Microsoft Teams is a highly utilized communication and collaboration tool in online environments, especially for companies which have invested in Microsoft"s tech stack. The software regularly gets updates in which the Redmond firm adds new features and enhancements. Now, it has unveiled what"s next for Teams, with the latest capabilities now available in public preview.
In a rather detailed blog post, Microsoft has highlighted that channels in Teams now support threaded views for conversations. This works similar to other messaging applications like Slack and Discord, where replies to a message are collapsed by default under a thread, but you do have the option to send a message to the main view for greater visibility. You can also follow threads that you are active in, so that you can switch context with ease and unfollow when you just aren"t interested in a particular topic anymore.
Microsoft has emphasized that its Threads layout is more suitable for back-and-forth conversations while the existing Posts layout is ideal for announcements. Channel owners have the ability to switch between both views without losing details. It is important to note that bots can be activated only in the Threads layout and the new design is now rolling out on desktop, web, and mobile in public preview.
In terms of other improvements now available in public preview, Teams customers can react to messages with multiple emoji, slash commands have been enhanced, and keyboard shortcuts can be customized. One rather weird feature is the ability to trigger workflows by reacting to a message with an emoji. For example, you can react to a message with the ❗️ emoji, which can trigger a workflow that automatically creates a helpdesk ticket. While this could streamline processes, there is also the potential to unintentionally trigger workflows and notification mechanisms just because you accidentally clicked the wrong emoji. It is important to note that the utilization of this capability requires the Workflows app in Teams.
Microsoft has noted that there are a lot more features coming soon to Teams too. We will likely find out about them over the course of the next few weeks.