I wished extra from this Microsoft instrument

Microsoft Loop is a type of Microsoft products that I can see being nice sooner or later sooner or later, however proper now, all of it feels a bit disappointing, particularly when apps like Notion exist, which Loop appears to be a clone of in some ways.

Loop launched again in November 2023, and it did not obtain a lot fan fare at first. Nevertheless, after two years of updates, I made a decision that it was time to pay it a go to as soon as once more and see what’s modified for the higher — or worse.

What’s Microsoft Loop?

Microsoft’s newer note-taking and challenge administration instrument

Loop is a note-taking platform that additionally features as a option to brainstorm concepts with the remainder of your crew, deal with challenge administration, and do extra, all inside a single app (or webpage). It must be famous that whereas anybody with a Microsoft account can use Loop, you will should be a Home windows 11 Enterprise person to entry the devoted app. There’s additionally a cell model from Microsoft that is accessible for Android.

Microsoft Loop provides a variety of templates and the app itself comes with a clear, minimalist look. In case you’ve used Notion earlier than, you will be very comfy inside the Loop UI, and it is rather a lot cleaner wanting than Microsoft OneNote. There’s an infinite-scroll canvas which lets you create free-form notes or Kanban boards. Loop itself is a block editor that lets you organize blocks by dragging and dropping, making it a extra immersive note-taking expertise and just like newer apps comparable to Craft.

As a substitute of getting to hunt via an extended toolbar or menus, Loop makes use of slash instructions for formatting features and content material templates. Whenever you kind / into the physique of textual content in Loop, an inventory of choices will seem, together with bulleted lists, numbered lists, tables, and extra. This makes it straightforward to make on-the-fly changes to no matter challenge you are engaged on, and is one among my favourite options of Loop. Granted, it is not distinctive to Loop — it is a function present in each Craft and Notion, too.

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Undertaking administration and Microsoft Loop

From collaborating and sharing with stakeholders to managing private tasks

Along with note-taking and drafting, Microsoft Loop additionally features as a challenge administration instrument. You possibly can insert a Kanban into any file within the software, however there is a devoted challenge administration template that I like to recommend utilizing in case you are seeking to replicate an app comparable to Jira, Asana, or Trello.

One factor I actually favored about Loop is its integration into platforms within the Microsoft 365 suite, like Excel and Groups. Loop does let you totally create and handle a big challenge, however it is going to work greatest for those who aren’t utilizing Slack and Gmail, and slightly Groups and Outlook as a substitute.

You possibly can customise any column in Microsoft Loop to no matter fits your wants. Not too long ago, Loop was up to date to function rule-based automation, so you may create alerts for vital due dates in your columns. Once more, whereas I am glad to see these options being rolled out to Microsoft Loop, they’ve lengthy been accessible in most, if not all, challenge administration software program on the market.

The place Microsoft Loop actually shines is in its collaborative features. It is one of many higher collaborative apps I’ve tried out from the corporate, and you may inform that Loop was designed for use with a crew. It is simple to ask anybody to a workspace by including their Microsoft account e mail to the shape, and it is an effective way to tie all the pieces collectively for those who work in a crew with a number of folks and totally different stakeholders. Loop is seamlessly built-in with different Microsoft merchandise, particularly Outlook and Groups. You possibly can share all the pieces in Groups and sync your Outlook to Loop and vice versa, making a Loop an amazing choice for those who’re already utilizing the Microsoft ecosystem for many issues.

You possibly can import lists and paperwork from different Microsoft apps comparable to OneNote, Planner, and Phrase into Loop. For instance, a writing crew can write its paperwork in Microsoft Phrase, and with the Loop plug-in, ship a hyperlink to their editor through Loop. This will tremendously simplify your workflow, however it is going to work greatest in case you are already utilizing the total Microsoft 365 suite.

Why Microsoft Loop in the end lets me down

Loop takes a drained method to productiveness

Pocket-lint / Microsoft

Microsoft is not by any means the worst productiveness software program I’ve examined. It is tightly built-in into the Microsoft 365 suite, incorporates a user-friendly interface and is simple to study. It is an amazing choice for those who work in an workplace and also you and your crew are already utilizing the Microsoft 365 suite. Nevertheless, it does not differentiate itself sufficient from Notion, Craft, and Coda for me to actually think about abandoning the productiveness apps I am already utilizing day by day.

A big a part of my qualm with Loop is that I do not personally make a lot use of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Nevertheless, for those who’re managing a crew and utilizing Groups as a substitute of Slack alongside Jira or Asana for challenge administration, Loop offers a very easy option to maintain all the pieces contained inside one ecosystem. That being stated, Microsoft nonetheless has an extended option to go to make Loop seamless inside the Microsoft 365 suite. On this method, Loop is hindered considerably by being inside the walled palace of the Microsoft 365 suite, particularly in terms of getting folks over from different productiveness apps from outdoors the Microsoft ecosystem.

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Who’s Microsoft Loop for?

Groups already inside the Microsoft 365 suite

Microsoft Loop is aimed toward enterprise customers, and whereas it is an effective way to deliver a number of groups collectively simply, it does not deliver something new to the desk in its present iteration to make it a killer app. Microsoft’s been steadily updating Loop for the previous two years, so I may see it turning into among the finest productiveness apps sooner or later, however, for now, it does not do sufficient to distinguish itself from the pack.

I’d advocate Loop to any enterprise-level crew supervisor. In case your crew is already utilizing the Microsoft 365 suite for many issues, however your challenge administration is in an app comparable to Jira, Asana, or Notion, switching over to Loop is price it. In case you’re working outdoors the Microsoft ecosystem, I do not suppose there’s sufficient there to make it price switching.

Microsoft Loop

Microsoft Loop is a collaboration instrument designed to assist groups work collectively in real-time throughout Microsoft 365 apps, providing dynamic parts like activity lists, notes, and challenge boards that sync immediately throughout platforms.