Every year, leading technology company Microsoft uses the Inspire conference to connect with partners and showcase the latest innovations available in the landscape. Together with partners, Microsoft found inspiration in the resilience that customers have shown around the world, and the ability of companies to adapt to challenging times.
Celebrating the continued evolution of the workplace, Microsoft announced a selection of experiences and features for Microsoft 365 and Teams, that streamline and automate workflow processes within Teams. Microsoft’s new updates will protect data, support firstline workers, and improve the hybrid working environment.
Making Teams more Powerful for Today’s Companies
In recent months, Microsoft Teams has emerged as an essential platform for work and school. Microsoft recently introduced new Teams features to make virtual meetings more engaging and productive, like virtual backgrounds. With Inspire, the company is introducing more platform experiences for Teams users.
For instance, enhancements in the Power Platform will allow developers to create and deploy apps without leaving Teams. Microsoft Dataflex will give chatbots and apps built with Power Virtual Agent and Power Apps access to crucial data. This relational database is now included in Teams at no extra cost for customers.
Additionally, a new Power BI Teams app will deliver a more convenient experience for unlocking reports in teams. This will simplify the process of collaboration and finding insights. Companies will also have new freedoms for enriching their meeting experiences with third-party services and apps. Developers and software vendors will be able to integrate services and apps with Teams meetings. This leads to more options for hosting collaborative meetings.
Partners will be able to launch apps directly within the Teams experience. For instance, a third-party calendar app could offer a tab with an agenda for meetings in the pre-meeting window.
Enhancing Teams Meeting Rooms
Microsoft also announced the arrival of updates to Teams Meeting rooms. For instance, companies can access devices from the admin centre. Management capabilities for Teams meeting devices help IT admins to deploy and manage devices. You can even roll out improvements and monitor health remotely.
Alternatively, Managed Meeting Rooms services is now generally available too. This cloud offering helps companies to shift the responsibilities of Teams Rooms to experts from Microsoft. In addition to proactive management and monitoring, experts can surface insights gathered throughout the hundreds of companies. Microsoft tech experts will be on hand to support companies.
Business leaders will also have more opportunities to track crucial information and organise work. Not so long ago, Microsoft announced their List app for Microsoft 365. The Lists solution helps businesses keep everyone in sync. Microsoft Lists Home is now rolling out with 8 templates to choose from. It’s also going to be available in Microsoft Teams next month with 3 additional templates.
Improving Experiences for Firstline Workers
More than ever, companies need to ensure that they have the right tools in place for Firstline workers to connect with the rest of the team. Microsoft is introducing updates to help with this. Companies will be able to manage schedules from anywhere. Employees can log in and start shifts wherever they are. Time clocks will be available on the web and desktop app for Teams.
Having access to stronger communications with frontline workers is crucial, particularly during times of crisis. Yammer Communities in the Teams mobile apps will make it easier for employees to access information and messages in one place.
Microsoft is also offering a new way for employees to communicate safely. The Teams Walkie Talkie is now in public preview, offering a push-to-talk experience for company Android devices. Launch partners include Klein Electronics with Valor and Triumph wired headsets, BlueParrot with B450 XT MS and C300-XT, and Samsung with Galaxy XCover Pro.
Also appearing in public preview is hands-free access to calls and live remote collaboration through HMT-1Z1, and HMT-1.
Business admins and supervisors will also be able to stay on top of employees shifts and working schedules. Firstline worker and manager policy packages for Microsoft Teams offer predefined policies for supporting the Firstline workforce. There are even audit logs now generally available for Shifts.
Protecting Data and Reducing Threads
As more companies shift to the hybrid work environment, security and risk management strategies are changing. Microsoft is introducing new solutions for business protection, both in hardware and software. Microsoft announced the public preview of Data Loss Prevention for endpoints, which builds on Microsoft Information Protection.
Endpoint DLP extends the DLP capabilities in Microsoft 365 too, helping to meet with compliance information. Earlier this year, Microsoft also announced the ability of a toolset for addressing potential insider threats. The brand recently expanded the signals for the Insider Risk Management tools. The company also added new templates to customise thresholds and support further organisational needs.
With Microsoft’s Azure Sentinel solution, companies will also be able to develop a more complete picture of the threats faced by their organisation. They can conduct deep threat analysis, use the power of orchestration and automation in the cloud, and free up security analysts for high-value tasks. Microsoft recently introduced various third-party connectors for Microsoft Azure Sentinel to build on existing insights.
Easily Discovering Information and People
Finally, updates to Microsoft 365 helps companies to find people and information at rapid pace. Business leaders can engage the workforce with a newly designed Yammer experience that’s now generally available. This tool comes with various integrations and features to support the modern workforce.
Enriched profile cards makes finding people easier too. Team members can find people with specific skills and attributes, rather than just looking for an employee ID or name. The feature is now available for Microsoft users.
Microsoft is even helping businesses to improve their print structure with a new printing solution on the cloud. This allows business leaders to access a simple and secure printing experience. Universal Print means that you don’t need to maintain or install any on-premise printing servers. Everyone can discover and print to nearby printers with ease.
As the world continues to navigate a new era of work and school, Microsoft will consistently roll out new technologies that help organisations to rediscover and enhance the potential of their people. From new improvements with risk management, to Teams platform tools, Microsoft is staying ahead of the curve.
