Microsoft announces a major upgrade ringreal time collaboration tool added to the company productivity Suite at the end of last year.
At its annual build event, Microsoft revealed that it will soon preview a system for building custom loop components based on Adaptive Cards, a framework that developers use to create portable blocks of information.
These custom components will be recommended to end users based on contextual factors and can be shared across applications, such as Microsoft Teams and appearance.
Microsoft Loop
Announced at Ignite in November 2021, Microsoft Loop consists of three core elements: Components, Pages, and Workspaces.
Loop components are best described as real-time pieces of data – in the form of lists, tables, notes, etc. – that can move freely Microsoft 365 Serve. For example, if a team member makes a change to the Loop component in Microsoft Teams, that change will be reflected in all other applications in which it resides.
At the same time, the role of the loop page is to act as a flexible canvas with various components, files, links and data, while the workspace can be used to collect all materials related to a specific project.
“Over the years, the established working model has been clear. Communication is via email, and content creation is primarily documents, spreadsheets, and presentations,” Microsoft wrote when Loop was first announced.
“The world has changed in the past 18 months and we have adapted to a new work environment where people have had to supplement traditional communication tools and face-to-face collaboration with alternative solutions. But we need to go further. That’s why We’re reimagining Office, adding new apps to address new opportunities, and making Office the universal interactive canvas.”
With the upcoming update, the door will be opened to a variety of new Loop components, beyond the limited number developed by Microsoft. It will also allow companies to develop components that satisfy highly specific use cases that are unlikely to be covered by more general tools.
The new system will be available in private preview next month, with a full rollout expected soon.