Every team works a little differently. Projects twist and turn. Priorities shuffle. The tools that stick are the ones that give you space to work your way, while keeping everyone on the same page. Microsoft Loop does exactly that: lightweight pages and small components you can create, track, manage and share as you go, together1.
Mark Williams, Head of Client Relations at b2b IT Services (Personic is part of the b2b IT Services Group): “We’ve all tried shiny tools that promise a lot and don’t last. Loop sits inside Microsoft 365, which our clients already use. It’s not another gimmick, it’s a simple way to make the licences you already have work harder.”
You can watch a short video below in this post for a quick feel of how Loop works. Then perhaps try it on one small mini-project first – the perfect way to see if it’s for you.
Where Loop fits in real SME workflows
Here are a few grounded, week-to-week uses. Nothing fancy. Just clearer work, fewer “where did we put that” moments, and less juggling between apps.
| Situation | The old way | How Loop helps |
|---|---|---|
| New-starter onboarding for a growing team | A handful of documents, emails and chat messages that drift out of date. | A single Loop page with sections for kit, accounts, training and policy sign-offs. Everyone sees progress in one tidy place, and it updates live1. |
| Weekly client update on a small project | Spreadsheet attachments and long email threads that go stale. | A simple status table component with task, owner, status and blockers. It lives where the team already talks, so updates are quick and shared1. |
| Team huddle actions from Monday morning | Notes in someone’s notebook, then chasing later. | Type actions into a Loop checklist during the chat. People tick their own items. The list is still there after the call, so nothing evaporates2. |
| Policy review with comments from managers | Version confusion and edits spread across copies. | One collaborative page where comments sit next to the text. You keep a single source of truth and can see what changed, when and by whom1. |
Ideas to try with Loop
Here are a few creative, low-effort ways to use Loop that tend to stick.
1) The one-page project room
Keep scope, milestones, owners and a tiny risk log on one page. Add a short “decision history” table so you can point back to what was agreed and why. It stops the quiet drift that derails small projects.
2) Client handover checklist that actually gets done
In the last two weeks of a project, spin up a handover page with actions, warranty notes and the date for a 30-day check-in. It replaces a messy chain of emails with one neat list that everyone can see update in real time1.
3) Meeting notes that become work (not homework)
Capture actions as a live checklist during your Teams call. Assign names as you go. Because the checklist lives where you talk, you don’t spend tomorrow translating notes into tasks2.
Les Robinson, Director at Personic: “The biggest win is that notes don’t disappear. We type actions into a Loop checklist while we’re still talking, people claim their bits there and then, and the list is waiting for us after the call. No detective work the next day.”
Security, storage and plans in plain English
Loop sits inside Microsoft 365. Content is stored in your organisation’s OneDrive or SharePoint and follows your existing permissions and retention rules3. If your team uses Teams or Outlook, you can work with Loop components right there. For shared workspaces and member management, most small businesses are covered by Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium4.
If you’re not sure what licences you have, or whether Loop is included, talk to us. We’ll check your plan and only suggest an upgrade if it genuinely makes sense.
Getting started without the faff
- Pick one mini-project to trial for two weeks, like onboarding your next hire or producing a weekly client update.
- Keep it small. One page or one checklist is enough to prove the point.
We’ve placed a short Microsoft video below this article so you can see the basics in under three minutes. If you want help mapping Loop to your current processes, Personic can set up a quick working session with your team.
Footnotes
- Real-time collaboration: Loop components and pages update live and can be used inside the Microsoft apps your team already spends time in.
- Meeting follow-through: Capturing actions during a call means the checklist lives on in the same place, so nothing gets lost between meetings.
- Storage & permissions: Loop content sits within your Microsoft 365 tenant in OneDrive or SharePoint and follows your existing access policies.
- Plan eligibility: Most SMEs on Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium have what they need for everyday Loop use. If you’re on a different plan, we can confirm what’s included.
Personic and b2b IT Services supports SMEs across South Wales and Bristol. If you’d like us to align Loop with your Teams channels, meeting templates or task lists, reach out today.