Wrike’s Collaboration with Microsoft Teams
Microsoft first introduced Teams in 2017 as a part of Microsoft Office 365, and it has since innovated business communications. It is a program that allows teamwork to flourish, thanks to its plethora of tools and applications. It is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android platforms, which makes it highly accessible and convenient. Online conversations in the workplace have never been easier.
Wrike has been involved with the product from the get-go. The powerful project management application has an array of features that go perfectly with the chat system in Teams. While it has proved to be a useful component, the initial collaboration between the two had not been perfect. Luckily, Microsoft Teams received an update in the first month of 2018.
The time in between the release and this update has provided ample data to improve the original systems. This development allows for a more structured work system and a greater utilization of what Wrike has to offer to Teams and to the business market in general. Check out the following improvements:
Integration of Wrike Permalinks
This feature will reduce going back and forth between Wrike and Teams while discussing a project with other collaborators. Every item in Wrike has a unique permalink attributed to it. Previously, you needed to look up a task in Wrike before sending the permalink to the ongoing conversation in Teams. However, this did not prove to be an efficient mode of cross-referencing because all it would provide is a link. The other users will receive no context if it is only viewed from Tasks.
Thankfully, the update now allows users to search Wrike tasks directly from the Teams interface. Without having to switch programs, the permalinks are now easier to send to the rest of the team. Not only that, but it also provides a helpful preview of the task which will make the conversation flow smoother and will reduce interruptions to trains of thought.
Personalization of the Task System
Microsoft Teams is primarily a tool for collaborative work, hence the name of the product. However, we need to remember that a project can only be successful if the individual members can accomplish their individual tasks. Before, any project you add to a Teams channel could be viewed by anyone with the access to the channel. This set-up is not ideal for anyone who prefers to work in private. This could even lead to distrust and unwarranted surveillance amongst the collaborators, which would make it harder for the team to work together.
With the new update, however, you can now privately access both your assigned tasks and created tasks. You will be able to prioritize assignments based on the progress of items, thanks to the organized interface. You can access all projects, even those that come from different channels in a single tab labeled “My work”.
Actionable Notifications
During the initial collaboration, a Connector had been put in place to integrate Wrike notifications into the Teams chat system. This has remained to be a great way to inform the rest of the team on the progress being made on your end. As a collaborative tool, Teams greatly benefited from this integration because it allowed real-time updates without a lot of effort on the user’s end.
Another new addition that came with the update is a feature that Wrike calls “Actionable Messages”. This allows users to update and even leave comments and notes on tasks directly from the notifications of Teams. Doing this reduces the need to leave the program to update the status of Wrike items. The drop-down menu will allow you to tick off the present condition of the task at hand, with options like “ongoing,” “completed,” and even “on hold.”
Microsoft Office 365 reported that there were 120 million users towards the end of 2017. Many experts and consumers believe that this number will grow significantly in the following years. The goal of product development has always been to create a smooth user experience. The recent changes have allowed Microsoft Teams to become a platform that is more conducive for collaboration than it already was.
While this update indeed allowed a more seamless integration of Wrike, it will unlikely be the last one. The relationship between the two companies is rather similar to the modern collaboration that they both want to induce to their clients. As the two products are developed individually, integrating Wrike and Teams will similarly be a process that relies on mutual understanding and cooperation.
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