There’s a new addition to the Microsoft 365 family that you probably haven’t heard of. The new, Microsoft Loop app was unveiled in November 2021 during the height of the pandemic—a solution to the demand for better ways for employees to collaborate when working remotely. The release date was set for the US summer of 2022 (which is effectively now and we’re ready!). Yet Microsoft has been relatively tight-lipped about the launch date, despite the demand for employers desperate for superior collaboration and communication functions. Some refer to Microsoft Loop as Google Docs on steroids while others truly believe this is the answer to streamlining the future of remote working.
What is Microsoft Loop?
The functionality of Microsoft Loop provides a hybrid way for teams to co-create and work together even though they are not physically present in the same room, or even postcode. It provides unparalleled organisational features ensuring that files, links and data from other apps are found in one singular spot. So whether you’re working in Teams or using documents, your employees have access to the latest information at their fingertips. Progress can be tracked with notifications, highlighted updates and lists of tasks.
So now that you understand the potential for Microsoft Loop, let’s delve deeper into its benefit for the end-user.
What are the benefits Microsoft Loop
Improves the efficiency of synchronous work
In its most simple terms, organisations that are working together on the same project will value the ability to communicate and track progress in real-time. This means at any given moment, any member of the team should have access to the very latest information. Imagine the difference, IT teams charged with the responsibility streamlining large university networks’ infrastructure could make.
Organise project pages in one place
Organisation of every project’s components from time-critical files to third-party data is able to be kept in the Loop’s workspace. This is so everyone working on the master plan can easily find everything they need, while maintaining transparency throughout the duration of the project.
Real-time collaboration
It can be hard to stay on top of multiple streams of emails and track progress. Whether your team has offices interstate or is spread across the globe, the ability to stay in the loop from the conception through to completion in real-time makes monitoring and reporting on the project status a breeze.
Now that you understand what Microsoft Loop is and its abilities, let’s break down the core elements.
Microsoft Loop’s Core Elements
Loop Components
Loop components is a fantastic tool allowing users to work simultaneously in virtual time. Employees can collaborate on documents at the same time, and the work is updated instantly and synced across multiple Microsoft Apps such as Teams, Outlook, Word, and more. This means that an entire marketing department or education faculty can collaborate on lists, tables, notes, or even a customer sales chance from Dynamics 365 in a Teams chat, email, meeting, or documents using components.
To accomplish this, you would need to share the Loop component with the people working on the project. It is also possible to share a link with your entire team, or a client. Then you could use the option to add websites as tabs, copy and paste the link from your Loop's share function, and just like that, your Loop is distributed to the appropriate channel, and everyone has access. But keep in mind, all the information is still maintained within your OneDrive!
Loop Pages
Think of Microsoft Loop pages like a flexible digital whiteboard within the app. Say goodbye to whiteboard markers. Users can type text, enter reactions as well as pull links, files and data to suit the project.
Workspace Loop
Within the Workspace Loop, it provides the capability of employees to monitor project progress where multiple people are contributing and enter reactions. Think similar to Notion. This component was added during the beta testing phase as Microsoft team members who were using MS Loop internally discovered there needed to be a simpler way to locate presentations and organise them. There is still much to be revealed about the app’s capabilities, according to the official Microsoft website.
Conclusion
We’re in a holding pattern, waiting for the launch.
If you would like to understand more about Microsoft Loop and embrace the ability to think, plan and create together, then register your interest and call us on (02) 9114 9920 or .