The convergence conference in Atlanta was kicked off with a preview of Office 2016 for IT Developers and Pros. Also included was a general preview of the new Skype for Business. So what should you and your company be taking note of when it comes to these new announcements?

Some brand new features offered with Office 2016, the first major upgrade of Office desktop suit since 2013, include improved data loss prevention and click-to-run-deployment. Outlook’s ability to handle content linked with OneDrive for Business will make file-sharing a whole lot easier – when a user attaches a file, the most recently accessed documents appear and will be added as a link to the sender’s OneDrive for Business account. Without sending a physical attachment and having to worry about versioning, you’re sending a link that acts as an attachment but without the hassle. Users can collaborate on the same document in the cloud and still have the option of attaching actual files in Outlook.

Other notable features and improvements:

• Multi-factor authentication is offered, making your devices, files, emails and data more secure than ever.
• E-mail delivery performance has been vastly improved, including a reduction in the amount of time it takes to download messages and attachments.
• Improved reliability, usability and performance of Outlook’s search capabilities.
• Improved user settings to better manage mail and reduce your storage footprint.

Keep in mind that these features that are part of the preview and don’t include everything that Microsoft has planned for the full release.

Likewise, a preview was given of the new Skype for Business, which Microsoft has said will work as a rebranding of the company’s Lync platform. Skype for Business users will have the ultimate communication tool at their fingertips – connecting through IM, voice or video with any of their contacts. The possibilities are endless, from carrying out meetings and interviews, to doctors more easily connecting with patients, and even simply allowing co-workers to collaborate without any hassle.

To learn more about the newest technology available to help your business thrive, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.