Everything You Need to Know About Office 365’s New Homepage Feature
Today, Microsoft announced the addition of a new homepage to Office 365’s online interface. Seeking to provide a more centralized hub for businesses using the software, the update brings web applications built into the platform to a new starting point. So what will be present in this new page and what does it mean for those who use the software?
The Meta-Desktop
At first glance, the homepage bears similar resemblance to the start menu feature present in later iterations of Windows operating systems, as well as SharePoint sites. Neat tiles are arranged in rows, which display quick links to the applications you use on your computer. In the homepage’s case, these links go straight to all of your O365 web applications offering a greater navigability when using the software.
Essentially, this new update is built to create a desktop within your browser window. Tiles present on the homepage can be customized as needed, making the page more of a central workstation. Those who frequently find themselves using certain Office components to do their work (Power BI, Dynamics CRM, Specific SharePoint site), can now simply make the new site their homepage to easily access all these features from one location.
Previously, accessing the Office 365 web portal simply sent you to your Outlook Web App. Meanwhile, your other web applications (Yammer, Calendar, SharePoint, etc.) were accessible from the header located at the top of the browser window. You were able to find everything, but it wasn’t all laid out before you.
But I liked going right to my email!
And it makes total sense. You’re always getting emails at work, so why not go right to them to stay up to date? You still can! Despite offering the new homepage as the default landing, users can still select Outlook to start from. In fact, users can now select any Office 365 feature to land on. Work with CRM? You can go right there!
Okay, what else?
If you haven’t yet downloaded Office software directly to your desktop, download links will also be available within the homepage. So, if you only have Excel, Outlook and Word downloaded to your computer, links to OneNote and PowerPoint will be present.
As Office 365 continues to evolve and change, more features and tiles can be added into the homepage to access them. Delve, for example, is a new Office 365 feature being rolled out this week, which utilizes machine learning help users manage their content. And more are set to come! Overall, these updates will provide an improved and intuitive user experience with the cloud platform, allowing more personal customization for each individual user.
If you have any questions about these new features or Office 365 in general, please feel free to contact us! We also regularly host interactive demonstrations to give hands-on experiences with the software, so please see our events page if you’re interested!