Microsoft Loop has become my go-to workspace (I was always a fan of Notion – and I find Loop is a work based version). Loop is part of the Microsoft suite – so unlike Notion, it is safe for me to use with work related content. In short, it has solved the folder upon folder and file upon file form of organisation I have disliked in Microsoft for a very long time. It is my notes, documents, and tasks all in one place. Easy!
What I love about Loop
- Everything is connected. I link documents directly into my pages, so no more spreadsheets getting lost in the file/folder mill. My files sit alongside my notes about them, everything is quick to access hence my workflow is more efficient.
- Icons and banners. You can personalise your pages, which makes each workspace easy to recognise at a glance.
- Collapsible headings. I can file all sorts of information on one page (text, tables, images, and often screenshots) and the page doesn’t get out of hand. Open what you need, close what you don’t.
- The quick start Task table. For me, this is a very handy feature. A quick @ allocated tasks to people and automatically connects it to the MS to-do list in Outlook. The task list also has quickly editable drop-down menus to mark a task as whatever customisable tag you set for example Done, Review, Issue, Waiting for Reply etc. As a visual person, I love that these can be quickly colour coded.
- Editable inside an email. If you tag a colleague inside a Loop page, that page becomes embedded in the email. They can type directly into the Loop page from the email and this updates the Loop page. Very convenient!
Shared workspaces
I share workspaces with others, and this is where Loop really works well. We have a space for our ideas, our decisions, our agenda and our tasks. It’s visual. There’s no going in and out of Word documents. It’s all there in one place. Planning programmes, developing marking rubrics, organising events – whatever it is you are working on – if you need to work with others, its the way to go.
A few things to consider
Of course, nothing is perfect. Loop is nowhere near as rich in features as Notion. A couple of drawbacks:
- Outside of the task list option, table editing is quite limited, and the tables themselves are very basic.
- Unlike Notion, you can’t nest visual cards linking to other pages inside one page (a feature I love from Notion). This means one workspace can result in a long list of pages down the left-hand side. However, the drop-down headings do help with this.
While Loop has icons and banners, the last time I looked, I couldn’t add my own banner yet and there are times I want these to be outside of the set options you have,
Final thoughts – It’s a must check out!
Regardless of the drawbacks, for educators, and all workplaces using the Microsoft suite, Loop is excellent. It’s quick. It’s easy to use. It’s visual, shareable and collaborative. It’s very versatile and very straightforward.
If you already have access to Loop through your workplace, it’s well worth trying. Link your documents, set up a task list, and share a workspace with a colleague. You may find it becomes your go-to too.