Microsoft is preparing an update for the Teams collaboration platform that will help people make use of the full range of functions available.
According to a new entry in the company’s product roadmap, Microsoft Teams will soon provide users with a way to request administrators access to blocked applications and integrations.
«[The new feature will] allow users to discover Teams applications in the store and request approval from administrators, ”the company explained.
The access request system is still under development, but is scheduled to roll out for all users by the end of next month.
Microsoft Teams apps
Since the start of the pandemic, the volume of third-party integrations available for platforms such as Teams, Zoom, and Slack has skyrocketed, allowing users to access a broader range of functionality (for example, storage on the cloud, CRM, calendar, etc.) from within a single client.
However, it is not uncommon for administrators to limit the type or number of Microsoft Teams applications that employees can install, in an effort to ensure that neither security nor productivity is compromised.
But soon, if an employee feels that a third-party app has been improperly banned, they will have a formal avenue through which they can request access.
This isn’t the only way Microsoft has tried to augment the Teams app store in recent weeks. Last month, the company announced a new system to help identify the most useful and relevant applications on a user-by-user basis.
Once the update goes into effect, users will benefit from smart recommendations and “a landing page optimized for easy discovery.” Microsoft also says it will modify application categories to make it easier for people to find the services they are actively looking for, including those created and implemented by in-house developers.
Combined, the two updates should help reinforce Teams’ status as a central hub for work – a longtime Microsoft goal – by ensuring that users have access to all the features they need.
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