Welcome to Microsoft’s first new Office update post in which they share the features they are delivering to their Office customers across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Office Online. This month Microsoftexpanded Skype integration in Office Online, introduced an Office Online extension for Chrome and delivered improvements in Office on Android and Office 2016 for Mac.
We have several exciting new updates this month and hope you enjoy them!
Skype voice and video integration with Office Online
Giving customers better ways to work together is core to the new Office. Last month, Microsoftdelivered Skype in-app integration with Office 2016 on the desktop and they promised that was just a first step. Now Microsoft is taking Skype integration to the next level, first in Office Online and, over time, in the desktop apps, as well. Today we are announcing Skype voice and video integration in Office Online (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote Online) and in Outlook.com, so that you can now see and speak to your Skype contacts. The integration creates a natural, collaborative experience in which you can co-author and have a conversation using instant messaging or video calling right from within a document. Best of all, your instant messaging history stays connected to the document, so that the next time you open it, you can pick right up where you left off. Office Online exists to help you collaborate with anyone, anywhere, with just a browser. Now with Skype communication built right in, you can get more done, faster.
Skype integration with Office Online will be available to customers worldwide with a Microsoft account in November.
A quicker way to access and create Office documents on Chrome browser
We want to bring Office to you wherever you are. If you use Chrome, there is a new extension that lets you create and open Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Sway documents using Office Online right from the Chrome browser. You can also use the extension to open and view existing Office documents stored on OneDrive, on OneDrive for Business and on your computer right from Chrome. Click here using the Chrome browser to get the new Office Online extension.
Additional Office Online enhancements
One of the coolest things about being able to update Office regularly is that Microsoft can now address customer feedback more rapidly. Based on your suggestions, this month Microsoft added an enhanced Navigation pane to help you work with large documents within Word Online. Microsoft also added a number of formatting improvements with Excel Online and made performance improvements to PowerPoint Online.
Office on Android
Microsoft put their Office on Android apps on a diet! You will see that their latest update reduced the apps footprint by 40 percent, and they are going to keep working to get them down further. Microsoft also improved the sign up/sign in experience, so you can get started more quickly with your Microsoft account or Office 365 school or work account. Additionally, the Office apps are also now enterprise-ready with Android M support for Enterprise and compliant with Android for Work.
If you’re an Office 365 subscriber, you can now use Presenter View in PowerPoint on Android to show and present your slides like a pro. View your presentation with speaker notes on your Android phone or tablet while projecting to a large screen.
Visual Basic Editor features come to Office 2016 for Mac
A lot of developers asked for improvements to the overall Visual Basic Editor (VBE) on Office 2016 for Mac, and they’re pleased to deliver several top customer requests. You now have the ability to Add Modules from within the Project Viewer, Add Library References using a Dialog and use shortcut keys for debugging. Microsoft also recently added two new commands to the Visual Basic object model for Mac: GrantAccessToMultipleFiles and AppleScriptTask and a new conditional, MAC_OFFICE_VERSION. For more information, see the VBE improvements section of the VBA improvements in Office 2016 blog post.
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