"I still don't have checkboxes 🥹"

"Here we go AGAIN... Excel introduces a new function that I might get in 2026!"

"My organization controls when I get Office updates. When will I get feature x?"

That's what we'll cover in this week's Between the Sheets.

As well as:

• Teams enhancements
• impressive paste options in PowerToys
• the controversial launch of Google's AI Overviews

If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free weekly email here.

Microsoft 365 Updates - when and how

One of the most common questions I get under my videos showcasing the latest Excel features is:

"When do I get it?" 😕

If you have Microsoft 365, you will get it at some point. When exactly, depends on your update channel.

What is an update channel?

Update channels determine how frequently your Microsoft 365 apps receive new features. It stretches from "as soon as they're ready" to twice a year.

How do I check which one I'm on?

Open Excel (or any Office app) and go to File > Account. You'll find your update channel in the Product Information section under the About heading.

The version and build number for the update channel are also shown there.

There are 3 types of updates:

• new features
• security updates
• non-security updates (bug fixes)

💡 A new features update creates a new version. Security and non-security updates generate a new build. We're mainly interested in the first one.

If you have a standalone license, like Office 2019/2021 (or the upcoming Office 2024), you'll get security updates and bug fixes but no new features.

The Insider Program

When Microsoft releases a new feature to the public, it first goes to the Insider Program, the Beta channel. This is the one I have on most of my devices. Which means I get the updates early.

But even with Beta, it's a gradual roll-out. At first, 50% of insiders Beta get the new feature.

Last week, I was in the lucky 50% to get the new REGEX functions early. Another time I had to wait a while for the new checkboxes.

Sometimes I get the update on a computer I rarely use. It's distributed by device rather than by account. And it's completely random.

The process is gradual in case any issues come up in the release.

Insiders serve as beta testers. They provide feedback and help iron out the kinks.

⚠️ The Beta channel is not supported. You get the features early but you accept potential software instability.

Once a new feature is in final stages of development, it moves to the Current Channel (Preview), still in the Insider Program.

This channel is supported. You still get to test new features before they reach general availability, but it's more stable.

How Can You Become an Insider?

You too can become an Insider, either on the Beta or Current (Preview) channel. You can join the program 👉 here.

If you're using Microsoft 365 for Enterprise or Business, this might be restricted by your organization's admin.

From Insiders to General Availability

After thorough testing by insiders the feature becomes ready for wider release.

This is when Microsoft announces that a feature is Generally Available (GA).

In short, the feature is rolled out to all Microsoft 365 users not in the Insider program. 🙌

But wait...

Unfortunately, you might have to wait. It depends on how hesitant your company (i.e. IT department) is with the updates.

Update Channels for Organizations

With an organizational account, you're usually in one of the 3 update channels:

• Current Channel
• Monthly Enterprise Channel
• Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel

Your system admin determines which one you're on. The bigger the company, the more cautious they are with the frequency of updates. Let's break it down.

Current Channel

• You get new features as soon as they're ready, although it's a gradual roll-out.
• There is no set schedule.

❗Some features are released to the public in stages. Even if you're on the Current Channel, you might not see the cool features immediately. You'll still get it before the other channels, though.

Monthly Enterprise Channel

• Updates on the second Tuesday of every month.

That doesn't mean that you get new features the very next month after they appear in the Current Channel. Only after the feature has fully rolled out in the Current Channel, it moves to the Monthly Channel. Sometimes, that can take up to several months!

Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel

• Feature updates in January and July.
• In other months, you still get security and non-security updates.
• There's also Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview). Usually select users in the organization can test the features before others. The releases happen in March and September.

❗Some features from the Monthly Channel aren’t included right away in the next available release of the Semi-Annual Channel.

I hate to share this, but unfortunately most people in corporate are on the Semi-Annual Channel. Which means they need to wait AGES until they get a new feature.

How can I keep track of when my channel gets a particular feature?

You can monitor the official Release Notes for your channel.

For Excel, there's a very handy Features Flyer. It shows what stage of development a particular feature is at. You'll see which version in which channel should have the new feature.

It also includes Excel for the Web and Excel for Mac.

But remember, you might need some a lot of patience even when it reaches your channel.

You'll get it eventually.

​

🤓 Geeky News

👥 New navigation and collaboration enhancements in Teams

Teams is getting a bunch of new features and enhancements.

You can now use slash commands in the chat. Type / in the compose box and select the command.

You can quickly open the chat in a separate window, change your status, or open settings.

Slash commands have been available in the search box for some time now. Having them directly in the chat is much more convenient.

Another useful addition is the Meet Now button in group chats. It's great for ad-hoc meetings and informal huddles. No scheduling or adding individual users required.

If you're recording your meetings, you can now trim the videos in Microsoft Stream on SharePoint.

Trimming lets you hide any part of a video from your viewers. It's not changing the original file and doesn't require rendering a new video. You can undo or adjust what's hidden at any time.

🤖 AI-enhanced copy-paste with PowerToys

Lately, it feels as if Microsoft is shoehorning AI everywhere, whether it's needed or not.

But this latest AI addition to PowerToys has potential, especially for developers.

​PowerToys is a suite of utilities that takes your Windows experience to another level.

The latest version (0.81) brings us Advanced Paste.

After you copy, use the shortcut Win+Shift+V to open the Advanced Paste window.

There, select from the available options. You can paste as plain text, as markdown, or as JSON. You can also access clipboard history.

If you want even more options, you need to shell out for some OpenAI API credits.

Enable "Paste with AI" in the Advanced Paste settings and provide the OpenAI API key.

OpenAI API is a paid service, separate from ChatGPT Plus. You pay for credits that are used up whenever you run the AI in another environment.

"Paste with AI" lets you convert any programming language into another.

Let's say you found some useful code in C++ and you want to convert it to Python. Simply copy the code, Win+Shift+V, and ask it to paste as python.

You should always verify AI outputs, but early testers are satisfied with the results so far.

BTW, if that seems too advanced for you, and you just want the ability to paste as plain text in any app, you can already do that with PowerToys.

Use the shortcut Win+Ctrl+Alt+V (or customize it in PowerToys>Paste as Plain Text settings).

🌈 Google's AI Overviews give bad advice

Speaking of dubious AI outputs, Google got into some hot water with its AI Overviews.

At the top of the results page, you now get an AI-generated summary in response to your search query. It's supposedly based on the highest ranked search results.

Some of these AI summaries were... surprising, to put it mildly.

One suggested adding “about 1/8 cup of non-toxic glue to the sauce" in a pizza recipe.

Another advised that "people should eat at least one small rock a day".

The AI got this information from satirical websites, reddit posts, and similar unreliable sources. It hasn't understood the context and took the info at face value.

The humorous examples that made the rounds in the media are pretty obvious. Question is, what other inaccuracies have crept into seemingly factual responses.

This shows you need to be careful. Always verify the information provided by AI.

Currently, there's no off switch for AI Overviews in Google. Here're some workarounds if you want to disable it.

​

👏 Power Stories

Thanks to Bhaskar for the wonderful review of our Business Charts in Excel course.

It's great to hear that you feel empowered to create elevated, professional visuals.

Congratulations on your well-earned badge. We wish you continued success in your career.

Got a success story about using your XelPlus skills? I’d love to hear it! Hit reply to share the details, and inspire other students 😇

See you next week,

Leila

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