Microsoft adds PowerShell, Skype for Business to Office 365

Microsoft Office

Windows 10 might be the product Microsoft will focus most of its internal resources on for the next few weeks (it launches on July 29) but that doesn't mean that others are neglected.

The company has added a slew of new features to Office 365, its business suite of SaaS (software-as-a-service) applications.

The first of them, PowerShell for Office 365, brings a CLE (command line environment) to system administrators that are eager to automate repetitive administrative tasks or want to access capabilities not present in Office 365 Admin Center.

More importantly perhaps, there's a library that contain scripts that allows administrators to rapidly do mundane things remotely. Microsoft has even put up a PowerShell website complete with a Yammer-based community.

Skype for Business

Office 365 for enterprise will also get access to the technical preview of Skype for Business. This version offers Skype Meeting Broadcast capabilities to eligible Office 365 customers worldwide, allowing up to 10,000 people to be part of a meeting. Other notable features include PSTN in the US, allowing people to join even without internet access.

Cloud PBX with PSTN calling is also integrated in that iteration allowing users in the US (for now) to make and receive traditional calls in their Skype for Business client application. That functionality will come to customers worldwide towards the end of the year.

The announcement comes as Microsoft confirmed the integration of Cortana, one of the key features of Windows 10, with Office 365.

Read our review of Office 365

TOPICS
Desire Athow
Managing Editor, TechRadar Pro

Désiré has been musing and writing about technology during a career spanning four decades. He dabbled in website builders and web hosting when DHTML and frames were in vogue and started narrating about the impact of technology on society just before the start of the Y2K hysteria at the turn of the last millennium.

Latest in Software & Services
TinEye website
I like this reverse image search service the most
A person in a wheelchair working at a computer.
Here’s a free way to find long lost relatives and friends
A white woman with long brown hair in a ponytail looks down at her computer in a distressed manner. She is holding her forehead with one hand and a credit card with the other
This people search finder covers all the bases, but it's not perfect
That's Them home page
Is That's Them worth it? My honest review
woman listening to computer
AWS vs Azure: choosing the right platform to maximize your company's investment
A person at a desktop computer working on spreadsheet tables.
Trello vs Jira: which project management solution is best for you?
Latest in News
Apple Watch Ultra 2 timer
The Apple Watch is getting a sleep alarm upgrade it probably should have had 10 years ago
Nikon Z5
The Nikon Z5 II could land soon – here's what to expect from Nikon's rumored entry-level full-frame camera
Google Pixel Watch 3
Google Pixel Watches hit with delayed notifications, crashing, and performance issues following Wear OS 5.1 update
Zendesk Relate 2025
Zendesk Relate 2025 - everything you need to know as the event unfolds
Disney Plus logo with popcorn
You can finally tell Disney+ to stop bugging you about that terrible Marvel show you regret starting
Google Gemini AI
Gemini can now see your screen and judge your tabs