This past month came and went with a flurry of Microsoft 365 keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, a Viva Goals moment, the Ability Summit, and a virtual marathon. And it didn’t stop there…
May 2022 brought a lot of new tech to Microsoft 365 - lots of SharePoint and related tech goodness: Site template history panel, Microsoft Stream: View and edit file information, Section templates for SharePoint pages and news, Loop components in Outlook mail (Preview), Admin PowerShell control for Loop components, Inspiration Library in Microsoft Viva Insights, Microsoft Lists: Calendar view item drag and drop, Build 2022 news, and more; all listed below with screenshots and links to more details.
We also hear from Marc Mroz (Principal Program Manager Lead - Office Media Group - Microsoft Stream at Microsoft) to discuss the progress and value of "Stream on SharePoint" and dig into the recent player enhancements that landed this month. Marc and team bring great audio and video experiences to the SharePoint files platform - and hence out to you through numerous end points across Microsoft 365 apps.
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All features listed below began rolling out to Targeted Release customers in Microsoft 365 as of May 2022 (possibly early June 2022).
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SharePoint site template history panel
This is a new panel in Site settings for site owners to view the history of any site templates applied to their site, along with the ability to review related site script actions.
Site owners simply go to the Site information panel and then select View template history; selecting any of the site template within the history feed displays the site script actions that ran successfully or encountered an error.
In this case, it's OK if history repeats itself as you adjust and apply templates over time. To know the past of your intranet, your site, is to know the history of yourself - as site owner.
- Roadmap ID: 93186
Microsoft Stream: View and edit of video and/or audio file information
Video details, options, and permissions can be edited by people who have owner permissions for a video or audio file. And it’s now easier to adjust things like title, description, and thumbnails – especially when you want to create a custom thumbnail that lives and breathes wherever the audio or video file surfaces.
- About will enable users, with edit permissions, to add and edit a title/description on their video or audio file. Viewers will be able to see this information along with non-editable fields like upload date, owner name, filename, and area path.
- Custom thumbnail, located in Video Settings, will allow users with edit permissions to change the default thumbnail by uploading an image or selecting a frame from the video. This custom thumbnail will be used throughout Microsoft 365.
This also applies to audio-only files - which makes it nice to add a custom thumbnail to an internal podcast - makes it look nice and is another surface area you can put information about that episode during playback for your intended audience.
- Roadmap ID 93224 and 93225
- Learn more.
Teamwork updates across SharePoint team sites, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams
Microsoft 365 is designed to be a universal toolkit for teamwork – to give you the right tools for the right task, along with common services to help you seamlessly work across applications. SharePoint is the intelligent content service that powers teamwork – to better collaborate on proposals, projects, and campaigns throughout your organization – with integration across Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Yammer, Stream, Planner and much more.
Section templates for SharePoint pages and news
Authors of SharePoint Pages and News will be able to access section templates from the plus menu in a new tab next to the sections tab. Users will be able to choose and add templates at the section level instead of just at the page level. Although users will still have access to blank sections, we have implemented six templates to make section design easier and faster.
These templates include fixed aspect ratios on the image webpart to automatically keep images within a template looking consistent with one another. And of course, you can override when editing an image.
- Roadmap ID: 88838.
- Learn more.
Microsoft Loop components in Outlook mail (Preview)
What started as loop components in Teams chats now comes to Outlook. It's that same capability to create and collaborate on small units of content - like a bulleted list, paragraph, table, agenda, etc. Users can compose a new email or reply to an existing one and insert a loop component via the toolbar or copy and paste components between email and team chats.
Now you can brainstorm, complete action items, and get the latest status from your team without having to switch context or apps.
To get access to the latest Loop components in Outlook, sign up to become an Office Insider.
- Roadmap ID: 93234.
- Learn more.
New Admin PowerShell control for Loop components
In response to customer feedback, we are introducing a new PowerShell control, IsLoopEnabled to control Loop components experiences in Microsoft 365. Admins can control Loop components independently from other experiences. This allows admins to be able to disable Loop components while keeping the new Whiteboard in OneDrive enabled.
Additionally, you no longer need to set IsFluidEnabled to True to enable other Fluid Framework powered experiences. We highly recommend admins to stop using IsFluidEnabled because it will be retired later this year. The property will only be available until the November 2022 release of SharePoint Online Management Shell on November 25, 2022.
This is now available as part of the new version of the SharePoint Online Management Shell (16.0.22413.12000).
Related technology
Inspiration Library in Microsoft Viva Insights
If Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration - then it's time to stop sweating just a little bit. The Inspiration library is a new feature available in preview through the Viva Insights app in Teams. It turns insights into action with access to curated content and best practices from top sources like Harvard Business Review and Thrive.
The productivity and well-being delivered by Viva Insights are enhanced by this premium content focused on driving better employee experiences and boosting engagement.
This will roll out on Android, Mac, Desktop, Web, and iOS.
- Roadmap ID 93214
- Learn more.
Microsoft Lists: Calendar view item drag and drop
There is a lot of Calendar view work we've been demo'ing as early looks at recent events like Microsoft 365 Conference and 365 EduCon - Seattle - and pleased to say one of the items is now rolling out. This one makes Calendar view more of an interactive surface.
Now it's easy to reorganize list items in a calendar view. Users will be able to reschedule items - changing the date - by dragging and dropping them from one day to another, or by pulling an item from the 'Unscheduled' pane that appears on the right, within Calendar view.
- Roadmap ID: 93285
- Learn more.
Microsoft Lists now in Feedback Portal
I wanted to highlight that Microsoft Lists has joined the Feedback portal - so you can now submit your feature ideas and feedback for Lists in Microsoft 365: https://aka.ms/Feedback/Lists
Community feedback is public and allows you to browse or vote. Your username will be displayed when you Send feedback. You can Search for, upvote (simply click on the Vote count number/item), Comment on, and Share feedback that matches yours. I added a new idea today; it’s fast, easy, and checked regularly by the Lists product team to comment and add status.
Mover.io legacy website to be retired
Microsoft acquired Mover back in October of 2019. And since then, the team has been hard at work continuously integrating that technology - to move files and folders from third-party storage providers into Microsoft 365 -- now all supported from within the service, within the SharePoint admin center "Migration Manager" tab. This is Microsoft's recommended tool for file migrations to OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams.
On July 1st, 2022, Microsoft will soon be retiring the legacy Mover tool's ability to migrate from Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and Egnyte. If you are currently in the middle of a Mover migration, you may continue using Mover until you finish your migration. However, you will not be able to create new moves. FastTrack led migrations are not impacted at this time.
Relevant Build 2022 news for developers
This year at Build 2022, we shared several enhancements and new capabilities for developers building collaborative apps for Teams and Microsoft 365.
A few highlights:
- Live Share: Interactive app experiences in Teams meetings
- Create Loop components by updating Adaptive Cards (connected to the new admin PowerShell control for Loop components)
- Microsoft Graph API enhancements to embed chats and channel messages into your apps
- And the ability to add Collaboration Controls in Power Apps
Learn more about all Microsoft 365 developer announcements ("Build collaborative apps with Microsoft Teams" blog by Jeff Teper), great blog by Charles Lamanna, "Power Platform redefines low-code with new products and features at Microsoft Build" (Power Pages, Power Apps design express, Datamarts in Power BI, and more), and watch Jeff Teper's keynote with Charles Lamanna (Power Platform CVP): Innovate with collaborative apps and low code.
And for all major announcement across the company, watch Satya Nadella's keynote and read Kevin Scott’s AI blog. Plus, review deep dive sessions into the announcements with the Build on-demand sessions.
June 2022 teasers
Psst, still here? Still scrolling the page looking for more roadmap goodness? If so, here is a few teasers of what’s to come to production next month…
- Teaser #1: Rename Add to OneDrive Shortcuts in OneDrive Web [Roadmap ID: 93279]
- Teaser #2: OneDrive: Pin and unpin shared libraries for quick access [Roadmap ID: 82165]
… shhh, tell everyone.
Helpful, ongoing change management resources
- Microsoft Stream roadmap article (docs.ms.com): https://aka.ms/streamroadmap
- "Build collaborative apps with Microsoft Teams" | Build 2022 blog by Jeff Teper
- Microsoft Lists on Feedback Portal: https://aka.ms/Feedback/Lists
- Upcoming events + on-demand workshop:
- Scottish Summit (June.10-11.2022; Glasgow)
- Commsverse - Hybrid Work Conference (June.29-30.2022; Mercedes-Benz World, UK)
- Microsoft Inspire 2022 (Virtual) (July.19-20.2022)
- 365 EduCon - Dallas (Aug. 8-12, 2022)
- Microsoft Power Platform Conference (Sept.20-22.2022; Orlando, FL)
- Microsoft Lists workshop [now available on-demand]
- "Stay on top of Office 365 changes"
- "Message center in Office 365"
- Install the Office 365 admin app; view Message Center posts and stay current with push notifications.
- Microsoft 365 public roadmap + pre-filtered URL for SharePoint, OneDrive, Yammer and Stream roadmap items.
- SharePoint Facebook | Twitter | SharePoint community blog | Feedback
- Follow me to catch news and interesting SharePoint things: @mkashman; warning, occasional bad puns may fly in a tweet or two here and there.
Thanks for tuning in and/or reading this episode/blog of the Intrazone Roadmap Pitstop – May 2022. We are open to your feedback in the comments below to hear how both the Roadmap Pitstop podcast episodes and blogs can be improved over time.
Engage with us. Ask those questions. Push us where you want and need to get the best information and insights. We are here to put both our and your best change management foot forward.
Stay safe out there on the road’map, and thanks for listening and reading.
I appreciate your time,
Mark Kashman – senior product manager (SharePoint/Lists) | Microsoft)
