M365 Weekly Newsletter
Issue #108
☁️What’s on my mind
Until last year, we were somewhat used to cloud prices more or less going down, or at least not going up.
Last year, however, Microsoft increased prices for some of its services. Up to 25% (M365 Business Basic, for example).
With the launch of NCE, for example, monthly licenses became even more expensive – a 20% rise across the board.
And in countries using other currencies than US dollars, from 1 April, we will see a further price “harmonization” for all seat-based services. A hefty 11% increase in price in countries that use Euro. So in some cases over 66% increase in a little over a year.
How will all this affect your business? Drop me a few lines, reply to this message.
Have a really great day.
Matic Z.
☁️Productivity & Modern Workplace
How to send emails with Mail Merge in Outlook. Just yesterday I sent out a very targeted invitation to a limited number of invitees. If I had been using one of the tools for sending mass mailings (Mailerlite, Mailchimp, etc.) many people would have seen the mail as just another promotion. But the response to this personalized mail direct from Outlook has been excellent.
No Excuses for Ugly Slides – PowerPoint Design Ideas. These PowerPoint design ideas transform dull and mundane presentations into visually stunning masterpieces. Say goodbye to boring bullet points and hello to captivating graphics and design elements that work seamlessly in both online and offline versions.
SharePoint Tutorial #1. Step into the world of SharePoint with confidence, no matter your experience level. This tutorial series is designed specifically for SharePoint beginners and will guide you through the basics, starting with the essential skill of creating SharePoint sites.
Recurring Tasks in Planner – how they work. Planner has recently been given the option of recurring tasks. How do they work and how do you use them? Read on.
☁️Sysadmin Stuff
How to use number matching in multifactor authentication (MFA) notifications – Authentication methods policy. Microsoft is improving security on Microsoft Authenticator by enabling number matching in push notifications. This change will be enforced for all users starting at the end of February.
Microsoft Teams Phone number routing logic change, specific matching for users with extensions. Microsoft is changing the way Microsoft Teams routes PSTN phone calls to users. In what way? It’s a bit technical so it’s best to read Tom’s blog post carefully.
The Importance of a Teams Naming Convention. Names are critical in Microsoft Teams as they serve as an essential navigational tool for users. Without consistent standards, finding Teams can become difficult and time-consuming, leading to duplication and search friction.
Assign Archive Mailboxes When Primary Mailboxes Get Too Big. How to enable archive mailboxes for Exchange Online users automatically once the primary mailbox size exceeds a threshold? Let’s say the organization wants users to keep all email in the primary mailbox until it reaches a threshold, at which point the archive mailbox will be enabled and older emails will be moved from the primary to the archive. The solution involves using Exchange Online mailbox retention policies to move items into the archive mailbox.
☁️Security & Data Governance
Still going passwordless. Going passwordless is the future of secure authentication. With passwordless methods, the traditional password is removed and replaced with a combination of something you have, something you are, or something you know. The benefits are not just limited to improved security, but also offer a seamless user experience.
Manage your multi-cloud identity infrastructure with Microsoft Entra. Microsoft Entra offers a comprehensive solution for identity management that spans beyond the Microsoft estate and Azure Active Directory. This video highlights the capabilities of Entra, including secure access to Google services with passwordless authentication, unified access to cloud and on-prem apps, multiple supported authentication methods, and others, all in one place.
Is Microsoft 365 Email Security Good Enough to Prevent a Cyber Attack? Is Defender for Office 365 enough? Or should we be using a product like Mimecast, Sophos, Proofpoint, or Ironscales?
☁️Noteworthy (long)reads
Microsoft Moves 4 Features to Teams Premium. Microsoft has introduced Teams Premium, a paid add-on license for Teams with advanced meeting and security features. Some features that were previously included in the standard license will move to Teams Premium with a grace period for users to adjust. The pricing and licensing requirements for the premium features have not been fully disclosed yet.
Windows 11 had a bad year. Windows 11 and its second release (22H2) have not been performing well according to web browser data. The OS has struggled to surpass the usage of Windows 7, which is no longer supported by Microsoft. What was happening?
What are Learning Pathways? Empower your team to take full advantage of SharePoint with a dedicated training site – learn how to quickly provision a space that surfaces Microsoft-curated training content, and overcome the common roadblock of user adoption.
☁️Classifieds
The Sample. A whole new way of discovering exciting email newsletters. Sign up and you will get sample newsletters based on the interests that you’ve tagged.
☁️On a Less Serious Note
☁️ Last but not least …
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