We would like for users to be able to decide which update channel to use. We have some internal users who need production stability and others who need to test the upcoming features, and some need to switch between the two.
Right now, we need separate add-ins, each with its own distinct app ID, manifest and Azure registration
What we tried:
(1) All versions deployed at the same time. Cons:
* Add-in behavior may conflict. E.g. our Outlook add-in is triggered "on compose" and set the email signature. When multiple versions coexist, all of them will set the signature in a non-predictable order.
* Multiple versions clutter the toolbar, notifications from each version stack up on top of each other.
* The user cannot disable a admin-deployed add-in so those problems cannot be avoided.
(2) Max one add-in installed at the same time. Cons:
* Switching versions through Microsoft 365 admin center requires upwards of 24 hours for the change to be in effect.
* The different versions might still be overlapping during the transition period.
We feel that update channels are a good solution to remedy those problems, as they're also used in Microsoft product to ease development and testing