Microsoft Teams may be one of the best virtual workspaces, but the service lacks important messaging features found in popular competitors like Slack.

According to the Microsoft 365 roadmap, Teams users will soon be able to reply to certain messages in a thread-like fashion. When a user replies to a message, perhaps a high-level message in a large group chat, the original message will be quoted to provide context.

This version of the feature is slightly different from Slack's ability to attach threads directly to specific messages and keep conversations organized without adding them to the main view of the chat.

Microsoft Teams' 'Reply to specific message' feature would look like some of the best chat apps like iMessage or Discord. This way, if the main topic of the conversation changes, users can still refer back to previous messages as needed.

Microsoft's full description of the impending update is as follows:

When chatting in Teams, you will be able to reply to specific messages. The original message will be quoted in the reply text box, making it easier for everyone in the chat to understand the context of the message. Quoted replies are available in 1:1, group, and meeting chats.

While Slack's approach to direct replies feels more suited to the professional communications for which Teams is often used, Microsoft's version is still a welcome upgrade. Group chat members will be able to continue relevant conversations in even the busiest Teams rooms.

One-on-one conversations, group chats, and videoconference text chats will all support the new feature, which is scheduled to launch next month.