Microsoft has launched its Loop app in public preview. The productivity application combines elements of documents, spreadsheets, and presentation apps into one collaboration space.
Microsoft Loop was first unveiled at Ignite in 2021 and has been in beta testing since last year. It’s based on the company’s Fluid Framework, which is designed to break down barriers between Microsoft 365 applications and allow app components such as tables, charts, and lists to be embedded across apps and shared in real-time. multiple users to be updated.
The way employees collaborate has changed significantly over time, Wangui McKelvey, general manager for apps and endpoints at Microsoft, said in a statement. blog post announce the release.
“Now, in our current landscape, we are encountering more ambiguity and uncertainty than ever, forcing us to co-create in fast-paced and dynamic environments. We need tools that embrace the messiness of our creative process and can adapt to our ever-changing needs,” she said.
Loop consists of three main elements: Loop components, Loop pages, and Loop workspaces.
Loop components are portable pieces of content that can range from lists, tables, and notes, currently supported in Teams, Outlook, and Whiteboard, and soon rolling out to Word for the web.
Loop pages are flexible, shared canvases where users can organize their Loop components and pull in elements such as links, files, or data, while Loop workspaces function as shared platforms where users can view and group the important elements of their projects.
Any content element on a Loop page can be turned into a Loop component, and it’s also possible to share an entire Loop page, via a link or as a live page. All changes are updated in all places where the Component or Page has been shared.
Microsoft Loop also offers progress trackers and custom labels, while tasks assigned in the Loop app and to-do list sync with Microsoft Planner and To Do. Users can comment on any edits made through comments, nudges, reactions, and emojis.
Copilot integration available in private preview
Last week, Microsoft announced Microsoft 365 Copilot, a chatbot that automates various tasks across multiple Microsoft Office apps. In a blog post detailing Microsoft Loop, the company said it built Copilot into Loop, with the AI-powered tool offering prompts and suggestions to guide content creation. The Copilot integration is available in private preview.
Copilot in Loop can also summarize the content of a Loop page and the content of documents linked in the workspace. Summaries can be edited to add more detail or context and sent to others as loop components.
Copyright © 2023 IDG Communications, Inc.
