In an effort to forge more open relationships with its main customers, Microsoft has made public its business roadmap for Office 365.
The roadmap, which went live on the Microsoft website Wednesday, features the status of current and upcoming features of Office 365. Features are divided into four categories: Launched, Rolling Out, In Development and Cancelled. There is also a category for Previous Releases. Each category shows a bulleted list of features, which can further be expanded to show details of each feature.
Among the most prominent features in the Rolling Out category is First Release, a feature that will allow users who opt in to receive new features two weeks ahead of the Standard Release, which all Office 365 subscribers are part of by default. First Release also includes updates to SharePoint Online and Exchange Online, but not for other related services such as Office 365 ProPlus, Lync Online and Exchange Online Protection.
Since Office 365 is a subscription-based cloud software service, it is easy for Microsoft to introduce new features and make them available for preview.
"Many of you are really excited about the new update cadence, specifically the ability to consume change in small chunks, our responsiveness to your feedback, and fast access to the high value of the new services and features," writes Jake Zborowski, group product manager for Office 365 at Microsoft in a blog post. "We've been working hard on this feedback, balancing our ability to deliver high quality timely improvements to the service with your need for information."
To be clear, First Release is not a beta program. Zborowski iterates that all features and updates made available through First Release are "fully tested and supported." However, he also writes that the program will include "qualifying" features, which implies that not all new features will be included in the First Release program.
Not all Office 365 users, however, will be able to sign up for First Release, and the business roadmap does not include features and updates for users of Office 365 Personal and Office 365 Home. Only business and academic Office 365 clients will be able to join First Release by signing up on the Office 365 admin page.
Zborowski says Microsoft will notify customers who signed up for First Release through Office 365's message center. The company will also host a YamJam, which is the closest thing to a Reddit AMA on Yammer, on June 24 to provide customers a closer look at Office 365's hottest upcoming features.
First Release will launch sometime in the summer.
