A couple of months ago, Microsoft announced a range of new features for Microsoft Teams. One of these included Live Share experiences that would allow independent software vendors (ISVs) to build richer experiences for apps being shared via Teams, for increased collaboration and interactivity. Today, Microsoft has announced its next foray into this space by revealing Excel Live, which builds upon its success with PowerPoint Live, which it introduced to Teams in 2021.
Excel Live offers pretty much what you would expect it to. Rather than having a single person sharing their screen with Excel open and everyone just watching them, Excel Live allows Teams meeting participants to collaborate on the same file in real-time. Utilizing this capability is pretty simple too, you just need to click on the Share button in the Teams tray and then click on “Excel Live”. You will then be able to share one of your recent workbooks with the attendees.
People can also work in customized views so they can do their ad hoc analysis, and sort and filter data according to their liking without disrupting someone else"s workflow. Microsoft has also pitched the following benefits for Excel Live:
- Simplifies collaboration by eliminating the need to switch between programs
- Saves time spent after meetings trying to capture/consolidate content
- Promotes inclusiveness and encourages contribution among team members
- Drives productivity
Excel Live will be available in public preview by the end of August 2022, but there"s no word yet on general availability yet.