Microsoft announced new apps in Office 365 family: Microsoft Viva apps.
Applications from the Viva brand will land on Microsoft 365 this year.
Microsoft Viva applications are announced as new Office 365 applications that will be provided to improve collaboration, learning, and well-being of the Microsoft 365 users who work remotely. In a closer look, you will notice that some applications in the Viva package are already nominated by me almost a year ago as possible Top Office 365 new apps. It is really interesting to see how the concept of ideas like Project Cortex and Workplace Analytics evolve in time.
Microsoft developed much better business cases for the initial ideas for these apps. Building really engaging marketing connected with the remote work on top of Viva applications could help to promote them across business users.
One element of Viva apps which a little worried for me is the lack of web-based versions of Viva applications. Alle Viva products are delivered as Microsoft Teams apps. I understand genal focus Teams which is done on Microsoft and on the Client side, but Teams are growing and growing …
Hopefully, there will be a version of Viva apps outside of Microsoft Teams.
What is Viva Connections?
Microsoft Viva Connections is nothing else than an improved SharePoint Home Site App for teams which were in development since September 2020. Viva Connections will be a Teams application that brings SharePoint + Yammer experience to Teams to provide a modern landing page experience for the portals build based on SharePoint.
Viva Connections app will also deliver new SharePoint features that will improve the strongly modern SharePoint experience.
This will be an extremely useful app in case of bringing SharePoint modern experience to Teams and navigating your users to SharePoint through the Teams.
How to add Viva Connections to Microsoft Teams?
Now the Viva Connections is available and can be installed on Microsoft Teams. Application is free and provided by Microsoft, but the installation of Viva Connections will require some additional technical steps. This is a temporary setup that requires you using PowerShell to create the app on your desktop before you will be able to install it in Teams.
You will need to generate a Teams app similar way I described in one of the articles: Create Teams app.
Thankfully Microsoft will deliver an automatically integrated app that you will be able to add from Teams configuration. For now, treat the above approach as a workaround to install Viva Connections.
Microsoft Viva Connections pricing
There shouldn’t be any additional costs of the Viva Connections. The application is free and do not require additional premium licenses, but requires SharePoint Online licenses to be used as Teams app.
Viva Connections roadmap
A short summary of the Microsoft Viva Connections roadmap:
- Microsoft Viva Connections Teams app – 02.03.2021 – General Availability
- Microsoft Viva Connections mobile app – Q3 2021
- Microsoft Viva Connections release 2 – 2022
Most of the key features of Microsoft Viva Connections will be present in the first half of 2021 year.
What is Viva Insights?
Viva Insights is not a totally new application. It is a mixture of Microsoft Workplace Analytics and Microsoft MyAnalytics build into the app that will help to take care of wellbeing of employees.
The application will help to increase personal experience in a time when you working from home. Data will be extended for the additional components provided BI reports like Glint.
The solution will be also extended in the future with solutions provided by partners.
How to add Viva Insights to Microsoft Teams?
You already can add the initial, preview version of Microsoft Viva Insights to Microsoft Teams. Just open Microsoft Teams go to Apps and search for Insights.
This version of the Viva Insights app is in preview and have limited functionality. You need to be a user of Exchange Online to have access to it.
Microsoft Viva Insights pricing
The costs of the Viva Insights are not clear at the moment. Basic functionality will be available for all users owning Workplace Analytics licenses, but it is almost sure that there will be a Premium part that will require additional licenses.
Microsoft Viva Insights roadmap
A short summary of the Microsoft Viva Insights roadmap:
“In the next months, additional personal wellbeing experiences, including a virtual commute, an integration with Headspace for meditation and mindfulness, and an integration with Microsoft Viva Learning, will be available in Viva Insights. “
- Microsoft Viva Insights Preview Version release – 02.2021
- Microsoft Viva: Productivity and wellbeing insights for managers and leaders – Q1/Q2 2021
- Microsoft Viva: Personal productivity insights in Teams – Q1/Q2 2021
- Microsoft Viva: Personal wellbeing insights in Teams – Q2 2021
As you can see a lot of great features will be delivered to Microsoft Viva Insights in the next 2 quarters.
What is Viva Learning?
Microsoft Viva Learning will be elaearning solution for Teams that will help and aggregate training materials from multiple providers like Skillsoft, Coursera, Pluralsight, and edX into one centralized platform. It will be your internal Udemy platform for employees.
Microsoft Viva Learning pricing
The costs of the Viva Learning are not set yet. It seems that the application will be available for free but the training materials inside it will be licensed separately.
Microsoft Viva Learning roadmap
A short summary of the Microsoft Viva Learning roadmap:
- Microsoft Viva Learning private preview for partners – 02.2021
- Microsoft Viva Learning public preview – 04.2021
- Microsoft Viva Learning general availability – Q2/Q3 2021
Will have to wait some time to have a chance to play with Microsoft Viva Learnings.
What is Viva Topics?
Microsoft Viva Topics is a mature version of Project Cortex with the business case focused on Microsoft Teams rather than SharePoint Online. Viva Topics app is AI-based solution that will help to organize and structure knowledge across the organization. That kind of structured information will be able for automated or manual data tagging. The solution will help employees to find information around or connected with Topics.
Key elements:
- Empower people with knowledge and expertise in the apps they use every day.
- Help people learn, develop new skills, and innovate faster while they work.
- Automatically connect, organize, and protect content across teams and systems.
Viva Topics will be extendable by Partners.
Application is generally available.
Microsoft Viva Topics pricing
If you are interested in Viva Topics costs (aka Project Cortex) it is available for purchase. This is a Premium application and costs of the user license is 5$.
You can register for a free 30-day, 25-user Viva Topics trial. You’ll need to be a global admin or billing admin to set up the trial of Viva Topics. After activation of you also need to assign Viva Topics license to the users.
? There is also a 30-day free trial of Microsoft Viva Topics.
Microsoft Viva Topics roadmap
A short summary of the Microsoft Viva Learning roadmap:
- Microsoft Viva Topics General Availability – 02.2021
- Microsoft Viva Topics API – Q4 2021
You can start to work with AI-based Viva Topics right now.
Conclusion
Microsoft Viva includes Viva Connections, Viva Insights, Viva Learning, and Viva Topics. Roadmap for Viva apps will deliver new improvements for 2021 year.
