Microsoft Loop: Making Collaboration Easier
Microsoft has created blocks of collaborative Office content that can live independently and be copied, pasted, and shared with others via Microsoft Teams, Notes, Outlook, and other applications. Collaborators will be able to edit in real-time and other collaborators will be able to see the edit and receive any tags for comments. Microsoft Loop bridges the gap between existing applications to enhance the collaboration experience.
Video: Introducing Microsoft Loop by Microsoft
How Does Microsoft Loop Works?
Microsoft Loop comprises three main elements: Loop components, Loop Pages, and Loop Workspaces.
Loop Components
Loop Components are live pieces of content that can exist across multiple apps, updated in real-time and free for anyone to edit. For example, you have a list created on a Loop Page and then you shared the component via email. The manager can look at the content and edit it in real-time as well as tag you for further comments within the email, simultaneously the content is updated on the Loop Page.
Loop Page
Loop pages are individual canvases where people can share and collaborate on Loop components. Users will be able to insert and share components that people have created outside the Loop.
Loop Workspace
A Loop component and Loop page exist in a Loop Workspace. It is like a project board where you can view all the Loop components and Loop pages.
How does Microsoft Loop help?
Microsoft Loop is designed to help with collaboration between members of the team and ensure that everyone gets the same information no matter what application you are using. Imagine you have created a workspace containing internal processes and you need to ask certain members of the team to review and provide feedback. You send a message in the group chat on teams asking them to review a certain process; you share a Microsoft Loop component tagging the relevant people to review and feedback on. Members can make suggestions and make changes directly within the Microsoft Teams chat and other members can see the suggestions in real-time. Some members decide to make edits directly on the Microsoft Loop page and they can see the changes made via Microsoft Teams in real-time. Members have put forward some questions to management and you decided to email management by sharing the page. Management can review the page and make edits directly within the email and they decide to tag your feedback for you to action.
Can I use Microsoft Loop?
Microsoft Loop is available in Teams at the moment and looks to make it available in Outlook and OneNote. A dedicated Microsoft Loop application is in technical preview and scheduled for release later this year.
Summary
Microsoft Loop demonstrates a new way to collaborate between members in the new era of hybrid working. As we come out of the pandemic and offices are opening up again with companies offering hybrid working. Microsoft hopes to build a bridge between its existing applications to facilitate a better platform to collaborate efficiently via Microsoft Loop. The ability to enable collaborators to make edits in most Microsite applications will enable collaborators to collaborate according to their distinctive workflow. When the dedicated Microsoft Loop application is released it was open a great platform to collaborate on project-specific tasks and will make it easier to keep everyone in the loop (pun not intended).