Microsoft Loop: The Collaboration Tool Australian SMBs Should Know About
If you’ve ever wished you could create a piece of content once and have it automatically stay updated everywhere it’s shared—in Teams, in Outlook, in documents—Microsoft Loop is Microsoft’s answer. It’s been quietly maturing since its initial release, and for Australian SMBs already invested in Microsoft 365, it’s worth understanding what it offers.
At CloudGeeks, we’ve been helping Australian businesses evaluate and adopt Loop as part of their collaboration strategy. Here’s a practical guide to whether it fits your needs and how to make it work.
What Microsoft Loop Actually Is
The Core Concept
Microsoft Loop introduces three connected elements:
Loop Components Small, portable pieces of content that stay synchronised everywhere they’re shared:
- A task list created in Loop that also appears in a Teams chat
- A table started in an Outlook email that team members can edit in real-time
- A checklist that updates simultaneously across all locations
Loop Pages Flexible canvases that combine components, text, images, and other content:
- Like a wiki page or Notion page
- Can embed multiple Loop components
- Supports real-time collaboration
Loop Workspaces Shared spaces that organise pages and content by team or project:
- Similar to Notion workspaces or Confluence spaces
- Access controlled by workspace membership
- Can be linked to Teams channels
How It Fits with Microsoft 365
Loop is deeply integrated with the Microsoft ecosystem:
| Integration | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Teams | Create and share Loop components directly in chats and channels |
| Outlook | Embed Loop components in emails; recipients can edit |
| Word for the Web | Insert Loop components in documents |
| Whiteboard | Components can be added to whiteboards |
| OneNote | Loop components coming to OneNote |
| Copilot | AI assistance available throughout Loop |
This integration is Loop’s key differentiator—content created once lives everywhere.
Licensing and Availability
Good news for existing Microsoft 365 users: Loop is included in most business plans.
| License | Loop Access |
|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic | Yes |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | Yes |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | Yes |
| Microsoft 365 E3/E5 | Yes |
| Microsoft 365 F1/F3 | Limited |
No additional licensing required for standard Loop functionality.
Practical Use Cases for Australian SMBs
Meeting Management
Before the Meeting Create a Loop page for the meeting agenda:
- Share in the Teams meeting invite
- Attendees add items beforehand
- Everyone sees the same agenda in real-time
During the Meeting Use the same page for notes:
- Multiple people can take notes simultaneously
- Action items captured with @mentions
- Decisions recorded in shared checklist
After the Meeting The page becomes the record:
- Notes automatically available to all attendees
- Action items already assigned
- No separate minutes distribution needed
Example Template
## [Meeting Name] - [Date]
### Attendees
@person1 @person2 @person3
### Agenda
1. Topic 1
2. Topic 2
3. Topic 3
### Discussion Notes
[Real-time notes here]
### Decisions Made
- Decision 1
- Decision 2
### Action Items
[ ] Task 1 - @owner - Due date
[ ] Task 2 - @owner - Due dateProject Coordination
Project Hub Create a Loop workspace for each significant project:
Project Overview Page
- Project goals and success criteria
- Key stakeholders and roles
- Important dates and milestones
- Links to related resources
Task Tracking
- Loop task tables visible in Teams channel
- Status updates happen once, reflected everywhere
- Progress visible without opening separate tools
Documentation
- Living documents that evolve with the project
- Version history automatically maintained
- Easy to find via workspace organisation
Cross-Team Collaboration
Shared Components Across Departments A Loop component can live in multiple contexts:
Example: Weekly Status Update
- Created by project manager in Loop
- Embedded in Teams channel for the project team
- Embedded in leadership Teams channel
- Linked in weekly email update
- Updates in one place reflect everywhere
This eliminates the “which version is current?” problem.
Knowledge Management
Team Wiki Replacement Loop workspaces can serve as team knowledge bases:
- Process documentation
- How-to guides
- FAQ collections
- Onboarding materials
Advantages over SharePoint:
- More intuitive editing experience
- Real-time collaboration
- Better mobile experience
- Easier to keep updated
Considerations:
- Less structured than SharePoint
- Search still maturing
- May not suit compliance-heavy documentation
Getting Started with Loop
Initial Setup
Enable Loop for Your Organisation
-
Check it’s enabled (usually is by default)
- Microsoft 365 admin center > Settings > Org settings
- Search for “Loop”
- Verify Loop is enabled
-
Configure sharing settings
- Decide if Loop content can be shared externally
- Configure link sharing defaults
- Set workspace creation permissions
Access Loop
- Web: loop.microsoft.com
- Teams: Built into Teams desktop and web
- Outlook: Available in Outlook for web and new Outlook for Windows
- Mobile: Loop app for iOS and Android
Creating Your First Content
Start with Loop Components in Teams
-
In a Teams chat or channel, click the ”+” below the message box
-
Select “Loop component”
-
Choose component type:
- Bulleted list: Simple lists
- Checklist: Tasks with checkboxes
- Table: Structured data
- Task list: Tasks with assignments and due dates
- Paragraph: Rich text block
- Numbered list: Ordered items
-
Create your content
-
Send—the component is now live and editable by recipients
Create a Loop Page
- Go to loop.microsoft.com
- Click “New page” or create from a workspace
- Add a title
- Start adding content:
- Type ”/” to insert components
- Drag and drop to rearrange
- @mention people to notify them
Create a Workspace
- In Loop, click “New workspace”
- Name it (project name, team name, etc.)
- Add members (individuals or Microsoft 365 groups)
- Start creating pages within the workspace
Best Practices for SMBs
Start Small
- Don’t try to migrate everything to Loop immediately
- Pick one use case (meetings, project tracking)
- Learn what works before expanding
Define Workspace Structure Plan before creating:
| Workspace Type | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Team workspace | Ongoing team content | ”Marketing Team” |
| Project workspace | Project-specific content | ”Website Redesign 2026” |
| Topic workspace | Subject matter content | ”IT Documentation” |
Establish Naming Conventions Consistency helps findability:
- Pages: “[Type] - [Subject] - [Date if relevant]”
- Example: “Meeting Notes - Weekly Sync - 2026-08-07”
Clean Up Regularly Loop makes it easy to create content—also easy to create clutter:
- Archive completed project workspaces
- Delete unused pages monthly
- Review workspace membership quarterly
Loop vs. Alternatives
Microsoft Loop vs. Notion
| Factor | Loop | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Integration | Excellent | Limited |
| Standalone Capability | Moderate | Excellent |
| Database Features | Basic tables | Advanced databases |
| Templates | Growing library | Extensive |
| Pricing | Included with M365 | $8-15 USD/user/month |
| Learning Curve | Lower (familiar UI) | Moderate |
| Offline Access | Limited | Good |
| Australian Data Residency | Yes (M365 tenant) | Limited options |
Choose Loop if: You’re invested in Microsoft 365 and want seamless integration Choose Notion if: You need advanced database features or aren’t using Microsoft 365
Microsoft Loop vs. Confluence
| Factor | Loop | Confluence |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time Collaboration | Excellent | Good |
| Structure and Organisation | Flexible | Hierarchical |
| Integration | Microsoft ecosystem | Atlassian ecosystem |
| Enterprise Features | Growing | Mature |
| Pricing | Included with M365 | $6-12 USD/user/month |
| Permission Granularity | Workspace level | Page level |
| Search Capability | Basic | Advanced |
Choose Loop if: Simple collaboration needs, Microsoft-centric environment Choose Confluence if: Need structured documentation, Jira integration, or enterprise content management
Microsoft Loop vs. SharePoint
Both are Microsoft products—when to use which?
| Use Case | Best Tool |
|---|---|
| Real-time collaboration on fluid content | Loop |
| Document libraries with metadata | SharePoint |
| Formal policies and procedures | SharePoint |
| Meeting notes and project coordination | Loop |
| Intranet and company-wide content | SharePoint |
| Team wikis and knowledge sharing | Either (Loop simpler, SharePoint more powerful) |
| Compliance-required documentation | SharePoint |
They work together: Loop pages are stored in SharePoint/OneDrive, inheriting security and compliance capabilities.
Australian-Specific Considerations
Data Residency
Loop Data Storage Loop content is stored in your Microsoft 365 tenant:
- If your tenant is configured for Australian data residency, Loop data stays in Australia
- Loop components shared via Teams/Outlook follow those products’ data residency
- Verify your tenant configuration in Microsoft 365 admin center
Privacy and Compliance
Loop and the Privacy Act
- Loop inherits Microsoft 365 compliance capabilities
- Content can be subject to retention policies
- eDiscovery includes Loop content
- Data loss prevention (DLP) policies apply
Considerations for Sensitive Content
- Loop workspaces have workspace-level permissions (not page-level)
- Consider sensitivity labels for confidential content
- External sharing can be controlled at admin level
Performance
Australian Internet Considerations Loop performs well on Australian internet connections:
- Real-time sync is lightweight
- Works on moderate bandwidth
- Mobile app handles variable connectivity
- Offline capability is limited—plan for connectivity
Common Challenges and Solutions
”People Keep Using Other Tools”
Gradual Migration Strategy
- Don’t mandate Loop overnight
- Demonstrate value in high-visibility scenarios (leadership meetings)
- Create templates that make Loop easier than alternatives
- Gradually retire competing tools
”Content Is Hard to Find”
Improve Discoverability
- Use consistent naming conventions
- Pin important pages in workspaces
- Create index pages linking to key content
- Use Teams tabs to surface important Loop pages
”It Doesn’t Do Everything Notion Does”
Set Appropriate Expectations Loop isn’t trying to be Notion—it’s designed for different use cases:
- Loop strengths: Integration, simplicity, real-time collaboration
- Loop limitations: No databases, limited templates, simpler structure
For complex information architecture needs, consider whether Loop is the right tool or if SharePoint/Notion better suits those needs.
”External Collaboration Is Complicated”
Guest Access Options External sharing with Loop:
- Guests can be added to workspaces (requires guest access enabled)
- Loop components in Teams follow Teams external sharing rules
- Some organisations restrict external Loop access for security
Alternatives for External Collaboration If Loop sharing is restricted:
- Export Loop pages to PDF for sharing
- Use Teams channels with external guests instead
- Consider separate workspaces for external collaboration
Getting Help
Microsoft Loop represents a shift in how Microsoft 365 handles collaboration—away from document-centric work toward component-based, synchronised content. For Australian SMBs already using Microsoft 365, it’s worth exploring.
At CloudGeeks, we help Australian businesses:
- Evaluate whether Loop fits their collaboration needs
- Configure Loop settings for security and compliance
- Train teams on effective Loop usage
- Integrate Loop into existing workflows
- Develop governance approaches for Loop content
The collaboration tools landscape keeps evolving. Loop won’t replace everything, but for the right use cases—meetings, project coordination, team knowledge sharing—it offers a genuinely better experience than the alternatives within the Microsoft ecosystem.