Forum Discussion
AllenFilush
Microsoft
MicrosoftUpdate on Focused Inbox rollout for Outlook 2016 for Windows users
Edited: Nov 10, 2017 with updated information.
Focused Inbox is coming to an Outlook near you! Here is an update on our status for Outlook 2016 for Windows. If you want to see our latest for o...
AllenFilushMicrosoft
MicrosoftHi Robert. Your users can still use Clutter. We didn't disable Clutter, it is still working for existing users (and will continue to work for several years) until Focused Inbox is available to all users. However, user can turn it off themselves. I'm guessing several of your users did this using Outlook on the web at some point and turned on Focused Inbox, not knowing that turning on FI would turn off Clutter.
To get back to clutter, you can turn it back on with PowerShell. Example: Turn on Clutter for a single user named Allie Bellew. Set-Clutter -Identity “Allie Bellew” -Enable $true
If you need the non-powershell way to do this, let me know.
Alternatively, you could consider moving to Monthly Channel.
To get back to clutter, you can turn it back on with PowerShell. Example: Turn on Clutter for a single user named Allie Bellew. Set-Clutter -Identity “Allie Bellew” -Enable $true
If you need the non-powershell way to do this, let me know.
Alternatively, you could consider moving to Monthly Channel.
Allen, Clutter stopped working widely across our organization late last week with no warning. Are you sure Microsoft didn't roll out a mass update to deactivate Clutter prior to Focused Inbox being ready for all clients?
- same here and I have a lot of very angry users
Same here, but not for the entire tenant, 'just' for some users (including me). And it was not the first case this happend, and it was definitely not triggered by the user, like trying FI which turns off Clutter - it just got turned off. I know, it can be turned on anytime and then it works again, still, it's a disaster what is happening here.
I can also verify that Clutter stopped working for our entire tenant with no warning or explanation, and no action taken by us. We're on the deferred channel, Version 1705 Build 16.0.8201.2209 with no FI.
Terrible communication from MS here.
- AllenFilushI agree, and I can tell you that everyone at Microsoft also agrees. As you note however, our execution hasn't been perfect and there have been times where something missed (for a variety of reasons). We are working to ensure that doesn't happen. But we are in agreement that the Message Center is the location.
- AllenFilushSorry for the pain Scott. You didn't see a comm in the MC since this wasn't a practice or planned change, but rather a service incident. That did start on the 26th/27th last week. The fix was rolled out, it should be resolved now.
I'm sorry to hear that your ambassador hasn't been too helpful. Luckily you came to the right place - I work on the product team and know what is going on. Clutter will eventually go away, but not in the short term. Likely a couple years. We will keep it going until we are fully rolled out in Outlook for Windows. We will make an announcement in the Office 365 Message Center when we have an officially published timeline.
For modern auth, we are going to remove that requirement for Monthly Channel users in the next couple months. So if you aren't ready to enable Modern Auth broadly, you will still be able to get the feature here soon. For years it's been the same.
- Roll out new feature, don't publish info, or put on some obscure blog.
- Admins complain.
- Microsoft Program Managers pinky swear they won't do it again.
- Go back to step 1.
My feeling is that ANYTHING that is going to happen to my tenant should be appearing in the Message Center in my tenant's Admin Center. That should be the sole source of information for my tenant. I shouldn't have to hunt down the information in a dozen or more different places.
- Allen, thank you for your response. My frustration level is beginning to approach Reef's on this one, though.
Checking the Office365 Message Center had nothing about Focused Inbox or Clutter in the last month. Office365 Service Health did mention a Clutter issue, but it just started 10/27 according to the message. Also, our ticket and our support "Ambassador" haven't mentioned anything about a resolution. Our "Ambassador" has been encouraging us to go to Focused Inbox as they stated Clutter is on a limited timeframe.
As a result, I decided to try it myself before I open Pandora's box for the rest of our domain. I immediately have to stop using my mobile email app (Touchdown) since it only supports Outlook for Android. Outlook for Android lacks some pretty significant features (no snoozing of reminders, no tasks, Android Wear inability to "Mark Read" or "Move to Other", etc.) that other mail apps have and I use regularly. Additionally, as mentioned above by other users, I cannot get Focused Inbox working on my Outlook 2016 desktop on either my new Surface or my legacy desktop.
I'd like to say I'm surprised that Microsoft would be so cavalier about recommendations when handling a ticket like this, but more than anything I feel like I've been burned for trusting Microsoft support advice once again. I'm still waiting to hear what impact rolling out Modern Authentication will have, as assuming that basic, elementary things that should be in place to support these actions has not been a winning strategy thus far.
Does anyone have an idea when Clutter will go away for good? I'd like to start planning on this far earlier than later, as there will need to be testing and training to ensure it rolls out smoothly for our users.
Thanks and don't mean to be a Debbie Downer but this is really infuriating when no one seems to know what is going on. - AllenFilushHey Scott - we didn't have anything programmatic across Office 365, but we did see reports from a few customers similar to yours. Check your Office365 Service Health Dashboard and see if you have a post from last Friday. That will have more details to share.
