Information about SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Azure, Mobility and Productivity from the Computer Information Agency
Here’s an overview of the administration options that are available for you in Microsoft 365 Business.
You’ll see how to add Microsoft 365 Business licenses as well as what each contains. You learn about the device and application policies that you can configure in Microsoft 365 Business as well as see the back end deployment inside Azure.
If you need to manage Microsoft 365 Business or are wonder how it all works in the back end then take a look at this tutorial.
All the latest news from the Microsoft Cloud including updates on Office 365 and Azure.
Lots and lots of updates this month thanks to recent Microsoft Ignite conference. The above slides and accompanying video are what I believe are the highlights, but rest assured there are plenty more.
It was exciting to see the number of updates coming out for OneDrive and SharePoint. OneDrive really has some energy around it at the moment and is coming out with some great updates that I think are very, very positive. People everywhere seem so much more jazzed about OneDrive and with good reason. The upcoming files on demand and the ability to easily roll back multiple files are major improvements in functionality that will really resonate with the market.
On the Azure side I am super stoked about the release of Azure File Sync. Although still in preview I forsee big things for this service and expect it to rapidly mature, so stay tuned. I did more in depth blog post on Azure file sync here:
An introduction to Azure File Sync Service
I also hope to be posting more information on this soon.
All in all a very exciting time for Azure and Office 365. Tune in, get updated and start rolling out these new features.
One of the exciting announcements for me that came from Microsoft Ignite 2017 was the announcement of a new Azure File Sync Service. This basically back ends into Azure SMB files shares but allows you to sync files between servers quickly and easily.
What I also really like about this service is the integration that exists (or is coming) with other Azure services, like backup. This makes it an extremely powerful and compelling solution in my books.
It is still early days for the service and I found it a little tricky to get set up initially so I created the above video to make it easy for you to get started. Here are also some handy reference articles about the services that I suggest you take a look at:
Announcing the public preview of Azure File Sync
Troubleshooting Azure File Sync
I can see a very bright future for this product as I think it fills a major requirement many businesses have. Is it a replacement for something like SharePoint or OneDrive for Business in Office 365? Definitely not. It is simply another option you have to solve business challenges.
I’ll be posting further updates on this product, so stay tuned for more soon.
Here’s the presentation I did for Office 365 Saturday here in Australia in various locations. It focused on the automation options that are available to you in Office.
You can also find the slides for download.
In the session I talk about Office macros, SharePoint Designer, third party options like If This Then That and Zapier. I also focus on Microsoft Flow and dip into some PowerShell.
In short, there are lots and lots of options when it comes to automating Office 365 and I feel more people should be taking advantage of them. Too many people are simply adding technology for technology’s sake and making their life harder. That is not what technology is for. Technology is designed to give you the freedom to do what you want not burden you with additional tasks.
Are you automating as much as you could? Hopefully, this presentation will inspire you to look more deeply at what is possible with a tool like Office 365.
I am happy to announce the availability of the CIAOPS Office 365 Tech Tips Library. This will be a growing collection of very short (2 minutes typically) Office 365 videos that you can view and share with your team. The library allows you to also download these files and accompanying descriptions and use them with existing customers or prospects. You can take the videos and embed them into emails and webpages if you wish.
An example of what is provided can be found here:
http://www.ciaopsacademy.com/p/o365-tech-tips/
The collection will continue to be updated and extended over time as the Office 365 services expand. You’ll be able to return to the library and access new information at any time during the course of your subscription.
You can now purchase the library stand alone or get it as part of the CIAOPS Gold and Gold Enterprise Patron plans.
Another month, another webinar done. You can download the slides from:
https://www.slideshare.net/directorcia/need-to-know-webinar-august-2017
If you are not a CIAOPS patron you want to view or download a full copy of the video from the session you can do so here:
http://www.ciaopsacademy.com/p/august-2017-need-to-know-webinar/
We took a stroll through SharePoint Communications sites. What they are, how to create and edit them. Thanks everyone for attending
you can also now get access to all webinars via:
http://ciaops-academy.teachable.com/courses/need-to-know-webinars
for a nominal fee.
See you next month.
A very common question people ask when they use SharePoint Online or OneDrive for Business is whether multiple people can work on the document simultaneously, and the answer is yes provided they are Office documents.
Since back in 2010, SharePoint and Office have allowed users to edit documents together. Each iteration of the products has made this co-authoring more and more seamless, till today you simply don’t worry about it at all.
As my video tutorial demonstrates, you can simply start editing a file, in the browser or on the desktop, and immediately you’ll be able to work on it, even if there are others already there. You’ll see other people editing the document as you do as well be able to chat with them if you want.
Of course, for the times when you need to work exclusively on a document you can “check out” the document, preventing others from editing until you “check in” the document again.
So not only does SharePoint Online provide co-authoring ability natively, it also supports the basics of document management right out of the box. These are just some of the reasons why it is superior to traditional file shares.
For more information on working on document together in Office 365 see:
CIAOPS 