Smokeball and New Outlook

Is there any progress on the Add-In working with new Outlook? New Outlook has been out for some time now.

Hello @DCLaw ,

Our team is working on compatibility with the new version of Outlook. Until the add-in is updated please use the regular version of Outlook.  I have no timeline on the release date for the fix.

Thanks

Suggestion: Make future versions cross-platform with Outlook for IOS and webapp. Office Add-ins platform overview - Office Add-ins | Microsoft Learn. From the Link:

Office Add-ins provide the following advantages over add-ins built using VBA, COM, or VSTO.

• Cross-platform support: Office Add-ins run in Office on the web, Windows, Mac, and iPad.

• Centralized deployment and distribution: Admins can deploy Office Add-ins centrally across an organization.

• Easy access via AppSource: You can make your solution available to a broad audience by submitting it to AppSource.

• Based on standard web technology: You can use any library you like to build Office Add-ins.

Any update on compatibility with the new (now reasonably old) Outlook?

No update yet.

When you say not to use the new version but to revert to the old version, is your reference to the new version to the following version: Microsoft® Outlook® for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2310 Build 16.0.16924.20054) 64-bit? That’s the version that I’m using, and I’d like to confirm that your suggesting I revert back to an older version of Outlook.

Hello @mbrubacher 

Thank you for asking for clarification.  When I mentioned the new version, I was talking about the toggle option in the upper right of Outlook.  It needs to be kept off for now.  The Version 2310 Build 16.0.16924.20054 you are on is fine.

Do we have any idea if or when this will be updated?

Hello Sean,

We are still in the process of changing our add-in to work with the new look in Outlook.  I still do not have any updates on timelines.

Has this been resolved yet?

Hi @Funkytown ,

Let me share with you a summary of the most recent update from our team regarding the development status of the “New Outlook” add-in for Smokeball.

Microsoft introduced a "New Outlook" feature in their Outlook app last year, shifting to a web-based interface. However, this new interface isn't compatible with the existing Outlook integration that uses a COM Add-in, as the new view employs a Web Add-in.

Efforts were made to develop integrations using the new Outlook web add-ins, starting with the Calendar. However, it was found that these web add-ins lack certain functionalities present in the old add-ins. For instance, they don't support opening .MSG or .EML files directly. Consequently, custom solutions had to be built to replicate the missing features, which proved challenging.

While Microsoft is working on enhancing the functionality of these web add-ins, there are still limitations that need to be addressed. Until then, users are advised to stick with the Classic Outlook view to maintain the full integration benefits. Updates on the progress of integrating with the new web add-ins will be provided, but for now, instructions on switching back to the Classic view will be issued as the new view is set to become default soon.

Thank you for your understanding and for being a valued member of our community!

We have a new Computer which hasn’t had an ‘old’ version of Outlook - only the new version.

We can’t find a download of the old version to install - all attempts have only led to the new version each time.

Any suggestions on how to get the old version?

@antonycukeric tagging you in here on the off chance you have an update on the new Outlook integration. 

I’m also tagging @Jess Santos and @nashchaves on here who will help find a workaround for this and create a ticket for our support team to follow up with you if needed. 

Our solution was - in Microsoft Outlook (NEW) click Help and then select Revert to Legacy Outlook

Hey @JRM,

That should work too if the New Outlook toggle is not visible.

@Sara Sultan it has been over TWO YEARS since new Outlook was released. Does Smokeball have any plans to update it’s software to make it compatible with the new Outlook? With respect, there has been “no update” from Smokeball for over a year and it is starting to look as if Smokeball does not intend to update its software and has not invested any resources in actually making that upgrade in the last two years. I hope I am wrong.  

@cj.singh see @Jess Santos update from dev. team of 4 months ago above. What’s your use case that’s presenting a problem for you?

Bump as well. We need a solution here. The solution recommendation or work-around should not be to revert to old outlook as old outlook is no longer being updated and will be phased out relatively soon by MS.

Hi All

I just wanted to jump in and give you some confidence that we are indeed creating an integration with “New Outlook”. This project was commenced over a year ago however, something to be aware of, when “New Outlook” was released by Microsoft, the app was ready to use (with limited functionality compared to Classic) but the integration connections were not available to us or in some cases missing key functionality, e.g. like Opening emails(!!), therefore we have been waiting on some of these key features to be available via the Microsoft integration AddOns and APIs so that we can indeed make this available to all of you.

I can confidently say that the Classic outlook functionality and integration is still far superior to New Outlook because Microsoft are still actively developing the new platform.

Please note that the “Classic Outlook” is still being kept up to date and will be supported by Microsoft until at least 2029 @DCLaw.

We are finalising some last parts of our first integration with New Outlook, e.g. tying it into matter Permissions. If anyone would like to be a Beta for this new integration, please let me know and we will add you to the list and reach out in the next couple of months.

Thanks, Adele.

Here is a sneak peek….
 

Can you give me beta access as this is very important to be able to access certain features like withdrawing an email you send in new outlook that are not available in old outlook

Also, I notice you are on google chrome. Is this not supported in Outlook Desktop?

It will be supported in both.

adeleh wrote:

Hi All

I just wanted to jump in and give you some confidence that we are indeed creating an integration with “New Outlook”. This project was commenced over a year ago however, something to be aware of, when “New Outlook” was released by Microsoft, the app was ready to use (with limited functionality compared to Classic) but the integration connections were not available to us or in some cases missing key functionality, e.g. like Opening emails(!!), therefore we have been waiting on some of these key features to be available via the Microsoft integration AddOns and APIs so that we can indeed make this available to all of you.

I can confidently say that the Classic outlook functionality and integration is still far superior to New Outlook because Microsoft are still actively developing the new platform.

Please note that the “Classic Outlook” is still being kept up to date and will be supported by Microsoft until at least 2029 @DCLaw.

 

We are finalising some last parts of our first integration with New Outlook, e.g. tying it into matter Permissions. If anyone would like to be a Beta for this new integration, please let me know and we will add you to the list and reach out in the next couple of months.

Thanks, Adele.

 

Here is a sneak peek….
 

 

Hi Adeleh, please add JK Lawyers to the Beta testing. Thanks, Sue