Welcome to the August 2023 version of What’s New in Groups! Following a month of nice bulletins from Microsoft Encourage 2023, we’re not slowing down by bringing you 52 new options and gadgets for the month of August.
Now we have an amazing line-up of latest options to announce. My private favorites are Animated Backgrounds in Groups Conferences which permits me to exchange their current background with a dynamic animation for a extra immersive digital setting and the Activity lists sync in Microsoft Loop to sync my to-do listing throughout my Microsoft Planner and To Do apps to make sure I don’t essential duties. And each month we add new gadgets that licensed and able to use for Groups. Discover gadgets which might be licensed for Groups for all sorts of areas and makes use of at aka.ms/teamsdevices.
Please examine all of the updates and let me know your ideas! I’ll do my greatest to reply and reply questions as they arrive up.
Frontline Staff and Vertical Options
Conferences
Animated Backgrounds
The dynamic background function in Groups Conferences means that you can substitute their current background with a dynamic animation for a extra immersive digital setting. It gives varied choices to boost assembly expertise with creativity and personalization in accordance with their preferences.
Earlier than a gathering begins, on the pre-join display screen, choose Results and Avatars > Video results and choose a brand new animated background, recognized by the small video icon within the bottom-left nook of the preview image. Throughout a gathering, you possibly can choose an animated background by clicking Extra > Results and Avatars > Choose a background.
Be taught extra about this function right here.
Webinars
Be a part of public webinars with three concurrent gadgets
Attendees registering for an exterior going through webinar will obtain a singular registration be part of hyperlink and might use that hyperlink to hitch the occasion with as much as three concurrent gadgets.
Groups Cellphone
Simplified name delegation UI and have enhancements
Shared line look within the Calls app and on Groups cellphone gadgets now has a simplified expertise for name delegation. The brand new person interface permits name delegates to simply change between tabs to see name information for themselves and their delegators. Delegators will even have the ability to view and be part of energetic calls dealt with by the delegate and grant delegates permission to hitch energetic calls. To study extra about how you can delegate your calls, click on right here.
Hotline telephones
Microsoft Groups Cellphone licensed gadgets can now be programmed to instantly dial a pre-configured cellphone quantity or contact, corresponding to emergency providers in a producing plant or a company’s assist desk. Customers merely decide up the handset of the frequent space Groups cellphone machine, which routinely dials the designated cellphone quantity or contact for eventualities that require fast and straightforward connections. Telephones enabled with a Groups Shared Gadget License will be configured instantly via the machine settings or from the Groups admin middle.
Groups Cellphone gadgets UI updates
To assist cut back pointless dialing errors, we’ve improved the UI of Groups cellphone gadgets with a redesigned dial pad and a brand new “dial pad solely” view in panorama mode. The assembly expertise and navigation have additionally been up to date to allow quicker assembly joins and simpler navigation throughout functions in your machine.
Groups Shared Gadget license on Groups cellular app for Android
The utilization, significance, and vary of experiences carried out on shared gadgets continues to evolve. To help cellular and versatile work types, the Groups Shared Gadget license is now accessible on the Groups cellular app on Android. This allows Android telephones to be arrange as frequent space telephones. Frontline staff will now have the ability to make and obtain calls via shared cellular Android telephones from wherever their work takes them. Walkie Talkie, name queues, auto attendants, cloud voicemail, name park and all different options at the moment supported for frequent space telephones can be found via the Groups Android app. To study extra about how you can arrange an Android cell phone as a typical space cellphone, click on right here.
Protected voicemail notifications in Groups
You’ll now obtain notifications in Groups after they have acquired a protected voicemail, making certain that these essential communications are usually not missed. The meant, authenticated voicemail recipient will have the ability to view the notification from the Calls app in Groups and click on on a hyperlink to open the voicemail within the Outlook net app.
Dynamic emergency calling accessible in Groups on net
For customers based mostly in the US, dynamic emergency calling is now supported when utilizing Groups on net, permitting for customers so as to add their places to alert personnel within the occasion of an emergency. Be taught extra about configuring dynamic emergency calling.
AudioCodes’ telephones licensed for Authorities Neighborhood Cloud (GCC/GCCH)
That includes Android 12 for max safety, each the C435HD entry stage frequent space IP cellphone and the C445HD government high-end cellphone are licensed for Microsoft Groups beneath GCC/GCCH environments.
AudioCodes C435HD is a low-cost entry stage/frequent space IP cellphone particularly designed to help Microsoft Groups out-of-the-box for superior, feature-rich unified communications. It boasts bodily navigation buttons as a substitute of a contact display screen and devoted buttons corresponding to menu, again, contacts, redial, maintain, switch, speaker, headset, and mute. Be taught extra right here.
AudioCodes C455HD-DBW is a feature-rich, government high-end enterprise cellphone, filled with the most recent expertise for delivering a seamless Microsoft Groups expertise. It’s geared up with a big and intuitive 5” coloration contact display screen for ease-of-use, whereas HD sound high quality ensures that each dialog is productive – after which some. Additionally accessible with a 5” coloration contact growth module that brings Microsoft Groups conferences to life, in addition to twin band Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth for wi-fi headsets. Be taught extra right here.
Yealink BH71 Workstation & Headset licensed for Microsoft Groups
The Yealink BH71 UC Workstation and headset ease issues about staying linked all through the day. The mixed headset and energy field simplifies the administration of enterprise communication calls for and different USB gadgets by delivering glorious flexibility, with built-in options to facilitate steady speaking throughout your day by day routine. It’s skilled, collaborative, and accessible. Be taught extra.
EPOS IMPACT 1060T headset licensed for Microsoft Groups
This new headset is designed particularly for the brand new open workplace setting. It options double-sided Bluetooth® and EPOS BrainAdapt™ expertise to cut back mind fatigue, with trade main voice pickup and adaptive noise canceling, to ensure you are getting their message via. Be taught extra about this licensed for Groups headset.
B&O Beocom EX Earbuds Licensed for Microsoft Groups
With superior versatility and Scandinavian design Beocom EX Earbuds are crafted for hybrid working and on a regular basis use. With as much as 28 hours of battery life, Bluetooth 5.2 & IP57 score, you possibly can deliver your earphones wherever you’re going. These ultra-compact earbuds mix high-fidelity audio with highly effective noise cancellation that will help you keep focus wherever you go. Be taught extra right here.
SIP Gateway
Algo IP gadgets for overhead paging, alerts and door entries at the moment are suitable with Groups SIP Gateway
Algo IP Endpoints at the moment are licensed for native compatibility with the Microsoft Groups SIP Gateway, accommodating dozens of various functions, from IP paging to emergency alerting, and hands-free customer communication – all natively suitable in Microsoft Groups. Moreover, Algo endpoints may additionally be registered to Microsoft Groups utilizing a suitable Session Border Controller. For full deployment particulars and a step-by-step information, please see the Microsoft Groups Configuration Information. To study extra about Algo Options’ compatibility with Microsoft groups click on right here.
Chat and collaboration
Updates to the chat message hover menu
Replying to a particular message in a chat thread or modifying a message you’ve despatched is now simpler with an intuitive hover menu design. Alongside emojis and reactions, the hover menu now contains the reply button icon, making it straightforward to rapidly reply to a acquired message. If it is advisable to make an edit to a despatched message, merely click on on the edit icon button that reveals up within the hover menu on despatched messages.
Compact chat enhancements
Rapidly scanning key data out of your chats can enhance your day’s productiveness. To get probably the most of your conversations, now you can change into compact mode which customizes the chat pane with time stamps, further line breaks between every message and indicators informing who despatched the message. Compact mode additionally features a compact chat listing which hides the message preview content material and permits extra chats to be considered from the chat listing. Discover ways to customise your chat listing view or your message previews right here.
Activity lists sync in Microsoft Loop
Keep organized by conserving monitor of essential actions with job syncing in Microsoft Loop. Duties added to job lists in Microsoft Loop parts will now be accessible in Microsoft Planner and To Do. Merely edit your job listing element in Outlook or Groups and your modifications will seem throughout apps, serving to you keep on prime of your duties regardless of which app you are in.
Groups Rooms and Gadgets
Video gallery segmentation with unified backgrounds for Groups Rooms on Home windows
Enhancements to the Entrance Row expertise for Groups Rooms on Home windows makes use of Microsoft AI to take away particular person backgrounds, regulate video participant dimension, and apply a unified background design so distant individuals seem as if they’re in the identical room. This function removes background distractions so the main focus will be on the individuals within the assembly. See the launch notes for extra data on this and different options.
Spatial audio in Groups Rooms on Home windows audio system
Spatial audio brings next-generation spatialized audio to Groups Rooms which have stereo audio system Licensed for Groups with proper and left capabilities. This clever audio expertise makes the assembly expertise extra pure as a result of distant attendees’ voices come from the route their body is oriented on the room show. Be taught extra about spatial audio in Groups right here.
Multi-stream IntelliFrame Clever Digicam experiences in Groups Rooms and the brand new gadgets that allow them
Multi-stream IntelliFrame allows a number of video streams from the in-room clever digicam to be processed collectively on the similar time. This expertise takes assembly room cameras to the following stage by introducing a brand new set of clever options to enhance the expertise for all assembly individuals, whether or not in-person or distant. Multi-stream IntelliFrame allows in-room individuals to have their very own body in video gallery, face recognition of in-room individuals, energetic speaker recognition, and panoramic video on front-of-room (180-degree view) and center-of-room (360-degree view) cameras. Be taught extra in regards to the multi-stream IntelliFrame expertise.
There may be additionally a brand new technology of {hardware} that’s enabling these clever options. The Yealink SmartVision 60 is now accessible to buy and can unlock all the advantages of multi-stream IntelliFrame when built-in into Groups Rooms. Multi-stream IntelliFrame is accessible solely with the Microsoft Groups Rooms Professional license. Extra of those multi-stream IntelliFrame enabled gadgets can be accessible within the close to future, together with the Jabra PanaCast 50 Video Bar System.
Cloud IntelliFrame video processing for Groups Rooms on Home windows cameras
Cloud IntelliFrame helps to make your entire cameras smarter, not simply Clever Cameras. With Cloud IntelliFrame, individuals gathered collectively in bodily areas are every given particular person frames within the video gallery, similar to distant attendees, creating an immersive and fascinating expertise for everybody. Whether or not working from house or within the workplace, distant individuals are capable of higher see facial expressions and cues, simply as in the event that they have been there in individual. This function is accessible solely with the Microsoft Groups Rooms Professional license. Be taught extra about Cloud IntelliFrame.
Face enrollment on Groups Desktop to help recognition in Groups Rooms
One of many thrilling options that IntelliFrame allows is the power to detect participant faces and voices so as to attribute their alias to their very own body within the IntelliFrame show expertise. To be able to participate on this expertise, in-room individuals first should create face and voice recognition profiles within the Groups desktop consumer. These profiles permit the digicam to acknowledge you and label you appropriately in conferences, including your title to your video body and any transcript of the chat, permitting your video to be related along with your title label and searchable within the listing of individuals (face), and in your contributions to the assembly to be attributed to your individual alias (voice). To help face recognition in Groups Rooms on Home windows, the desktop consumer gives enrollment to allow face recognition and video labels. This function is accessible for Microsoft Groups Rooms Professional license clients. Admins might want to set Groups insurance policies to allow the function. Be taught extra about voice and face recognition in Groups Rooms.
Scan a QR code on Groups Panels to rapidly reserve a room
This function lets you e-book a room for conferences now, sooner or later, or as a part of a scheduled assembly with fewer steps by scanning a QR code on the scheduling panel with their cellular machine. Upon scanning, you possibly can both schedule a brand new assembly with the room pre-populated or view the room’s availability for his or her conferences and e-book the room with one click on. This function requires the most recent Groups cellular app on an Android or iOS cellular machine.
New distant administration setting for Groups Panels within the Groups Admin Middle
Admins at the moment are capable of remotely management the power for customers to e-book an ad-hoc assembly, utilizing the ‘Reserve’ button on the panel¹ via the room reservation setting on Groups Admin Middle.
1. Groups Panels have to be on app model 1449/1.0.97.2023060102 or increased
Cisco Room Package EQ and Navigator for Groups Rooms on Android
This Cisco Room Package EQ is a next-generation video machine bundle ideally suited to massive areas. Energy your conferences with a modular room equipment that features the AI-powered Cisco Codec EQ, the clever Quad Digicam video bar, the intuitive Room Navigator contact controller, and room peripheral choices. Be taught extra in regards to the Cisco Room Package EQ for Groups Rooms on Android.
Lenovo ThinkSmart Core with Lenovo IP Controller Package for Microsoft Groups Rooms on Home windows
Add smarter collaboration expertise to assembly rooms of all sizes, from small convention rooms to massive lecture halls. This modular equipment contains Lenovo ThinkSmart Core, a pc powered by eleventh Gen Intel® Core™ vPro™ processors licensed for Microsoft Groups Rooms, a ten.1-inch touchscreen controller, distant IT administration, skilled deployment, and upkeep help, and extra. Be taught extra right here.
Jabra Speak2 75 for Microsoft Groups Rooms on Home windows
The Jabra Speak2 75 is a small transportable speakerphone Licensed for Microsoft Groups & Microsoft Groups Rooms. 65mm full-range audio system and super-wideband audio create unimaginable voice and sound high quality, whereas the full-duplex audio ensures conversations circulation naturally. 4 beamforming microphones cut back background noise, whereas the microphone high quality indicator reveals how properly your voice is captured. Voice Stage Normalization expertise equalizes all voices to the identical stage. Be taught extra in regards to the Jabra Speak2 75 for Microsoft Groups Rooms.
AudioCodes RX-PANEL Assembly Room Scheduler
Licensed for Groups and operating Android 12 for improved safety, the AudioCodes RX-PANEL Assembly Room Scheduler is a purpose-built Microsoft Groups panel to spice up the assembly room expertise. Through it’s brightly coloured standing LED and intuitive 8-inch touchscreen show, customers can rapidly see the assembly room’s availability, evaluation assembly particulars and reserve the assembly room on the spot. IT employees can handle the RX-PANEL remotely utilizing AudioCodes Gadget Supervisor. Be taught extra in regards to the AudioCodes RX-PANEL right here.
Logitech Rally Bar Huddle for Microsoft Groups Rooms on Android
The Logitech Rally Bar Huddle (VR0034) ensures everybody will be seen and heard clearly throughout hybrid conferences. Logitech AI powered video intelligence, superior sound pickup, noise suppression, and ongoing software program enhancements present a transparent and pure assembly expertise for distant individuals. The Logitech Rally Bar Huddle is good for small assembly areas. Be taught extra about this video bar licensed for Groups.
Yealink DeskVision A24 for Microsoft Groups Rooms on Android
The Yealink DeskVision A24, with its massive 24-inch show, is now licensed for Groups Rooms on Android. It may be used as a standalone machine for Groups collaboration or linked to your PC as a second display screen, which permits customers to multitask and look at extra content material throughout the shows. Be taught extra in regards to the DeskVision A24.
Discover gadgets which might be licensed for Groups for all sorts of areas and makes use of at aka.ms/teamsdevices.
Frontline Staff and Vertical Options
Shifts: Notifications enhancements
Managers will have the ability to selectively notify solely the related group members about assigned shifts and/or open shifts. This function reduces pointless notifications and ensures that notifications are acquired by the meant staff, somewhat than all group members. Notifications now present extra complete particulars, together with the shift date, time, and site.
Be taught extra right here: What’s new in Microsoft Shifts Notifications – Microsoft Neighborhood Hub
Shifts notification deep hyperlink enhancements
Clicking on notifications now seamlessly redirects managers and staff to the related pages inside Shifts.
Deploy Groups at Scale for frontline with dynamic groups
Deploy groups at scale in your frontline staff utilizing dynamic groups within the Groups Admin Middle. Dynamic groups will automate member administration to make sure your groups are at all times updated.
[Walkie Talkie] AutoConnect to channel
Permit customers to routinely be part of the final linked channel, default single channel, or the channel set by the person.
IT Admin and Safety
Proactive monitoring of assembly high quality utilizing Actual-time telemetry (Premium)
Managers will have the ability to selectively notify solely the related group members about assigned shifts and/or open shifts. This function reduces pointless notifications and ensures that notifications are acquired by the meant staff, somewhat than all group members. Notifications now present extra complete particulars, together with the shift date, time, and site.
Cellular
New Groups and Channels format in Groups on Android
Presenting the improved grid format in Groups which permits straightforward navigation for courses. Bonus – all top-used EDU apps at the moment are a click on away inside the category!
Select spoken language and translated captions for Microsoft Groups on Android
Now you can specify spoken language in your conferences for extra correct captions and transcripts, and select translated captions for extra inclusive assembly expertise.
Platform
Pre-pin assembly apps by way of Admin Coverage in Groups Admin Middle
Admins will now have the ability to pre-pin conferences apps (very like private apps and messaging extensions) in Groups Admin Middle.
Graph API for Groups Conferences Transcripts
Microsoft Graph API to entry Groups Conferences transcript as soon as the assembly is over.
New collaborative apps
MiClient
The MiClient platform allows stakeholders to automate and handle their complete gross sales cycle, from lead administration to closing the deal. The brand new app for Groups means that you can create and handle offers, assign duties, and share data and actions with group members.
Typeface
The brand new Typeface app brings the ability of generative AI into Groups so organizations can create customized, on-brand content material at scale. Typeface can produce weblog posts, advert photographs, marketing campaign briefs, website positioning meta tags, and extra. With the Typeface private Groups app, you possibly can brainstorm individually, generate belongings, and share content material proper in Groups to refine with colleagues utilizing Typeface’s wealthy, AI-based modifying expertise.
Collaborative app updates
Amex GBT
This app from American Specific World Enterprise Journey (Amex GBT) helps you handle company journey by way of chat. Keep in Groups to seamlessly join with a reside journey counselor to e-book, change, and cancel your journeys, and reap the benefits of dynamic pricing, which permits for extra aggressive and customized charges.
HubSpot
This app integrates HubSpot CRM with Groups to amplify collaboration and communication effectivity via customizable real-time alerts for chats, reminders, mentions, and type submissions, in addition to permitting you to schedule conferences in HubSpot that generate Groups particulars to cut back toggling between apps. The brand new replace means that you can convert Groups messages into HubSpot duties or tickets, streamlining task-tracking and prioritization.
Sage Folks
By integrating the Sage Folks app with Microsoft Groups, staff can use the digital assistant bot to conversationally e-book absences, examine depart balances, and monitor the standing of their absence requests. Managers profit additional by approving or rejecting absences and receiving day by day summaries of excellent actions, all from Groups.
ServiceNow Digital Agent
ServiceNow Digital Agent is without doubt one of the most extremely used collaborative apps in Microsoft Groups. Beforehand, staff may get assist and help from initiating a chat with the AI-powered ServiceNow bot in Groups. Within the August launch, ServiceNow has made it simpler for workers to place AI to work for them. Workers can now seek for and share really useful information articles and repair catalog gadgets, instantly from Digital Agent within the Groups channels and chats the place they’re already collaborating. ServiceNow admins can simply allow this function by choosing the “Message Extension” checkbox throughout manifest technology.
Sociabble
Sociabble is a number one worker communication and worker engagement platform, designed with the wants of enormous firms in thoughts. Its newest replace contains options that reinforce engagement via a Groups integration, permitting you to obtain your Sociabble alerts instantly on Groups via Exercise Notifications. you can too readily share Sociabble content material by way of Groups channels and chats.
Groups Premium
Present solely customized backgrounds
Admins have the choice to regulate and restrict the backgrounds accessible to customers by solely permitting them to decide on customized org backgrounds for his or her conferences. That is accessible just for customers which have a Groups Premium license assigned.
Groups for Schooling
Groups Assignments – Grading Interval
Assist for Grading Interval for a category permits to divide the project grading into semesters or different intervals that match the schedule of the category.
Different Grading Schemes in Groups Assignments
Groups for Schooling is revamping its grading expertise with grading enhancements together with weighted grading classes and displaying common grades to college students. These options will make the Grades expertise in Groups extra streamlined and correct for educators and college students alike. Weighted grading classes permit educators to assign proportion weights to various kinds of assignments and can be turned on in Grade settings. If a category is utilizing grading classes, common grades can be calculated by multiplying the common rating in every class by that class’s weight.
Dad or mum Connection – Bulletins
The Bulletins function permits academics to publish an announcement (much like a channel publish expertise). As soon as the announcement consists by the trainer, it will likely be broadcast to the mother and father of complete class as 1-1 threads created for every pupil (father or mother trainer chats for every pupil within the class).
