Viva Insights Outlook add-in

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Applies to: Microsoft Viva Insights elements are available in varying levels to users of different Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft 365 plans. See Plans and environments for details. Also see How do I find my plan?

Did you ever miss an important email or forget a commitment you made to your co-workers? Do meetings and emails tend to take over your calendar? Do you ever wish to see reminders for 1:1 meetings with your manager, direct reports, or other top collaborators? Would you like to be notified if an upcoming meeting doesn't have a quorum?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, the Microsoft Viva Insights Outlook add-in provides insights that can help you stay on top of your tasks and get more done during your workday.

This add-in is an extension of your Microsoft Outlook experience and works within Outlook to help you gain focus time, maintain your work relationships, plan time away from work, and improve your overall work-life balance.

Privacy by design

This Outlook add-in preserves all the data-subject rights afforded by GDPR. The insights you see in the add-in are only available to you. They are computed as needed, from your email and meeting information, and are never stored outside your mailbox.

Additionally, the add-in begins processing data for insights only after the first time you open it. Learn more about how Microsoft protects your privacy.

How to see the add-in

Before you can use the Viva Insights Outlook add-in, be sure that the following prerequisites are in place:

  • Have an applicable Microsoft 365 plan and let at least 24 hours elapse since you were granted that license.

  • Have a valid mailbox. This cannot be a shared mailbox or even a shared mailbox that was converted into a user mailbox. It must be a user mailbox from the start. We recommended that you provision a new user mailbox, if necessary.

  • Have the following in place:

    • Your computer has Microsoft Outlook version 1705 (build 8201.2102) or higher for Windows, or version 15.39.1010 or later for Mac.
    • Add-in commands are enabled for the Outlook add-in. For details, see Add-in commands for Outlook.
    • Internet Explorer version 10 or 11 is installed on your computer.

  • The admin enables the add-in by default in the Exchange admin center. If your admin sets the deployment status as "Optionally, disabled by default," you can manually add the Viva Insights Outlook add-in yourself from the Microsoft Store Add-ins.

Note

The Viva Insights Outlook add-in is not available on mobile devices.

Open the Viva Insights Outlook add-in in one of the programs listed under Open the Viva Insights add-in, namely Windows Outlook desktop, Outlook on the web, or Mac Outlook desktop.

  • Select an email. In Outlook, you can do this in one of the following ways:

    1. Open the email in a new window.
    2. With the Outlook Reading Pane open, view the email in the Reading Pane.

Open the add-in

You can use the Viva Insights Outlook add-in in the following environments:

Windows Outlook desktop

  1. Open the Home ribbon of Microsoft Outlook.
  2. Select the Viva Insights icon.

Outlook on the web

  1. Open Outlook on the web.
  2. Open an email message.
  3. Select the ellipsis (...) in the top-right corner of your email message, and then select Viva Insights.

Note

You can pin the Add-in to your quick access pane for easier access; see Pin the add-in for details.

Mac Outlook desktop

In the new Mac interface, add-ins are not currently available, but you can enable them by switching to the old interface, as described here:

To enable the Viva Insights Outlook add-in for the Mac

  1. Switch to the old UI by using the toggle at the top of the page:

    Mac Outlook switch UI.

  2. In the Outlook Home ribbon, open Viva Insights by using the same steps as for Windows Outlook desktop.

Note

If the Viva Insights add-in is not showing up for you, check out the prerequisites that are described in How to see the add-in.

What you might see

After you open the Viva Insights add-in, you'll see a number of cards in the right (Viva Insights) pane.

This pane will show you a number of options, such as the following:

  • Prepare for your meetings - Prepare for your meetings and then drive more effective meetings.
  • Track email and document open rates - Track readership of emails that you've sent sent by viewing the percentage open rate, the percentage attachment click rate, and so on.
  • View outstanding tasks - Make sure nothing falls through the cracks by seeing reminders of tasks that you've agreed to do.
  • Follow up on your requests - Receive reminders to follow up on commitments made by your colleagues or on requests that you have made.
  • Book time to focus - Protect your calendar by reserving focus time before meetings take over.
  • Catch up on email - Cut through the clutter with a summary of unread email from your more important contacts.
  • Catch up on documents - See a list of shared OneDrive and SharePoint documents that you need to catch up on.
  • Add important people - Manage your list of important contacts. You'll see reminders when you have tasks to complete for these people or unread emails from them.
  • Set lunch hours - Use this card to protect your lunch hours and personalize your insights.
  • Plan your time away - Use this card to plan your time away from work.
  • Catch up with your team - Stay on top of your team's needs with insights for 1:1 meetings, outstanding tasks, and so on.
  • Meeting suggestions - Grow and nurture your network by staying connected with important colleagues.

Pin the add-in

If you're using Outlook on the Web, you can pin the add-in for easier access.

  1. In Outlook on the web, select the Settings (gear) icon.

    OWA Settings pane.

  2. In Settings, select View all Outlook Settings.

  3. Confirm Mail is selected in the left pane, and in the center pane, select Customize actions.

    Customize actions.

  4. In the right pane, in the Message surface area, select Viva Insights.

  5. In the right pane, in the Toolbar area, select Viva Insights.

  6. Save your new settings.

To opt out

  1. Open your dashboard.

  2. Select the Settings (gear) icon at top right.

    Dashboard settings.

  3. Under Viva Insights, select Settings.

  4. For Insights Outlook add-in, set the control to Off.

  5. Select Save to save your changes.

Note

It might take up to 24 hours for your saved changes to take effect.

To remove the Viva Insights icon

If you opt out of the Viva Insights Outlook add-in, you might also want to remove its icon from the Outlook ribbon. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. In Outlook, select Get Add-ins.

    Select Get Add-ins.

  2. On the left navigation pane, select My add-ins.

  3. On the Viva Insights card, select the ellipsis (...), and then select Remove.

If I am opted out, can I opt back in?

Yes; if you opt yourself out or if an admin opts you out, you can opt back in any time to regain access to the Viva Insights Outlook add-in.

To opt in

  1. Open your dashboard.

  2. Select the Settings (gear) icon at top right.

    Feature settings.

  3. Under Viva Insights, select Settings.

  4. For Viva Insights Outlook add-in, set the control to On.

  5. Select Save to save your changes.

Note

It might take up to 24 hours for your saved changes to take effect.

  • Use Viva Insights
  • Viva Insights elements