Microsoft has announced a host of new updates for SharePoint and OneDrive, including a refresh of OneDrive, Microsoft Lists, and Microsoft Steam, in addition to an integration with the company's generative AI application, Copilot, which will enable users to create new types of SharePoint content more easily.
The OneDrive refresh has resulted in a visual and functional upgrade for the storage offering, designed to help users quickly find files and keep content automatically organized depending on whether it’s a shared file, who collaborated on it, and if it’s tied to a meeting. Users will also be able to filter by file type, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files.
The file-sharing experience has also been simplified while an improved copy link process now provides clear on-screen confirmation that the link has been copied.
New enhancements to Microsoft Lists include updated forms for information collection inside and outside your organization, alongside performance enhancements and updated user experiences, including new filters, item groupings, and the ability to see who’s working inside the list in real time.
Microsoft has also updated Microsoft Stream, so the web player now includes improved features such as transcripts, captions, chapters, sharing, background noise suppression, variable speed playback, and analytics, while the new video-focused page templates support the publication of professional content from SharePoint and Microsoft Stream.
Custom templates with built-in automation will also soon be available to Microsoft Lists users.
Introducing Copilot to SharePoint
Having previously integrated Copilot with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Viva, the generative AI technology is now being introduced to help SharePoint users build more compelling and engaging SharePoint sites and pages.
Copilot will boost SharePoint in four key ways, including providing simpler authoring, content creation, deeper engagement, and flexibility.
Users will be able to use natural language and AI to author SharePoint pages and collaborate with others in real time, while also creating visually striking sites and pages with images and videos, branding and theming, typography, layouts, and animations.
Furthermore, new integrations for SharePoint into email, Teams, and Microsoft Viva will allow users to collaborate inside the platforms they frequently work on and measure the impact of content, and tailor SharePoint sites to specific workflows and integrate them with custom applications.
“The future of SharePoint brings powerful, intuitive, and expressive experiences with fewer manual steps and the help of AI,” said Jeff Tapper, in a blog post announcing the news. “The vision aims to unleash millions of site owners, news authors, page creators, and portal administrators to write, brand, publish, and share content with ease.”