Do you ever wish you had photos of people in your Outlook meeting invitations? Well, you’re in luck. The new Outlook Social Connector (OSC) is making that possible. The OSC is integrating social networking features into Microsoft Outlook 2010. The new features carry social information from your colleagues’ online profiles directly to your Outlook Inbox.

The idea behind it is that you can read your emails and view a “sender profile” at the same time. The profile could include a photo or title of the individual, communication history between you and this person, and possibly additional information that the sender has chosen to include. The information will appear in the “People Pane” towards the bottom of your Inbox.  

How can it help me with meetings?

Use the OSC’s photo gallery to view pictures of the people you may be interacting with in your upcoming meetings. Leverage the photo gallery to prepare for your appointment and ensure that you get your contacts’ names right at the first greeting.

How can I build my network?  

By utilizing the OSC you can request your colleagues to join your network. This is easily done by clicking on the “+” symbol below the person’s photo. The OSC also synchronizes your colleagues from other connected networks so that they are saved in your Outlook as contacts. This makes every member of your ever-growing network readily accessible.

Can I integrate my CRM solution?

Yes. Microsoft’s public “provider” extensibility platform makes connectivity to any network possible. This means that any company can build a provider to connect the OSC to a business application, like a CRM solution. Once again, you will be able to view the linked information in the People Pan at the bottom of your Inbox.

What are customers saying?

Currently, OSC is only available as part of the Microsoft Office 2010 Beta. There has been mixed feedback regarding the new features. Some developers feel that many companies may block the connector from accessing Facebook or Twitter. Others feel they can use it to replace Xobni, an Outlook ad-in that was founded in 2006 and creates profiles for email contacts.

To read more feedback and learn more about the capabilities of the Outlook Social Connector, visit the Microsoft Developers Network blog.