Welcome to the August 2023 version of What’s New in Groups! Following a month of nice bulletins from Microsoft Encourage 2023, we aren’t slowing down by bringing you 52 new options and gadgets for the month of August.
We now have an ideal line-up of latest options to announce. My private favorites are Animated Backgrounds in Groups Conferences which permits me to exchange their present background with a dynamic animation for a extra immersive digital surroundings and the Process lists sync in Microsoft Loop to sync my to-do listing throughout my Microsoft Planner and To Do apps to make sure I don’t essential duties. And each month we add new gadgets that licensed and able to use for Groups. Discover gadgets which are licensed for Groups for all sorts of areas and makes use of at aka.ms/teamsdevices.
Please examine all of the updates and let me know your ideas! I’ll do my finest to reply and reply questions as they arrive up.
Frontline Employees and Vertical Options
Conferences
Animated Backgrounds
The dynamic background function in Groups Conferences lets you exchange their present background with a dynamic animation for a extra immersive digital surroundings. It presents numerous choices to reinforce assembly expertise with creativity and personalization in keeping with their preferences.
Earlier than a gathering begins, on the pre-join display, choose Results and Avatars > Video results and choose a brand new animated background, recognized by the small video icon within the bottom-left nook of the preview image. Throughout a gathering, you may choose an animated background by clicking Extra > Results and Avatars > Choose a background.
Be taught extra about this function right here.
Webinars
Be part of public webinars with three concurrent gadgets
Attendees registering for an exterior dealing with webinar will obtain a novel registration be a part of hyperlink and may use that hyperlink to affix the occasion with as much as three concurrent gadgets.
Groups Cellphone
Simplified name delegation UI and have enhancements
Shared line look within the Calls app and on Groups telephone gadgets now has a simplified expertise for name delegation. The brand new consumer interface permits name delegates to simply change between tabs to see name information for themselves and their delegators. Delegators can even have the ability to view and be a part of lively calls dealt with by the delegate and grant delegates permission to affix lively calls. To be taught extra about the way to delegate your calls, click on right here.
Hotline telephones
Microsoft Groups Cellphone licensed gadgets can now be programmed to instantly dial a pre-configured telephone quantity or contact, resembling emergency providers in a producing plant or a corporation’s assist desk. Customers merely choose up the handset of the frequent space Groups telephone system, which mechanically dials the designated telephone quantity or contact for situations that require fast and straightforward connections. Telephones enabled with a Groups Shared Machine License may be configured instantly by way of the system settings or from the Groups admin middle.
Groups Cellphone gadgets UI updates
To assist cut back pointless dialing errors, we’ve improved the UI of Groups telephone gadgets with a redesigned dial pad and a brand new “dial pad solely” view in panorama mode. The assembly expertise and navigation have additionally been up to date to allow quicker assembly joins and simpler navigation throughout purposes in your system.
Groups Shared Machine license on Groups cellular app for Android
The utilization, significance, and vary of experiences carried out on shared gadgets continues to evolve. To help cellular and versatile work types, the Groups Shared Machine license is now obtainable on the Groups cellular app on Android. This permits Android telephones to be arrange as frequent space telephones. Frontline staff will now have the ability to make and obtain calls by way of shared cellular Android telephones from wherever their work takes them. Walkie Talkie, name queues, auto attendants, cloud voicemail, name park and all different options at the moment supported for frequent space telephones can be found by way of the Groups Android app. To be taught extra about the way to arrange an Android cell phone as a standard space telephone, click on right here.
Protected voicemail notifications in Groups
You’ll now obtain notifications in Groups after they have obtained a protected voicemail, guaranteeing that these essential communications usually are not missed. The supposed, authenticated voicemail recipient will have the ability to view the notification from the Calls app in Groups and click on on a hyperlink to open the voicemail within the Outlook internet app.
Dynamic emergency calling obtainable in Groups on internet
For customers based mostly in the US, dynamic emergency calling is now supported when utilizing Groups on internet, permitting for customers so as to add their areas to alert personnel within the occasion of an emergency. Be taught extra about configuring dynamic emergency calling.
AudioCodes’ telephones licensed for Authorities Neighborhood Cloud (GCC/GCCH)
That includes Android 12 for optimum safety, each the C435HD entry stage frequent space IP telephone and the C445HD government high-end telephone are licensed for Microsoft Groups beneath GCC/GCCH environments.
AudioCodes C435HD is a low-cost entry stage/frequent space IP telephone particularly designed to help Microsoft Groups out-of-the-box for superior, feature-rich unified communications. It boasts bodily navigation buttons as an alternative of a contact display and devoted buttons resembling menu, again, contacts, redial, maintain, switch, speaker, headset, and mute. Be taught extra right here.
AudioCodes C455HD-DBW is a feature-rich, government high-end enterprise telephone, full of the most recent expertise for delivering a seamless Microsoft Groups expertise. It’s geared up with a big and intuitive 5” shade contact display for ease-of-use, whereas HD sound high quality ensures that each dialog is productive – after which some. Additionally obtainable with a 5” shade contact enlargement module that brings Microsoft Groups conferences to life, in addition to twin band Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth for wi-fi headsets. Be taught extra right here.
Yealink BH71 Workstation & Headset licensed for Microsoft Groups
The Yealink BH71 UC Workstation and headset ease issues about staying linked all through the day. The mixed headset and energy field simplifies the administration of enterprise communication calls for and different USB gadgets by delivering wonderful flexibility, with built-in options to facilitate steady speaking throughout your every day routine. It’s skilled, collaborative, and obtainable. Be taught extra.
EPOS IMPACT 1060T headset licensed for Microsoft Groups
This new headset is designed particularly for the brand new open workplace surroundings. It options double-sided Bluetooth® and EPOS BrainAdapt™ expertise to scale back mind fatigue, with business main voice pickup and adaptive noise canceling, to be sure you are getting their message by way of. Be taught extra about this licensed for Groups headset.
B&O Beocom EX Earbuds Licensed for Microsoft Groups
With superior versatility and Scandinavian design Beocom EX Earbuds are crafted for hybrid working and on a regular basis use. With as much as 28 hours of battery life, Bluetooth 5.2 & IP57 ranking, you may carry your earphones wherever you’re going. These ultra-compact earbuds mix high-fidelity audio with highly effective noise cancellation that can assist you keep focus wherever you go. Be taught extra right here.
SIP Gateway
Algo IP gadgets for overhead paging, alerts and door entries are actually suitable with Groups SIP Gateway
Algo IP Endpoints are actually licensed for native compatibility with the Microsoft Groups SIP Gateway, accommodating dozens of various purposes, from IP paging to emergency alerting, and hands-free customer communication – all natively suitable in Microsoft Groups. Moreover, Algo endpoints may additionally be registered to Microsoft Groups utilizing a suitable Session Border Controller. For full deployment particulars and a step-by-step information, please see the Microsoft Groups Configuration Information. To be taught extra about Algo Options’ compatibility with Microsoft groups click on right here.
Chat and collaboration
Updates to the chat message hover menu
Replying to a particular message in a chat thread or modifying a message you’ve despatched is now simpler with an intuitive hover menu design. Alongside emojis and reactions, the hover menu now contains the reply button icon, making it straightforward to shortly reply to a obtained message. If you must make an edit to a despatched message, merely click on on the edit icon button that reveals up within the hover menu on despatched messages.
Compact chat enhancements
Rapidly scanning key info out of your chats can enhance your day’s productiveness. To get probably the most of your conversations, now you can change into compact mode which customizes the chat pane with time stamps, further line breaks between every message and indicators informing who despatched the message. Compact mode additionally features a compact chat listing which hides the message preview content material and permits extra chats to be considered from the chat listing. Discover ways to customise your chat listing view or your message previews right here.
Process lists sync in Microsoft Loop
Keep organized by conserving monitor of essential actions with process syncing in Microsoft Loop. Duties added to process lists in Microsoft Loop parts will now be accessible in Microsoft Planner and To Do. Merely edit your process listing element in Outlook or Groups and your adjustments will seem throughout apps, serving to you keep on prime of your duties irrespective of which app you are in.
Groups Rooms and Gadgets
Video gallery segmentation with unified backgrounds for Groups Rooms on Home windows
Enhancements to the Entrance Row expertise for Groups Rooms on Home windows makes use of Microsoft AI to take away particular person backgrounds, modify video participant dimension, and apply a unified background design so distant individuals seem as if they’re in the identical room. This function removes background distractions so the main target may be on the individuals within the assembly. See the launch notes for extra info on this and different options.
Spatial audio in Groups Rooms on Home windows audio system
Spatial audio brings next-generation spatialized audio to Groups Rooms which have stereo audio system Licensed for Groups with proper and left capabilities. This clever audio expertise makes the assembly expertise extra pure as a result of distant attendees’ voices come from the route their body is oriented on the room show. Be taught extra about spatial audio in Groups right here.
Multi-stream IntelliFrame Clever Digicam experiences in Groups Rooms and the brand new gadgets that allow them
Multi-stream IntelliFrame permits a number of video streams from the in-room clever digital camera to be processed collectively on the identical time. This expertise takes assembly room cameras to the subsequent stage by introducing a brand new set of clever options to enhance the expertise for all assembly individuals, whether or not in-person or distant. Multi-stream IntelliFrame permits in-room individuals to have their very own body in video gallery, face recognition of in-room individuals, lively speaker recognition, and panoramic video on front-of-room (180-degree view) and center-of-room (360-degree view) cameras. Be taught extra concerning the multi-stream IntelliFrame expertise.
There may be additionally a brand new technology of {hardware} that’s enabling these clever options. The Yealink SmartVision 60 is now obtainable to buy and can unlock all the advantages of multi-stream IntelliFrame when built-in into Groups Rooms. Multi-stream IntelliFrame is accessible solely with the Microsoft Groups Rooms Professional license. Extra of those multi-stream IntelliFrame enabled gadgets can be obtainable within the close to future, together with the Jabra PanaCast 50 Video Bar System.
Cloud IntelliFrame video processing for Groups Rooms on Home windows cameras
Cloud IntelliFrame helps to make your entire cameras smarter, not simply Clever Cameras. With Cloud IntelliFrame, individuals gathered collectively in bodily areas are every given particular person frames within the video gallery, similar to distant attendees, creating an immersive and fascinating expertise for everybody. Whether or not working from residence or within the workplace, distant individuals are capable of higher see facial expressions and cues, simply as in the event that they have been there in individual. This function is accessible solely with the Microsoft Groups Rooms Professional license. Be taught extra about Cloud IntelliFrame.
Face enrollment on Groups Desktop to help recognition in Groups Rooms
One of many thrilling options that IntelliFrame permits is the power to detect participant faces and voices in an effort to attribute their alias to their very own body within the IntelliFrame show expertise. In an effort to participate on this expertise, in-room individuals first should create face and voice recognition profiles within the Groups desktop consumer. These profiles permit the digital camera to acknowledge you and label you appropriately in conferences, including your identify to your video body and any transcript of the chat, permitting your video to be related along with your identify label and searchable within the listing of individuals (face), and on your contributions to the assembly to be attributed to your personal alias (voice). To help face recognition in Groups Rooms on Home windows, the desktop consumer presents enrollment to allow face recognition and video labels. This function is accessible for Microsoft Groups Rooms Professional license clients. Admins might want to set Groups insurance policies to allow the function. Be taught extra about voice and face recognition in Groups Rooms.
Scan a QR code on Groups Panels to shortly reserve a room
This function lets you guide a room for conferences now, sooner or later, or as a part of a scheduled assembly with fewer steps by scanning a QR code on the scheduling panel with their cellular system. Upon scanning, you may both schedule a brand new assembly with the room pre-populated or view the room’s availability for his or her conferences and guide the room with one click on. This function requires the most recent Groups cellular app on an Android or iOS cellular system.
New distant administration setting for Groups Panels within the Groups Admin Heart
Admins are actually capable of remotely management the power for customers to guide an ad-hoc assembly, utilizing the ‘Reserve’ button on the panel¹ by way of the room reservation setting on Groups Admin Heart.
1. Groups Panels should be on app model 1449/1.0.97.2023060102 or greater
Cisco Room Package EQ and Navigator for Groups Rooms on Android
This Cisco Room Package EQ is a next-generation video system bundle ideally fitted to giant areas. Energy your conferences with a modular room equipment that features the AI-powered Cisco Codec EQ, the clever Quad Digicam video bar, the intuitive Room Navigator contact controller, and room peripheral choices. Be taught extra concerning the Cisco Room Package EQ for Groups Rooms on Android.
Lenovo ThinkSmart Core with Lenovo IP Controller Package for Microsoft Groups Rooms on Home windows
Add smarter collaboration expertise to assembly rooms of all sizes, from small convention rooms to giant lecture halls. This modular equipment contains Lenovo ThinkSmart Core, a pc powered by eleventh Gen Intel® Core™ vPro™ processors licensed for Microsoft Groups Rooms, a ten.1-inch touchscreen controller, distant IT administration, skilled deployment, and upkeep help, and extra. Be taught extra right here.
Jabra Speak2 75 for Microsoft Groups Rooms on Home windows
The Jabra Speak2 75 is a small transportable speakerphone Licensed for Microsoft Groups & Microsoft Groups Rooms. 65mm full-range audio system and super-wideband audio create unimaginable voice and sound high quality, whereas the full-duplex audio ensures conversations circulate naturally. 4 beamforming microphones cut back background noise, whereas the microphone high quality indicator reveals how properly your voice is captured. Voice Degree Normalization expertise equalizes all voices to the identical stage. Be taught extra concerning the Jabra Speak2 75 for Microsoft Groups Rooms.
AudioCodes RX-PANEL Assembly Room Scheduler
Licensed for Groups and working Android 12 for improved safety, the AudioCodes RX-PANEL Assembly Room Scheduler is a purpose-built Microsoft Groups panel to spice up the assembly room expertise. Through it’s brightly coloured standing LED and intuitive 8-inch touchscreen show, customers can shortly see the assembly room’s availability, assessment assembly particulars and reserve the assembly room on the spot. IT employees can handle the RX-PANEL remotely utilizing AudioCodes Machine Supervisor. Be taught extra concerning the AudioCodes RX-PANEL right here.
Logitech Rally Bar Huddle for Microsoft Groups Rooms on Android
The Logitech Rally Bar Huddle (VR0034) ensures everybody may be seen and heard clearly throughout hybrid conferences. Logitech AI powered video intelligence, superior sound pickup, noise suppression, and ongoing software program enhancements present a transparent and pure assembly expertise for distant individuals. The Logitech Rally Bar Huddle is right for small assembly areas. Be taught extra about this video bar licensed for Groups.
Yealink DeskVision A24 for Microsoft Groups Rooms on Android
The Yealink DeskVision A24, with its giant 24-inch show, is now licensed for Groups Rooms on Android. It may be used as a standalone system for Groups collaboration or linked to your PC as a second display, which permits customers to multitask and think about extra content material throughout the shows. Be taught extra concerning the DeskVision A24.
Discover gadgets which are licensed for Groups for all sorts of areas and makes use of at aka.ms/teamsdevices.
Frontline Employees and Vertical Options
Shifts: Notifications enhancements
Managers will have the ability to selectively notify solely the related group members about assigned shifts and/or open shifts. This function reduces pointless notifications and ensures that notifications are obtained by the supposed workers, fairly than all group members. Notifications now present extra complete particulars, together with the shift date, time, and placement.
Be taught extra right here: What’s new in Microsoft Shifts Notifications – Microsoft Neighborhood Hub
Shifts notification deep hyperlink enhancements
Clicking on notifications now seamlessly redirects managers and workers to the related pages inside Shifts.
Deploy Groups at Scale for frontline with dynamic groups
Deploy groups at scale on your frontline staff utilizing dynamic groups within the Groups Admin Heart. Dynamic groups will automate member administration to make sure your groups are all the time updated.
[Walkie Talkie] AutoConnect to channel
Enable customers to mechanically be a part of the final linked channel, default single channel, or the channel set by the consumer.
IT Admin and Safety
Proactive monitoring of assembly high quality utilizing Actual-time telemetry (Premium)
Managers will have the ability to selectively notify solely the related group members about assigned shifts and/or open shifts. This function reduces pointless notifications and ensures that notifications are obtained by the supposed workers, fairly than all group members. Notifications now present extra complete particulars, together with the shift date, time, and placement.
Cell
New Groups and Channels format in Groups on Android
Presenting the improved grid format in Groups which permits straightforward navigation for courses. Bonus – all top-used EDU apps are actually a click on away inside the category!
Select spoken language and translated captions for Microsoft Groups on Android
Now you can specify spoken language on your conferences for extra correct captions and transcripts, and select translated captions for extra inclusive assembly expertise.
Platform
Pre-pin assembly apps through Admin Coverage in Groups Admin Heart
Admins will now have the ability to pre-pin conferences apps (very similar to private apps and messaging extensions) in Groups Admin Heart.
Graph API for Groups Conferences Transcripts
Microsoft Graph API to entry Groups Conferences transcript as soon as the assembly is over.
New collaborative apps
MiClient
The MiClient platform permits stakeholders to automate and handle their total gross sales cycle, from lead administration to closing the deal. The brand new app for Groups lets you create and handle offers, assign duties, and share info and actions with group members.
Typeface
The brand new Typeface app brings the facility of generative AI into Groups so organizations can create customized, on-brand content material at scale. Typeface can produce weblog posts, advert pictures, marketing campaign briefs, website positioning meta tags, and extra. With the Typeface private Groups app, you may brainstorm individually, generate property, and share content material proper in Groups to refine with colleagues utilizing Typeface’s wealthy, AI-based modifying expertise.
Collaborative app updates
Amex GBT
This app from American Categorical World Enterprise Journey (Amex GBT) helps you handle company journey through chat. Keep in Groups to seamlessly join with a dwell journey counselor to guide, change, and cancel your journeys, and reap the benefits of dynamic pricing, which permits for extra aggressive and customized charges.
HubSpot
This app integrates HubSpot CRM with Groups to amplify collaboration and communication effectivity by way of customizable real-time alerts for chats, reminders, mentions, and type submissions, in addition to permitting you to schedule conferences in HubSpot that generate Groups particulars to scale back toggling between apps. The brand new replace lets you convert Groups messages into HubSpot duties or tickets, streamlining task-tracking and prioritization.
Sage Individuals
By integrating the Sage Individuals app with Microsoft Groups, workers can use the digital assistant bot to conversationally guide absences, verify depart balances, and monitor the standing of their absence requests. Managers profit additional by approving or rejecting absences and receiving every day summaries of excellent actions, all from Groups.
ServiceNow Digital Agent
ServiceNow Digital Agent is without doubt one of the most extremely used collaborative apps in Microsoft Groups. Beforehand, workers might get assist and help from initiating a chat with the AI-powered ServiceNow bot in Groups. Within the August launch, ServiceNow has made it simpler for workers to place AI to work for them. Staff can now seek for and share really useful information articles and repair catalog objects, instantly from Digital Agent within the Groups channels and chats the place they’re already collaborating. ServiceNow admins can simply allow this function by deciding on the “Message Extension” checkbox throughout manifest technology.
Sociabble
Sociabble is a number one worker communication and worker engagement platform, designed with the wants of huge corporations in thoughts. Its newest replace contains options that reinforce engagement by way of a Groups integration, permitting you to obtain your Sociabble alerts instantly on Groups by way of Exercise Notifications. you too can readily share Sociabble content material through Groups channels and chats.
Groups Premium
Present solely customized backgrounds
Admins have the choice to manage and restrict the backgrounds obtainable to customers by solely permitting them to decide on customized org backgrounds for his or her conferences. That is obtainable just for customers which have a Groups Premium license assigned.
Groups for Schooling
Groups Assignments – Grading Interval
Assist for Grading Interval for a category permits to divide the project grading into semesters or different durations that match the schedule of the category.
Different Grading Schemes in Groups Assignments
Groups for Schooling is revamping its grading expertise with grading enhancements together with weighted grading classes and exhibiting common grades to college students. These options will make the Grades expertise in Groups extra streamlined and correct for educators and college students alike. Weighted grading classes permit educators to assign share weights to several types of assignments and may also be turned on in Grade settings. If a category is utilizing grading classes, common grades can be calculated by multiplying the common rating in every class by that class’s weight.
Dad or mum Connection – Bulletins
The Bulletins function permits lecturers to submit an announcement (much like a channel submit expertise). As soon as the announcement consists by the trainer, it is going to be broadcast to the mother and father of total class as 1-1 threads created for every scholar (mum or dad trainer chats for every scholar within the class).
