Nearly two years ago – wow, time flies! – we wrote about what was then a new Office 365 tool in preview: Microsoft Loop.
Since then, Loop has become a powerful collaboration tool that allows multiple users to co-author information and have that information synchronized across different apps in real-time. It facilitates teamwork by combining a flexible canvas with portable components that move seamlessly across 365 apps like Teams, Email and more. This enables real-time collaboration that ensures everyone on the team is always on the same page, enhancing productivity and reducing communication gaps.
Because teams here at KIT now find themselves using it regularly, this article provides an update to our 2023 blog post about Microsoft Loop. While the original post is no longer accessible, this updated article provides a comprehensive overview of Loop’s capabilities, including the latest features and upgrades.
Key Features of Microsoft Loop
Loop offers a variety of features that support diverse workflows and use cases:
- Flexible Workspaces: Loop workspaces provide a blank canvas where you can add various types of content, including text, lists, tables, images and even live data feeds. You can organize this content in a way that suits your needs, and it will remain synchronized across all your devices.
- Portable Components: Loop components are modular building blocks that you can easily move between different workspaces and apps. This allows for efficient content reuse and streamlined organization.
- Real-time Collaboration: Loop is designed for real-time collaboration, enabling multiple users to co-author and edit content simultaneously. This fosters seamless teamwork and ensures everyone stays informed.
Before continuing in more detail below, here’s quick look at what you can expect from Loop:
New Features and Upgrades
Since its public preview, followed by the full launch as a web and mobile app in November 2023, Microsoft has continuously enhanced Loop with new features and upgrades. Here are some of the most significant additions:
User Interface and Navigation Enhancements
- Streamlined UI and New URL: Loop 2.0 boasts a more streamlined user interface and a new URL: https://loop.cloud.microsoft. This change simplifies access to Microsoft’s online services and provides a more intuitive user experience.
- Enhanced Navigation: A new left-side navigation menu offers easier access to meeting notes, favorites, and recent items. This improved navigation, along with the streamlined UI, contributes to a more efficient and user-friendly experience. The Favorites tab provides quick access to frequently used workspaces, while the Recent tab allows users to locate their latest Loop pages and components, including those created in other Microsoft 365 apps.
- Prominent Create Button: A prominent “Create” button enables users to start new workspaces or draft ideas from any location within the app. This feature, previously limited to the home page, enhances the overall user experience by providing a more streamlined workflow.
Meeting Management Improvements
- Meeting Notes Tab: A dedicated Meeting Notes tab helps users stay organized by centralizing all meeting-related content. This dedicated space allows for better organization and management of meeting agendas, notes and action items. Users can also create pre-read notes or agenda items for upcoming meetings, further enhancing meeting preparedness and efficiency.
Enhanced Table Features
- Table Detail View: Users can now hover over a row in a table to view more detailed information about that row. This feature provides a convenient way to access additional information without navigating away from the main table view.
- Table Rules (Automation): Users can configure automations for table choice columns. For example, a notification can be sent to a Teams Channel when a task’s status changes to “In Progress.” This automation capability streamlines workflows and ensures timely updates for relevant team members.
- Custom Templates: Users can save a page as a template for reuse on other pages.
- Read-Only Access: Users can share a page with others while restricting their access to read-only mode. This feature allows for secure information sharing without the risk of unintended modifications – which can happen very easily in a shared work environment like Loop. Users of Google Docs or Sheets already know this to be true.
Enhanced Board Features
- Switching Between Table and Board View: Users can seamlessly switch between table and board views for their data. This flexibility allows users to visualize and interact with their data in a way that best suits their needs and preferences.
- Sort Data in a Board: Users can sort data in a board by selecting a column and choosing ascending or descending order, bringing a useful Excel-like feature for quick and easy organization of board data.
- Choose Label Column: Users can choose the Label column on which to pivot their data in a board. This feature provides greater control over data organization and visualization.
Other Notable Features
- Figma Integration: Users can easily display Figma designs in Loop. This integration streamlines design collaboration and feedback processes.
- Collapsible Headings: Users can add collapsible headings to their pages to organize content into sections. This feature improves readability and organization, especially for longer pages with extensive content.
- Better Comments: Users can add comments to specific text within a page, allowing for focused feedback and discussions on specific content elements.
- Automated Notifications: Users can set up automated notifications powered by Power Automate workflows. For example, a notification could be sent to the finance team when an invoice is ready for payment. This automation capability streamlines workflows and ensures timely updates for relevant team members.
- Loop Components in Other Apps: Loop components can be created in Microsoft Teams Channels and Microsoft Whiteboard, expanding the reach of Loop and allowing for more versatile collaboration across 365 applications.
Real-World Examples
The new features in Microsoft Loop can be applied to various real-world scenarios:
- Project Management: One internal team utilizes a Loop workspace to manage projects, leveraging the Meeting Notes tab to keep track of meeting agendas, notes and action items. The Table Rules feature automates notifications for upcoming or overdue tasks, ensuring timely completion and efficient project management.
- Content Creation: A marketing team can use a Loop page to collaboratively develop a marketing campaign. They can use the Collapsible Headings feature to organize the content into sections, such as target audience, messaging, and channels. The Better Comments feature allows team members to provide specific feedback on different sections of the campaign plan.
- Design Collaboration: A product design team can use the Figma Integration feature to display design mockups in a Loop page. Stakeholders can then provide feedback directly on specific elements of the design, streamlining the review and iteration process.
- External Sharing: In late 2024, Microsoft enabled external sharing for Loop workspaces, letting users collaborate with external partners, clients, and vendors, expanding the scope of collaboration and information sharing.
Conclusion
Microsoft Loop has rapidly evolved from its initial preview to a robust and versatile collaborative workspace. The latest features and upgrades demonstrate Microsoft’s commitment to enhancing the user experience and expanding Loop’s capabilities. With its seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 apps, real-time collaboration features, and upcoming functionalities, Loop is poised to become an indispensable tool for teams of all sizes, driving productivity and fostering a more connected and collaborative work environment.
Loop is already included at no extra cost in your Office 365 subscription — why not give it a look?
