Microsoft’s new Fluid Office documents are here
Disruption is imminent. Microsoft begins rolling out the Fluid framework in Microsoft Teams, Onenote, Outlook and Whiteboard. In future we will only work with blocks of Office content.
It is the end of Microsoft Office as we have known it for decades. The manufacturer uses its fluid framework. Microsoft first introduced Fluid last year.
Contents
Content leaves apps and becomes independent blocks
Fluid enables blocks of Office content to exist on the web independently of one another and independently of their original app, such as Word. Working on documents is moving away from the topic focus that was given by the app to what collaborative teams need at the moment. This can be a small Word block next to an Excel block or a to-do list.
Instead of tables, texts, diagrams or lists that are statically linked to certain documents via certain apps, Fluid components are collaborative modules that exist across different applications. Microsoft will initially make them available for the Teams collaboration solution. There they should be able to be embedded in meetings and chats. Microsoft calls the concept a new “canvas for collaboration”.
Content module in teams chat. (Image: Microsoft)
Small steps show huge potential
The manufacturer is initially taking small steps. Soon every Microsoft Teams meeting will be equipped with an integrated, collaborative note function. The notes appear in a Teams meeting or on an Outlook calendar, and anyone invited can work on notes in real time. When a task is added, it is immediately synchronized with other tasks in Microsoft 365. Meeting notes are automatically synchronized with the Outlook calendar, where they can also be edited in real time.
The introduction of the Fluid components is planned for this summer first in teams and in the web parts of Office. Only then are they integrated into other apps.
Experts believe that such “living fluid” components have transformative potential. If everyone can do all the tasks that can usually be done with Office in real time and without switching apps, that could change the way you work and ultimately change the way you work forever.
