Category: Microsoft 365 Governance

Cloud Productivity, Collaboration, Document Collaboration, Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Governance, Microsoft Teams, Modern Workplace, Tips & Tricks, User Adoption

“Project Channels” in a Team is a bad idea

I don’t know how many times I’ve seen people create a new team channel for a new project. I can understand that you do it because you quickly get started with creating and saving files and having dialogue via posts in the “project channel”. The idea and ambition are good, but I believe it is wrong to use Teams in this way. Below in this post, I’ll show you some of my arguments for why I think it’s wrong and finally, finish with a tip on what you should do instead.

Continue reading ““Project Channels” in a Team is a bad idea” →
Automation, Cloud Productivity, IT Governance, Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Governance, Microsoft Forms, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Teams Apps, Power Automate, SharePoint Online, Tips & Tricks

A simple solution for requesting new Team apps

Many organizations and companies choose to block Teams apps that do not come directly from Microsoft, but they approve all team apps from Microsoft and these are thus possible for users to add to Teams.

A challenge with this approach to success is that users do not know how to go about asking for permission to access and use any of the apps that are blocked. Often, IT also does not have routines or solutions to handle this smoothly. In other words, it becomes a source of confusion and inertia in the organization.

Continue reading “A simple solution for requesting new Team apps” →
Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Governance, Microsoft Teams, Migration, Migration Tools, Planner, ShareGate, SharePoint Online, Tips & Tricks

Moving team channels is easy (when you know how to do it)

After using a system, solution or tool for a longer period of time, it usually either becomes a bit messy and/or you come up with other structures that you would rather have used. Just think back to how often you moved and reorganized folders back in the day when you were working against file servers. Then it was relatively easy to change the order of the folders in the structure you had built, but that was probably also the only advantage of working with folders on a file server. Enough about that. Today, we work in a more modern way and with tools that give us significantly more dimensions and possibilities.

Most of us who work a lot with Microsoft Teams are sometimes asked how to move a channel. The most common answer from me when I get this question is the counter question: “Do you need to move all posts as well or is it enough to move the files?”.

Continue reading “Moving team channels is easy (when you know how to do it)” →
Cloud Productivity, Collaboration, Document Collaboration, File shares, Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Governance, Microsoft Teams, Modern Workplace, OneDrive for Business, Planning, SharePoint Online, Tips & Tricks, User Adoption

Information structure in Microsoft Teams – Where should I save (and later also find) the documents?

In my daily work, I meet far too many companies and organizations that take the information structure too lightly. Sometimes due to lack of time, but sometimes due to carelessness. Either reason will sooner or later lead to chaos and irritated users. In the best case scenario, one has in any case gotten away from storing files on file servers and instead got over to Microsoft 365 with Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive as storage areas.
BUT
Unfortunately, it is far too common to just dump the files where you see that it is possible.

Here are some examples of Basic misuse (which many actually do).

  • Put all files on OneDrive
  • Put all files in one Document Library on a SharePoint Site
  • Put all files in the General channel in a Team

The reason for this blog post

On the first of September 2022, I will participate in Kai Stenberg’s PodCast “Teams Cast away“. There we will talk about information structure in Microsoft Teams. This blog post is written with the aim of sharing some tips with others who might wonder how to build a smart and logical structure in the simplest possible way so that you know where documents belong and can easily find them again when working in Microsoft Teams.

“Create and store documents in their logical/intuitive context. Then you and your colleagues don’t need to waste time searching for them later”

A golden rule in the handling of documents in Microsoft Teams is that the documents must always be created and stored in their relevant context. In my world, there should always be a relevant channel where a document fits. If you have relevant channels, you store documents and conversations in a relevant/logical context, and thus you don’t have to look for them. They simply have a natural place where they belong and your other team members should know (and practice) that too.


Below I will give you some simple and basic tips on what to keep in mind when you have a document that you are wondering where it belongs.

Continue reading “Information structure in Microsoft Teams – Where should I save (and later also find) the documents?” →
Photo by Hans-Peter Gauster on Unsplash
Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Governance, Microsoft Teams, Modern Workplace, Planning, Prepare for Change, Security, User Adoption

Shared Channels in Microsoft Teams – What do you need to start thinking about now?

Microsoft Teams Connect (Shared Channels) is about to being launched and many are impatiently waiting to use it. I think that Shared Channels will be very useful, and I clearly see its value as you do not have to be a guest in many organizations and change tenant as often as you need today. BUT here is some well-meaning advice in place. You who may think that it is only to activate the functionality and then everyone can use it (just as many did when Private Channels was launched) should stop a bit and think beforehand. If you want this to work well and not lose control (again), then you need to do proper homework with planning, configuration and training before you roll this out in the organization.

“With Microsoft Teams Connect we are making it easier to collaborate with anyone outside your organization. You can use Team’s full suite of collaboration capabilities with external partners in other Azure AD orgs the same way you use them with colleagues from your organization. Shared channels enables people from different orgs to work together as one team in a shared space for a more structured, deeper and longer-term collaboration.”

Source: Microsoft 365 Roadmap

Some examples of what you need to think about:

  • Just as with Private Channels, each Shared Channel gets its own SharePoint area. How should you have control over this?
  • Is the access for the external users affected if you implement (or have implemented) Conditional Access and MFA?
  • How do Shared Channels work in Teams that are blocked from inviting guests?
  • How to do with Sensitivity Labels? Does it work and when (and where) can you use it?
  • Is it enough that you just configure your organization’s tenant for it to work?
  • When should I use a team of guests, when should I use a Private Channel and when should I use a Shared Channel?
  • How are Shared Channels related to M365 Groups?
  • Do all Apps work the same way as in regular channels?
  • Should everyone be able to create Shared Channels or can I control this with a policy?

I am sure that more questions will arise over time, but these are good to start with finding the answers to.

Strategy, Planning, User adoption and Governance

“If you do not do things the right way from the beginning, sooner or later you will have to pay for it afterwards.“

To start using Shared Channels is no exception. As always, Strategy, User adoption and Governance are of great importance here too. This time do not make the same mistakes that many others have made by just rolling out new functionality without first familiarizing yourself with both opportunities and challenges. I have seen many examples of this when it comes to rapid implementation of Microsoft Teams and not least when it comes to Private Channels. You must ALWAYS plan for how new functionality will be implemented in the organization and not least how the new functionality will be received and embraced by your end users. What information should be communicated to them, how should you communicate the information and what training do they need to complete.

Even though we do our work in the cloud and Microsoft 365 is our plane, we can not rely on there being any magic cruise control. You actually need Governance on all services and features and Shared Channels in Microsoft Teams are no exception.

I’m really looking forward to the launch of Shared Channels and I will, without a doubt, use it. However, I will spend a lot of time in advance getting to know how it really works and how we will use it in our organization.

If you are curious to know more about Shared Channels, you can read more here:

Tony Redmond’s article “Diving into the Details of Microsoft Teams Shared Channels“

AvePoint Blog article “6 Things You Need to Know About Microsoft Teams Connect (Shared Channels)” by Kevin Joy

Good luck and do not forget that with good planning you always get the best result!

/Magnus

Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Governance, Microsoft Teams, Retention, Disposal and Archiving, Tips & Tricks

Why archive inactive Teams and how?

Regular housekeeping and cleaning is important both privately and at work to have an environment you feel comfortable in and to avoid looking too much for things you need. When it comes to Microsoft Teams, you may find that you have too many Teams to keep track of and that the list of Teams is too long? Maybe some of them are no longer active? Then it is a good idea to archive the inactive teams.

When you archive a team, you keep it for reference, and it is also possible to activate it again in the future should the need arise. When archiving, the conversations / posts and files in the team becomes read-only. You will still be able to search through what you need and you can even keep the team as a favorite. (Worth knowing is that only team owners can archive and restore it. Here you can read about how team archiving works.

Source: support.microsoft.com

(Photo by Nana Smirnova on Unsplash)

Document Collaboration, Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Governance, Microsoft Teams, Security, TeamsFest

Join TeamsFest and learn more about securing your information in Microsoft Teams

 

One thing is for sure. There is not just one golden solution for securing the information you have in Microsoft Teams. If you want to be as secure as possible, you need to have a holistic perspective and secure various parts of your collaboration platform.

sebastiaan-stam-RChZT-JlI9g-unsplash
Photo by sebastiaan stam on Unsplash

It’s about the devices you use, it’s about the rules you have, it’s about the use of the various tools that your platform offers. Not least, it is about the attitude and knowledge of your employees.

Want to know more about the opportunities you have to secure your information in Microsoft Teams? I have the great honor and pleasure of being a speaker at TeamsFest for the third time now. TeamsFest is organized by The European Teams User Group and it is a great online event (just view the schedule here) that is also free so there is no reason to miss it.

Sign up for TeamsFest here and come and view/listen to my session “Here’s how to secure the information in Microsoft Teams“.

Here You can follow the European Teams User Group on Twitter to stay informed on future events and activities.

Microsoft 365 Governance, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Teams, Office 365 Governance, OneDrive for Business, Security, Security & Compliance, SharePoint Online

Sensitivity labels with protection in SharePoint, OneDrive and Microsoft Teams

“Take care of yourself and use protection!”

(If you didn’t hear it from your parents, you hear it from me now.)

Sensitivity labels with protection is now in “General availability” in SharePoint, OneDrive and Microsoft Teams.

Read the details here: Announcing general availability of sensitivity labels with protection in SharePoint and OneDrive

 

 

Office 365 Governance, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online, Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Governance, Document Collaboration, Office 365

A small wish list from an old SharePoint veteran

I want to start this article by making it clear that I am a big fan of “Modern Experience” in SharePoint Online. I sincerely love the SharePoint we currently have to work with. It has never been easier to build modern portals and areas that are integrated with the other services in Microsoft 365. What you put together also works on mobile devices and everything is intuitive and clear. With Communication Sites and Hub sites you can build a good intranet in a few days (assuming you have done a good planning in advance). New features and further improvements are being rolled out continuously and what is not available today may already be tomorrow.

Working as an Office 365 consultant is now a delight as long as you are able to keep up to date with what is now and what is coming. With that knowledge you are equipped to give your clients the necessary tips and advice.

Brief introductory summary

The functionality and working method I describe below was simpler in the past but otherwise everything is much better nowadays” 🙂

Continue reading “A small wish list from an old SharePoint veteran” →

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay
Exchange, Microsoft 365 Governance, Microsoft Teams, Office 365, Office 365 Governance, Office 365 Groups, Planner, PowerShell, Retention, Disposal and Archiving, Security & Compliance, Yammer

How do you keep track of when an Office 365 group is deleted?

I myself have relied on “Activity Alerts” in the Security & Compliance Center and it has worked well. As soon as someone deletes, for example, a Team or a Planner, a notification is sent to a team channel in my Governance Center and then I know that it might be something I should look into. Continue reading “How do you keep track of when an Office 365 group is deleted?” →