In addition to the latest security enhancements to Office 365, Microsoft is giving Outlook a refurbishment that will appeal to many.
6 months after the beta release, new features are officially in place for messaging, while calendar and address book unveil a promising beta version.
New features for Office 365 messaging
The mailbox included in the Office 365 package has been given a facelift.
Users can now customize the look and feel of their mailboxes and the organization of their inboxes, using a wider range of parameters.
It is also possible to associate categories and colors with certain contacts or groups of contacts.
This makes it much easier to see important messages in the inbox.
It’s also possible to filter messages according to these tags, so you can see only the essentials at a glance.
In terms of functionalities, Outlook takes a leap forward by integrating the ability to open a chat window or launch a Skype call directly from the inbox.
Access to extensions is also simplified in this new version.
Boomerang, Evernote, GIPHY, Microsoft Translator, PayPal, Trello and “Get add-ons” can now be accessed directly from the drop-down menu in the inbox or in each email.
A beta version of the calendar and address book
After e-mail, the Outlook calendar and address book are getting a makeover.
In the beta version, the calendar unveils a new look, but that’s not all.
Improvements also include the automatic addition of icons to events, and access to other calendars and programs (TV schedules, sports results, etc.).
In terms of ease of use, it is no longer necessary to leave the calendar to create a new event; a pop-up window opens to edit the appointment.
Recurring events are displayed at the top of the schedule, so that they are always visible.
This beta version also reveals design changes to the address book.
It is now possible to personalize the profile photo of each contact and associate additional information with it.
In addition, a contact’s profile now appears when the mouse hovers over the photo.
By visiting the contact’s file, the latest conversations and attachments exchanged are also accessible.
This is an excellent way of finding attachments sent by a contact without spending an inordinate amount of time searching through the hundreds of lines in the inbox.
What’s more, it’s also possible to define certain contacts as favorites for easier access to their files.
Microsoft is not idle with all these new features.
With reworked designs for greater comfort and customizable options, Office 365’s mailbox is getting a facelift reminiscent of Gmail…
