Up to speed with Copilot and Teams – Vesa Nopanen – Future Work today

After a month-long hiatus, I discover myself again within the acquainted but ever-evolving panorama of expertise. My time away was a treasured alternative to disconnect, recharge, and spend time with household and shut relations. To my shock, I spent much less time on LinkedIn throughout my trip. It’s in these quiet interludes which might be wanted and we get renewed. And speaking about renewals, I’m humbled and honored to share with you that I used to be renewed for a Microsoft MVP (Most Useful Skilled) yr. That is my 6^th yr in this system, and it has been a fantastic experience. I’ve met and linked with so many individuals, that I might not have met with out being an MVP. All these individuals spark and ignite inspiration and there’s a large quantity of information, insights and experiences shared! I modified a class a bit this time once more, because it has been the period of AI (Synthetic Intelligence), I acquired dual-category MVP award for Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Groups) and AI Platform (Azure AI Companies). Check out my MVP profile! 

As I reacquaint myself with the bustling world of thrilling tech, I’m notably targeted to the developments in Microsoft’s Cloud. The tempo of innovation by no means stops, and it’s clear that Microsoft Copilot, Groups, and Azure AI haven’t stood nonetheless throughout July. On this put up, I’ll be highlighting some chosen options in Copilot and Groups (& Mesh) which have caught my consideration – I’ll write about Azure AI later. From clever help to collaborative breakthroughs, these instruments are reshaping the best way we work and work together. 

Don’t miss these occasions, the place I’m talking throughout autumn! 

Let’s begin exploring what’s new! 

1. Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 
   1. Catch up  
   2. Outlook 
   3. Word 
   4. Excel 
2. Microsoft Teams 
   1. Custom emojis 
   2. Turn on and off channel post notifications 
   3. Microsoft Designer in Teams 
   4. New Notification options 
3. Microsoft Mesh

Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 

Catch up  

I’ve been ready for this one to seem. Catch up helps you rise up to hurry with the assistance of Copilot relating to paperwork and conferences. You could find this while you open Copilot and see Catch up subsequent to “Strive these prompts”. 

Catch up is a brand new tab you possibly can simply open and see what sort of updates there are. I don’t see this but in all tenants the place I’ve entry to the Copilot so it’s nonetheless rolling in.  

My private tenant doesn’t have every other collaborators, so catch up shall be much less helpful in that one. However I hope to see this in my work tenant quickly. Taking a look at image at Microsoft’s materials we will see higher what this shall be while you see it in your Copilot: 

The Catch up characteristic shows personalised playing cards providing important updates and actionable suggestions, permitting you to swiftly grasp necessary factors from supplies and recorded periods that you just didn’t attend or may wish to assessment. Moreover, Copilot assists in assembly preparation by recommending related paperwork.   

Outlook 

The side-panel Copilot in Outlook, can provoke now a brand new draft reply to an electronic mail message – utilizing the data in electronic mail messages. For instance (word: typos don’t matter 😊 ) 

It creates a brand new draft message in Outlook, and allows you to proceed engaged on the reply from there.  

Phrase 

I believe the largest information right here is that Copilot’s context has elevated. Now Copilot in Phrase can summarize paperwork containing (approx) as much as 80 000 phrases – that’s about 160 pages. This is dependent upon the language as effectively. My guess is that Copilot in Phrase is now internally utilizing GPT-4o mannequin with 128k token context. As tokens are components of phrases, it could goal 80k phrases in doc ballpark.  

Excel 

When customers request Copilot to change desk knowledge, it outlines the meant modifications and presents a button to execute the alterations, giving customers higher perception to find out whether or not to go forward with the alteration. Customers can modify the modifications earlier than making use of them at their comfort.  For instance, I’ve this (very small) pattern dataset: 

Once I ask Copilot to focus on months the place gross sales are bigger than alternatives it reveals me what it’ll do. It’s nice how Copilot shall be saving time when working with conditional formatting in Excel.  

After hitting Apply, it does the highlighting for me. 

At present Copilot in Excel doesn’t have the aptitude so as to add a sum cell (like for instance Sum of Gross sales), nevertheless it was introduced throughout July that it will likely be coming quickly. Once I simply tried it out, it’s nonetheless summing it the outdated means: including a pivot desk to a brand new sheet. Fingers crossed it would seem quickly! 

Microsoft Groups 

Now, let’s get to what’s new in Groups.  First, I wish to spotlight one thing enjoyable:  

Customized emojis 

Sure, you possibly can add your individual photos and gifs to Groups message reactions. You can begin including your customized emojis by deciding on the emoji+ icon proper earlier than the pen-icon to edit your message. 

When the pop-out opens, click on the rightmost icon on the underside row.  

That is the place you can begin including your individual gifs and pictures by clicking + after which deciding on the picture (or gif) you wish to use as emoji. I have already got added Copilot and clippy, however there’s room for extra. When you have got added the picture, you get a window to see instance makes use of and it’s good to enter a novel identify to your response. The identify must be lowercase and with out areas. 

And because the data field on high says: emojis you add shall be seen for everybody in your group. Your id can be linked to your emoji. Let’s identify this emoji mesh. 

After clicking Add emoji you possibly can see mesh emoji in customized emojis.  

We will use it usually . 

We will additionally add customized emojis to our chosen emojis to react messages. 

To edit your favourite emojis, choose the smiley + pen icon subsequent to look magnification glass on “Discover one thing enjoyable”.  

You too can add customized emojis to your messages. Simply open the emoji-button and seek for it (or navigate to customized emojis and choose the one you wish to use). 

Fairly enjoyable, isn’t it? Including customized emojis is on by default for all customers and admins can delete them.  

Proper clicks the emoji, to open data who added it and optionally delete it, if in case you have delete permissions. 

Now, if you’re an admin or enterprise choice maker fearful about individuals placing every kind of emojis there are controls obtainable.  

• Flip the characteristic on/off for the entire tenant by way of the Messaging Settings web page (on by default). 
• Set which customers can create new emojis by way of the Messaging Coverage teams (on for all customers by default). 
• Set which customers can delete emojis by way of the Messaging Coverage teams (off for all customers besides admins by default). 

Learn extra from custom emojis Microsoft Learn article.  

Activate and off channel put up notifications 

If you wish to follow-up dialog in a dialog thread in channels – otherwise you wish to mute it simply click on the … menu within the message to see the choice. 

Turning off notifications is very helpful, while you add one thing to the thread however don’t wish to be bothered by it anymore.  

Microsoft Designer in Groups 

What is sort of enjoyable (and likewise helpful!), is that Microsoft Designer is now built-in instantly into Groups. You need to use it in each chats and channels. With Designer you possibly can generate photos with out leaving Groups in any respect.  

Simply at-mention Designer when writing a message and sort in your picture immediate.  

Designer then creates the picture on to the dialog 

Simply click on the picture open, you wish to use, and duplicate or obtain it. 

New Notification choices 

And because the closing characteristic, take a look at new notification settings there are for notification sounds.   

It’s good to have extra management when sounds are performed with notifications.  

Microsoft Mesh

Microsoft Mesh additionally obtained information throughout July. Just a few key picks of latest ones:

Occasion templates up to date
Prebuilt occasion templates (Meadow and Oasis) have gotten updates. They robotically now embrace screenshare object, so these templates can be utilized in additional situations with out a have to make any sort of customizations. Customization continues to be obtainable usually, while you wish to add photos, movies, and so on.

Revisit occasion hyperlinks
Use previous hyperlinks you’ve acquired while you created your occasion, or share the hyperlink with others, to rejoin outdated occasions. Merely choose the hyperlink to open the Mesh software and rejoin your previous occasions. 

Extra avatar reactions
New avatar reactions are coming each on Groups and Mesh occasions.

Avatar private boundary
This one shall be helpful for a loads of individuals. Avatars now have a private boundary to stop different individuals from strolling by avatars or standing too shut. This helps to extend consolation and security whereas in immersive areas. Avatar private boundary is out there in all Mesh experiences.

Updates to network setup requirements, improved audio quality
Microsoft Mesh is transitioning to make use of Microsoft Groups’ backend for spatial audio, promising improved audio high quality and easier community setup necessities for customers with Mesh app variations 5.2407+. The rollout, beginning now, is predicted to finish by late July 2024. No admin motion is required earlier than the rollout.

Printed by Vesa Nopanen

Vesa “Vesku” Nopanen, Principal Guide and Microsoft MVP (M365 and AI Platform) engaged on Future Work at Sulava.

I work, weblog and discuss Future Work : AI, Microsoft 365, Copilot, Microsoft Mesh, Metaverse, and different companies & platforms within the cloud connecting digital and bodily and other people collectively.

I’ve about 30 years of expertise in IT enterprise on a number of industries, domains, and roles.
View all posts by Vesa Nopanen