One of the great things using a subscription service like Microsoft 365 or Office 365 is that you get all the newest updates included with your subscription. You’re never left behind wishing you had the latest version with the cool new features.
Being that Office 365 is used by more than 180 million monthly active users and is the most popular cloud software in the world by user count, Microsoft is always working to keep one step ahead of its competitors, which means regular feature updates to make the platform even more helpful.
So, what’s on the horizon?
We’ve taken a look at the Microsoft 365 Roadmap to see what new features are coming soon, and just in time for the holidays there are a slew of new features planned to roll out in December of 2019.
Wait? Don’t you mean Office 365 Roadmap?
Yes, and no. If you haven’t heard yet, Microsoft recently brought out another level to their cloud services packages which is a level up from Office 365. It’s called Microsoft 365 and it includes:
- Office 365
- Windows 10
- Microsoft Intune (mobile device management)
- Advanced security features
So, when we talk about Microsoft 365 features, many of them are also for Office 365, since it’s inclusive in the new package.
Let’s see what’s currently in development and due for release in December.
New Features Coming to Microsoft (and Office) 365
From audience targeting to “do not disturb” features, there’s something for everyone in the feature updates that are planned for release at the end of 2019. Here’s a rundown of what you can expect.
SharePoint Sites Audience Targeting in Site Navigation
Customise the navigation menu of your SharePoint sites based upon the people and groups that are visiting. Do you have clients in different industries? Then instead of serving up the navigation to your page for paper industry solutions to a client in the textile industry, you can give them each navigation that speaks directly to their needs.
Outlook (Android): Time to Leave Notifications
How would you like your Outlook calendar item to not only remind you when your meeting is but also tell you when you need to leave based upon how much traffic there is?
This new feature is like having a personal assistant that makes sure you’re never late. It’s powered by Cortana and will send a notification of the time to leave for your meeting based upon your current location, traffic, and whether you’re driving or taking public transportation.
Email Notification from the Service Health Dashboard
Your Microsoft 365 admins will love this next feature. Instead of having to continually check the Service Health Dashboard, they’ll be able to sign up for email notifications that will help them monitor the system and track any issues.
Microsoft Stream Screen Recording and Editing
Microsoft Stream is the corporate video sharing service in Office 365 and it’s going to get a feature that’s going to be very helpful when you’re doing any type of training on software or web applications.
