Office for Mac is adding real-time collaborative editing

Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac has been updated to version 16.9 with new features for its suite of programs: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. The update includes real-time collaborative editing in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Multiple people can work on a document at the same time, and thumbnails in the corner of the window show who else is also working on that same document with you. You can also track and identify who is making changes by following the flag icons that appear.

Another new feature for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is automatic cloud saves for documents, worksheets, and presentations, which Microsoft says sync in seconds. There’s also a version history function that lets you see the changes and access earlier versions of a document. In addition to these features, users can now quickly access your most regularly used sites and groups via the Open menu.

You can use your mouse as a laser pointer

Excel now has more charts, functions, and better support for PivotTable charts. Formulas you enter into your spreadsheet will also update faster through multi-threaded calculation when values are changed. PowerPoint gets an option to trim and remove unwanted content from the beginning or end of an audio or video clip, a QuickStarter function that creates a presentation with various designs, and an outline of talking points for your topic. You can use your mouse as a laser pointer, too.

Finally, Outlook now allows you to use swipe gestures to organize your inbox. Just swipe left with two fingers across your touchpad to archive, or right to delete. Outlook also now supports Google Calendar and Contacts. Microsoft launched Office 2016 for Mac in 2015 and since then has undergone regular feature and security updates. Microsoft previously launched an Office 365 toolbar for macOS last year.