June 2022 Microsoft 365 Announcement Highlights

Microsoft made 132 updates and announcements in the month of June for the Microsoft 365 platform. Don’t have time to read them all? We’ve gone through all of them and put together what we feel are the most important updates for you to be aware of.

1. Microsoft Purview provides a unified data governance service
   Microsoft Purview automates data discovery by providing data scanning and classification as a service for assets across your data estate: on-premises, multi-cloud, and software-as-a-service (SaaS). Metadata and descriptions of discovered data assets are integrated into a holistic map of your data estate. Atop this map, there are purpose-built apps that create environments for data discovery, access management, and insights about your data landscape. Some highlights are:
   • Compliance Manager in Microsoft Purview breaks down compliance criteria for over 350 regulations and standards globally.
   • The materials you hand over to compliance auditors can be compiled much easier
   • Create a holistic, up-to-date map of your data landscape with automated data discovery, sensitive data classification, and end-to-end data lineage.
   
   
2. Create “Nested” groups with Dynamic Azure AD Groups (Preview)
   In Azure AD, it is now possible to create a dynamic group that has members of other groups. This change allows you to better organize the groups in your organization. Nested grouping was only available to fixed, or “static” groups, until now. It is possible to mix different types of groups as members to a single dynamic group. For example, your dynamic group members can contain Security, Microsoft 365, and groups synced from on-prem Active Directory.
   
   
3. Microsoft Teams Connect shared channels general availability
   Teams Connect Shared channels is a new channel type, in addition to the existing standard and private channel types. Shared channels enable users to collaborate seamlessly with internal and external partners beyond the boundaries of a team.
   
   Invite individuals or entire teams to a shared channel. These can either be from your org or from an external Azure AD org. Once added to a shared channel external users can access the channel right from their Teams account without having to switch organizations. Teams Connect shared channels will begin rolling out in mid-July and expect to complete it by mid-August.
   
   
4. Application of a “default label” to an unlabeled file uploaded to a SharePoint Online document library
   Once a document library is configured with a default sensitivity label, SharePoint can now ensure that any "new" Microsoft Office files (with no label or low priority label applied via automation or default policy) saved or uploaded to this library will be labeled with the configured library label.
   
   If the uploaded document is manually labeled, its label will not be modified. Moreover, existing unlabeled documents in the library will not be modified unless a user edits the file. The stamping of the label is done in an asynchronous thread after the document is uploaded which means that there will be a delay of a few minutes before you see the label applied automatically. Rollout will begin in late June and is expected to be complete by mid-July.
   
   
5. Speaker Coach in Microsoft Teams
   Speaker Coach provides private, personalized feedback on your speaking and presentation skills in a Teams Meeting. Feedback is provided in real-time as well as post-meeting in a summary. Tenant admins should ensure the policy for speaker coach is enabled in order for their users to be able to turn on speaker coach for themselves in meetings Microsoft will begin rolling out in early July and expect to complete rollout by late July.
   
   
6. ‘Updates’ app is now available in Microsoft Teams
   ‘Updates’ is a built-in app within Microsoft Teams that can help you track and manage anything that requires recurring updates or ongoing submissions. Examples include weekly or monthly updates for projects or processes, submitting incident reports, service requests, and so forth. The Updates app can help to centralize these kinds of recurring updates into a single location that’s easily accessible where people are already working, right within Microsoft Teams.
   
   
7. Consistently block delegates or shared mailbox members from accessing protected messages in Outlook
   Available in preview mode starting in June, Outlook will provide consistent access control on protected emails (Protected by MIP Sensitivity labels, or RMS protected emails) for Microsoft 365 delegates and shared mailbox members. For delegates or shared mailbox members, when they have full access of the owner's mailbox but are not allowed to read encrypted email, Outlook will have a new cmdlet setting to for admins to block the owner's protected email access which covers ad-hoc encrypted email as well as email with protected MIP sensitivity labels. Microsoft will roll the feature out through July and expects to be completed by late August.
   
   
8. Teams Chat now allows you to Chat with Yourself
   As of June, Teams users can now start a chat with themselves. They will be able to type in their full name in the To: field to start this feature. This is a great way to send reminders, links, and notes to oneself.