New features in Microsoft Teams (second half 2022)
At Microsoft Ignite, three key announcements were made to further extend the reach and power of Teams for the modern workplace. We are bringing these features in preview starting today to empower people, teams, companies, and entire industries. The latest innovations coming to Microsoft Teams are designed to help you and your team get work done where and how you want – on any device, in any location.
New meeting features in Microsoft Teams
Mesh avatars for Microsoft teams will allow you to customize an animated version of yourself. Mesh avatars are available at the moment just for private, preview customers.
Excel Live will allow participants to collaborate and edit an Excel file right on the spot during a meeting. With a shared meeting window, it will become an interactive canvas where anyone will be able to edit.
Collaborative annotations in Teams meetings with an extended toolset and canvas of Whiteboard, you may draw, make corrections, and type any content shared during a meeting.
Live Cameo in PowerPoint Live, now available for everyone in Teams, you can appear in your slides of any presentation.
Assign seats in Together Mode, making everyone feel they are actually together during meetings.
Microsoft Polls for Teams meetings allows users to engage with participants, encouraging participation in specific topics.
Microsoft Teams Premium with new AI, personalized, intelligent and secure capabilities. Read more about it here.
Microsoft Places will revolutionize hybrid work, by allowing employees and leaders to know if a colleague is going to the office and helping make the most out of your in-person time.
A new Channel layout that will provide an easy catch up of conversations, discussions, and other communication engagements. Channel headers can now be customized to add a sense of identity according to the brand.
Suggested replies in group chats and extended reactions with more than 800 emojis to help you share your feelings.
Get everyone’s attention by mentioning @everyone on a group chat, to make general announcements.
Work hours, location and schedule messages to avoid messaging outside work hours and get easier coordination of in-person meetings.
Video responses in chats, to strengthen your connections through a more personal touch.
In the Phone and contact center for Teams, the following updates are being set
- Unified business communications through Teams integration with native dialer, allowing extended capabilities
- Policy management for mobile
- Technical support and quality service level agreements between Microsoft and partnering operators
- Management of busy-on-busy settings
- Detailed call history
- CRM browser pop-out, enabling automatic app/URL launch
- Federated group calling
- Teams phone devices UI updates and performance improvements
For frontline workers, the following improvements are integrated to Teams
Viva Connections pre-configuration in F-SKUs, so frontline workers have access to relevant cards and easily reach key information.
Partnership with UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group), to bring together a seamless interface to simplify scheduling and time management.
Walkie Talkie Push-to-Talk on Honeywell devices, helping healthcare, transportation, and retail workers connect easily through Wi-Fi and cellular networks with full-coverage.
Audience targeting in Outlook, by segmenting employees according to their job code, location, and department (in public preview in December 2022)
As you can see, Microsoft is always reinventing itself to provide the best experience for both employees and leaders. These new Microsoft Teams features will empower people, teams, companies, and entire industries. To adapt these improvements to your Teams environment, book a meeting with one of our experts, we are more than happy to help.
