Visualize Your Organization with Outlook’s Org Explorer

When Microsoft introduced Org Explorer in Outlook, it was initially available only with a Viva license, which raised concerns among users. But here’s the good news: Org Explorer will soon be available for all Microsoft 365 Enterprise subscriptions at no additional cost. The rollout begins in late February 2025 and is expected to reach all platforms by mid-April 2025. For early access, consider upgrading to the new Outlook for Windows or Web!

Org Explorer in Outlook is an advanced version of the organization chart designed for Microsoft 365 users to understand their organization’s structure better. Whether you’re looking for colleagues, exploring team hierarchies, or connecting with peers, this feature makes navigating your workplace seamless. The organizational details you see about users in Org Explorer are collected from Microsoft Entra ID.

Org Explorer in Microsoft Outlook offers a range of useful features, such as Search, Manager Chain, Peers, Person in Focus, People Reporting To, Filters, Expand Team, and Works With. Here’s how each of these can be helpful:

1️⃣ Type a person’s name or alias in the Search bar and select from the suggestions that appear.

2️⃣ The Manager chain shows all the managers above the person in focus, with the number of reports displayed to the right. Hovering over the number reveals both direct and indirect reports.

3️⃣ Peers are people who report to the same manager as the person in focus. If the peer has people reporting to them, the number of reports will appear, and hovering over it will show both direct and indirect reports.

4️⃣ When you select a Person in focus in Org Explorer, the page displays org details about them, including contact information, their manager, people reporting to them, and their collaborators. You can also select View profile to see their profile card.

5️⃣ The section below the Person in focus lists the people reporting to them.

6️⃣ Use the Filters to refine the view by filtering based on working location and/or job title.

7️⃣ Use the Expand team toggle to show or hide next-level reports.

8️⃣ The Works with section includes people who collaborate with the person in focus, based on shared activities like meetings, emails, and other collaboration patterns. The insights are returned by the people API.

You can open Org Explorer directly from the navigation bar in the new Microsoft Outlook starting late February 2025. This will take you to the Org Explorer app, where you can start exploring your organization’s structure. Let’s dive into its standout features and how they can benefit you.

Note: After rollout, if you do not see Org Explorer in the Outlook menu, it may have been disabled by your administrator.

Org Explorer is more than just a tool for visualizing your organization; it’s a productivity enhancer. Whether onboarding new team members or preparing for meetings, it makes it easy to find the right people, understand roles, and identify key connections. With the planned transition to the new Outlook by April 2026, users are expected to experience more modern features!