Just a few weeks since it unveiled the technical preview of the new Skype for Business client and Microsoft is now rolling out the communication tool to all of its customers as part of the April monthly update for Office 2013.

Microsoft is also rolling out Skype for Business Online to Office 365 customers using Lync Online – a process it expects to be completed by the end of May.

Skype for Business, which is replacing Microsoft’s older enterprise communication tool Lync, looks and functions very much like Skype, but features additional enterprise-grade security, compliance and control to make it suited for business use.

Built into Office, the tool allows workers to take advantage of instant messaging, voice and video calls, and online meetings. And, unlike Lync, it allows them to search for and connect with anyone in the Skype network – inside or outside their organisation.

For those not quite ready to make the transition yet, there is an option to continue using Lync for the meantime. Administrators for current Lync Online or Lync Server customers can control when the updated experience is rolled out to their users.

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