This month, we’re going to discuss how Microsoft Teams’ changes and improvements can improve collaboration in meetings. We are announcing brand-new options for you to communicate in their language with every member of your team. Have you also heard about the latest upgrades to Teams Rooms? We’ve covered those too, amongst every other change in July.
Meetings
Microsoft Forms enhancements in Teams meetings
Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Forms are now even more integrated. Teams meeting polls will soon include several new capabilities from Microsoft Forms as well as enhancements to already existing ones. Here is a brief synopsis:
- We’re switching Teams’ “Forms” app for a new one called “Polls,” which will make it much simpler for users to access and include polls in their chats and meetings. The “Polls” app will be shown when you search in the Teams app store (from the meeting’s sidebar or top nav bar) or via the message extension flyout menu.
- The poll ideas pane now has a better user interface and allows you to:
- Move the list of proposed polls to the side pane from the bottom.
- Provide a place on the polls portal page where users can choose to reveal or conceal the side pane.
- To allow the poll creator to see how the poll will seem to the meeting audience after it has been launched, provide the poll results view (before, it just showed the voting view).
Phone and Calling
Remove a call from your history
On Teams for desktop and mobile, you may streamline your view by hiding calls from your call history list.
Call recording announcement played in your default language
For Teams’ calls to or from a phone number, call recording announcements will now be played in your default language. In both the normal recording scenario and the compliance recording scenario, both parties will simultaneously hear the announcement in the same language.
Common Area Phone license enhancements
Without raising the cost, the Common Area Phone offering has been improved to accommodate a larger range of customer scenarios.
Security, endpoint management, and cloud-based voicemail features are available through the following service plans added to the Common Area Phone license:
- Azure Active Directory Premium Plan 1
- Microsoft Intune
- Exchange Online Plan 2 (cloud-based voicemail only)
You can verify within the admin centre that a Common Area Phone license is activated for Azure Active Directory Premium Plan 1, Microsoft Intune, and Exchange Online Plan 2.
Check the prerequisites when configuring Intune to enrol Teams Android-based devices before adding devices to the Intune service. You must either unassign the Intune license or create a grouping structure that excludes certain devices from auto-enrollment if you have auto-enrollment configured in the Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin centre but do not wish to auto-enrol your Teams device.
In addition, the following calling features are available for supported Teams phone device models enabled with a Common Area Phone license and the latest Teams app update (minimum version – 1449/1.0.94.2022061702):
- Call park and retrieve
- Cloud-based voicemail through Exchange Online Plan 2
- Call queues
- Auto attendants
- Group call pickup
- Forwarding rules
You must enable the “Advanced Calling” setting in the Teams admin centre or on your Teams phone device and sign in with your Common Area Phone account to access the calling features on compatible Teams phone device models. Find out more about how to stop your devices from using cloud voicemail. Make sure you get the appropriate hardware models if you want to access advanced features.
Devices
Check out for Microsoft Teams panels
The reserved Teams Room can now be checked out of or released directly from the panel using the new “Manage” button on a Teams panel. By using this feature, the room reservation will be cancelled and returned to the room inventory.
Extend room reservations for Microsoft Teams panels
A Teams Rooms reservation can be extended immediately from the panel with the new “Manage” option as well. Only if the room is still available during that time frame may the reservation be extended.
Peripherals: Camera on/off feature
Users can now more easily turn their video off or on in calls and meetings using any Teams-certified peripheral device supporting the camera on/off capability. Users may easily control their video with just the click of a button on their smartphone rather than fiddling with a mouse or keypad.
Certified devices
Logitech Tap IP (VR0029)
Microsoft Teams Rooms now recognizes the Logitech TAP IP. One-touch joining into meetings is made simple when using the network-connected touch controller, and setup is also made simple with just a single power over ethernet cable. Depending on the needs of the space, the Logitech Tap IP can be placed on the wall, on tables with 180-degree rotation, or on risers.
Logi Dock
Microsoft Teams now recognizes the all-in-one docking station, Logi Dock. Teams seamlessly integrates with Logi Dock, which connects everything neatly in one place and eliminates the need for additional peripherals and a maze of cords and wires. The gadget streamlines the home office setup so users can work more productively by connecting and powering up to five USB gadgets and up to two monitors.
Chat and Collaboration
LinkedIn integration
Utilize LinkedIn profiles, which are now linked with Teams, to get to know your coworkers, interact with them directly, and develop stronger bonds. You can now access your coworker’s LinkedIn profile within Teams chat, channels, calls, or meetings to learn more about their current position, prior experiences, and other details. Find out how to maximize your LinkedIn integration.
Automatic groupings available for channel posts
Users no longer need to name team owners specifically when making a message post in a team channel because they may now alert all of the team owners at once by mentioning “@Team Owners.” The group “Team Owners” is created automatically and doesn’t need to be maintained manually.
Enhanced user experience on iPad
The iPad version of Microsoft Teams is now more responsive to changes in display modes, app orientation, and screen size. Based on the Teams app’s available screen size, the bar and canvas will automatically align.
Management
Bulk removal for individual policy assignments
Users can inherit the appropriate policy either through a group policy assignment or a global organization-wide default if administrators clear up individual policy assignments from users in bulk. Individual policies are always given priority, therefore we developed this technique to clean them all at once while also ensuring that consumers are receiving the right policy.
Security, compliance, and privacy
Export API support for Teams message reactions
Organizations can enable Enterprise Information Archiving (EIA) for Teams to address retention, indexing, e-discovery, classification, and regulatory obligations by using the Teams Export API. In addition to Teams Messages (1:1 and group chat), attachments (file links and sticker), emoticons, GIFs, and user @Mentions, Teams Export API now supports Teams reactions (heart, thumbs up, laugh, startled, furious, and sad) on a message using the Export API.
Teams for Education
Moodle Learning Management System integration
Microsoft has recently teamed with Moodle Learning Management System to enable seamlessly integrated learning experiences, in addition to the connection with Canvas and Blackboard. Moodle now offers the Microsoft Teams Meetings LTI and Classes LTI apps.
Frontline Workers
Easily deploy frontline teams at scale
Using a single PowerShell command, administrators may deploy up to 500 teams with 25 users each. So that your frontline staff may work together and be productively distributed across various stores, locations, and functions, this enables your business to roll out teams at scale within a day. To create teams that best suit the requirements of your organization, you can utilize custom templates or one of our basic templates. Administrators can also mass remove team members from already-existing teams.
Device Test for virtual appointments
Before entering a virtual appointment using Microsoft Teams, users can utilize Device Test to verify and configure hardware components. Before the booked appointment begins, users can check the internet connection, camera, microphone, and browser compatibility at any time. The following advantages of Device Test are:
- Complete a full test call with Azure Communication Service
- Easy access to the troubleshooting guide
- Ability to share test results with appointment organizers
Virtual appointment SMS notifications for UK customers
Customers in the UK may now create virtual appointments through the Teams Bookings app and send and receive SMS confirmations and reminders with a Teams Meetings link.
Government
These features currently available to Microsoft commercial customers in multi-tenant cloud environments are now rolling out to customers in the US Government Community Cloud (GCC), US Government Community Cloud High (GCC-High), and/or United States Department of Defense (DoD).
Manage Meetings options for DoD
With the new “Meetings options” feature, hosts can now alter the user interface or personalize the safety and security settings for their Teams Meetings.
Large Gallery for Teams on VDI in government clouds
Teams Meetings by default allow up to nine videos in the Gallery. Users can now see 49 videos at once in Meetings on virtual desktop infrastructure using Large Gallery. This is offered for both GCC and GCCH.
Together Mode for Teams on VDI in government clouds
Together Mode creates the impression that you are all present in a single online room by displaying all of your coworkers against the same background. This is now accessible in Meetings for GCC and GCCH virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI).
