New Feature: Schedule Microsoft Team Chat Messages

[LuiIacobellis]

In this video, I preview a new Microsoft Teams feature that was just added into the Microsoft Teams public preview program: the ability to schedule chat messages. Note that prior to the addition of this out-of-the-box functionality, Microsoft did push out a interface to Power Automate that allowed you to schedule chat messages to be sent at a later time (this video has a call out to this tutorial if interested). It is expected that this feature will be generally available in the coming months.

To use this functionality, simply navigate to the chat you want to send a scheduled message in and right click the send button. This will bring up a menu asking you to input the date-time. Some notable limitations as the time of recording this video: 1) you can only send a scheduled message to a recipient whom you have chatted with previously and 2) you can only schedule chat messages to be sent every half hour (i.e. you cannot input a custom time).

What are your thoughts about Microsoft’s approach to scheduling chat messages?

[#2]

Really sucks that it's only partially implemented. I would certainly use this function in Channel posts much more frequently than in Chats. It seems Microsoft has a habit of partially implementing new features in ways that seem to make no sense at all from a user perspective. If you can schedule a Chat post, you should be able to schedule a post in a Channel in exactly the same way. Typical Microsoft UX fail.

[#3]

The option is not there in the new teams :(

[#4]

I see the feature inside Chat > Send right-click. Version 23285.3805.2505.9215 the feature is there but it says "cannot use this feature until you send your first message" which stinks.

[#5]

I am using Version 23285.3805.2505.9215 the feature is there but it says "cannot use this feature until you send your first message" which defeats the point of using it on a new chat.
Case: It's Sunday and I want to delay a message until Monday morning, it's with a new group of 3 people. Doesn't work.

[#6]

This needs way more "likes."

[#7]

This still doesn’t work on the iOS Teams app. Pressing and holding send does nothing. When will the feature go live?

[#8]

@Cbune1977 the feature has been available for me for some time. Our tenant is not on any early release of things. I’ve had this for quite some time!!

 

[#9]

@CANDEman, on the iPhone iOS app? 

Nothing happens when I press and hold send other than accidentally sending when I release the hold. 

[#10]

Yes definitely on the iOS app.
Using my work account.

I have just had a thought....maybe this is only a feature available for work account and not personal accounts. So on the same iOS Teams app I have just switched account to my personal account and tried to reply to a chat I have. I press and hold the SEND button and the scheduled send pop-up does NOT appear.

Are you also signed in to your Teams app using a personal account or a work account??

[#11]

I’m signed into both, but it’s using my Work account that I’ve tried to schedule a message to no avail.

[#12]

@LuiIacobellis Hello. I am new into MS world after a long hiatus. I wanted to check if beyond scheduling "new" posts, can I schedule replies to posts for later delivery on the mobile device (iPhone specifically). In this distributed world, we are trying to be respectful to time zones.
I have attempted "long press" on replies and it doesn't seem to popup the scheduling window, & google search brought me to this thread.
A response on if/when this would be considered is appreciated.

Cheers.
Nirav

[#13]

When I sign on I don't want to be bombarded with new message notifications. I also don't want random users to be alerted when I am available, that feature's already a privacy violation (it makes some sense for managers to keep tabs on their teams but there's no mechanism in Teams to control "oh this person is a direct report of that person, so allow it", such as an AAD integration); adding further notifications, even indirectly, that a user is now available is just further eroding that user's privacy.

Messaging apps are asynchronous by design--you can just send your message and whenever the user is able to read it, they can read it. Stop trying to hamstring them by making them behave like outmoded communication methods such as phone calls, please!

[#14]

There's no difference between a user being online vs being available as far as your message is concerned. What matters is when the user chooses to read the message. If they are busy and don't want to be disturbed... that's what the Do Not Disturb status feature is for. If you have a message to send to someone, just send it. Don't stalk them.

[#15]

@TylerH1 The new feature would essentially make it so you wouldn't have to stalk them. It's a waste of my time to monitor when a user goes off the "Presenting" or "Do Not Disturb" status.