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Microsoft adds new app integrations, app store to Teams

Microsoft is starting to roll out what execs say is the biggest collection of new features for Teams since Microsoft introduced the service last March.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Microsoft is adding new application integration and control functionality to Microsoft Teams, its chat-based Office 365 workspace, starting today, January 29.

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Credit: Microsoft

Officials are calling the new additions "the biggest single release of new functionality since Teams launched last March."

Here's what's new:

  • Integration of apps and services from Office 365 apps like Excel, as well as select partners like Trello, InVision, and SurveyMonkey. Users can include information directly from these apps in their conversations without having to include screenshots or hyperlinks.
  • A new Teams app Store that will allow users to find new Teams apps by name, category, or integration type (bots, tabs, connectors). Users can choose to have apps surface in Teams in their personal app views or specific channels. This app store isn't the same as the Microsoft Store, but it will include the same apps as are already in Microsoft AppSource business app store.
  • A new Microsoft Graph-API-powered app called "Who," that will allow users to search for people in their organizations by name or topic.
  • New ability to query or command apps from within the command box. Commanding is now integrated with search and the search box is now at the top of the screen.
  • Addition of "slash commands," or shortcuts, that users can type into the command box for quick navigation/actions like adding someone to a team or calling a coworker.

These features are all starting to roll out today, and Microsoft says they will be in users' Teams clients "shortly."

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