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Microsoft is retiring Office365 connectors within Teams. What does this mean for you?
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byline by Rob Lowe, an Associate Director with alliantDigital
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Microsoft has announced significant changes to its Office 365 connectors feature in Microsoft Teams. This feature, which has been instrumental in delivering content and service updates from third-party services directly into Teams channels, is set to be retired. After feedback from users, Microsoft has provided a revised timeline for the retirement of this functionality:
- Connectors within all clouds will continue to work until December 2025
- Using connectors beyond December 31, 2024, will require additional action. More details can be found here.
- Beginning August 15, 2024, all new workflows built with Microsoft Teams must be created using the new Workflows app within Teams
Office 365 connectors in Microsoft Teams have been a valuable tool for users, enabling them to receive updates from popular third-party services directly into their Teams chat streams. This functionality has ensured that team members stay informed and synchronized with relevant information, enhancing collaboration and productivity.
Some of the popular Office 365 connectors include: Azure DevOps Services, Trello, GitHub, Zendesk, Salesforce, and other leading third-party platforms.
Why did Microsoft make this change?
Microsoft has been investing significantly in their Power Platform product and has been quietly making changes to their infrastructure to force users to adopt their Power Platform product. This move is no different.
As low and no-code become more commonplace in the business world, Microsoft has clear intentions to dominate their competition in this space. By continuing to reduce accesses and permissions into Office365, Microsoft is making it more difficult for third-party platform to access their systems.
I use Office365 connectors Teams, what can I use instead?
As expected, Microsoft is directing users to their platforms, Power Automate and a new application called Microsoft Teams Workflows. Both applications will allow you to replace the functionality offered by Office365 connectors.
What Microsoft doesn’t mention is that third-party applications are still able to access Microsoft Teams (for now) via their Graph API. Developers and professionals familiar with API calls can still leverage this to connect directly into Teams and Office365.
Expert Assistance from alliantDIGITAL
Transitioning from Office 365 connectors to Power Automate or Teams Workflows can be a complex process, especially for organizations with extensive integrations. To ensure a smooth and efficient migration, consider reaching out to alliantDIGITAL, experts in Power Automate, Graph API, and Microsoft Teams integrations.
- Expert Guidance: alliantDIGITAL can provide tailored advice and support to help you navigate the transition, ensuring that your workflows are optimized for performance and security.
- Seamless Migration: With their extensive experience, alliantDIGITAL can handle the technical aspects of the migration, minimizing downtime and disruption to your operations.
- Customized Solutions: alliantDIGITAL can develop custom Power Automate workflows that meet your specific business needs, enhancing your team’s productivity and collaboration.
- Ongoing Support: Beyond the initial migration, alliantDIGITAL offers ongoing support and maintenance to ensure that your workflows continue to operate smoothly and efficiently.
For users currently utilizing Office 365 connectors in Microsoft Teams, it is crucial to migrate existing connectors to Power Automate workflows before the retirement dates. By doing so, teams can continue to benefit from the integration of third-party service updates while leveraging the enhanced security and scalability offered by Power Automate.
To make this transition as seamless as possible, please get in touch. alliantDIGITAL’s expertise in Power Automate and Microsoft Teams can help you navigate the complexities of the migration, ensuring that your organization continues to operate efficiently and securely. Reach out to alliantDIGITAL today to get started on your migration journey.
Step 4: Cultivate a Digital Culture
Successful AI transformation cannot be actualized without fostering a culture of change within your organization. Businesses often overlook the importance of employee buy-in and training when adopting new technologies, especially AI. Employees must understand that AI is a tool designed to augment human effort, not replace it entirely. Additionally, as an integral component of internal systems and processes, employees must be brought in before development begins, not after the fact, to be included and empowered. This will reinforce a culture of adapting together.
We always begin our AI Discovery with ideation sessions that allow staff, not just managers, the opportunity to present AI solutions that they care about. This gets employees bought in immediately to whatever solution is deployed because they were in the selection process from the very beginning. Remember, they’re the ones that will be using it, and if they’re not on board they won’t use it.
Where are We Now? Where Do We Go From Here?
The AI revolution is not a one-time event but an ongoing process of businesses adapting to an ever-evolving technological landscape. Automation, AI, AGI, and more – the name and technology will keep changing with time, but what is essential is that your business is equipped and ready for it. It is not an option but a necessity. Businesses that embrace AI as a natural progression of their business transformation journey will be better equipped to adapt, thrive, and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital world.
While a larger conversation around AI will continue, we at alliantDIGITAL are conducting personalized AI Discovery sessions for companies across every industry to ensure they are getting returns on their AI investments. If you are running a business and want to begin your digital journey, let’s discuss how we can help.
Featured Leadership
Mariano Novoa, Associate Director – Head of AI & Intelligent Automation, alliantDIGITAL
As alliantDIGITAL’s Associate Director and Head of AI & Intelligent Automation, Mariano develops customized AI products, working directly with our CPA partners to create and deliver solutions across their firms. Mariano has 10+ years of experience delivering automation and AI solutions for CPAs and the accounting industry at large, including several 100M+ technology transformations.
Prior to his time at alliantgroup, Mariano led Grant Thornton’s Intelligent Automation & AI Services Center, delivering 200+ solutions across front and back-office processes. Additionally, he was also recognized as Product Manager for the US Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Search Product, focusing on moving legacy systems to a modern cloud. Through this work, he has won 2 American Business Awards, an HCM Excellence Award for best advancement.
Rob Lowe, Associate Director – Head of Product, alliantdigital
As alliantdigital’s associate director and head of product, Rob Lowe manages the daily operations of our digital practice along with developing our digital product roadmap, ensuring that our high standards of quality are maintained and clients are satisfied. Rob has worked in the digital sector for almost two decades, demonstrating his deep understanding how companies can best utilize emerging technologies, specializing in AI tools, large language models, and digital transformation.
Prior to his time at alliantgroup, Rob was the Head of Digital at Harte Hanks’, managing development teams across three continents overseeing a litany of digital projects for many companies, including Samsung, Microsoft, Toshiba, AB InvBev, Vodafone, and VMWare. This experience has allowed him extensive understanding of managing operations worldwide, ensuring seamless integration and timely delivery of products.
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