MC765810 – (Updated) Microsoft Whiteboard: @mentions in comments

Product:

Microsoft 365 Apps, Outlook, Whiteboard

Platform:

US Instances, Web, Windows Desktop, World tenant

Status:

Rolling out

Change type:

New feature, Updated message, User impact

Links:

164889
164888

Details:

Summary:
Microsoft Whiteboard will update to include @mentions in comments, with a rollout starting in late September 2024 and completing by mid-October 2024. Users will receive notifications for mentions via email and the Outlook notification bell. No admin action is required for this update. Roadmap IDs: 164888, 164889.

Details:
Updated June 28, 2024: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.
Microsoft Whiteboard will provide the ability to @mention users from within a comment.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap IDs 164888 and 164889.
[When this will happen:]
Worldwide: We will begin rolling out in late September 2024 (previously mid-June) and expect to complete by mid-October 2024 (previously early July).

Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
General Availability

Created:
2024-04-03

updated:
2024-06-29

Task Type

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Docu to Check

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MS How does it affect me

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MS Preperations

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MS Urgency

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linked item details

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summary for non-techies**

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Direct effects for Operations**

User Notification Overload
The introduction of @mentions may lead to an increase in email notifications, potentially overwhelming users and causing them to miss important messages.
   - roles: End Users, Team Leaders
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=164888, https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=164889

Learning Curve for New Feature
Users may struggle to adapt to the new @mention feature without proper training or documentation, leading to confusion and decreased productivity.
   - roles: End Users, Trainers
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=164888, https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=164889

Increased Collaboration Complexity
The new feature may complicate collaboration if users do not understand how to effectively use @mentions, potentially leading to miscommunication.
   - roles: End Users, Project Managers
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=164888, https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=164889

Configutation Options**

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Opportunities**

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Potentional Risks**

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IT Security**

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explanation for non-techies**

Microsoft Whiteboard is introducing a new feature that allows users to @mention others in comments. This change is similar to how you might tag someone on social media or in other Microsoft Office applications like Word or Excel. Imagine you're in a group chat and you want to get someone's attention specifically; you type "@" followed by their name. This is what you'll be able to do in Whiteboard comments now.

When you @mention someone, if they're not currently using Whiteboard, they'll receive a notification through email and the Outlook notification bell. This is like sending a quick nudge to someone to let them know there's something that needs their attention. Inside Whiteboard, the person mentioned will see a blue badge on the comment, indicating that they've been tagged.

Additionally, there will be a red badge showing the number of unread replies in a comment thread, helping users keep track of ongoing discussions. This update will happen automatically, so there's no need for any administrative setup. However, it might be useful to inform your team about this new feature and update any training materials or guides accordingly.

Overall, this feature aims to enhance collaboration by making it easier to draw specific people's attention to important parts of a discussion on a shared Whiteboard.