Slack is rolling out four major features in a bid to keep up with Microsoft Teams. After expanded Office 365 support last month, the app is introducing a workflow builder, better calendar and email integration, and a better search.
In beta, Slack is also introducing shared channels. With them, companies will be able to collaborate with external partners, vendors, and customers without leaving their Slack workplace.
Also coming to the app is a Workflow Builder that sounds suspiciously similar to Microsoft Flow:
“Imagine a world where you can create customized, secure automation without knowing a single line of code. That’s our new Workflow Builder. It streamlines manual processes for you, your team and your entire organization, saving time and money,” explains the Slack team.
Bringing the Fight to Microsoft
For email and calendar, Slack is planning to better keep users up to date. It’ll email users when they receive mentions even if they’re yet to join an invited channel. Users will also be able to suggest meeting times intelligently based on their schedule.
Finally, Slack is making big improvements to its search functionality. The team is planning to make it easier to see unread channels and direct messages, as well as documents and people.
The additions continue the back and forth between Slack and Microsoft Teams, which has grown explosively over the past year. The tech giant has clearly put a lot of resources into its app, while its Office 365 suite makes for strong integrations.
Last year, Microsoft moved from a premium-only offering with Teams to a limited free offering, closing one of Slack’s main advantages. Even so, Slack remains very popular for small to medium-sized businesses, especially those who aren’t tied into the Microsoft ecosystem.
