Explore the Latest M365 Trends

Welcome to our latest newsletter! In this edition, explore outlook changes and bid farewell to Entity-Based Contextual Add-ins. Discover enhanced data security with Customer-Owned Keys in Microsoft 365. Empower developers with Office Add-Ins best practices. Unveil SharePoint's roadmap for anticipated highlights beyond December 2023.?

Join us on this journey of innovation and best practices, influencing the collaborative future within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.?

Spotlight?

1. Deprecation of Entity-Based Contextual Outlook Add-ins?
2. Enhanced Data Security with Customer-Owned Keys in Microsoft 365?
3. Best Practices for Designing Office Add-Ins?
4. SharePoint Roadmap Highlights: December 2023 and Beyond?

Deprecation of Entity-Based Contextual Outlook Add-ins?

?Microsoft is stopping support for entity-based contextual Outlook add-ins because not many people are using them, and they're expensive to maintain. This includes add-ins like Bing Maps and Action Items.?

But don't worry too much—Microsoft is working on an alternative for the Join Meeting button in meetings to make the transition smoother. You can still activate add-ins using regular expression rules, making things simpler after they stop supporting entity-based add-ins. This shows Microsoft is trying to make things easier for users while keeping up with changes in technology.?

?

Enhanced Data Security with Customer-Owned Keys in Microsoft 365?

Introducing custom encryption with customer-owned keys for Microsoft 365 datasets, providing an added layer of security. Just turn on "encryption" when setting up your app or updating settings. Your chosen datasets will then be sent securely to your storage.

This feature is available for users using Copy Activity with Azure Data Factory or Azure Synapse, making the onboarding process easier. Upgrade your data security now!?

?

Best Practices for Designing Office Add-Ins?

Creating a successful Word, Excel, or PowerPoint add-in is all about smart design.??

• Start by giving your add-in a catchy name that clearly tells users what problem it solves.??
• Keep it simple and memorable.??
• In your add-in's description, highlight its benefits in just two lines to quickly show users how it makes their tasks easier.?

When designing the interface, seamlessly blend with Office using Fluent UI React or Fabric Core. Prioritize content over flashy elements, ensuring users' documents stay the focus.?

?

SharePoint Roadmap Highlights: December 2023 and Beyond?

In December 2023, SharePoint added eSignature, Stream improvements, and Viva Engage API. Top 5 tech items of 2023: OneDrive sharing, Stream Playlists, New Stream web part, Loop components, and SharePoint news to email.

SharePoint Embedded in public preview for custom content apps. January 2024 features: co-authoring on pages, Viva Amplify in People Profile Cards, and more. Ongoing change management resources and upcoming events mentioned in SharePoint Roadmap Pitstop.?

?

Important Links/Downloads?

Microsoft Virtual Training - https://events.microsoft.com/en-us/mvtd?

Microsoft 365 & Power Platform Community Calls - https://pnp.github.io/blog/weekly-agenda/?

Microsoft Training - Introduction to Copilot - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/introduction-microsoft-365-copilot/?

?

We're excited to share this journey with you, as we delve deep into the realms of M365. Together, let's harness the power of M365 and make your digital workspace truly exceptional.?