SYDNEY: Microsoft unveils the latest release of its applications suite, Office 2016. The latest version is packed with host of enhancements that include applications to Office 365, Co-authoring and Skype in-app integration.

Office 2016 boosts team productivity with applications such as Co-authoring, Skype in-app integration and Office 365 Groups. Co-authoring tool is now available in Word, PowerPoint and OneNote desktop software. It provides real-time typing in Word, allowing users to notice the changes being made. Skype for Business will be integrated in the applications enabling users to instantly message, share screen, talk or video chat from the documents. Office 365 Groups empower individuals to create public and private teams with shared inbox, calendar, cloud storage for group files and shared OneNote notebook helping team productivity. The groups are now integratedwith Outlook 2016 client app and available in a new Outlook Group app on Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

The latest offering from the Redmond software giant features built-in intelligence such as Tell Me tool to find the right office feature or command and Smart Lookup to gain insights from the web into documents. Outlook 2016 facilitates quick search and auto removal of low-priority mail from inbox. The Excel 2016 features integrated publishing to Power BI and modern chart types enabling users to leverage data to the maximum potential.

The Office 2016 applications with Office 365 offer enterprise security and protection. It provides IT administrators tools to prevent data loss across Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook thus mitigating the risk of leaking sensitive data. Multifactor authentication feature ensures secured access to content even outside the corporate network.

“The way people work has changed dramatically, and that’s why Microsoft is focused on reinventing productivity and business processes for the mobile-first, cloud-first world,” says Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft.

New Offerings for Office 365

Microsoft has announced enhancements for Office 365 that include Office 365 Planner, updated OneDrive for Business and GigJam availability. Office 365 Planner allows teams to organize their work by creating new plans, assigning tasks, setting due dates and update status with visual dashboards and email notifications. Updated OneDrive for Business offers a news sync client for Windows and Mac which delivers selective sync and enhanced reliability. GigJam will be available in private preview and integrated into Office 365 in upcoming days.