Microsoft Teams could about to solve one of your biggest business problems
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A new app for Microsoft Teams aims to help users better manage their calls, meetings and more.
According to a listing on the company roadmap (opens in new tab) for upcoming features, the new addition will provide “a single location where professionals and admins can create and manage scheduled and on-demand virtual appointments in Microsoft Teams.”
This is likely to feature integration with Outlook’s calendar, which syncs across the Office 365 platform to help users manage their time and accurately determine availability for online meetings. Chances are it’s also a move that pits Microsoft against Google Workspace, which already has a slick user interface between its Meet video conferencing platform and other communication tools like Chat and Gmail.
Team Meeting Planner
The roadmap entry further describes the new feature’s ability to “view valuable appointment insights and analytics, get real-time status updates in a queue view, and send appointment reminders.”
In an effort to retain its dedicated users and attract new customers, it seems that Microsoft is trying to create an environment where users don’t have to switch between different apps to plan their work life, but instead have all relevant tools on offer one place.
Google has also simplified the way its Workspace users move between communication apps, bringing Chat and Meet closer to the new Gmail interface that became the default — and only — view in Q4 2022.
For now, it looks like the Teams update is coming to desktop client and web app versions of its platform, but mobile apps usually follow as well.
Previews will be available by the end of the year, Microsoft says, with general availability slated for February 2023. Microsoft has typically delivered on time, but more recently some rollouts have been delayed because, of course, these products are ultimately in development. Anyway, an Easter deadline seems reasonable.