SharePoint Updates: NEW Features Fall 2023

SharePoint Roadmap Update – Fall 2023

In the latest roadmap update following the Microsoft 365 Conference, the focus for SharePoint has been on easing content creation and enhancing user engagement. The vision to enable everyone to make stunning and effective SharePoint sites has made significant progress with advancements in simpler authoring, content engagement, and platform flexibility.

 

SIMPLIFIED AUTHORING

With a longstanding commitment to simplification, SharePoint introduced 'Copilot in SharePoint,' leveraging AI to facilitate web content creation. Building off a new start experience with personal page creation templates, and real-time coauthoring features, teams can produce and share impactful SharePoint pages with ease.

Section-level commenting now enables editors to collaborate seamlessly on content, bolstering the platform's co-authorship capabilities. These updates have streamlined site and content management, enhancing the page authoring experience for users.

• Simplified page sharing now allows individual pages and posts to be shared rather than entire sites.
• Private drafts and advanced image editing tools safeguard privacy and enhance visual content creation.
• New site templates accelerate the process of constructing aesthetically appealing sites.

COMPELLING CONTENT

To meet rising expectations for digital experiences, SharePoint has expanded its aesthetic capabilities, introducing the 'Brand Center' for consistent organizational branding. This, along with suggestions from Copilot and the upcoming content pane, aims at creating visually arresting pages and sites.

Enhancements in video content presentation have emerged with the launch of a new Stream webpart and dedicated video page templates. Microsoft Stream's auto-generated transcripts and newly available Microsoft Clipchamp further bolster SharePoint's multimedia facets.

• The ability to add text overlays on images and a new set of video-focused templates has enriched SharePoint's content options.
• Auto-generated transcripts for videos elevate the convenience and accessibility of multimedia content.
• Content pane and 'Page Design ideas' tools are slated to lend more creative control to authors for engaging page designs.

DEEPER ENGAGEMENT

The advent of Viva Amplify and enhancements to SharePoint News in Outlook exemplify Microsoft's efforts to improve internal communication and content reach. Viva Connections now offers honed engagement features like multiple experiences tailored for different employee segments and a ServiceNow dashboard card for easier navigation.

 

Viva Amplify, a part of the Viva Suite, now generally available, offers centralized campaign management and multi-channel publishing to boost employee engagement. Enhancements like dedicated search and analytic tools in Viva Connections foster a more intuitive and insightful digital environment.

• Viva Amplify's centralized campaign management greatly facilitates corporate communicators in reaching the workforce.
• With the introduction of SharePoint News in email, 6 new post templates have been presented to maintain consistency across platforms.
• Multiple Viva Connections experiences, search customization, and in-depth analytics foster a diversified and user-friendly environment.

FLEXIBLE PLATFORM

Emphasizing developer integration, SharePoint continues to bolster its platform with updates like SPFx 1.18 series for improved Viva Connections and Teams experiences. A new SharePoint Web UI kit offers robust design tools enabling comprehensive customization and creativity in SharePoint.

The SharePoint Framework has facilitated the creation of personalized Microsoft 365 experiences, becoming a powerful extension of the platform’s capabilities. Looking ahead, the roadmap for developers promises enhanced extensibility and seamless integrations.

• SPFx updates deliver greater flexibility for Viva Connections and improved developer tools, like Microsoft Graph support.
• Extensibility in SharePoint now encompasses bot framework integrations, customizable page toolbars, and Viva Connections card design.
• Anticipated enhancements include improved handling of 3rd party cookies and tooling to streamline development processes.

Finally, the SharePoint community can look forward to ESPC23 in Amsterdam for expert insights, while SharePoint Embedded's public preview hints at more innovative content-centric app development approaches powered by SharePoint.

Further Insights

The SharePoint updates signify Microsoft's commitment to advancing a collective workspace that is as dynamic as it is user-friendly. From AI-driven enhancements to empowering internal communicators, SharePoint Online continues to evolve.

Simplified authoring makes it easier for creators to build rich content, while improved engagement tools ensure the content reaches and resonates with a broad audience.