[m365weekly] #181

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Issue #181

☁️Productivity & Modern Workplace

How to Create Workflows in Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Teams’ workflow automates repetitive tasks like notifications, content approvals, and reminders, integrating with services like SharePoint and Outlook. Create workflows using pre-built templates, custom flows with Power Automate, or the AI-driven Workflow Builder. These tools save time and enhance productivity by streamlining your processes.

How to use Send Mail Merge in (new) Outlook. Outlook’s new “Start Mail Merge” feature lets you send the same email to multiple recipients without revealing the recipient list. Each person receives an individual email, making it appear more personal. This can be used for recipients both inside and outside your organization, ensuring privacy and a tailored touch without the obvious use of BCC.

Unlocking the Power of PowerPoint Action Buttons. Action buttons in PowerPoint can significantly enhance your presentations by adding interactivity and control. These buttons make navigation seamless if you want to link slides, open programs, or run macros. Use mouse click for deliberate actions and mouse over for previews. Customize your buttons to engage your audience dynamically and test them in Slide Show mode for a flawless presentation.

[FEATURED STORY] What Will the Security Landscape Look Like in 2025?

Source: Cybersecurity predictions for 2025

Key trends and predictions for the cybersecurity landscape in 2025, focusing on identity threat detection and response (ITDR) and the evolving IT environment. As organizations face increasing identity-related threats, the importance of ITDR and strategic modernization efforts is underscored.

  1. AI-driven security tools: Companies will increasingly adopt AI-driven security tools like Microsoft’s Security Copilot to better integrate security solutions and enhance threat detection through cohesive data analysis, addressing challenges in cybersecurity mesh architecture.
  2. Focus on security basics: In 2025, organizations will prioritize addressing common Active Directory security weaknesses and implementing best practices like multifactor authentication and Zero Trust models, as most attacks exploit well-known vulnerabilities.
  3. Comprehensive identity security: With the continued use of hybrid IT ecosystems, organizations will adopt a comprehensive approach to securing both Active Directory and Entra ID, focusing on protecting the entire identity infrastructure from evolving threats.

☁️Copilot & AI

PromptWizard: The future of prompt optimization through feedback-driven self-evolving prompts. PromptWizard is a game-changing tool for optimizing AI model prompts easily and quickly. It automates the creation and refinement of prompts using feedback-driven iterations, ensuring tasks are addressed effectively. By optimizing instructions and examples together, it excels in accuracy and efficiency, even with limited data or smaller models. Perfect for researchers or organizations aiming to enhance AI performance.

Man Vs. Copilot: Microsoft Teams – Who Will Win? In this fun showdown, Greg and Amelia test Microsoft’s AI Copilot’s ability to track meeting details in Microsoft Teams. Copilot shines in accuracy and speed, generating detailed summaries and action items. Greg, using traditional note-taking, highlights human memory limitations.

☁️Sysadmin Stuff

Restrict Emails to External Addresses in Microsoft 365. To safeguard your organization’s data in Microsoft 365, restrict users from emailing external addresses by creating a mail flow rule. Use the Exchange admin center or PowerShell to set conditions blocking emails to external recipients. Customize settings, test the rule, and enable it to prevent unauthorized data sharing. Consider message trace for monitoring email activity.

Microsoft 365 migration guide. Moving to Microsoft 365 involves more than just shifting data; it requires careful planning and execution. Key considerations include hiring experienced migration partners, ensuring administrative access, managing data complexity, and planning for tenant-to-tenant transitions. It’s crucial to prepare for user adaptation, especially when migrating from non-Microsoft platforms, and to understand the limitations of current migration tools.

 STOP Your Users from Syncing SharePoint Document Libraries (Do This Instead). Adding a “Shortcut to OneDrive” in SharePoint document libraries offers seamless access across multiple devices, unlike the traditional sync option which ties files to a specific computer. You can enhance user adoption by removing the sync button, either on a library-by-library basis or site-wide. This can be accomplished manually in settings or automated using PowerShell scripts.

☁️Security & Data Governance

How Do We Build Ransomware Resilience Beyond Just Backups? To enhance your ransomware resilience, consider implementing proactive measures beyond backups. Use security tools like email filters and application whitelisting to prevent attacks. Educate users on spotting phishing attempts and conduct regular simulations for real-world practice. Limit user permissions to reduce ransomware spread, and refine your recovery plan with parallel restorations and local backups to minimize downtime and complexity.

Privileged Identity Management (PIM) concept + setup. Privileged Identity Management (PIM) is an essential tool for securing admin roles within Microsoft’s Entra ecosystem, offering just-in-time and just-enough access based on Zero Trust principles. It’s crucial for protecting privileged identities, which are key targets for attackers.

Best Practices for Break Glass Accounts in Microsoft Entra. Microsoft Entra break glass accounts are your lifeline when you’re locked out due to MFA issues, forgotten passwords, or system outages. Set up two accounts with strategic, non-obvious names and use secure domains. Opt for complex passwords and disable expiration, ensuring secure storage and robust MFA. Exclude them from Conditional Access policies, avoid personal associations, audit activities, and assign ‘permanent active’ roles in PIM.

☁️Noteworthy (long)reads

The future of video in Microsoft 365. Microsoft is merging Clipchamp and Stream into a single, cohesive video platform within Microsoft 365. This integration enhances user experience by offering seamless video creation, management, and sharing across apps like SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive. Expect advanced features like transcript-based editing, brand kits, and video summarization with Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 arrives with a “full digital twin” of Earth. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is here, offering an enhanced experience with a smaller initial download size of around 30GB and AI-generated terrain detail. Enjoy a variety of aircraft, including hot air balloons and a “Flydoo.” Dive into the new Career Mode with 26 paths, and experience realistic animal behaviors. Previous customizations carry over from the 2020 version.

DATES TO KEEP IN MIND

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

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

☁️Classifieds

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☁️On a Less Serious Note

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