborate internally and externally, beyond the boundaries of your team and your organisation. Due late March to early April.
Details:
You will be able to invite individuals or entire teams to a shared channel. These can either be from your organisation (without the need to add them to the whole team) or from another organisation that uses Azure AD. Once added to a shared channel, external users can access the channel right from their own Teams account without having to switch organisations.
Shared channels will be rolled out as part of the Teams public preview program. Team owners who are enrolled in the Teams public preview program will see shared channels as an additional channel type while creating a channel.
For the admins:
- Each shared channel is backed by its own dedicated SharePoint site collection. Microsoft have improved the SharePoint admin experience to help you manage sites collections associated with shared and private channels better
- Shared channels support both meet now and scheduled meetings, making it easy to bring the team together
- Shared channels support tabs and connectors. Support for bots, message extensions will come later
- Graph APIs and PowerShell cmdlets have been updated to support shared channels
- Shared channels support the full range of Microsoft 365 Information Protection capabilities – eDiscovery, Legal Hold, Information Barriers, Retention, DLP, Audit Logs, & Communication compliance
- External collaboration in shared channels is powered by Azure AD B2B direct connect, a new way to collaborate with other Azure AD organisations. With B2B Direct connect, there’s no need to add the external user as a guest in your organisation. Cross-tenant access policies let admins manage B2B direct connect for their organization
- A shared channel can be shared with as many organisations that can be specified in the Azure AD cross-tenant access policy
- External collaboration is off by default
Availability:
Due late March to early April.
Related Links:
You can learn more about shared channels at Seamless external collaboration with Teams Connect shared channels.
Check status:
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 70766.
MC334274
