Microsoft to increase integration between Teams, Outlook, and Dynamics 365

From the session list, it seems there is going to be quite a bit of Dynamics 365-related news at next week’s Microsoft Ignite virtual conference for IT Pros and developers. One area scheduled to get a lot of emphasis is better integration between Teams/other Microsoft productivity tools and Dynamics 365.

Microsoft already offers some Teams-Dynamics integration. In 2019, officials announced and made available Dynamics 365 Sales Integration with Teams. This gave users the ability to connect Dynamics 365 Sales records to Microsoft Teams channels without having to leave the Dynamics 365 Sales App.

But it sounds like there’s lots more coming. A Day One session, entitled “Microsoft Teams + Dynamics 365: The unified collaboration platform for modern business,” outlines the case for improving the ties between these two product families. Teams-Dynamics integration will improve businesses processes, streamline the exchange of information and knowledge, the session description says.

Microsoft has a number of planned announcements around “embedded collaboration between various Dynamics 365 apps and Teams,” according to my contacts. This will allow Dynamics 365 users to have Teams chat, meetings, calling and records embedded directly in various Dynamics 365 apps, like Sales and Customer Service, in the name of making collaboration more of a real-time experience.

Microsoft also is working on improving integration between Teams and Dynamics 365 Marketing. This could provide more seamless connections for live events and webinars, sources say. And tighter integration between Teams and Dynamics 365 Field Service and Commerce are on the to-do list, as well. 

The already-announced Dynamics 365 mobile app — which in some ways reminds me of the Office mobile app — brings together various Dynamics products into a single, unified app. This app, which is available in preview for Windows, offers capabilities like bringing together into a single meeting card Dynamics Relationship Insights, Outlook, and LinkedIn. Dynamics 365 mobile app users can dictate or scan in a business card and related notes; take advantage of deep linking between Outlook calendar, email, and Teams; and get automatic transcriptions for calls and meetings.

I’m interested in what Microsoft has to say on this topic of Teams-Dynamics integration for a few reasons. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and other company leaders often talk about integrating systems of record and systems of engagement. This Teams-Dynamics integration would be a tangible example of this, I believe. Plus, anything that makes using Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 together seems like it would be welcomed by users — even ones who also like having the ability to mix and match Microsoft- and non-Microsoft apps.

Speaking of Dynamics 365 and Ignite, it looks like Microsoft is planning an announcement around a new intelligent order management system next week, too.