Missing an important meeting or workplace call could soon be a thing of the past thanks to an upcoming Microsoft Teams update.
The video conferencing service has revealed it is working on a new tweak that should make syncing your Outlook email calendar with Teams much more straightforward.
In fact, with the update, Microsoft says that any changes you make to your calendar in Outlook will be reflected in your Teams calendar in real-time, and vice-versa, ideally spelling an end to any embarrassing mix-ups.
Microsoft Teams calendar sync
In its entry on the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the feature is described as bringing real-time calendar sync and updates across Microsoft Teams and Outlook.
The update, which is listed as in development for the time being, but has an expected rollout start date of September 2023, will be available across Windows and Mac devices. Although there’s no mention of iOS or Android availability just yet, if the feature proves successful, it should only be a matter of time.
Analysis – a real-time fix for a major annoyance
Microsoft Teams has become a crucial workplace tool for many of us over the past few years, helping us communicate and collaborate with friends, customers and co-workers across the world.
However its communication with other Microsoft 365 tools has sometimes been slightly sporadic, as Outlook in particular throws up unexpected or unhelpful issues at the most inconvenient times.
This update should go a long way to fixing a major bugbear for many users, especially those who have to juggle multiple meetings every day, or who often get pulled into calls at the last minute.
Coming shortly after Microsoft Teams also unveiled a single location for admins to create and manage scheduled and on-demand calls and appointments, as well as the ability to to “pop out” any meeting you are on, so you can carry out other tasks while the call continues, should all help to boost its usefulness even further.
And if you do mess up and miss a call, fortunately Microsoft Teams recently revealed a tool which uses AI to generate not just meeting notes, but also suggested follow-up actions, alongside timeline markers so you can skip to the most relevant part of a call instantly.
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