On November 2, Microsoft announced a new app that integrates elements from documents, presentations, emails and spreadsheets into a single unified view, revolutionizing communication between teams. The app is called Loop and it provides users with a flexible canvas with movable components that sync with other apps in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Now your team can view figures from Excel spreadsheets, page elements from SharePoint, emails from Outlook and text from Word in one centralized space. There’s no need to move between different apps or deal with complicated file formats.
Below, learn more about Microsoft Loop, its components, how it improves hybrid work and why you need a partner to get even more value from this app.
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Dynamic Consultants Group (DCG) provides support, maintenance and consulting solutions for enterprises that want to incorporate Microsoft Loop into their organization. Schedule a meeting to learn how your business will benefit from this new Office app.
Read more: October 2021 Leads a New Wave of Releases to Finance and Operations.
What is Microsoft Loop?
Microsoft Loop is a collaborative workspace where teams can access real-time information from Office documents, emails, spreadsheets and presentations in one place. It’s similar to a social media newsfeed, where users can view data from multiple sources on a single screen, making it easier to digest that information. Without Loop, teams have to switch between Word, Excel, SharePoint, Outlook and other 365 apps, which slows down productivity and performance.
Loop and Liquid Framework
Microsoft has been working on Loop for a couple of years via its Fluid Framework, allowing users to embed components such as tables, lists and charts from 365 applications into other apps. Loop, via the Fluid Framework, presents users with a single source of truth for all Office data.
Teams can view Loop elements in real time. If someone edits an Excel spreadsheet, for example, that edit will automatically update in Loop.
“Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Microsoft Outlook are better than they’ve ever been, with Microsoft Teams integration and cloud-powered AI across web, desktop and mobile,” says Wangui McKelvey, General Manager at Microsoft 365. “But we needed to go further. That is why we are reimagining Office, adding new apps to respond to new opportunities and making Office a universal, interactive canvas for creators of all kinds.”
Read more: Master the Art of Communication with a Microsoft Power Virtual Agent
How Does Loop Work?
There are three elements of Loop that you need to know:
Loop Components
Components are elements, such as tasks, lists, emails, notes and tables, in Microsoft 365 apps such as Outlook, Word and Excel.
Loop Pages
You organize all your components on Loop pages, making it easy to view tasks, lists, emails and other elements in one place. You can also add data to pages such as files and links.
Loop Workspaces
Workspaces are shared spaces where teams can view pages and components.
“Workspaces make it easy for you to catch up on what everyone is working on, react to others’ ideas or track progress toward shared goals,” says McKelvey. “Teams can collaborate synchronously or asynchronously whenever inspiration strikes.”
Read more: 2021 Wave 2 Release: Customer Insights.
How Does Microsoft Loop Improve Hybrid Work?
Many organizations have implemented a hybrid working model during the pandemic, with 55 percent of employees wanting to divide their working hours between the home and the office. Loop supports this working model by providing remote and in-office workers with a space for collaboration, regardless of their location.
All Loop components are shareable and editable (subject to access controls), so employees in the home or office can collaborate on the same task or note simultaneously.
Why You Need a Microsoft Partner
A Dynamics 365 partner helps you get more value from Loop by providing ongoing support, maintenance and consulting solutions based on your business requirements. DCG’s world-class Microsoft specialists improve collaboration among teams with customized Loop training, for example, or help you implement 365 into your tech stack.
DCG has helped over one million people worldwide and supported over 700 successful 365 implementations.
Final Word
Microsoft Loop combines elements from other Microsoft 365 products into a single view for better collaboration. Use it to improve productivity in your organization, share information without switching apps and enhance hybrid work. Microsoft will roll out Loop in Teams, Outlook and OneNote throughout November and announce a launch date for the standalone app in the next few months.
Want to learn more about Microsoft Loop? Talk to an expert from DCG and discover how your business will benefit from this new Office app.
