Microsoft has been creating an bold collaboration app for its Microsoft 365 platform. Known as Microsoft Loop, the instrument consists of shared workspaces in addition to moveable content material snippets known as Loop elements that may be shared and embedded in a number of Microsoft 365 apps.
What makes Loop so helpful is that these shared elements may be up to date by a number of collaborators, they usually keep in sync irrespective of the place they’re embedded. One individual might edit a element in an Outlook e-mail, whereas one other edits it in a Groups chat, and the most recent modifications seem in each locations.
Microsoft lately launched the Loop app in public preview. We’ll be exploring that app in one other story quickly, however you don’t want to make use of the app to get began utilizing Loop elements. That’s as a result of Microsoft has been integrating Loop elements into some Microsoft 365 apps, primarily Outlook and Groups, for a while now — so you possibly can create, share, and work on them in Microsoft 365 apps you’re already acquainted with.
What’s a Loop element?
A Loop element is a transportable textual content card or content material snippet — in record, desk, paragraph, or one other format — that you just and different folks can collaborate on synchronously or asynchronously. For instance, for those who create a Loop element that incorporates a desk, you and your co-workers can add, change, or take away numbers or textual content, or make changes to the desk’s formatting. When somebody makes a change to the desk, you and your co-workers can see it occur, and see who’s doing it, in actual time.
Loop elements may be embedded in and are cross-compatible amongst Microsoft 365 apps, with the primary ones being Outlook, Groups chat, and Whiteboard. If you create a Loop element in a single Microsoft 365 app, you possibly can copy and paste the hyperlink to it into one other Microsoft 365 app — and can then be capable to proceed engaged on the element in that app.
Think about that in a Groups chat session you create a Loop element with a process record on it. After doing this, you copy and paste a hyperlink to it into an Outlook e-mail. Any modifications that you just or co-workers make to the duty record within the Groups chat session will robotically seem within the e-mail — and the recipient of your e-mail may make modifications to the duty record.
Making a Loop element in Groups or Outlook
In Groups: You possibly can insert a Loop element inside a Groups chat session for you and others in that chat to collaborate on. On the toolbar under the entry field the place you kind in your chat textual content: Click on the Loop icon. A panel will open itemizing the Loop elements that you may choose to insert into the chat.
IDG Click on the Loop icon in a Groups chat, then select one of many Loop element varieties. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
In Outlook: You possibly can insert a Loop element inside an e-mail message. If the recipient is in your Microsoft 365 group or has a Microsoft consumer account, they will work together with the Loop element after they open your e-mail. Within the toolbar under the e-mail that you just’re composing, click on the Loop icon. A panel will open itemizing the Loop elements that you may choose to insert into your e-mail.
IDG Inserting a Loop element in Outlook. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
After you’ve chosen a Loop element (we’ll go over the choices in a second), a draft of the element seems within the Groups chat or the e-mail you’re composing. Click on Add a title and sort in a title to your new Loop element.
IDG A draft of a Loop element in a Groups chat. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
The Loop element varieties
There are seven kinds of Loop elements that you may insert into your Outlook emails or Groups chats. Right here’s what they’re and how one can rapidly set them up.
Bulleted record: To the proper of the bullet level, kind in phrases for the primary merchandise in your record. Press the Enter key. A second bullet will seem under the primary bullet, and you may kind within the phrases to your second merchandise. Repeat till you’ve entered all gadgets to your record.
Guidelines: You arrange a guidelines the identical method as a bulleted record. Every merchandise within the record has a circle by it. Clicking the circle will draw strikethrough over its corresponding merchandise to mark it full. Clicking the circle once more will take away the strikethrough.
IDG A guidelines element in Groups. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Numbered record: This is identical as a bulleted record, however with sequential numbers as a substitute of bullet factors.
Paragraph: You possibly can kind in a number of phrases and sentences that you just wish to collaborate on together with your co-workers.
Desk: A desk has two rows and two columns by default. To insert a brand new column, transfer the pointer over a vertical line within the desk, then click on the plus signal that seems on the prime of the road. To insert a brand new row, transfer the pointer over the left facet of a horizontal line within the desk, then click on the plus signal that seems.
IDG Making a desk element in Outlook. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
To fill in a desk, click on in every empty cell, then kind to fill it in. To alter a column header, transfer your pointer over it, click on the down arrow that seems at its proper, choose Rename, and sort in a brand new title.
Process record: It is a desk template with columns for Process, Assigned to, and Due date. Fill within the process names, the names of affiliates you wish to assign every merchandise to, and the due dates. When a process is full, click on the circle subsequent to it.
Q&A (accessible in Outlook): It is a record on which you and your co-workers can submit questions and reply every one other’s questions. Click on Ask a brand new query and sort in your query. To answer to a query, click on Reply under it and sort in your reply.
IDG A Q&A element in an Outlook e-mail. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Tip: Inside most areas of your Loop element, you possibly can tag a co-worker who’s in your Microsoft 365 group (and Groups) by typing @ adopted by their title. You do that to deliver their consideration to your Loop element if you’d like them to see it or collaborate with you on it. They’ll get a notification by e-mail or Groups.
Including different parts to your Loop element
If you happen to click on the house towards the underside of your Loop element, the phrases “Sort / to insert” seem. You possibly can kind textual content inside this house if you wish to present extra data to append to your Loop element. Or, for those who press the / key, a menu will open that lists a number of parts that you may add under your Loop element.
You possibly can append a further desk or record (bulleted, guidelines, numbered, or process). However there are different, distinctive parts that you could be discover helpful:
Voting desk: With columns for Thought, Professionals, Cons, and Votes, this desk template helps you current concepts that your co-workers can vote on.
Progress tracker: That is one other desk template. It helps you monitor initiatives that you just and your co-workers are collaborating on.
Individual: That is one other method to tag a co-worker. You possibly can choose this as a substitute of typing @. Tagging somebody is often known as an @ point out.
IDG If you tag a co-worker in a element, they’ll obtain a notification. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Date: When you choose this, a mini-calendar will open. Click on a date on it, and it’ll be inserted as a line of textual content in your Loop element.
Picture: You possibly can insert a picture file that’s in your PC’s storage drive or OneDrive account.
Remark: Inserts a remark that’s attributed to you. Click on this, then kind your remark and press the Enter key.
Divider: If you happen to add a number of of the weather above, insert divider strains between them to make your Loop element look higher organized.
IDG This guidelines Loop element has a divider line adopted by extra parts together with @ mentions, a date, and a remark. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
Altering your Loop element’s share settings
By default, Loop elements are accessible (and editable) by anybody in your group. You possibly can change that by way of the “Sharing settings” panel.
In Groups: Alongside the highest of your Loop element, click on Individuals in your group with the hyperlink can edit. This may open the “Sharing settings” panel.
In Outlook: Alongside the higher left of your Loop element, click on your Loop element’s title. (By default, it’ll both be derived from the topic line of your new e-mail or named “Loop element…”). On the small panel that opens, choose Individuals in… with this hyperlink can edit. This may open the “Sharing settings” panel.
IDG Altering a element’s sharing settings in Groups. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
The “Sharing settings” panel is comparable in Groups and Outlook. Beneath “Share the hyperlink with,” you possibly can choose Anybody, Individuals at present on this chat, or Individuals with current entry. (Your group might have disabled a number of of those choices.)
Moreover, for those who’d favor that different folks you share with not be capable to make modifications to your Loop element, under “Extra settings,” click on Can edit and alter it to Can view.
Sending your Loop element
After you have completed establishing your Loop element in an Outlook e-mail or Groups chat message, you’re able to ship it to your workforce.
In Groups: Click on the arrow button (Ship Loop element) on the decrease proper. Your Loop element shall be inserted into your Groups chat session.
In Outlook: Fill out some other areas within the e-mail physique earlier than or after your Loop element. If you’re completed composing your e-mail, click on the Ship button.
Resharing your Loop element
You possibly can reshare your Loop element in different areas, reminiscent of one other Groups chat or one other Microsoft 365 app.
In Groups: Click on the Copy hyperlink icon (two overlapping rectangles) on the element’s higher proper to repeat a hyperlink to it to your PC clipboard.
In Outlook: Click on the Copy element icon (two overlapping squares) on the element’s higher proper to repeat a hyperlink to it to your PC clipboard.
IDG Click on the Copy element icon to repeat a hyperlink to the element. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
If you paste this hyperlink inside one other Microsoft 365 app that helps cross-compatibility with Loop, your Loop element will seem inside that app. So for those who create a Loop element in a Groups chat, you possibly can paste it inside a special Groups chat or into a brand new Outlook e-mail. Your co-workers within the different Groups chat or the recipients of your e-mail (if they’re in your Microsoft 365 group) will be capable to contribute to your Loop element.
If you paste the hyperlink into an app that doesn’t help cross-compatibility with Loop, a hyperlink to open the element in a browser will seem. Your co-workers will nonetheless be capable to collaborate on the element, however circuitously within the app the place you pasted the hyperlink.
As of this writing, solely Outlook, Groups chat, and Whiteboard help Loop integration. It’s anticipated that Loop will quickly be applied into Groups channels, OneNote, and Phrase for the online.
Interacting with a Loop element
Your complete level of a Loop element is for you and your co-workers to collaborate on it. If a number of collaborators are trying on the element on the similar time, everybody can see modifications occur in actual time and who’s making the modifications. If somebody seems on the element later, they’ll see all modifications made earlier.
To alter gadgets in a Loop element: Click on on the textual content or different aspect (picture, desk, date, and many others.) you wish to change and make your change.
So as to add a component to a Loop element: Click on the house towards the underside of your Loop element. The phrases “Sort / to insert” seem. You possibly can kind in textual content or press the / key to see the identical record of choices lined below “Including different parts to your Loop element” above.
You possibly can entry extra capabilities alongside the highest of the Loop element:
IDG The instruments alongside the highest of a Loop element allow you to take motion on it. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
To see a Loop element in a browser window: On the higher left of your Loop element, click on its title. Your Loop element will open in a brand new tab in your net browser. You can also make modifications to the Loop element on this browser tab. To rename the element, click on the down arrow to the proper of its title within the title bar on the prime of the web page.
To see the place a Loop element is being shared (accessible in Outlook): Click on the Loop icon on the higher proper of the element to see the apps that your Loop element is being shared on.
To repeat (a hyperlink to) a Loop element: As famous above, you possibly can reshare your personal Loop element in different areas. You too can reshare any elements that you’ve got modifying permissions for. Click on the dual-rectangle icon to repeat a hyperlink to it to your PC clipboard, then paste it into the brand new location. (See “Resharing your Loop element” above for particulars about how this works.)
IDG You possibly can rapidly see who has entry to a Loop element. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
To see who has entry to a Loop element: Click on the twin silhouette icon.
To delete a Loop element (accessible in Groups chat): Transfer the pointer over your Loop element till a toolbar with emojis seems on the higher proper of it. Click on the three-dot icon, and from the menu that opens, choose Delete.
If you happen to created the Loop element, you possibly can delete it totally. If you happen to reshare a Loop element that another person created, you possibly can solely delete it from the app that you just reshared it on.
To entry your Loop element rapidly (accessible in Groups chat): Transfer the pointer over your Loop element till the toolbar with emoticons seems on the higher proper. Click on the three-dot icon, and from the menu that opens, choose Pin.
IDG You possibly can pin a Loop element in a Groups chat. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
This may place a horizontal bar with the title of your Loop element alongside the highest of the chat window. Now, irrespective of how far down the stream of chats has progressed, clicking this bar will soar your view of the chat window again as much as your Loop element.
Managing your Loop elements
All of the Loop elements you’ve created are saved in your OneDrive. The Loop elements you created in Outlook are within the folder named “Attachments,” whereas the “Microsoft Groups Chat Information” folder incorporates the elements you created in Groups chat. Their filename extension is .fluid.
IDG Your Loop elements are saved in OneDrive. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)
From OneDrive, you possibly can handle your Loop elements as you’d some other file: right-click a element’s file title to see a menu that allows you to copy, delete, or rename it; handle its entry settings; and extra.