Workspace 365 V4 is live. This means that the layout toggle has been permanently removed. A rollback is to the V3 layout is not possible.
If you need assistance with creating a Workspace V4 layout, you can schedule a session: Workspace 365 – Configuration service.
For additional questions or comments, please contact the Partner team: [email protected].
Introduction
The most important thing is to have a Digital Employee Experience that is smooth and seamless, so it boosts productivity and enhances collaboration. Workspace 365 V4 (preview) takes your digital workplace experience to a whole new level with it sleek and intuitive design. As the digital workplace continues to evolve, it has transformed from a static collection of information and apps into a dynamic place where communication, collaboration, and information come together.
You can start experiencing the preview of Workspace 365 V4 in your adaptive digital workplace from July 6th, as mentioned in the article Introducing Workspace 365 V4 preview. The official launch date is set for Q4, on the 9th of November.
General
Why did you introduce Workspace 365 V4?
We want to improve the Digital Employee Experience and create a future proof digital workplace that works for you. We want to simplify the way you "navigate" your work day, by integrating everything you need in a much simpler interface. It should have an intuitive design and should be easy to navigate.
For additional information, please read:
What is the difference between the V4 preview and the so-called "going live" of V4 at a later moment in time?
The toggle functionality (or so-called "switch") is for activating the new navigation, or to switch back to the old V3 layout (see: About the launch). This is the first step in shaping the final version of Workspace 365 V4, as we will continue to add more functionalities in the near future.
Do you have documentation available on the visible changes between Workspace 365 V4 and V3?
Yes, documentation will be available on our support portal. We already have Quick Start Guide available. Please note that all pictures are subject to change during the development of V4 until the 9th of November. Furthermore, users will also be presented with an extensive guide when they make the switch to the V4 preview layout for the first time. We recommend to follow the Latest Announcements section to stay up to date on important news.
To what extent will the layout of my digital workplace change in the V4 layout?
During the V4 preview phase, we received feedback about scaling issues (no more "adaptiveness"), resulting in too much white space or small text and tiles. To free up space and to create more room for the tile groups, the Frequently used apps were moved to the navigation menu on the left in V3.65.
From the 28th of September (v3.67), you can unpin the Activity Feed (Workspace administrators can do this for an entire Workspace environment from the admin settings page under 'Workspace management').
By unpinning the Activity Feed and collapsing the new navigation menu on the left, Workspace will effectively utilize and seamlessly adapt to the amount of space available, i.e. removing the maximum of two tile groups next to each other.
Keep it clear and organized
A two-column layout ensures that users have a better focus on the content of the page. In the classic layout (V3), we would fill the screen with as many columns as possible. Even tough more tiles are visible above the fold, users might get lost in the information clutter. Research suggests that too much information in one screen overloads the user with too much content, and actually reduces the amount of information a person is able to process effectively and accurately.
Consistency
In the new layout (V4), a two-column layout is used for bigger screens, and a one-column layout for smaller screens. Previously, there was a lot of difference in layout between a big screen and a small screen. We found out that it was not only confusing to users when switching from device to device, it was also hard to manage for administrators. The new layout is easy to manage and predictable.
Pinned Activity Feed
We believe that the Activity feed is an important part of the workspace, as it helps you keep track on important updates and alerts for various events. And it will become even more important in the future. The feed will be extended with smart suggestions and in context-assistance to simplify the work of any employee.
Is it possible to hide icons (Documents, Email, The Hub, Address Book) from the new navigation menu?
Yes, it is possible. These icons (apps) are shown based on user permissions. If users don't have access to it, it won't be displayed in the navigation menu on the left side of the digital workplace. Workspace administrators can disable these apps from the admin settings page (under "Integrations") or App store ("manage apps").
About the launch
Is it possible deactivate (hide) the preview toggle?
Yes, this can be done per Workspace environment.
However, we don't recommend it. The preview toggle ensures a smooth transition for the users. Deactivating the preview toggle means that users will not have the option to try out and test the new preview, before its official release. It removes the opportunity for users to explore and provide feedback, potentially leading to disappointment or frustration.
It you still want to deactivate it, please let us know for which Workspace environment(s) it applies to.
Click the “Submit ticket” button.
Select the request type "Workspace 365 V4".
Make sure all necessary information is filled in correctly.
Submit the ticket.
Can we show the toggle only for selected users?
From the 28th of September (v3.67), the toggle can only be enabled or disabled for the entire Workspace environment. This can be done by the Workspace administrator from the admin settings page under 'Workspace management'. This option will be removed from the admin settings after the official V4 launch.
For more information, see "Can we go live ("toggle-off") before the official launch date?".
Can we postpone the official "go-live" of Workspace 365 V4?
You can address any concerns or questions by contacting support via the Workspace 365 V4 support form. The final date of the official "go-live" of V4 is on the 9th of November.
Can we go live ("toggle-off") before the official launch date?
From the 28th of September (v3.67), Workspace administrators can force the V4 layout per Workspace environment. This can be done from the admin settings page under 'Workspace management'. This option will be removed from the admin settings after the official V4 launch.
You will have two options:
Option to switch between the classic- and new layout: allow users to switch back and forth between the classic- and new layout.
In addition to users being able to switch between the different layouts, you can perform a one-time action to force all users to the new layout via the "Force all users to new layout" button. Users will still be able to switch back to the classic layout.
Always use the new layout: enable the new layout for all current and new users without the option to switch back to the classic layout.
When choosing the option "Always use the new layout", users cannot switch back to the classic layout anymore, i.e. the toggle will disappear.
Why do you want to introduce the V4 preview during the summer holiday period?
We understand it feels like it may not be a good timing. This is why we introduced the toggle functionality, so that everyone gets the chance to experience it before the official "go-live" on the 9th of November.
Will the V4 preview also become available to self-hosting partners on the 6th of July?
Self-hosting partners are in control of updating Workspace 365 to the latest version themselves (we strongly recommend to keep Workspace up to date). On the 11th of July, the download article for Workspace V3.63 has been published on the support portal, in which the V4 preview is included.
Will the V4 preview also be immediately available for partners who purchase Workspace via a reseller?
Yes. Only self-hosted partners are in control of updating Workspace 365 to the latest version themselves (as mentioned in the previous question).
Activity Feed & Adaptive timeline
I don't want the Activity Feed to be immediately visible. Is it possible to unpin or to hide it?
The reason behind pinning the Activity Feed is to show more relevant information, notifications and proces flows from different applications pro-actively delivered to the workplace, to help you on your way. It's about realizing less (live) tiles and applications without loosing the information, creating a cleaner and more relevant workplace.
Due to Feedback we received from our partners and customers, we decided to give you the option to set the default state of the Activity Feed in the new layout, i.e. unpin it again from the 28th of September (v3.67). Workspace administrators can do this for an entire workspace environment from the admin settings page under 'Workspace management'.
Will the Adaptive timeline support all applications? Or only the applications you now already offer as micro app?
Our goal here is to actually support all available applications, not just the micro apps. This will not immediately be the case with the release of V4 on the 9th of November.
Can the Activity Feed be fed with information from existing Intranet applications?
Yes. This is already possible via our Activity Feed API and we have a few API examples available on our support portal to help you on your way.
How would you compare the Adaptive timeline to Microsoft Viva?
Unlike Microsoft Viva, the strength of our Adaptive timeline is how we build it in conjunction with all our integrations.
Documents
Will it be possible in V4 to sort the Documents space in alphabetical order automatically?
At this moment, it's not possible. But users can already manage their libraries themselves by clicking the "eye" icon, as mentioned in our Quick Start Guide for Workspace 365 V4.
Will there be a better separation between SharePoint and Teams data? Now, it is difficult to tell them apart.
We want to look into this, so that it becomes easier for our users.
File server
Will you make changes to the local file server integration which is still based on WebDAV?
No, not yet. But we are looking into other options, such as Azure files.
OWA is configured as the default email client. How come I still see the Workspace email app?
When you hover your mouse over the email icon from the navigation menu on the left and select a folder or email, the email app built by Workspace 365 will open even though you have OWA configured as the default email client. Unfortunately, this is a design gap we didn't take into account. This issue will be fixed, most likely in release V3.66 or V3.67.
The email app is configured to open in a new window. How come it still opens in the same tab?
When the email app is configured to open in a new window, when you click on the email icon from the navigation menu on the left, it still opens in the same browser tab. Unfortunately, this is a design gap we didn't take into account. This issue will be fixed, most likely in release V3.66 or V3.67.
Calendar
Can I add other calendars to the Calendar app in the global navigation menu in V4?
At this moment, it's only possible to view your personal calendar. However, by the end of October or from the 10th of November, it's possible to add more calendars. In the coming period, the Calendar app will be expanded with new functionalities, such as shared calendars and holidays.
Can I use the web version (OWA) instead?
At this moment, you cannot go to the web version (OWA) just yet. As a workaround, you could create a shortcut tile to: https://outlook.office.com/calendar/view/week. By the end of October or from the 10th of November, we will add a button to the Calendar app to give you the option to open it in OWA.
Conditional Access & Permissions
Are there any plans to expand conditional access with, for example, an Intune integration?
Not yet, but it could be a nice addition to our product. We'll look into it. We recommend to keep an eye on our Roadmap.
Does V4 also change "Delegation of Control"? Can we give our customers more "admin" rights?
This will not be part of V4 specifically, but it is planned for Q4 this year. We recommend to keep an eye on our Roadmap.
Can I set a conditional access policy in which I can specify early adopters for V4 preview?
Unfortunately, this is not possible. We have created the toggle functionality, so that users can choose to switch between the new and old layout themselves.
Mobile
Will V4 bring (major) changes to the Workspace 365 app on a smartphone or tablet?
We adopt a mobile-first design (approach). The mobile- and tablet view will also receive an update, which will be very similar to the desktop version of Workspace 365 V4.
Other
Is the new V4 interface brandable, just like now?
Of course, this remains the same. Also, the V4 layout won't change the branding of your current Workspace 365 environment.
Is it true that you are working on AI integrations on certain components?
We are already working on this a lot in the background.
Can we develop Micro Apps ourselves in V4?
We are working hard to create opportunities for this. Currently, you already create your own Micro apps using our web content tile. Or create your own integrations using our Activity feed API.
Will V4 include an extensive logging for access and use of Workspace 365?
We are currently working on analytics and we have recently released audit logging in the product.