Welcome to our sixth roundup of 2023. We look at what’s being announced, released and delayed across Microsoft 365 and Teams in June. These hand-picked highlights are mainly from the admin centre and Microsoft 365 Roadmap, I aim to deliver them in plain English, in a simplified format and with end-users in mind.
Once you are all caught up with June, check out the July running blog, and remember to look back at May in case you missed anything.
Here’s what we cover:
Lists
Custom List Template Updates
Microsoft: “End-user impact: Visual updates to the list creation dialog and the addition of a From your organization tab when creating a new list. This new tab is where your custom list templates appear alongside the ready-made templates from Microsoft”.
Microsoft: “Admin impact: Custom list templates can only be uploaded by a SharePoint administrator for Microsoft 365 by using PowerShell cmdlets. For consistency, the process of defining and uploading custom list templates is like the custom site templates experience and will reuse some of the existing sites related PowerShell APIs”. Ref: MC588324. Read more: Custom list templates – SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn. Due mid-June to late August 2023.
Delayed: Applied Filters in Microsoft Lists
Microsoft: “Microsoft Lists is rolling out a new way to visualize and clear the filters that are present in a view…As you add and adjust filters to narrow or expand what appears in a view inside a list, you will see which filters have been applied and you can remove them without having to go back into the column filter pane”. Refs: Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 117585 and MC540126. Due early to late June 2023.
Delayed: New List Templates with Approvals
Microsoft are introducing two new list templates with Approvals app integration (Travel Requests with approvals and Content Scheduler with approvals). If you create a new list item in either template, you can submit it for approval by creating an approval request and specifying the approver. Your request will appear in the Approvals app in Teams or can be approved directly within the list. Once approved, the list item status is updated. Now due late June to early July. Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID:100502 (MC525660).
🎦 Watch the Lists highlights on YouTube.
OneDrive
Delayed: New OneDrive Shared with you view
Microsoft are making updates to the OneDrive > Shared > Shared with you view in OneDrive (web) to make it easier for you to quickly get back to shared content. The updated view will enable you to find files and folders shared with you over email, chats, and meetings all in one place. Now due mid-March to late June 2023. Read more.
🆕 One to watch in OneDrive: Coloured Folders
Microsoft: “Soon you’ll have the option to create colored folders or change the color of existing folders on OneDrive for Web. Colored folders give you at-a-glance signals to help you locate your content while adding a touch of personality to your OneDrive”. Due August 2023?
🆕 One to watch in OneDrive: Easily get to files shared by people with the new People view in OneDrive Web
Microsoft: “Sometimes it can be hard to remember the name of a file or exactly when it was shared, but you know who shared it with you. Because of this, we’ve created an entirely new way to get back to your shared files both internal and external – organized by the people you work with! This view presents the people you have recently collaborated with, along with all the files that have been shared with you by each person”. Due August 2023?
🆕 One to watch in OneDrive: Navigation updates in OneDrive for Web
Microsoft: “OneDrive for Web will soon support the ability to expand or collapse the left navigation bar. Additionally, OneDrive will have a new command, in the form of a button labeled “+ Add new”, for creating new content and uploading files/folders. This command will be available across Home, My Files, Shared, Favorites, Recycle bin, and all Shared libraries in the Quick Access section. Note: upload functionality will be accessed via the “+ Add new” command”. Due July 2023?
🆕 One to watch in OneDrive: New Meetings view that will help you quickly get back to content shared in meetings
Microsoft: “So much of our collaboration happens in the context of meetings, yet how many times have you found yourself trying to scroll back and find a meeting recording from a month ago? Or spent time digging through email to find pre-reading material for an upcoming meeting so you can be prepared going in? With this new meetings view in OneDrive, you’ll be able to get back to all of your meeting content with just a few clicks! When you come to meetings view, you’ll first see any meetings in the next week that you might need to prepare for, followed by a list of meetings that have already occurred. This view brings together all content shared both in meeting invites, meeting chat, and meeting recordings all into one place for easy access! Here you’ll see a recurring meeting with multiple meeting recordings, all laid out sequentially so you can catch up on whatever you missed”. Due August 2023?
🆕 One to watch in OneDrive: Recommended Files
Microsoft: We’ll be showing a set of files that have been recommended for you in OneDrive Home so you can quickly get back to the content you care about”. Due July 2023?
One to watch in Microsoft OneDrive: Open in App
Microsoft: “With this feature, users on OneDrive and SharePoint web can open non-Office files in desktop apps to view and make changes to those files. Any changes they make will sync back to OneDrive or SharePoint”. Due September 2023?
🎦 Watch the OneDrive highlights on YouTube.
OneNote
🆕 Navigation Layout Options in OneNote on Windows
Microsoft: “For those who love the left-sided layout on OneNote for the web, OneNote for Mac, and OneNote for iPad, you’ll be thrilled to hear that we’re now bringing this experience to OneNote on Windows client! Using the new Vertical Tabs layout option, you can use a navigation experience similar to other Microsoft 365 apps and services, such as Outlook and Teams”.
“Current users can easily switch to the layout by going to the View Tab -> Layout Options -> Different layout option“.
Refs: MC590114 and Microsoft Roadmap ID 100492. Available now. Read more.
🆕 One to watch in OneNote: Insert meeting details from across M635
Microsoft: “Easily access meeting content across Loop, Outlook, and Teams directly in your OneNote canvas”. Due February 2024?
🆕 Delayed: Text Predictions for OneNote on Windows
Microsoft: “When this update rolls out, users will see text predictions when writing documents in English in OneNote on Windows. When they see the suggested text, users can accept with the tab or right arrow key or simply keep typing to ignore”. Refs: MC560724 and Roadmap ID 124909. Now due late mid-July to mid-August 2023. Read more: Text predictions in OneNote – Microsoft Support.
🎦 Watch the OneNote highlights on YouTube.
Outlook
🆕 Schedule Send on Outlook for Android
The new Schedule send feature on Outlook for Android allows you to write an email now and send later. To choose when to send, select ‘…’ when writing an email (already available on Outlook for iOS). Refs: MC617062 and Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 98927. Due early July to early August 2023.
Delayed: Message Reminders in Outlook for iOS and Android
Microsoft: “…users will start seeing reminders appear at the top of their inbox for messages that Outlook detects may need a reply but that the user has not yet replied to after 3 days”. Refs: MC546941 and Roadmap ID 126517.
Delayed: Outlook on the web – Work Hours and Location (WHL)
Hybrid workers, you will soon be able to set up your work hours and location (WHL) in Outlook on the web, specifying when you’ll be remote or in the office. Once set up in Outlook online, your location will also be shown on your Microsoft Teams profile card. Now due late May to late August 2023. Read more.
SharePoint
🆕 One to watch in SharePoint: Improvements for document library version history limits
Microsoft: “We are increasing version history limits for SharePoint document libraries. Admins can set an appropriate level of recoverability and auditability for their organization. Today Site Owners can set count-based version limits at the individual document library level. With the upcoming changes, people will have two version history settings: 1) Automatic mode that intelligently adjusts based on a version’s age and restore probability, and 2) Manual mode that will allow admins to set version expiration and count limits on the versions created. And tenant admins will be able set version limits that apply universally to all newly created document libraries in their organization; site owners can then update settings for their document library(ies). Version history limits and management also apply to OneDrive”. Due March 2024?
🆕 One to watch in SharePoint: Updated site creation experience
Microsoft: “With this update, you will choose a site template based on your scenario to get started creating your site. When choosing a template you can see its capabilities, and even see a preview. This change will help site owners through the process by simplifying and providing additional guidance while creating the site”. Due July 2023?
Stream
🆕 Stream (Classic) retirement date extended to 15th April 2024
Microsoft: “As mentioned in previous message center posts (MC516263, February ’23), Microsoft is retiring Stream (Classic). Some of the retirement dates for Stream (Classic) have been extended. The new retirement date is April 15, 2024. Certain parts of the service will retire sooner unless you take action, so make sure you review the retirement timeline, prepare your users for this change, and start migrating. The successor service Stream (on SharePoint) is currently available for all customers to begin using. Encourage your users to upload and manage videos in SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, and Viva Engage directly”. Ref: MC617074. Read more.
🆕 Delayed: Stream Playlist View in the SharePoint List Webpart
Page editors will soon be able to select a playlist to be displayed in the list webpart using the list picker. Viewers will see the list of videos and a playback window. Refs: MC564196 and Roadmap ID 124808. Now due early June to late July 2023.
🆕 One to watch: Audio tracks and descriptions for Stream on SharePoint
Microsoft: “Video owners and editors will soon have the ability to upload multiple audio tracks in a single video when using Stream (on SharePoint). These audio tracks will act as alternates to the main audio track. This feature can be used to add multiple language audio tracks for multi-lingual organizations, or to add audio descriptive tracks or to add audio tracks for other purposes. Viewers of the video will be able to select which audio track they would like to hear by clicking the Audio Tracks button (headphones icon) in the video player”. Due September 2023?
One to watch: Automatic transcriptions for video files uploaded to SharePoint, Yammer, and Office.com
Microsoft: “Videos uploaded to SharePoint Online, Yammer, and Office.com will have transcriptions automatically generated shortly after upload. This feature will not be available for A1 and trial tenancies”. Due June 2023?
🎦 Watch the Stream highlights on YouTube.
Teams
🆕 Show/hide previews in your Microsoft Teams chat list
‘Show message previews in your chat list’ is a new way to make better use of space on the rail when looking at chat. It also improves privacy by hiding the first line of your messages. Available now. Read more.
🆕 New App Sharing Experience
Microsoft: “We are introducing a new app sharing feature in Microsoft Teams, enabling users to share apps directly from the app details dialog to a chat, group chat, or channel.”
“This new feature streamlines the app sharing process, eliminating the need to copy and paste app links across different locations on Teams. Users will be able to share apps directly from the app details dialog, enhancing collaboration and communication within the organization.” Refs: MC602604 and Roadmap ID 122536. Should be available now.
🆕 Avatars for Microsoft Teams – Microsoft have expanded availability of Avatars to more M365 licence types
Microsoft: “We are expanding the licensing for avatars for Teams to be available to additional Teams commercial customers, so more users have the flexibility on how they represent themselves in meetings. Avatars for Teams will be available for Teams Essentials, Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, Microsoft 365 E3/E5, and Office 365 E1/E3/E5. A day of hybrid meetings can be exhausting, and we believe more users having access to avatars for Teams will give you that much-needed camera break, while still allowing you to collaborate effectively”. Read more.
🎬 Watch Mark and Kirsty get caught out by Avatar licencing: S01E08 Avatars for Teams Meetings – part 2 (FAIL)
Link to a specific message in a Teams group chat
Microsoft: “This feature allows group chat members to create and share links to specific messages within the chat, with the intention of improving communication and organization of information in group chats”. Refs: MC584833 and Roadmap ID 122522. Due early July to August 2023.
Present a Local File From PowerPoint app to PowerPoint Live in Teams
Microsoft: “You can now use the “Present in Teams” button in the PowerPoint for Window app to present via PowerPoint Live in your Teams meetings, even if your file is not stored in Microsoft 365 Clouds. This is a new PowerPoint Live entry point for those files, in addition to the “Browse my computer” button in Teams Share tray. Clicking the “Present in Teams” button first leads you to the Save As dialog to store the file to the Microsoft 365 Cloud. Once the file is saved, we’ll automatically trigger PowerPoint Live to present your file in your current Teams meeting”.
So, you have the PowerPoint app open, looking at a slide deck you have saved locally (not in M365), you will be able to click Present in Teams. It will prompt you to upload it to M365 and then you can present it in Teams…of course it is not longer a local file, but note the title says “Present a local file from…”, it does not say “Present a local file…”. Refs: MC586564 and Roadmap ID 117477. Due July 2023.
Animated Backgrounds in Teams Meetings
The animated background feature in Teams Meetings will allow you to replace your background with an animation. Animated backgrounds will be identified by a small video icon in the bottom-left corner of the preview picture. Due early to late July 2023. Read more.
Attach Cloud Files in Chat and Channel from Teams Mobile
Microsoft: “We are introducing the capability to upload files from OneDrive from Teams Mobile chat and channel for iOS and Android. Additionally, users will be able to view Recent files and attach the most used files upfront from the Recent section“. Refs: MC579610 and Roadmap IDs 98321 & 98327. Due late June to mid-July 2023.
Updated companion mode for Android meetings
Microsoft: “This feature allows you to add your Android device to an ongoing meeting, making it easy to chat, react, share, and more”. Refs: MC567504 and Roadmap ID 109606. Due early to mid-June 2023. I have often joined a Teams meeting with a mobile phone as well as a laptop to kind of have a second screen…I’m looking forward to seeing how this looks.
🆕 Delayed: New Microsoft Teams channel experience
A new channels experience is coming to Microsoft Teams. Updates include compose box at the top of the page, most recent posts appear at the top of the feed, individual posts can be ‘popped out’ and behave more like Chats, improved info pane, simplified ‘new activity’ badging. Now due late July to early August 2023. Read more.
🆕 Delayed: Microsoft Teams Collaborative Stageview
You will soon be able to open app content in a new, separate Teams window that’s been built for collaboration. Now due mid-July to late August 2023. Read more.
🆕 Delayed: Microsoft Teams is getting a new chat and channel search experience
Microsoft have announced improvements to the search experience for chats and channels. They include a search pane on the right, a ‘Find in channel’ button and improved result captioning/highlighting. Now late July to early August 2023. Read more.
Delayed: Expanded view of the profile card in Teams
You will soon be able to use expanded views of the profile card in Teams, which is already available in Outlook. Includes more information, like an overview of the profile, contact information, organisational chart, and LinkedIn tab. Relates to 365 Roadmap ID 109526. Read more about Profile cards in Microsoft 365. Now due February March to April late May to late June 2023.
One to watch: Preview and playback of Stream videos inline in Teams chat and channels
Microsoft: Stream videos that are saved in OneDrive and SharePoint are now embedded in chat and channels enabling users to preview and play them directly in Teams without the need to open a browser window. Due July 2023?
One to watch: QR code to reserve a room on Teams Panels
Microsoft: “This feature lets users easily book a room for meetings now, in the future, or as part of a scheduled meeting by scanning a QR code on the scheduling panel with their mobile device. Requires the Teams mobile app on an Android or iOS mobile device”. Due August 2023.
🎦 Watch the Teams highlights on YouTube.
Viva
One to watch in Viva Goals: Alignment view
Microsoft: “Viva Goals announces the release of the alignment view, designed to help users visualize how their work contributes to top-level organizational goals more efficiently than ever before. With this revamped experience, users can quickly gain a bird’s eye view of their objectives and expand or collapse them to different levels from the chart. This feature will provide users with a more comprehensive understanding of their progress towards team goals, helping them to stay aligned with the teams’ objectives”. Due June 2023?
One to watch in Viva: Campaign discovery hub
Microsoft: ” It is campaign discovery hub in Microsoft Viva to help users explore and discover existing campaigns”. Due June 203?
One to watch in Viva Goals: Enhanced Controls for OKR and Initiatives Status
Microsoft: “Viva Goals offers enhanced status control for OKRs and initiatives. Previously, when setting up an OKR or initiative, progress and status were combined into a single field. With this change, customers can now change status independently of progress, offering greater control and flexibility”. Due June 2023?
One to watch in Viva Goals: OKR Level Permissions Enhancements
Microsoft: “Users can now use AAD groups and Viva Goals teams to assign permissions at an OKR level”. Due June 2023?
One to watch in Viva: Topic card expanded view shows more details about a topic
Microsoft: “Stay in the flow of your work to learn more from the topic card with this expanded view”. Due July 2023?
One to watch in Viva Connections: Analytics Enhancements
Microsoft: “Enhancements to existing Viva Connections analytics capabilities providing an analytics dashboard for data visualization and additional metrics at a Dashboard card level”. Due June 2023?
One to watch in Viva: Viva Engage digest
Microsoft: “This new weekly digest will showcase premium features from Viva Engage alongside content from communities and storylines. Premium customers will see their current storyline and discovery digests evolve into this new email”. Due July 2023?
Around Microsoft 365
🆕 One to watch: Microsoft Edge for Business
Microsoft: “Microsoft Edge for Business aims to address the needs of both end users and IT Pros. It is designed to help meet the needs of the evolving security landscape while empowering users to be more productive. In addition to the rich set of native enterprise controls, it now supports a new look and feel, automatic switching to keep your work and personal browsing separate, a lightly managed Enterprise Personal Browser window (MSA profile), support for Unmanaged BYOPC, and Company Branding. Microsoft Edge for Business will be the standard browser experience for organizations and will get activated by Azure Active Directory (AAD) login”. Due August 2023?
🆕 One to watch Whiteboard: External Guest Sharing
Microsoft: “This feature will allow users to share whiteboards with external guests of your tenant via a personal share link (PSL). This feature will respect any OneDrive/Sharepoint sharing settings your tenant has enabled. Additionally, if your tenant has Business to Business Invitation Manager (B2B IM) enabled, this feature will allow you to send a whiteboard via PSL to external users and B2B IM will create a guest user account for them so they can access the file”. Due September 2023?
Bookings end point URL for customers will change
Microsoft: “The self-schedule URL for the Microsoft Bookings Calendar, which is the customer facing URL for your Bookings Calendar to create/update/cancel appointments will be changed”.
Existing: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/<Bookings_page_SMTP_Address>/bookings/
New: https://outlook.office365.com/book/<Bookings_page_SMTP_Address>/
Ref: MC528980. Due mid-June 2023.
Tasks in Microsoft Loop Components to start syncing with Planner and To Do
Tasks created using Microsoft Loop components will soon start syncing with Microsoft tasks apps To Do, Planner, and the Tasks app in Teams. Due mid-June to mid-July 2023. Read more.
One to watch in Excel: Insert Local Picture in Cell
Microsoft: “Pictures in Cells are getting better! Now you can insert a local picture from your device into the cell, paste it from your clipboard or convert a floating picture and put it in the cell easily!”. Due July 2023?
One to watch in Forms: New Present mode shares surveys or quizzes live through QR code or URL
Microsoft: “You can now share a survey or quiz by selecting “Present” mode. The survey can be accessed via QR code or URL from any screen. Results are viewed on the same screen, dynamically updated as information is gathered”. Due June 2023?
One to watch in Microsoft Project: Access custom environment projects in Teams
Microsoft: “Users can now use the Project app to add Custom environment projects in their Teams channel”. Due June 2023?
One to watch in Microsoft Project: Task history
Microsoft: “Review the history of activities for a given task to track the changes in the project and help inform follow ups”. Due August 2023?
🎦 Watch the Around Microsoft 365 highlights on YouTube.
Watch all the video highlights of this blog…remember to subscribe!
Listen to the podcast version of this update (or search and subscribe to ‘What’s new in Microsoft 365 and Teams‘ in your podcast player):
