#InsideIT

Working together across departments, research groups, or study teams is part of everyday life at KAUST. Whether you're sharing ideas for a group project, refining a presentation with your advisor, or coordinating tasks across your unit, collaboration tools can make a big difference. Microsoft Loop is one of the newest tools available in Microsoft 365 to support exactly this kind of work.

What is Microsoft Loop?

Microsoft Loop is a new way to collaborate in real time. It lets you create flexible, reusable content blocks—called Loop components—that you can embed into Microsoft Teams chats, Outlook emails, Word for the web, and Whiteboard. These components update live, so everyone stays on the same page, no matter where they are working.

Loop is already available in Microsoft Teams at KAUST, and a full standalone Loop app is expected soon. You can explore the preview version today by signing in at https://loop.cloud.microsoft.

The Loop app is also available for download on mobile phones and tablets. You can find it on the App Store for iOS and the Google Play Store for Android.

One particularly useful feature is the ability to track where each Loop component has been shared. If a component is used in multiple chats or documents, you can view a list of all the places it appears. This makes it easier to manage shared content and keep track of ongoing collaboration across different platforms.

Where to Find Loop in Microsoft Teams

You can start using Loop components right inside a Teams chat:

• Open the chat box
• Click the Loop components icon below the message field (make sure the field is empty)
• Choose the type of component you want to use
• Start collaborating

Loop works on both desktop and mobile versions of Teams.

What You Can Create

Loop components are simple, but they unlock a lot of possibilities. You can create:

• Bulleted or numbered lists
• Checklists
• Paragraphs
• Tables
• Task lists

These components are shared and editable by anyone in the conversation or document.

Practical Ways to Use Loop

Here are a few ways students, faculty, and staff might use Loop at KAUST:

1. Drafting Together
   Co-write sections of a research paper, proposal, or event announcement right inside your chat.
2. Idea Sharing
   Use a Loop list to collect ideas for a class discussion, lab meeting agenda, or design sprint.
3. Gathering Information
   Send out a Loop table to your team or group with labeled rows and columns to collect input or sign-ups.
4. Light Project Management
   Create a task list to divide responsibilities for events, projects, or shared deliverables.
5. Focused Discussions
   Use a Loop component to track a specific discussion or decision thread within a larger conversation.

Loop in Other Microsoft Apps

In addition to Teams, Loop components also work in:

• Outlook
• Word for the web
• Microsoft Whiteboard

You can use them to make your emails, documents, and whiteboards more interactive and collaborative.

Try It Today

Microsoft Loop is ready for use at KAUST. If you're already using Microsoft Teams, try adding a Loop component to your next chat or meeting prep. To explore the full app and experiment with your own workspaces, visit https://loop.cloud.microsoft.

To learn more about Microsoft 365 tools available at KAUST, visit the Microsoft 365 service page.