Build 2020: Many new things announced for Microsoft 365

So far, due to the current popularity of COVID 19, Microsoft Build is only available online. In this unusual online-only way, there are also some exciting announcements. Microsoft 365 and the team are particularly interesting for end customers.

The online version of this version is the new normal this year, and the corresponding Microsoft managers are also working on the ever-changing reality in their web presentations and press releases. As far as Jared Spataro, vice president of the company, the situation is even twice. Because he is responsible for Microsoft 365.

Spataro quoted his boss Satya Nadella and said: “We have completed the digital transformation of two years in two months.” This was particularly gratifying for the Microsoft 365 manager since the corporate communication platform Microsoft Teams was able to experience a tremendous soaring. Accordingly, it is not surprising that teams played a particularly important role in the new announcements.

Team templates make it easy to set up

As the first and most important innovation, a customizable template has been announced for Microsoft Teams, which will be launched in the coming months. When building a team, you can choose from many templates, which can also be customized. Microsoft cited “business solutions” such as incident management and crisis response. As well as industry-specific solutions such as banks and hospitals. Such a template is not only a visual requirement but also affects related structures and applications.

Simple chatbots, more automation

Microsoft will also unlock the Power Virtual Agents application in the Teams application store. Microsoft says this makes it easy to create and manage team chatbots. Generally, the degree of team automation should be improved. Developers and administrators will soon be able to add home-made applications and automated workflows to the team using powerful applications and a simple button. With the new “Share to Team” button, Power BI users will soon be able to share reports and charts with particular ease.

Microsoft has also addressed the subject of meetings and events. And you want to simplify its organization in multiple time zones. A new application called Bookings will make future work easier. The group promised that this would make it easier to organize team meetings across time zones and departments.

Teams also get more opportunities to broadcast events. Which is important but also a new topic for many companies during the Covid-19. Finally, Microsoft also notes that the Shifts application for scheduling (internal) processes and working time is further improved.

Fluid Framework and Project Cortex

In connection with Microsoft 365, Redmond is also involved in the theme of the framework. A public preview has already been announced at Ignite 2019. The framework is a new technology designed to facilitate collaboration by breaking down walls between different applications.

With the first integration of the Fluid Framework into Microsoft 365, you can collaborate on dynamic documents and create related components. You can use them in different applications.

The Cortex project was also announced at Ignite 2019 and will be available to the general public in early summer 2020, so very soon. This service works with AI and Microsoft Graph to create a network that connects Microsoft 365 to external sources.