[m365weekly] #155

M365 Newsletter title logo M365 Weekly Newsletter

Issue #155

☁️What’s on my mind

I’ve noticed that some people jump to their doom when they click the “try new outlook” switch.

Even though it gets on their nerves, they keep using it, getting angry about things that are different, and getting furious about things that don’t even work in the new Outlook yet.

But there is a way back, back to the classic Outlook, which will be with us at least until 2029, as Microsoft has announced. Just click the damn switch again.

No, the new Outlook is not yet ready for business use. I noticed last week that it cannot send e-mail when you make mailmerges in Word. It is necessary to switch back to classic Outlook, only then will mailmerge messages fly out.

Have a nice week,
Matic Z.


[FEATURED STORY] The Novelty Effect of Copilot for Microsoft 365

A recent study on Copilot for Microsoft 365 revealed a drastic decrease in user interactions over nine weeks, suggesting a “Novelty Effect” where initial enthusiasm wanes over time. The majority of users displayed a declining trend, raising concerns for businesses considering the $360 per user annual license fee with a minimum one-year commitment. However, some users consistently used Copilot in Teams for meeting summaries, which the more cost-effective solution could replace.

The Cloud Technologist – The Novelty Effect of Copilot for Microsoft 365.


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☁️Productivity & Modern Workplace

The Cost and Impact of Moving to Microsoft 365 Copilot. Microsoft 365 Copilot aims to transform the way we work by automating repetitive tasks and enhancing productivity. To successfully adopt Copilot, organizations should strategically plan its deployment, establish robust data governance, invest in comprehensive training, and promote a culture that values AI as an enhancement to human capabilities.

Should we save our documents in SharePoint as PDFs to avoid editing? It’s not the file format that matters, but the site or document library permissions that determine if users can edit or not.

8 new features in Microsoft OneNote for 2024. Enhance your note-taking experience with the new Sticky Notes app, Microsoft Loop integration, and a convenient Home screen for iPhone users.


☁️Sysadmin Stuff

How to Restore a deleted Microsoft 365 mailbox. Did you accidentally delete a Microsoft 365 mailbox? Don’t worry, you have 30 days to restore it. User mailboxes can be restored in the Microsoft 365 admin center or with PowerShell, while shared and room mailboxes should only be restored using PowerShell.

Microsoft Intune Full training Course. Get a solid grasp of Microsoft Intune’s fundamentals and its role in mobile device management (MDM) with this insightful video. You’ll master device and user enrollment, app deployment, security policy creation, and even troubleshooting common Intune issues.

5 Useful PowerShell Scripts Every Sharepoint Admin Needs. As a SharePoint Online administrator, it’s essential to have a set of handy PowerShell scripts to help you manage and maintain your tenant effectively. These scripts can assist you in controlling storage usage, enhancing security with default sharing settings, reviewing sites in the recycle bin to prevent data loss, monitoring external user access, and managing hidden redirect sites.

Top 5 Microsoft 365 Features Every Admin Wants to Disable. Microsoft 365 is always introducing new features, but not all of them are well-received. Some of the most debated features include self-service purchase capability, Microsoft Teams opening web links in Edge by default, roaming signature in Outlook, anonymizing user data in usage reports, and the ‘Stay Signed In’ prompt.


☁️Security & Data Governance

Enhancing Security with Microsoft-Managed Conditional Access Policies. Microsoft has introduced automatically managed Conditional Access policies in Microsoft Entra to simplify and enhance security for organizations. These policies offer customizable, self-deploying security measures that cater to various needs, with a focus on multifactor authentication (MFA).

Understanding How Much Microsoft 365 Backup Charges to Protect Data. Microsoft 365 Backup offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model, charging $0.15/month per gigabyte of protected content, paid through an Azure subscription. To estimate costs, you’ll need to know the size of the sites, accounts, and mailboxes chosen for backup.

Is Your DLP Working? Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies are essential for securing your Power Platform environments, but they don’t apply to Power Virtual Agent bots by default.


☁️Noteworthy (long)reads

Prompt Like a Pro: Prepare for your week with Microsoft Copilot in Teams. Microsoft Copilot in Teams can help you plan and prioritize your time efficiently. Simply ask Copilot for a weekly overview of your upcoming meetings and events, and it will organize them into categories, providing you with a clear picture of how your time will be spent.

Outlook Classic Support Until At Least 2029. New Outlook for Windows is gradually replacing Outlook Classic, with complete replacement expected to take another five years. While Monarch is already in use by consumer users, it still lacks some features important to corporate customers.


DATES TO KEEP IN MIND

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.

October 2026Retirement of Microsoft Publisher app which has been a part of Office Suite for years.


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☁️On a Less Serious Note


☁️ Last but not least …

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