Exploring Microsoft Outlook – Office 365 Support for Your Team

Most of us can’t envision what the business world would be like without technological tools that allow us to collaborate with coworkers, peers, and clients in real time. As technology improves at a sometimes dizzying pace, those tools have to adapt to meet the changes demanded by users, required by technology, and necessitated by competition.

Unfortunately, those changes that are meant to make our work lives easier can also cause headaches and frustration as employees struggle to adapt to changes in tools that are so necessary to function. That’s where the IT professionals at Dyrand Systems come in. Our experienced IT support team has years of experience across all types of IT systems and programs. The Microsoft 365 IT support team at Dyrand and our Microsoft 365 small business team is here to assist with any of your platform-related questions. If your business currently uses Microsoft Outlook – or is considering making the switch – an update like this is the ideal time to put professionally managed Office 365 support in place.

Why do I need Microsoft Outlook?

Microsoft Outlook is part of the Microsoft 365 small business suite, which is the most widely used business app in the world. Outlook is billed as the personal information software system that comes with this suite of programs. Although its most common use is as an email program, Outlook also contains features such as task organizers, a calendar, note-taking tools, web browsing, and many more. Due to its diversity of features at a minimal price point, Microsoft Outlook is a favorite tool for many small and medium-sized businesses. Because it’s so widely relied on, it can become an issue if things go sideways, and that’s when Dyrand’s 365 IT support can quickly step in to assist.

What major changes are coming to Outlook?

Most of the changes to come stem from “One Outlook,” which is also known as Project “Monarch.” This is a redesign that is attempting to streamline the Outlook interface across all systems for a similar user experience.  This is widely thought to be a positive change, since the version of Outlook that runs on Mac has fewer features than the Windows version, and both look different depending on whether you are using them in the app or on the web. The vision behind “One Outlook” is to make the platform truly universal across all systems and platforms.

New versions of the Mac and Windows programs were released on Beta Channels this spring, and some users were able to toggle back and forth between “new” and “legacy” views of the app. The new versions allow connectivity with Microsoft Loop, which helps users collaborate, the ability to find files you want to attach more quickly by typing @ followed by the file name, automated reminders about messages, an updated calendar, and the ability to pin messages.

Among the latest changes to be released in August 2022 was a controversial move to where apps are placed on the web version. Where they previously had run across the bottom, they are now located on the left-hand side. The change was made to unify the user experience since that is where apps are positioned on Teams and Office.com. It has aggravated some users since they can’t opt out of the change.

While Microsoft is working to ease the transition, some users may find navigating these and other changes challenging, and that’s where we’re here to help. The IT experts at Dyrand are eager for the completion of Project Monarch, as we know full well how valuable the accessibility and performance improvements will be. Still, we understand that change can be difficult, and our Office 365 small business support team is here to eliminate those growing pains for you. Whether the updated Outlook is throwing you for a loop on a day-to-day basis or you just need occasional support to learn the most efficient and effective ways to utilize all of its tools, our 365 IT support team is here for you. Give us a call to request a quote or to schedule services today!