Meet Microsoft Loop — this new tool could change how you work

Meet Microsoft Loop — this new tool could alter how you lot work

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft had fallen behind on the collaboration forepart as Google, Slack and Trello began taking over. Simply after purchasing LinkedIn, Discord and launching Teams, it's clear the visitor feels that collaboration tools are an area it wants to dominate. And Microsoft plans to continue its front end with the launch of a new program called Loop.

In a web log mail service, Microsoft 365 appear Microsoft Loop, an evolution of the company's current Office suite that aims to heighten collaboration amid its electric current array of productivity apps. It will integrate into Teams, Outlook and One Note, just a dedicated Microsoft Loop app will be bachelor in the coming months.

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It's a lilliputian confusing, only the best way to understand Loop is to break it down into three elements.

There's Loop components, which are dynamic tools that can be added into a team's collaborative chat to assist reach consensus or organize ideas.

For example, permit's say a squad is chatting in Microsoft Teams and the team wants to decide on a new slogan for their visitor. With new Loop components, a team member tin can dynamically add a poll to the chat so that the residuum of the team tin vote.

Or, allow's say a team leader needs to know the status of where the current assignment is. The leader can add a Condition Checker box in the middle of the chat where other squad members can bank check off on what'south been accomplished.

A Microsoft Loop component demonstration — (Image credit: Microsoft 365)

And for companies with specific tools or workflows, it will be possible for specific components to be fabricated and integrated. This custom functionality volition exist explained in grater particular at the Microsoft Build developer briefing adjacent yr.

Loop pages is the next element in Microsoft Loops. Think of it as a blank canvas or whiteboard where teams tin can motility around elements, files, links and data to help organize thoughts. Apparently information technology will have high-fiving Emojis.

Microsoft Loop pages demonstration. — (Epitome credit: Microsoft 365)

Lastly, Loop workspaces are a shared space where teams can group what'south important to a project, go an idea of where everyone is at with the project, react to people's ideas and track other goals.

Microsoft likewise unveiled a few more tools in the blog post linked above. These include Context IQ, which is an AI-based feature that automatically predicts, seeks and suggests information people might need. So, for instance, when writing out an email in Outlook, if you say "please read the contract certificate," Context IQ volition automatically suggest to attach said document.

Microsoft caused Clipchamp earlier this year and volition exist integrating the clip creation tool into Office. Not only that, only PowerPoint will have a record feature to record audio for presentations. Both of these features will state in 2022.

Microsoft is also expanding Office.com to include more features and functions to compete with Google'due south suite of productivity apps. Users will see a new await for Part.com, and boosted functions to match the native Office feel.

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Imad Khan is news editor at Tom's Guide, helping direct the twenty-four hour period's breaking coverage. Prior to working at the site, Imad was a full-fourth dimension freelancer, with bylines at the New York Times, the Washington Mail service and ESPN. Outside of piece of work, you can notice him sitting blankly in front of a Give-and-take document trying badly to write the first pages of a new book.