Forum Discussion
MicrosoftUpdate on Focused Inbox rollout for Outlook 2016 for Windows users
MicrosoftHey Geoffrey,
Sorry for any issues we are causing you. I'm happy to explain it, and glad you find it to be working well on other platforms.
Customers have two options when they choose to buy Office. They can buy:
- Office 2016 perpetual - this is the traditional, one-time upfront payment for a point in time version of Office. You can use the product forever. It never gets new feature updates. This is the same as Office 2007, 2010, 2013, etc. You buy that version. If you want new features, you buy the next version.
- Office 365 subscription - you pay a monthly subscription and pay for the right to get an always up to date version of Office. You get new features every month.
Every customers has that choice when they choose to buy office. Do I want to pay for the version that updates? Or do I want to buy the version that doesn't?
A question for you - can you share more about why the users in the company are on different types of Office? Am I correct in I'm assuming that, despite our marketing/websites, your response is that they didn't read to understand the difference between the two?
Thanks Allan,
That is actually a reasonable reply. Though I have to admit that I don't recall ever seeing clear copy anywhere that made it quite as clear as that. On the otherhand, I've been at this for 32 years and I don't read marketing things as closely as I once did. I was not aware of difference between the two. Can you point me to that language online so I can share it with my client?
The situation remains problematic but at least it's clear. I would suggest updating that table though to make it clear that "like all feature updates, the perpetual license version of the software will not be getting Focused Inbox". The way it read to me (in my ignorance) was that it was not being rolled out to Perpetual for some arbitrary reason.
To answer your question "can you share more about why the users in the company are on different types of Office?": The issue for this specific client is that they have a large number of remote workers and the comany has minimal centralized IT. These workers typically bring their own computer equipment (BYOD or Bring Your Own Device). Because many of these workers already own the perpetual license, it's making people mad that the only way they can take advantage of the Focused inbox is to walk away from the perpetual license they may have only recently purchased (such as Office 2016) and start paying for that license all over again as a subscription.
Bottom line, This may be the first time in the last 10+ years where a feature has come out between major releases that I or any of my clients has cared enough about to pursue. It's frustrating that it will not be made available but it is what it is.
I don't think there is a way for MS to thread this needle unless it was to modify the position to say that feature updates are not guaranteed outside of the current major version. That would be a line that I could reasonably accept.
Cheers,
- AllenFilushThanks for the feedback and clarification Geoffrey.
An example of where this distinction is discussed, from Office.com. This page outlines the 3 options an everyday user would buy. These are what are available at BestBuy or other retailers, or from PC manufacturers like Dell or HP. It is hard to tell if in your BYOD scenario what versions they are buying. But my guess is if they are buying themselves this is what they are buying.
https://products.office.com/en-us/compare-all-microsoft-office-products?tab=1
Note in the list of details, it says that the Office 365 plans include "Applications are always up to date".
As you say, customers have historically just got access to features once they buy the next version. That will also be true in this instance. Office 365 changed that 5 years ago. Now, customers get features immediately instead of having to wait.
The analogy of buying a car comes to mind. If you buy a car, you get that car. If Ford releases a new self-driving car feature, you don't get that in the car you bought. You have to buy a new car. But instead of buying, you can rent cars and always drive the latest. The only difference here is Office 365 is affordable, where renting a car every week would not be!Hi Allen, I picked up on this post because I am thoroughly confused by Focused inbox availability. My office is currently on Office 2013, stand alone, but use Microsoft's Exchange Online as our email server. My boss opened Outlook 2013 one day to find cluttered had disappeared. Clutter completely changed the way she did email in a good way! And it's gone. But focused inbox is not available for Outlook 2013.
So I was thinking we will move to Office 2016, again, stand alone. But you're saying here that Office 2016 will never get the Focused Inbox?
I just find your analogy of a car so frustrating and here's why: We're driving along on stone wheels (like the Flintstones) with Office 2013 when Microsoft shows up and hands us rubber tires. Didn't have to upgrade to new versions or change the way we purchase Office...didn't have to buy the new car!
Then a year later Microsoft comes back and takes the tires back because they have a new and improved tubeless tire. But, sorry, you have to buy the new car and no, you can't keep using clutter, so back to the stone age for you with no recourse.
Oh, and by the way, the latest model of the car also won't use the new and improved tubeless tire. Only cars you rent from us.
Now I've wasted half my morning wondering if purchasing Office Professional Plus 2016 will get her a focused inbox or not.
I am venting. It's ridiculous.
Can you answer one question for me: As of October 17, 2017 does the Office Professional Plus 2016 version of Outlook have focused inbox?
- AllenFilushHi Jeremy,
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, and I'm sorry that it has not been the best thus far.
Addressing the most significant issue for your boss first - Clutter is not gone. You can turn Clutter back on for your boss, until you get to a version of Office that includes support for Focused Inbox. My guess is your boss was using Outlook on the web at some point and turned on Focused Inbox, not knowing that turning on FI would turn off Clutter (as FI is the replacement for Clutter, see this blog for details: https://blogs.office.com/en-us/2016/07/26/outlook-helps-you-focus-on-what-matters-to-you/).
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.
Answering your second question about availability: Office Professional Plus 2016 (bought standalone, rather than part of Office 365) does not and will not support Focused Inbox. Traditional versions of Office (what you are calling standalone) are point-in-time purchases. The product code that we released when we shipped 2016 is the code you get, no matter what day you buy it. Traditional Office clients only get security or bug fixes, the price does not include updates. You will need to buy Office 365 ProPlus in order to get any product updates, including FI. As said above, for those who are not going to update, we will support Clutter for the next several years. However, the long term status is that you will need to eventually go to Office 365 clients.
Hopefully this helps clarify our status a bit. Let me know if that isn't clear.
