[m365weekly] #150

M365 Newsletter title logo M365 Weekly Newsletter

Issue #150

☁️What’s on my mind

While we wait for Copilot to speak many user languages, large language models such as OpenAI ChatGPT speak practically everything that is spoken. ChatGPT even talks to me in Klingon if I ask it to.

So I can’t wait for Copilot to learn my language and be able to summarise meetings and emails for me. And of course much more.

Have a nice weekend,
Matic Z.


[FEATURED STORY] Who can afford Copilot

Microsoft 365 Copilot offers a valuable opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses to boost productivity and gain a competitive edge. The initial investment may seem daunting, but with the potential for significant ROI and flexibility to scale adoption, it’s a compelling tool.

Can SMB’s afford Microsoft 365 Copilot? | ROI breakdown


Are you looking for IT talent?

Maybe she or he is hidden among the readers of this newsletter. Many cyber security experts and outstanding sysadmins read it.

Post your job listing here on M365 Weekly Newsletter and get noticed!

☁️Productivity & Modern Workplace

The undisputed Clipchamp? Clipchamp is a video editor for Microsoft 365 that offers intuitive editing tools, customizable templates, and AI features to create engaging videos. Effortlessly record your screen and webcam, and add filters, green screen, captions, and more.

Level Up Your Microsoft Word Documents: 6 Essential Copilot Features. Struggling with Word documents can be a thing of the past with Microsoft Word Copilot, an incredible tool that significantly enhances productivity and document quality.

New in Microsoft Loop. Tasks, Kanban & Planner sync. Loop now has a Kanban component. This is a thing many were waiting to happen. How to use it? Watch in the video.


☁️Sysadmin Stuff

Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 setup guide. Although it may seem easy to just give a user a Copilot licence and they can work with it, it is still highly recommended to go through this guide and make the implementation work as well as possible. This way, the use of Copilot will be really safe and the users will be more productive.

Enable DMARC For OnMicrosoft.com Domains. Adding a DMARC record for your onmicrosoft.com domain in M365 can improve email deliverability by enabling DMARC alignment checks to pass. This is particularly helpful for organizations that use the onmicrosoft.com domain to send emails.

Automated Maintenance for the Tenant Block List. Managing tenant block lists can be a hassle, but automating the process with Azure Automation, SharePoint Online, and Exchange Online can make it much easier. By storing block list entries in SharePoint Online and using PowerShell scripts to update them in Exchange Online Protection (EOP), you can maintain your block list more efficiently.

Hybrid Configuration Wizard with granular configuration feature is now available. The latest release of HCW now allows you to choose specific configurations when re-running the wizard, making it easier for organizations with customized settings. The new “Choose Exchange Hybrid Configuration” option is particularly useful for recurring tasks like certificate management.


☁️Security & Data Governance

Why You Should Disable Administrator Account: 6 Reasons. Enhancing security on Windows devices involves creating standard user accounts for everyday tasks and using the administrator account sparingly. This approach protects against malware, unauthorized software installations, and human errors while striking a balance between security and functionality.

Cybercriminals Compromise Senior Executives’ Azure Accounts. Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a malicious campaign targeting Microsoft Azure corporate accounts, putting sensitive data and financial assets at risk. The attackers focus on senior executives, using phishing emails and multi-factor authentication manipulation to compromise their accounts. How to protect against this campaign? Read on.


☁️Noteworthy (long)reads

Microsoft 365 Licensing Matrix for #2024. Looking for the perfect license plan for your enterprise in 2024 to connect, protect, and empower your employees? Here you’ll find a link to a PDF that offers a detailed comparison of various plans and add-on subscriptions.

Struggle to Integrate AI Threatens Digital Transformation. Data integration challenges are slowing down AI adoption, as organizations struggle to fully harness its potential for productivity and business value.


DATES TO KEEP IN MIND

March 31, 2024 – Classic Teams retirement. You’ll have to deploy the new Teams client.

April 15, 2024 – Microsoft Stream (Classic) retirement. Final stage. All data on Stream Classic will be deleted. Migrate to the new Stream (on Sharepoint).

By September 30, 2024 – Business Connectivity Services (BCS) retirement in Microsoft 365. (Timeline and alternative solution)

December 16, 2024Retiring of Delve application.

End of 2024 – Mail and Calendar Apps in Windows will be retired. The new Outlook will be installed on new Windows 11 devices.


☁️Classifieds

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☁️On a Less Serious Note


☁️ Last but not least …

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