MSFT Microsoft Corporation

By Aaron Tilley

Microsoft Corp. is among the companies offering software that facilities online collaboration that is enjoying a surge in use as the spread of the novel coronavirus forces employees to work remotely.

Microsoft on Thursday said its Teams workplace collaboration function has grown to 44 million daily users -- jumping by 12 million in the past week. Teams generated 900 million daily meetings and calling minutes, the software giant said. The software also suffered a technical disruption this week disrupting some users.

Slack Technologies Inc. said the global fallout from the pandemic is resulting in a surge of interest in its workplace-collaboration software. Zoom Video Communications Inc. also said people have flocked to using its video-conferencing tool as the virus has spread.

Both companies have said most of those new users are taking advantage of free services and that companies aren't sure what the long-term financial impact from the use spike may be.

Write to Aaron Tilley at aaron.tilley@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 19, 2020 10:43 ET (14:43 GMT)

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