Were you aware that a large number of users are not taking full advantage of Microsoft 365 to access their information in a more efficient and effective way? Did you know that you can view email attachments without having to open Outlook or access documents that have been shared with your colleagues simply by searching for their names?
Microsoft 365 is a powerful suite of tools and services designed to improve productivity and collaboration in the workplace. With so many features available, it can be challenging to navigate the various components effectively. Many users are not aware of the time-saving shortcuts that are available or are not taking advantage of the full capabilities of the application. In this article, we will explore the navigation components of Microsoft 365 and show how they can help users access their information efficiently and take full advantage of the suite's functionalities.
What is the Microsoft 365 app?
The Microsoft 365 app is the one-stop-shop for all your content and favorite productivity apps. It has everything you loved about the Office app, but with a new name and look, as well as intelligent features added to help you create, share, and collaborate more efficiently. The app brings together all your essential Microsoft 365 tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, as well as cloud storage and syncing capabilities, making it easy to access your files and collaborate with others from anywhere, on any device.
One of the best things about the Microsoft 365 app is that it's designed to help you work smarter, not harder. The app's intelligent features can help you save time and streamline your workflows, such as the ability to convert images into editable text, automatically create presentations from a simple outline, and more. Plus, the app's clean and intuitive interface makes it easy to find what you need, so you can spend less time searching and more time getting things done. Whether you're a student, a business professional, or anyone in between, the Microsoft 365 app is an essential tool for boosting productivity and achieving your goals.
You can access the Microsoft 365 app by opening your favorite browser and going to [https://portal.office.com]. This is the main entry point for all Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, OneDrive, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.
Once you sign in with your Microsoft 365 account credentials, you will be taken to the app launcher where you can see all of your available apps and services. From here, you can easily access your recent files, create new files, and launch your favorite apps with just a few clicks. The Microsoft 365 app is designed to provide a unified and intuitive experience for users, making it easy to navigate and find what you need.
The left side menu
The left-hand menu bar in the Microsoft 365 app is an essential navigation element designed to provide users with easy access to the tools and services available within the application. This menu bar is located on the left side of the screen, and it serves as a central hub where you can find shortcuts to different functionalities.
Create: Quickly and easily create content. You can create a document of any type with just one click located in the root folder of your OneDrive. Document types include Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Forms, and more. You can even choose a template if you don't want to start from scratch.
My content: See the documents you have been working on recently. You can filter them by the people you have been working with, the meetings you have had, or the attachments you have received or sent in emails.
Apps: A list of available applications and services for you to use. This includes Teams, Forms, Sway, Yammer, To Do, and more.
The rest of the options are shortcuts to the most commonly used applications like Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
There is another menu available for users assigned with a Microsoft 365 administrator role. By clicking on it, they can access the management options allowed for that specific role.
The left-hand menu bar serves as a hub for productivity and easy navigation within the Microsoft 365 application. By providing quick access to a wide range of tools and services, it helps users to stay focused and work efficiently. Whether you need to create a new document, access a previously saved file, or collaborate with colleagues, the left-hand menu bar has got you covered.
The placement of the menu at the bottom of the screen on mobile devices is a design decision that is in line with the user experience of most mobile applications. Placing the menu at the bottom makes it easier for users to access the options with their thumbs, especially on larger screens. This positioning allows users to interact with the app more efficiently and quickly, without having to use both hands or adjust their grip on the device.
Moreover, by having the menu at the bottom, it frees up valuable screen real estate at the top of the app, where the most important information is usually displayed. This ensures that the content is given priority, and the menu is unobtrusive, not hindering the user's interaction with the app.
Tips
Finding documents that have been shared with your colleagues is now easier than ever before. You can directly access them by navigating to "Contacts" within the "My Content" tab.
If you're looking for an email attachment, you no longer need to waste time searching for it in Outlook. Instead, simply head to "Attachments" in "My Content" and find it with ease.
Have you used or installed Power Apps or Teams applications in the past? No problem, you can find them again by selecting the "Apps" option within Microsoft 365. It's a quick and convenient way to reuse any of these applications in the future.
The waffle menu
The waffle menu, also known as the app launcher, is a handy tool available in Microsoft 365 that allows you to access various tools and services with ease. Located at the top left corner of your screen, it is represented by a square-shaped icon composed of nine smaller squares, resembling a waffle. By clicking on the icon, you can open a panel that displays a range of available applications and services that you can access.
In addition to providing easy access to commonly used applications like Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, the waffle menu also offers quick access to other Microsoft 365 services, such as OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and Yammer. These services allow you to store, share, and collaborate on files and data, as well as communicate and work with your colleagues and team members more effectively. With the waffle menu, you can easily switch between these services and applications without leaving the Microsoft 365 app, saving you time and effort in managing your work and improving your productivity.
It has two main sections:
Applications: This section includes the most commonly used tools and services available in Microsoft 365. If you can't find what you're looking for, there's a link at the end of the section to see the full list of available tools and services.
Documents: This section displays the list of your recent documents for easy access. Additionally, at the top of the section, you'll find a combo box to create a new document from scratch. At the bottom of the section, similar to the previous section, there's a link to the "My Content" section of the Microsoft 365 application.
The waffle menu is an indispensable feature of Microsoft 365 that is accessible from any tool or service that you use via a web browser. Whether you are working in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or any other app, the waffle menu can always be found in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. With just a click on the waffle icon, you can instantly open the menu and access all of the essential tools and services that Microsoft 365 has to offer.
When using Microsoft 365 on a mobile device, you will find the menu at the bottom right of the screen. This menu is designed to integrate seamlessly with the left-side menu, providing quick and easy access to all the features and tools available on Microsoft 365. By placing the menu at the bottom right, Microsoft has made it easier to access the menu options with just one hand, providing a user-friendly experience for mobile users.
In addition to these six main options, you can customize the left-hand menu bar to display shortcuts to other applications and services that you use frequently. This customization feature allows you to add shortcuts to OneDrive, SharePoint, PowerApps, and other services, making it easier for you to navigate to the tools and services you need. The left-hand menu bar is an essential feature of the Microsoft 365 app, and it provides users with a quick and convenient way to access the tools and services they need to be productive.
Tips
With this menu, you can effortlessly access the documents that you have recently worked on from any location within the Microsoft 365 application.
Likewise, the applications you use frequently will be displayed in the "Apps" section for quick and convenient access.
The gear menu
The gear menu is a useful tool that allows users to customize their experience within Microsoft 365. Its main purpose is to provide access to the settings of the elements in the context you are in. Depending on the tool or service you are using, you will be presented with different configuration options that can help you optimize your work process and enhance your productivity.
The gear menu can be found at the top right corner of the screen and will always be present when you are using any Microsoft 365 tool or service through the web browser. From the Microsoft 365 application, it offers six options that can help you personalize your experience:
Other: With an option to access text related to third-party notices.
Themes: With options to customize the way the Microsoft 365 application is displayed exclusively for us.
Language and time zone: With access to our profile to change the default language in which Microsoft 365 applications are displayed, and the possibility to modify the time zone we are in and the date and time format we want to have.
Dark mode: To establish a visual style adapted to low-light environments.
Password: With access to the page that allows us to change our user password.
Contact preferences: With access to our profile to view information related to the privacy of our actions within the Microsoft 365 platform.
On mobile devices, accessing the Microsoft 365 application's menu can be done by clicking the three-dot button, which is located on the upper right-hand corner of the screen. This menu, which is hidden behind the button, provides the same options as the desktop version of the application.
Office 365 profile menu
The Microsoft 365 profile is an essential feature of the Microsoft 365 application as it allows us to manage our account and switch between multiple accounts effortlessly. It is located in the top right corner of the application's interface and is always visible whenever we use any Microsoft 365 tool or service with the web browser.
The profile menu provides users with several options:
Sign out: This logs you out of the account you are currently using in the current tenant.
View account: This provides access to options for the account you are using. Possible options range from reviewing and updating information related to devices you use with Microsoft 365, password management, other organizations or tenants you have access to, etc.
My Office profile: This provides access to your Office profile, which is actually an access to the previous app called Delve. Here you can see your own personal information, update your profile and view other useful information related to your activity.
You can access the MyAnalytics option from your Office profile. Here, you can view your productivity information, including how you allocate your time between meetings and actual work. Additionally, it offers recommendations on time management and allows you to reserve distraction-free workspaces to help you stay more focused.
In conclusion, the Microsoft 365 profile is a crucial aspect of the application that allows users to manage their accounts efficiently and quickly switch between multiple accounts. By using this menu, users can access several account-related options and easily manage their Microsoft 365 account, enhancing productivity and user experience.
When accessing the Microsoft 365 app on a mobile device, the menu can be found in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. The options available are the same as those found in the web browser version of the application. This means that you can still manage your account, switch accounts, and access your Microsoft 365 profile, just as you would on a desktop computer.
Tips
- Utilize this menu to swiftly switch between different Microsoft 365 accounts. With just a few clicks, you can switch between different tenants within the Microsoft 365 environment.
To wrap up
In summary, understanding the various navigation components available in Microsoft 365 can greatly enhance our productivity by allowing us to efficiently access important information and applications. We've seen how the left-hand menu bar, waffle menu, gear menu, and Microsoft 365 profile can provide easy access to various tools and services, while the My Content menu can help us quickly locate shared documents and email attachments. Additionally, the Apps section and account switching options allow for even greater customization and flexibility in our daily use of Microsoft 365. By utilizing these navigation components, we can streamline our workflow and accomplish more in less time.
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Don't forget to share the article with your friends and colleagues if you find it interesting, click on the heart if you like it, or click on the comments to share what you think of the article, if you would add more, or if you want to clarify any of them.
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