It’s been almost a year since Microsoft launched its Slack competitor, and we’ve seen a lot of improvements in that time. Just over a month ago, the app got support for external calling, and it’s clear that Skype for Business will eventually merge with the app.
However, Microsoft Teams latest update is one of the biggest yet. The team is calling it the “biggest single release of new features” since launch.
The star of the show is support for app information in chat. Users can now add content without needing to hyperlink, accessing it via a simple drop down on the emoji bar. You can select the app, search for the relevant content, and click send. This works for tasks like Trello cards, weather forecasts and more, displaying a card that anyone can interact with.
Adding to that is a new app view. You can now see all the apps you use on a single screen, and drill down into all the tasks that have been assigned to you. In this space, there’s also a feature Microsoft is calling ‘who’.
Who lets you search for people via name or topic, using the Microsoft Graph to deliver AI-powered results. You can add new apps to these sections via the store, which now has improved discovery tools.
Slash Commands and Command Box
More useful for some will be the ability to command apps straight from the command box. This lets you run search queries and more straight from Teams, with task creation and more coming soon.
You can also perform slash commands to quickly execute tasks. Commands like /goto, /away, and /call. For some users, it may be preferable to navigating the app’s interface.
The features should be available to all users today, with more detail on the Office blog.
