[m365weekly] #114

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Issue #114

☁️What’s on my mind

We have had a pretty exciting few days. Don’t you agree?

Microsoft has introduced quite a few new things. The announcement of CoPilot has stirred up the community of generative AI enthusiasts.

The next thing was the launch of the Loops app. I’m not quite sure how to make the most of this service yet, but it’s sure going to get quite a few users. As far as I did a quick little click around the service, I got the impression that it will be a good competitor to Notion. But it’s a long way from there.

What I’m most excited about is the completely redesigned Teams app. After a few days of use, I can say that I still have mixed feelings.

On one hand, the new Teams app is indeed much more responsive, but what I miss the most, at least for now, is the ability to share an app directly from the taskbar when on a call. That was one of the best things about the Windows 11 + Teams combination. I’ll have to wait a bit longer for them to get it back into the software, I guess.

But if you’re working with multiple tenants at the same time, you’ll love the fact that the revamped Teams app finally allows you to work with multiple work accounts.

Have a really nice rest of the week,
Matic Z.


The new completely revamped Teams app is already available to early adopters in a public preview release. Microsoft plans to release the new app to everybody letter 2023. Until then the development team has quite some work to do as the preview release is far from being perfect.

Enable the new Microsoft Teams toggle for your organization. Here’s what you need to do in Teams admin center to enable your colleagues to try out the new app.


☁️Productivity & Modern Workplace

6 Best Practices For Setting Your Presence Status On Microsoft Teams. Are you using Microsoft Teams to its full potential? One of the keys to making the most of this communication and collaboration platform is setting your presence correctly. Make sure you understand the four presence states and use them to communicate your availability accurately. Set your status manually to add more detail about your availability or what you’re working on. Update your status regularly and respect your colleagues’ statuses.

How to use Emojis in Outlook. Looking for a fun and personal way to communicate through Outlook? Emojis are the perfect solution. With a simple key combination, you can easily insert emojis into your email message or use them as a quick reply option. Add some flair to your messages.

The Tips I Wish I Knew in MS Project. Attention project managers! Do you want to make the most of Microsoft Project and increase your productivity? Check out these quick tips that can help you navigate tasks in the timeline with ease.

Microsoft Teams – Push to Talk. Discover how to unleash the full potential of Microsoft Teams with the new Push to Talk feature. In this article, you’ll find a simple guide on how to configure and use the Push to Talk function on your Teams app, and even on your mobile device.

Copilot In PowerPoint Turn Word Docs Into Powerpoint Automatically. Transform your Word documents into captivating presentations effortlessly with Microsoft 365 Copilot, the latest AI-powered feature available in PowerPoint. Copilot also provides formatting recommendations and speaker notes, saving you time and helping you be a better presenter. Say goodbye to starting from scratch, and hello to Copilot in PowerPoint.


☁️Sysadmin Stuff

How to enable Microsoft Loop for your Organization. With three main parts – Components, Workspaces, and Pages – Microsoft Loop allows for easy and efficient collaboration. And now, with a public preview available, you can try it out for yourself. But before you get started, you’ll need to enable it for your organization. Don’t worry, it’s easy with the step-by-step instructions provided in this article.

Migrate Fileserver to SharePoint online with Microsoft Teams – and make it accessible in the File Explorer. Learn how to migrate your company’s data to SharePoint online using Microsoft Teams in this informative blog post. Discover how to create target directories and SharePoint sites using the Teams Admin Center, and how to configure File Explorer settings using the Endpoint Admin Center.

Microsoft’s Plan to Block Old Exchange Servers. Microsoft has announced that they will no longer tolerate obsolete and unpatched on-premises Exchange servers that communicate with Exchange Online. The reason behind this decision is the increasing number of attacks on unpatched and exposed on-premises servers. Do you want to know what Microsoft will do to ensure unpatched exchanges don’t pose a threat to the world? Read on …


☁️Security & Data Governance

How to use Azure Managed Identity. Are you tired of storing sensitive information like passwords and certificates in your code to grant access to Azure resources? Look no further than Azure Managed Identity. This essential tool gives your Azure resources a managed identity inside your Azure AD, providing secure and easy access without the need for credentials or complex security policies.

Practical Protection: Azure AD Conditional Access. The article discusses how to use Conditional Access policies in Azure Active Directory to control access to an app based on the location of the user. This is useful for scenarios where certain operations require the operator to be in a known physical location.


☁️Noteworthy (long)reads

How To Grow Your Community With The Power Platform. Are you looking to grow your community quickly and efficiently? Learn how to use the Power Platform with this simple approach. In this video, you’ll see how a boys’ youth lacrosse team was able to increase interest and participation through the use of a flyer and QR code that directs interested parties to a Microsoft Form.

Partner Strategies to Reduce Microsoft 365 Costs. Discover 3 governance approaches that MSPs and consulting companies can use to reduce Microsoft 365 costs for their clients and ensure compliance with security and compliance requirements.


DATES TO KEEP IN MIND

April 11, 2023 – Microsoft Office 2013 – End of support. You might experience performance or reliability issues if you continue to use Office 2013 with Microsoft 365 services because it will no longer be a supported client to connect to M365. MC357842 

April 11, 2023 – Exchange Server 2013 – End of support.

August 31, 2023 – Microsoft will retire Kaizala. After the retirement date, access to and support for Kaizala will be discontinued. 

October 10, 2023 – Office 2016 and Office 2019 will no longer be supported when connecting to Microsoft 365. While these versions may still be able to connect to Microsoft 365, their connections will not be supported and may experience performance or reliability issues in the future. Official documentation here.

November 15-16, 2023Microsoft Ignite 2023


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☁️On a Less Serious Note


☁️ Last but not least …

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