Microsoft Delve Retirement

Like what you see??

"Ask Sympraxis" is a bi-weekly webinar series, where we discuss an array of topics and answer your submitted questions. Join us by downloading our recurring calendar event. You can also join us directly in the meeting without downloading the event.

See a listing of Ask Sympraxis episodes by topic covered: Topic List, Series List, or a full listing Archive

What’s Happening with Delve?

Microsoft recently announced the retirement of Delve, a move that has been on the horizon for some time. Delve provided a central hub for users within the Microsoft 365 suite, offering access to profile details, connections, recent documents, and activities of colleagues based on permissions.

A Brief History of Delve

Delve debuted in 2015 with a bold blue logo, introducing users to an innovative way of showcasing collaboration through the Office Graph. Initially, it caused some unease among users, as it revealed activity based on permissions, leading some organizations to disable the Office Graph. Over time, much of Delve’s functionality migrated to other parts of the M365 ecosystem. Today, its departure is less disruptive as its core capabilities have been dispersed across the platform.

What Does Delve Retirement Mean?

While Delve itself is retiring, the underlying Office Graph remains integral to M365. Starting December 16, 2024, Delve profile redirects will point users to updated profile pages on Microsoft365.com. However, some specific Delve features will no longer be available. These include the ability to view favorited documents, boards, and recently viewed people within the Delve interface. Users concerned about losing access to their Delve data should download it before 12/16/24.

How Do Users Edit Their Profiles?

Profile editing remains an essential feature within M365. Users can access and update their profiles through the “Update Your Profile” link on their people card. The profile interface now consists of two panes: the contact pane and the about pane. While the contact pane contains editable information, the about pane pulls data from the SharePoint User Profile Service and includes synced properties from Microsoft Entra ID, that are not editable by default. However, organizations can customize these properties in the about tab via the SharePoint User Profile Service. This ensures that profiles reflect both default and organization-specific attributes.

Adding Custom Properties to the Profile Card

The new profile card design introduces the ability to add custom properties using the Graph API. Organizations can include additional Microsoft Entra ID properties or utilize extension slots to store custom data. Each profile card has up to 15 extension slots, which can be configured through the Graph API or PowerShell. Changes made through these tools take up to 24 hours to appear on the profile card.

Personal Pronouns on People Cards

In line with Microsoft’s commitment to inclusivity, personal pronouns have been introduced to people cards. Use of pronouns can be turned on through the M365 admin center, but users can add their own pronouns through the people card. One item to note is pronouns currently are visible to everyone in the organization, and we cannot select specific groups at this time. This lack of selective sharing options may pose challenges for individuals in unique circumstances, such as those undergoing transitions. Microsoft plans to expand personalization options, with features like name pronunciation also in the pipeline. These updates signal the start of a broader effort to enhance profile capabilities within M365.

The retirement of Delve marks the end of an era for a tool that played a pivotal role in shaping the collaborative features of M365. While some functionalities will be missed, much of Delve’s essence lives on through its integration into other parts of the platform. The shift underscores Microsoft’s focus on evolving user experiences and expanding customization options, paving the way for richer and more inclusive profile management tools.

All Resources

Do you have any questions for us? Continue the conversation on BlueSky with the hashtag #AskSympraxis and mention @sympraxisconsulting.com.