M365 Changelog: Microsoft Teams: New assignment experience in modal window for Breakout Rooms

MC264091 – Updated July 30, 2021: Microsoft has updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Microsoft is releasing an enhanced user experience for manual participant assignment.

Participant assignment is now moved from the Breakout Rooms’ right panel to a separate window that pops up when selecting Assign Participants. The enhanced interface allows you to sort by participants or rooms. You can also select multiple participants and assign them to rooms by using the check boxes next to the participants’ names. This helps you quickly find your participant or room and speeds up the assignment process.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 81389

When this will happen

Microsoft expects this rollout to begin in early August (previously mid-July) and expect the rollout to be completed by late August (previously late July).

How this will affect your organization

Organizers who are configuring and managing Breakout Rooms on a Teams desktop client will perform participant assignment tasks via this new UI.

The organizer will have the ability to assign participants when rooms are closed and/or re-assign them while rooms are open via this new modal window.

What you need to do to prepare

You might want to notify your users about this change of UI and update your training and documentation as appropriate.