Microsoft recently released the Release candidate of SharePoint 2016. Here we will have a quick look on new and updated SharePoint 2016 features.

SharePoint 2016 Features & Descriptions

Access Services

New Access features are available with SharePoint 2016.

Key features include

1. Cascading Combo Box

2. Download in Excel feature with pivot table.

3. Access app upgrade

4. Support office app.

Compliance Features

The SharePoint 2016 features includes updated compliance features with document deletion and in-place hold policies.

a. The Document deletion policy allows SharePoint administrators to delete documents in users’ One Drive for business sites after specific time period.

b. In-Place hold policy allow admins to preserve documents, email, and other files, best to use this during audits.

Customized Web Parts

The compile time has been improved for the web parts using customized XSLT files, e.g. Content Query, Summary Links, and Table of Contents web parts.

Document Library Accessibility

SharePoint 2016 introduces new document library accessibility features.

a. Alt text improvements for all major navigation links. Landmarks to a page for easier navigation.

b. Focus improvements and focus trapping.

c. Improvements in Announcements for upload progress, and for file types when browsing folder and lists.

d. Updates to the Help documentation.

e. Improved callout reading.

f. Keyboard shortcuts. Go to Keyboard Shortcuts post for details.

Durable Links

This new SharePoint 2016 feature requires office online server, A.K.A office  web apps server.

This SharePoint 2016 feature retain the links when files are renamed or moved within SharePoint.

Encrypted Connections

SharePoint 2016 supports TLS 1.2 encryption when you setup an SSL binding in IIS manager to host your web application, provided it’s supported by client application. It also uses TLS 1.2 connection encryption when connecting to other systems

Fast Site Collection Creation

Use SPSiteMaster windows PowerShell cmdlets to create site collections quickly. This new feature provides templates that works at same level as SQL Server.

Hybrid in SharePoint Server 2016

There are new Hybrid features available in SharePoint 2016 for hybrid solutions.

1. Hybrid Sites

Hybrid Sites features allows you to connect SharePoint 2016 with SharePoint Online sites.

It allows users to have a single profile. Users can follow the SharePoint Online and SharePoint 2016 sites and see them consolidated in a single list.

2. Hybrid One Drive for Business

The feature allows SharePoint 2016 users to sync their files with Office 365. It enable users to access files from anywhere through office 365.

3. Cloud Hybrid Search

This features unifies the offie 365 and SharePoint on premises search experience. Users will get unified search results including contents from Office 365 and on premises SharePoint 2016.

Identify and Search for Sensitive content

Data loss prevention capabilities introduced in SharePoint 2016, same as Office 365.  Search for sensitive contents across SharePoint Online and On drive for business. There are in-built sensitive types for credit cards, passport numbers and social security numbers.

Image and Video Previews

This SharePoint 2016 feature allows users to preview the images and videos when they hover the mouse over them.

Information Rights Management (IRM)

You might already have experience this feature. SharePoint 2016 uses IRM to secure the information. This is also done by encrypting and securing information on One Drive for Business.

Large File Support

Previous SharePoint versions did not support downloading or uploading files larger than 2047 MB. SharePoint 2016 now allows user to upload larger files. File limits can configure per web app basis.

MinRole farm Topology

This is the important one for admins in SharePoint 2016 features list.

SharePoint admins can now specify the server role when they create a new farm or join the server to an existing farm. There are six predefined server roles available.

Front end, Application, Distributed Cache, Search, Custom, Single server farm.