In what can only be described as a boon for organizational efficiency, Microsoft has announced the upcoming general availability of its Organization Explorer feature in Outlook for all Microsoft 365 commercial customers. Starting January 2025, this tool will no longer be gated behind a Viva Premium license. The proverbial "corporate directory on steroids" is set to make navigating hierarchical structures simpler than ever for businesses of all sizes.
Let’s take a deep dive into what this feature is all about, what changes are coming, and why this is big news for Microsoft 365 users.
Whether you’re part of a scrappy startup or overseeing multinational operations, Organization Explorer is a feature to mark on your calendar. Expect January and April 2025 to signal smoother workflows, quicker team navigation, and less time spent deciphering who’s in charge of what.
So—come January, will you try this new feature in the Outlook app? How do you think it fits into your day-to-day workflow? Drop your thoughts on WindowsForum.com and let’s discuss!
Source: Petri IT Knowledgebase https://petri.com/organization-explorer-outlook-microsoft-365/
Let’s take a deep dive into what this feature is all about, what changes are coming, and why this is big news for Microsoft 365 users.
What Exactly is the Organization Explorer?
Originally launched in July 2021, Organization Explorer is a powerful tool embedded into Microsoft Outlook, designed to provide users with an intuitive, visual understanding of their company’s structure. Imagine opening up your email and being able to see not just the name and email address of a colleague, but also their place in your company’s organizational chart, their manager’s details, their teammates—basically their entire reporting hierarchy.Key Features Include:
- Hierarchical Visualization: A clear tree structure showcasing where individuals fit within the team and the larger company.
- Employee Profiles: Each person's profile includes detailed professional data such as roles, responsibilities, contact information, and direct relationships.
- Quick Search: Easily locate colleagues and understand how their role relates to your department or team.
- Role Context: For managers, it’s like gaining a bird’s-eye view of the organization, providing valuable insights into team dynamics, reporting lines, and collaboration possibilities.
What’s Changing?
Until now, Organization Explorer was effectively a gated feature, requiring customers to have a Viva Premium or other bundled license. That changes starting January 2025. Here’s how Microsoft is democratizing access to the feature:Removal of Viva Premium Requirement
Businesses and users will no longer need a Viva license to access the feature. This move broadens accessibility to every Microsoft 365 commercial customer—think of organizations ranging from scaled enterprises to startups leveraging Microsoft products for cloud collaboration.Availability Across Platforms
Microsoft plans a phased rollout:- Mid-January 2025: The deployment kicks off for newer versions of Outlook for Windows, macOS, and the Outlook web app.
- Early April 2025: The feature will become generally available for Classic Outlook users. Yes, you read that right—even those glued to the familiar "old" Outlook version will get the upgrade.
So, Why is This Important?
1. Transforming Team Collaboration
For organizations handling global teams or managing a complex matrix of departments, Organization Explorer helps bypass the awkward “Who do I talk to for this?” problem. In just a few clicks, co-workers can instantly understand reporting structures, find cross-departmental contacts, and reduce friction when navigating large organizations.2. Streamlined Onboarding
Picture this: You're a fresh hire tasked with integrating into your company, but your onboarding process is filled with scattered tools and random Slack DMs about "who's who." Organization Explorer can play a significant role in easing the onboarding process. A quick glance gives new employees the organizational roadmap—the "who does what here" layer of a corporate intranet that often doesn't get updated.3. Managerial Oversight Simplified
For managers, this is like gaining a dynamic Rolodex that goes well beyond names and departments. Knowing reporting hierarchies or analyzing workloads across various team members becomes a breeze.4. Fits Into Microsoft’s Ecosystem of Tools
This feature is just one piece of a larger puzzle. When combined with Microsoft Teams, Power Automate, and Planner, Organization Explorer feeds into a vision of highly connected and coordinated workflows.How to Use It: A Quick Guide
If you're eager to implement Organization Explorer once it’s available, here’s what you need to know to get started:- Launch Outlook:
- Open your Outlook app (new versions for Windows, macOS, or the web app as of January 2025).
- Navigate to the Org Explorer option, conveniently located in the toolbar or navigation bar of Outlook.
- Explore Employee Profiles:
- Click on a specific employee's card or image in the panel to dive deeper into their individual role and relationships.
- Whether you’re looking for an executive’s assistant or a software engineer under a specific team, the tool efficiently builds out a hierarchical tree for the organization.
- Switch Early:
- Want to explore this ahead of the April Classic Outlook update? Try the New Outlook for Windows or the Outlook Web App as an early-access option.
Implications for the Future of Outlook
Microsoft’s larger vision for Outlook is also coming into focus. Beyond making Organization Explorer more accessible:- Migration to New Outlook: Microsoft plans to migrate all enterprise customers to the modern Outlook experience by April 2026. While Classic Outlook will continue to be supported through licensing options till 2029, the company clearly envisions a unified and modern ecosystem for the coming decade.
- Focus on Features: Features like Organization Explorer aren’t just productivity hacks—they are a subtle nudge from Microsoft to keep users investing in their growing suite of interconnected tools like Teams, Viva, and AI-driven Microsoft Copilot modules.
Final Thoughts
Microsoft's move to bring Organization Explorer to the masses seems like a decisive step toward delivering core functionality without needless paywalls. The added touch of rolling this feature out across both new and classic versions of Outlook shows Microsoft's dedication to keeping its user base both happy and productive.Whether you’re part of a scrappy startup or overseeing multinational operations, Organization Explorer is a feature to mark on your calendar. Expect January and April 2025 to signal smoother workflows, quicker team navigation, and less time spent deciphering who’s in charge of what.
So—come January, will you try this new feature in the Outlook app? How do you think it fits into your day-to-day workflow? Drop your thoughts on WindowsForum.com and let’s discuss!
Source: Petri IT Knowledgebase https://petri.com/organization-explorer-outlook-microsoft-365/
