The Microsoft 365 monthly update includes updates and recently recent features across all of Microsoft 365. You can take a look back at previous monthly updates here, plus take a look at our weekly roadmap roundup.
SharePoint
Custom template tab settings in SharePoint news for email
As a site admin, when you set a custom Email news template as your site default, the “Saved on this site” tab will open first in the News template picker and your templates will appear before the built-in templates from Microsoft.
Link: Introducing new SharePoint news for email feature
SharePoint Add-In retirement in Microsoft 365
Starting July 1st, 2024, SharePoint Add-Ins cannot be installed from the public marketplace, also referred to as store by existing tenants. Installation from a private tenant catalogue remains possible.
Starting November 1st, 2024, new tenants will not be able use SharePoint Add-Ins, regardless of their origin (public marketplace, private tenant catalog). And then, starting April 2nd, 2026, Microsoft will remove the ability to use SharePoint Add-Ins for existing tenants. If your organization still uses SharePoint Add-Ins, they will no longer function after April 2nd, 2026.
Link: SharePoint Add-In retirement in Microsoft 365
Microsoft Search | ServiceNow Tickets connector is generally available
The SharePoint team have announced the launch of the Microsoft Graph connector for ServiceNow Tickets. Now you can index tickets from ServiceNow, and people can search for these tickets in Microsoft Search and Copilot.
Link: ServiceNow Tickets documentation
SharePoint Premium: Document translation
Get ready to easily create a translated copy of a selected file or a set of files in a SharePoint document library. You can translate a file while preserving the original format and structure of the file. This feature lets you translate files of different types either manually or automatically by creating a rule. You can use custom glossaries and models to improve the quality and consistency of your translations.
NOTE: Through June 2024, you can try out document translation and other selected Syntex services at no cost if you have pay-as-you-go billing set up.
Link: Overview of document translation in Microsoft Syntex
Microsoft 365 Backup (Public Preview)
Microsoft 365 Backup is currently in preview and will begin rolling out to customers in early 2024. This is your in-place backup solution with lightning-fast restorability from Microsoft to ensure business continuity; Your data is kept in its native format, encrypted, geographically distributed, and secured within Microsoft 365.
Link: Overview of Microsoft 365 Backup (Preview)
Stream (Classic) retires on April 15, 2024, and all unmigrated videos will be deleted
Microsoft will retire Stream (Classic) on April 15, 2024, and all videos on Stream (Classic) will be deleted after the retirement date. All your existing Stream (Classic) videos can be transferred to Stream (on SharePoint) after this date.
Microsoft have created a migration tool that allows you to transfer your videos to SharePoint while also bringing over metadata, links and permissions associated with your videos (link below).
Link: Stream retirement and timeline
Link: Stream migration guide
Microsoft Viva
New Viva Connections Desktop experience is now available worldwide
Microsoft have announced general availability of the refreshed Viva Connections desktop experience which offers a more intuitive layout and introduces several requested new features including branding capabilities, sending announcements, a revamped Resources section, and support for different card sizes.
Find out more: New Viva Connections Desktop experience is now available worldwide
New and updated cards available in Viva Connections
Microsoft have announced new and updated features within the Viva Connections out of the box cards. These updates are around the News card, People card and the Events cards:
- News card: Promote news from a variety of sources that you wish to prominently display, including boosted news from SharePoint
- People card: Automatically retrieve contact information from members of your organization using Microsoft Entra ID
- Events card: Surface any events from the organization on to the Viva Connections dashboard to spread awareness
Find out more: Updated and new ready to use cards available in Viva Connections
Copilot in Viva Engage (Public Preview)
The public preview of Copilot in Viva Engage is now available! If you are an individual team member, corporate communicator, or organizational leader, Copilot can help you engage with others at work in ways that create value for you and your organization. This preview is available to all users with a premium Viva Engage license.
Find out more: Copilot in Viva Engage is now in Public Preview
Community Creation API for Viva Engage
Microsoft have announced that the Community Creation API is now available on Microsoft Graph Beta: Use the Microsoft Graph API to work with Viva Engage (preview). With this, Viva Engage joins the other Microsoft products like Teams and Outlook with public API on MS Graph.
Find out more: Introducing the Community Creation API for Viva Engage on Microsoft Graph Beta
Copilot in Viva Glint
Microsoft have announced that Copilot in Viva Glint launching in private preview in January 2024. Copilot in Viva Glint platform is designed to help organizational leaders and HR analysts easily understand, interpret, and act on employee feedback.
Find out more: Microsoft Copilot in Viva Glint: Bringing AI to Comment Analysis
Viva Glint monthly update
This months update from the Viva Glint newsletter includes:
- A new feature release set for Jan 23, 2024
- Updates to Viva Glint Programs, Viva People Science and more.
Find out more: January 2024 Viva Glint newsletter
Copilot in Viva Goals
Copilot in Viva Goals is ready to help you generate new goals or OKRs for your organisation. Viva Goals is Microsoft’s solution for creating, managing, and tracking organisational goals. It is founded on the Objective and Key Result (OKR) framework, yet can be customized to meet other goal-setting strategies.
Find out more: “Copilot, help set my New Year’s goals”: Using Viva Goals + Microsoft Copilot to make goals in 2024
Teams
Teams
Forward chat messages
Forward chat makes it easier to get your work done with fewer clicks. Share a message with another colleague by right clicking the message and selecting “forward” or by clicking the “…” on the message and then “forward”. You can also add additional context to the message to provide greater clarity for the recipient. Messages can be forwarded to 1:1 chats and group chats.
Find out more: Forward a message in a Teams chat
Mesh in Microsoft Teams
Mesh in Teams transforms your Teams meeting into a 3D immersive experience using next-generation technology that helps virtual connections feel more like face-to-face ones. Mesh in Teams is available with core Teams licenses. Organizations can also host larger events with custom, immersive experiences tailored to their needs with Microsoft Mesh, available through Teams Premium.
Find out more: Bring virtual connections to life with Microsoft Mesh, now generally available in Microsoft Teams
Intelligent recap included with Copilot for Microsoft 365 license
If you have a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license, you now have intelligent recap for Teams included. Use intelligent recap after meetings to get a summary. The summary includes personalized timeline markers to easily browse recordings by when you joined or left, when a screen was shared, and when your name was mentioned. You can also browse recordings by speakers, chapters, and topics, as well as access AI-generated meeting notes, tasks, and go to name mentions in the transcript.
Find out more: How Copilot and Intelligent Recap are Aggregating Value for Microsoft Teams’ Users
Decorate your background
Meeting participants in Teams can now use AI to create better backgrounds for their video calls. This feature, called Decorate your background, is available for users with a Teams Premium license. With this feature, users can enhance their real-world background by cleaning up clutter or adding virtual plants to a wall.
Find out more: Decorate your background in Teams meetings
People specific link support for Collaborative notes
A new link type called People specific link (PSL) will be generated by default with the new Collaborative notes component in Teams. This link type offers more controlled access than a Company specific link (CSL) and aligns with tenants who have their file-sharing policy set as specific people. Tenants who previously had Collaborative notes disabled due to lack of PSL support can now enable and use the feature.
Find out more: Use collaborative meeting notes in Teams
Automatically view up to 9 videos (3×3) in Teams meetings in Chrome/ Edge
With this update, you will now be able to automatically see up to 9 videos (3×3) on Chrome and Edge on your screen by default without an explicit action. Previously, Microsoft Teams Meetings supported a maximum of 4 videos (2×2) on the screen by default on web browsers.
Find out more: Use Microsoft Teams on the web
Simplified audio and video controls
You can now choose your camera or mic device directly from the fly-outs. You can also adjust volume, spatial audio, and noise suppression controls from the audio fly-out. If you didn’t select your background before joining the meeting, you can change it directly from the camera fly-out. Avatars are also accessible from the camera fly-out for use in meetings. In addition, you can adjust brightness and soft focus from the camera fly-out.
Find out more: Manage your call settings in Microsoft Teams
Assign staff and set duration for on-demand Virtual Appointments (Teams Premium)
Administrators and staff managing on-demand appointments can assign specific staff members and set appointment duration. This ensures that there is a designated staff member assigned to the appointment and the appointment duration is determined. The designated staff member also receives a notification to attend the appointment. This capability is available for users with a Teams Premium license.
Find out more: Virtual Appointments with Microsoft Teams
SMS notifications in Virtual Appointments template (Teams Premium)
SMS notifications are offered for appointments booked via the Virtual Appointments template in the Teams app to enhance the attendee experience. Attendees in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States with a Teams Premium license can receive text notifications for appointment confirmation, updates, and a 15-minute reminder, containing appointment details and the meeting join link for easy access on mobile devices.
Find out more: Text notifications with Virtual appointments in Teams Premium
New partner integrations for Teams Phone contact center
The Teams Phone contact center and compliance recording certification programs ensure that contact center and compliance recording solutions work smoothly and dependably with Teams by requiring them to pass third-party testing. We have recently certified two new ISV partners, BrightPattern and CentrePal. With these additions we now have 24 Contact Center certified solution partners and 13 Compliance Recording certified solution partners, and there are many more on the way.
Updates to mobile in-call user experience
Improving your access to calling features with a new and improved user interface during calls.
Live meeting status for mobile
On mobile devices, Teams calendar shows the live status of a meeting with the pictures of the people who are on the call, if the meeting is being recorded and how long the meeting has lasted.
Play Azure protected voicemail in mobile Teams app
You can now use a link to get to your Azure protected voicemails from the Teams App. You will see a notification for the voicemail on the Teams App and can click the attached link to open the voicemail on the web browser.
Find out more: Download Microsoft Teams Desktop and Mobile Apps
Teams management
These features are currently available in the Teams admin center, or for IT administrators:
- Configure maintenance window for Teams devices – Within the Teams admin center, admins can set up the time windows for their Teams devices maintenance. These time windows will be used for performing any device maintenance tasks, such as automatic updates.
- Extended real-time telemetry retention for up to 7 days – Admins in Teams admin center can troubleshoot meeting quality more efficiently thanks to real-time telemetry that is available for an extended period (up to 7 days following the conclusion of a meeting). This feature is available with a Teams Premium license.
- External domain activity report in Teams admin center – Teams administrators can see which managed domains their users interact with using the external domain activity report. The report will surface the list of domains that your tenant has communicated with via managed communication, and how many internal users have been part of that communication. This report is available for those with open federation on and those with explicit allow lists.
- Watermark support for recording playback – Watermarked meetings can now have recording enabled. A watermark with an email ID will show up during the playback of the recorded meeting. This feature requires a Teams Premium license.
- New meeting option and meeting policy: ‘Turn off copying or forwarding of meeting chat’ – A new meeting option called ‘Turn off copying or forwarding of meeting chat’ allows the organizer to prevent participants from copying or sharing chat messages to prevent data leakage. Admins can control organizer access and set default values using meeting policy settings in Teams admin center and meeting templates. This feature requires a Teams Premium license.
Education
These features currently available to Microsoft’s Education customers:
- Using generative AI to create rubrics in Assignments – With generative AI integrated into Assignments, you just need to enter what you want the rubric to assess, and Assignments will suggest criteria for you and complete the rubric for you. You have the control as the educator, and you can add more levels or criteria and let AI fill out a first draft for you.
- Using generative AI to create instructions in Assignments – For Assignments Instructions, we are examining the information and giving multiple suggestions for how to enrich the content, such as adding more details, adding learning objectives, emphasizing key concept and even making your assignments more interesting.
- Using generative AI to create modules in Classwork – With AI enabled Classwork module generation, educators can get assistance creating a course outline and drafting modules and descriptions based on the subject, student grade level, and class learning objectives. The educator is always in the driver’s seat and can choose to edit, delete, or regenerate modules before adding them to Classwork.
- Admin Controls for generative AI features – The IT Administrators can control the educators’ access to these generative AI features. A new control will be available in the Institute settings tab under Education Section of the Teams admin center.
- Check-in with students using Reflect as they complete their assignment – When students submit their work, they will be automatically asked how they felt about the assignments. The educator can see the students’ responses directly inside the Assignments Grading experience, to track the changes over time for a student and how the whole class felt about the assignment in the together view.
- Reuse of Modules – Available now, you can now reuse your modules between Class Teams. Whether you are looking to teach the same class again, are teaching multiple instances of a class, or want to hand off curriculum to another educator, Classwork will allow you to reuse content including Assignments, Files, and Links easily. Simply make sure you are the owner of the Class Team the content is coming from, and then click “Reuse from existing” in the new Team.
Government
These features currently available to Microsoft’s commercial customers in multi-tenant cloud environments are now rolling out to our customers in US Government Community Cloud (GCC), US Government Community Cloud High (GCC-High), and/or United States Department of Defense (DoD):
Frontline workers/ Vertical solutions
These features currently available to Microsoft’s frontline worker customers and vertical solutions:
- Walkie Talkie: Automatically listen to multiple channels – Frontline workers who use Walkie Talkie in Teams can now choose to automatically listen to incoming messages from any of their pinned favorite Teams channels (up to 5 favorite channels). This new feature helps you keep in touch with and easily initiate Push-to-Talk (PTT) transmissions on multiple channels without needing to switch channels manually.
- Allow frontline teams to set their shift availability for specific dates – Frontline workers can now choose their preferred dates to work, making it easier for them to handle different scheduling needs. This new feature adds to the existing options for weekly availability that repeat. Discover the latest enhancements in Microsoft Shifts.
Power Apps
Optimize screens for mobile devices
Optimize for devices is a feature that changes the way canvas app screens are loaded and displayed for Android and iOS devices to use native UI. This lets makers build stunning native apps for mobile users with device-optimized screens that use native UI elements instead of rendering inside of web view.
Find out more: Optimize for devices overview (preview) – Power Apps | Microsoft Learn
2023 recap and what is coming for modern controls in 2024
A review of what modern controls were added/ updated throughout 2023 and a look at what’s to come in 2024.
Find out more: Recap of modern controls evolution in 2023 and a glimpse into 2024 innovations
Dataverse image and file support in canvas offline apps
Microsoft have announced the Public Preview of files and images from Dataverse in offline for canvas apps. This new feature is built on top of the already announced Canvas built-in offline that is in Preview since September 2023. In an offline-enabled canvas app, you can now either allow the files and images to be downloaded on view or on sync. With those two modes, you can decide the strategy to download files and images on the device of the user for an offline usage and optimize the disk size depending on the business needs of the end users.
Find out more: Announcing seamless Dataverse image and file support in canvas offline apps | Microsoft Power Apps
Power Platform Customer managed key auto key rotation General Availability
Microsoft have announced the general availability of using Azure key vault key version to auto rotate your encryption key. You can use the Rotation policy or the Rotate now to rotate the encryption key. Power Platform offers customer managed key (CMK) for added data protection control, by allowing customers to manage their own encryption keys. You can create your own encryption keys using Azure key vault.
Find out more: Encrypt customer data using enhanced customer-managed key
Build new apps and tables with Maker Copilot
Microsoft have announced that the Build apps through conversation capability is now available globally on make.powerapps.com. Copilot in Power Apps is an AI companion that guides you through the app creation process, from the backing data to the app design.
Find out more: Building new apps and tables with Maker Copilot is now available worldwide
Drag and drop controls within and between containers
Microsoft have made it easier to use the responsive horizontal and vertical layout containers in canvas studio. In December 2023, Microsoft introduced the ability to move controls by dragging and dropping within layout containers. Now, this feature is extended to allow dragging and dropping between layout containers.
Find out more: Building responsive canvas apps – Power Apps | Microsoft Learn
Create Formula columns using Natural Language
Formula columns in Microsoft Dataverse display calculated values. They are made using Power Fx, which is a user-friendly programming language. There’s a preview available for composing Power Fx formulas using Natural language. To enable the preview, go to the Power Platform admin center, select an environment, then go to Settings > Product > Features > AI suggestions for formula columns.
Find out more: Work with Dataverse formula columns – Power Apps | Microsoft Learn
Inactive editor capability now available in Canvas Copresence
Microsoft have announced the inactive editor capability as part of Canvas Copresence. Now, if an editor is inactive for two hours, a reader will have the opportunity to take the editor control. Additionally, none of the inactive editor’s progress will be lost. If auto save is turned on, those edits will be automatically saved. If auto save is not turned off, the initial editor will have a chance to save a copy and can incorporate those changes in later.
Find out more: Discover who’s working on a canvas app in Power Apps Studio – Power Apps | Microsoft Learn
Dependent Assembly Generally Available
The Dependent Assembly feature lets developers include extra assemblies with the plug-in assembly when registering a plug-in with Microsoft Dataverse. This allows including necessary .NET assemblies or resources in a single NuGet package uploaded to the Dataverse server during the registration process.
Performant APIs Generally Available
Dataverse bulk operation messages are created to help speed up tasks when working with many rows of a Microsoft Dataverse table. They are very helpful in slow network conditions because they lessen the amount of data sent over the network. Here are some examples of bulk operation messages you can utilize:
- CreateMultiple: Creates multiple records of the same type in a single request.
- UpdateMultiple: Updates multiple records of the same type in a single request.
- UpsertMultiple (preview): Creates or updates multiple records of the same type in a single request.
- DeleteMultiple (preview): For elastic tables only. Deletes multiple records of the same type in a single request.
Power Automate
Power Automate for desktop January 2024 update
The January 2024 update of Power Automate for desktop (version 2.40) has been released, here is a summary of what’s new/ updated:
- Suggested actions are now available in preview – You can now also use the suggested actions panel (in preview), which leverages AI to generate a list of actions that you could use as the next steps in your flow. Only available in US environments for work or school account users.
- Blank values have now been introduced – Blank values are now supported in Power Automate for desktop, in addition to empty text string values that were already available.
- Power Automate for desktop now supports single sign-on – Power Automate for desktop now supports single sign-on, so that users can sign in faster with the account they used to sign in to their Windows session.
- New actions for Word – Launch Word, Attach to running Word, Save Word, Close Word, Read from Word document, Write to Word document, Insert image in Word document, Find and replace words in Word document
- A new work queue action has now been added – The action Update work queue item processing notes has now been introduced under the ‘Work queues’ group of actions, to enable the respective functionality in desktop flows.
- HTML content can now be created via the respective new action
- Attaching to an SAP instance is now possible – A new action called Attach is now available under the ‘SAP automation’ group of actions, allowing you to attach the running SAP GUI application to an SAP instance.
- A new SharePoint operation is now available – A new operation called Create new document set is now available under the SharePoint cloud connector.
Find out more: January 2024 update of Power Automate for desktop
Process Mining is Generally Available in GCC (Sovereign Region)
Microsoft have announced that Process Mining is now generally available in the Government Cloud (GCC), a sovereign region. This marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing powerful process analysis tools while ensuring data sovereignty and compliance with regional regulation.
Back in September 2023, Microsoft said they would make Process Mining available to everyone. Now, they’re also making it available in the Government Cloud (GCC) – a special and secure region. This means that organizations in the GCC can use Process Mining while following local rules about data and security.
Find out more: Overview of process mining and task mining in Power Automate
Power BI
Microsoft Fabric is now HIPAA compliant
Microsoft have announced that Microsoft Fabric, our all-in-one analytics solution for enterprises, has achieved new certifications for HIPAA and ISO 27017, ISO 27018, ISO 27001, ISO 27701. These certifications demonstrate a commitment to providing the highest level of security and privacy for customer data.
Find out more: Microsoft Fabric is now HIPAA compliant
Power BI Report Server January 2024 Feature Summary
This month’s feature summary includes updates making it easier for people with visual impairments to access tabular data for all visuals on a page. Plus, extended data labels and more styling options, improving the appearance of column and bar charts, which is beneficial for individuals with cognitive disabilities and more.
Find out more: Power BI Report Server January 2024 Feature Summary
Dynamic subscriptions for Power BI reports (Preview)
Microsoft have announced that dynamic per recipient subscriptions are now available in Preview for Power BI reports! Similar to dynamic subscriptions for paginated reports, you can now distribute a personalized copy of a Power BI report to each recipient of an email subscription.
Find out more: Dynamic per recipient subscriptions for reports (Preview)
Copilot in Power BI (Preview)
Microsoft have announced that our Copilot preview is now available to all customers with Premium/Fabric capacity. With the current preview, users can create reports faster and easier in the Power BI web experience. Based on a high-level prompt, Copilot for Power BI in Fabric creates an entire report page for you by identifying the tables, fields, measures, and charts that would help you get started.
Find out more: Overview of Copilot in Fabric and Power BI (preview)
Model Explorer when editing data models in the Power BI service
With the Model Explorer available for editing data models in the Power BI service these semantic models, both Direct Lake and those in import or DirectQuery, not only get visibility of their semantic model in a tree view but also can create calculation groups.
Find out more: Model explorer with calculation group authoring is now available in Power BI service including Direct Lake semantic models
Update to Dashboard Web Content tenant setting
Due to the risks posed by allowing embedded HTML via dashboard web content, many admins have already disabled the feature. Microsoft are disabling the tenant setting by default. This change will be rolling out to tenants this week. If you would like to create or view web content tiles, please contact your tenant admin, who can opt to enable the feature for your entire organization, specific users, or groups.
Find out more: Update to Dashboard Web Content tenant setting
Copilot
Expanding availability of Copilot for Microsoft 365
Microsoft have announced they have removed the 300-seat minimum purchase for Copilot for Microsoft 365 commercial plans. Also announced, is extended support for Office 365 E3 and E5 customers to purchase Copilot, and an extended Semantic Index for Copilot for Office 365 users with a paid Copilot license.
Copilot for Microsoft 365 is generally available for businesses of all sizes, supported on Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium. Commercial customers, including small and medium-sized businesses can now purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365 through a network Cloud Solution Provider partners (CSPs) and you can learn more about them here.
Find out more: Expanding availability of Copilot for Microsoft 365
Admin Digest
This section covers the highlights from the month’s admin digest blog:
- Securely enable flexible work patterns with the Microsoft 365 app – Updates to the Microsoft 365 app include a new user interface making it simpler to find, launch, and manage content. The app also helps users prioritize content needing action on the day, and now with the addition of Microsoft Graph connectors, can reach third-party content as well.
- New Copilot for Microsoft 365 onboarding resources – Available on the Copilot adoption site, you can download email templates that include helpful tips and videos on how to get the most out of Copilot as an end user. In addition, there are helpful tools in-product, like Copilot Lab, that provides a repository of prompts to help get your users started. These are available through the prompt guide, just beneath any Copilot chat box.
- Enable and manage feedback from users on Copilot for Microsoft 365 – Recent enhancements have also been made to allow you to include feedback on the last N interactions with Copilots on behalf of your users. To learn more about Microsoft feedback for you organization, check out this article.
- Preview of Microsoft 365 connectivity test tool for Microsoft 365 operated by 21vianet – Microsoft recently announced the Preview of the Microsoft 365 connectivity test tool for customers using Microsoft 365 operated by 21vianet, to help aid in the diagnostics and enhancement of your service.
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