Author: Ulrich Fisher

What Is Office365 Security Day?

Ulrich Fisher

Do you know everything about Office 365 Security? If you are planning to implement this in your organization, it’s essential to know about it in detail. Online blogs may not be enough as it doesn’t provide hands-on experience on how to use this application. And so, it’s high time you enroll yourself in Office 365 Security Day. What is it? Well, it’s a day of learning only about Office 365 Security and how it works.

Office 365 Security Day aims to teach newbies about the security components of this platform and also how to execute different tasks securely in your Microsoft 365 environment.

About Office 365 Security Day

The day will start with industry experts and Microsoft MVPs talking about the various aspects of Office 365 Security. They will explain how you can make the most of this platform and keep your documents safe. You will come to know about the different security functions of Office 365 Security and go deep into the technical aspects that make your company more secure.

Accessing Office 365 Security Day

When you hear about enrolling yourself in Office 365 Security Day, the first question that may come to your mind is where you need to go to attend this training program. Well, you can log in from your Facebook or Twitter account or subscribe to the Office 365 Security Day channel on YouTube to access this training. The organizers will stream this free learning program on Facebook, Twitter, Petri.com, and YouTube to make it accessible to all enthusiastic participants. This would make it easier for thousands of people to join together from different places and learn the intricate technical aspects of the platform easily.

Wondering who will speak and explain all the security features of Office 365 Security? Eminent personalities like Steve Goodman, Joanne Klein, Jasper Oosterveld, Todd Klindt, Liam Cleary, and Stephanie Donahue will take over the stage one by one. Each of these personalities is widely popular for their contributions to Office 365 Security. You can consider them as subject matter experts. Their detailed explanations on how to operate Office 365 Security will help you decide whether you want this platform in your organization or not.

Key takeaways from Office 365 Security

Apart from learning about different features and functions of Office 365 Security, the day will also have Q&A sessions where you can clarify your doubts about how the platform works. The respected MVPs will not only answer your queries but also provide free downloads of documents about Office 365 Security that you can use as reference material later.

Office 365 Security is now the hot topic of discussion after its explosive growth in remote work. They have emerged as the best security platform for your Microsoft 365 environment, making sure that the users don’t fall for scams.

You can register yourself for Office 365 Security Day and learn about the different sessions that the organizers have arranged for that day. Make sure you subscribe to their updates to know more about the event and how the MVPs will conduct their sessions.

How to Add Royalty Free Images and Icons in Microsoft 365

Ulrich Fisher

Microsoft 365 allows its subscribers to make the most of a library that contains thousands of royalty-free images and icons. You can use these icons and images in presentations, emails, workbooks, and documents in MS Office for PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and SharePoint online. For now, only Microsoft 365 subscribers can use these images and icons. But the company plans to make it an open platform so that other apps can also use the collections. Microsoft 365 also promises to refresh the library with more images frequently.

Here’s how you can add royalty free images, icons, and much more using Microsoft 365.

First, you need to sign in to your Microsoft 365 profile. Those who are not Microsoft 365 subscribers must create a new profile if they want to use these icons and images.

1. Open a Microsoft 365 file and go to Insert. From the dropdown list, select Pictures. You will get three options: This Device, Stock Images, and Online Pictures. Click on Stock Images.

2. This will open a whole bunch of options divided into four categories:

• Stock images
• Cutout People
• Icons
• Stickers

Stock images have various categories also like individuality, scenic, motion, dark, business, landscape, learning, symbol, and growth. You will also find various types of icons, such as holidays, commerce, analytics, arts, signs and symbols, nature, and tools.

3. Select one of the categories from stock images, cutout people, icons, and stickers. Microsoft 365 will narrow down the images and icons according to the category you choose. Alternatively, you can also use the search box on top to find any relevant image from the entire collection.

4. Once you find the images or icons, select the ones you need and click on Insert. You can now add the selected stickers, images, cutout people, and icons in your Excel and PowerPoint presentation.

This new update from Microsoft 365 is a blessing for many who want to create innovative content. The high-quality curated images can make your presentation look fantastic. Plus, if you want to give a humorous touch to your presentations, you can choose from the funny cutout people.

Microsoft 365 has also promised to add more premium content in the next few months. But you need to subscribe to Microsoft 365 first. The advantage of becoming a Microsoft 365 is you can enjoy these perks for your lifetime. Whether you want to use these images in your presentation or just make your Excel sheet look creative, all you need to do is find a few royalty free images from the library and use them in your file.

These icons and images are not only available for MS Office but also for Microsoft Outlook. You can now send emails to your employees with stickers and cutout people. It’s a fun way to interact with team members. In fact, you will find many stickers similar to the ones you see on WhatsApp. With so many benefits available, you should subscribe to Microsoft 365 now and start using these features right away.

How to Update Modern Home Pages for Classic Team Sites on Microsoft SharePoint?

Ulrich Fisher

The visible aspect of a site relies on its modern user interface. You need to use Microsoft SharePoint to enable your site to leverage this user interface for classic team sites. Sometimes you may unknowingly turn off the modern experience on SharePoint. But if you don’t, you will notice several pages on the modern interface, such as:

• Site usage page
• Site contents page
• Recycle bin pages
• List and library pages

On navigating your site further, you will notice that the home page and a few other site pages still use the classic interface. You can update these pages and modernize them for your team site.

Updating modern home pages

A modern home page for your team site allows you to post news directly from your mobile. But the classic team site needs to fulfill a few criteria to modernize the home page within a few seconds:

• Home page name may be in any language but it should end with ”home.aspx.”
• The classic team site should consist of STS#0 only.
• There should not be any text present.
• The classic team site should only contain a few default web parts, such as Newsfeed (SiteFeedWebPart), document library (XsltListViewWebPart), and getting started (GettingStartedWebPart).
• It shouldn’t use any custom master pages.
• It should not have the ModernizeHomepageOptOut feature activated.
• The classic publishing feature on the team site should be turned off.
• The display form template name should be “HomeEditForm.”

Remember, your classic team site should meet all the criteria mentioned above. Even failing to meet one of these criteria means you can’t modernize the home page. On the other hand, if the team site meets all these conditions, the home page will modernize on its own. You will not need to tweak anything manually. The automatic upgrade will take place the next time you visit the site.

Benefits of updating from classic home page to modern home pages

Over the years, SharePoint has introduced tons of new features in modern home pages. If you are using SharePoint to improve work productivity, using the modern home page makes sense because it allows you to collaborate with your team members quicker than before. Automatic upgrade to a modern home page gives you the opportunity to make the most of the powerful tools that SharePoint offers to boost work productivity.

Technical details about updating modern home page

• It applies to STS#0 site collections and other corresponding subsites.
• Your new modern home page will retain the name ”home.aspx” while the classic page will become ”home(old).aspx.”
• The automatic upgrade will only apply to your team site home page and not for any other classic page.
• The update will not automatically create an Office 365 group.
• The modern home page theme may not be identical to the classic theme. You may have to use custom colors and styles to change the appearance of the home page.

Make sure the classic page follows the criteria mentioned above for an automatic upgrade to a modern home page on Microsoft SharePoint. Learn more about other SharePoint features and experience enhancements!

Differences between Excel Power Query and Power BI and When to Use Them

Ulrich Fisher

Financial analysts need to prepare detailed accounting reports of different companies for different financial periods. It is almost impossible to do these things manually. That is why using Microsoft Excel makes more sense. They hit a formula, and it produces the desired reports quickly. But, is it always okay to use Excel to calculate different financial reports? Experts believe that Power BI is the closest competitor of Excel, and in some cases, it edges its competitor.

Understanding Power BI

Power BI is an application that helps to produce and also publish web-enabled reports for the clients. Once the user prepares and publishes a report, their clients can see them on their computers, laptops, mobiles, or any other device. But, how is it different from Excel Power Query? Here’s what everyone needs to know:

Power Query is also a data processing software application that helps to prepare various financial reports. They provide the following benefits:

• Connect several data sources, such as web pages, files, databases, APIS, etc.
• Combine different data and collate them together from different reports.
• Derive and use new columns of data.
• Remove, reduce, or format data.
• Reshape or edit data, including pivoting, grouping, un-pivoting, and transposing.
• Frame formulas for advanced manipulation of annual reports.
• Create and publish refreshable datasets.

Users can save their Power Query data either in Power BI or Excel. That is why users will find this function in both software applications. Power Query is a more flexible application that many financial analysts prefer. It helps them focus on real-life problems like where is the annual report, is the report up to the mark, what if there are missing values and things like that.

Difference between Power Query and Power BI

Both Power Query and Power BI can make interactive reports. But, there are a few differences between the two that users need to know:

• Power BI provides a more immersive interactive experience. Users can click on any option in the application and get an instant preview of what their report will look like. This application allows users to simplify complicated graphs and charts. They can export this data and use it in Excel for better visuals.
• This software application works better with large data sets. Power Query is more efficient in handling smaller data, while Power BI handles bigger data easily. So, if users have to make a lengthy report, they should use Power BI instead of Power Query. Moreover, it allows users to attach their business data set so that they can analyze volumes of data without checking any other application.
• Both Power Query and Power BI help to read and share reports quickly with the clients. However, Power BI allows users to share them in various formats so that even if the client doesn’t have Power BI, they can view the report without any obstruction.

The analyst is the best person to decide which software he/she likes the most. Both have their pros and cons, but it’s the comfort level of the user that matters the most.

The Top Benefits Of Using Microsoft Whiteboard

Ulrich Fisher

If you’re not using Microsoft Whiteboard in your business, regardless if you are the only employee, have a handful of employees or run a large company, then you are missing out. There are several benefits of using Microsoft Whiteboard. If you want to find out what a few of the key ones are, then read on.

1. Create Freely

One of the best things about using Microsoft Whiteboard is it allows you to create freely and in a completely naturally way. For example, you start off with an infinite canvas and an interface that allows you to use your keyboard, pen or even touch to create. Before you know it, you’ll be turning your work into shapes, charts and more.

Do you have a product you want to create? Maybe you have a new business plan and want to lay it out. Whatever it is you want to do, Whiteboard gives you the opportunity to create freely.

2. Collaboration

Another benefit is that Microsoft Whiteboard lets you collaborate with teams. You and your team can access the Whiteboard you create and it doesn’t matter where any of you are located or what devices you use. If you want to collaborate with team members in various countries, then go right ahead because it is incredibly easy to do.

Gone are the days when you have to use pen and paper and Skype to collaborate. Thanks to Whiteboard, you’re able to collaborate with co-workers and employees in a much more efficient and effective way. Trust us when we say you will love this feature.

3. Save & Resume With Ease

Whiteboards can easily be saved and once they are, they will go into the cloud and remain there until you access them again. You can either access your saved whiteboards via the same device or you can access and work on them via a different device. Also, you won’t have to mark your whiteboards as “do not erase,” or snap photos of them.

There’s nothing worse than working on a project, saving it and then realizing it actually wasn’t saved or that it takes forever to load up and get started again. Thankfully, that won’t be an issue for you with Microsoft Whiteboard. You will love how easy and fast it is to save and resume.

4. Perform Searches

A fourth benefit is that Bing is actually built into the app. This means you can use Bing to search for anything you want, all without having to leave the Whiteboard app. When you are creating and you need to add photos or get ideas for content, then perform a search in Bing via the app. Best of all, Bing works extremely fast within the app, so you won’t be wasting time waiting for search results to load up because using Bing within the app is just as fast as doing it on Bing’s actual platform.

Do you want to reap the many benefits of using Microsoft Whiteboard? This includes the above benefits. If so, then purchase Microsoft Whiteboard today. The sooner you do, the sooner you’ll realize what you’ve been missing.

Creating And Using Approvals In Flow

Ulrich Fisher

With the use of Microsoft Flow, you can now fully manage your list of approved processes or even documents across a series of available services. These include, WordPress, Zendesk, SharePoint, Salesforce, Dynamics 365 and even OneDrive. Read on as we dive in to using approvals in flow.

In order to create your approval workflow, you’ll simply need to add the approvals, start the process and approve the action of flow. After you’ve done this, you can then go on to approve and manage both processes and documents like we’ve mentioned before. Additionally, your approvers can quickly give a response to requests straight from their inbox or even the MS Flow App in addition to directly from the site.

The following is an illustration of the steps that are performed by a flow:

  • Someone goes on to create a request in their SharePoint online list.
  • They add the request to the relevant approval center and then forward an email for it to be approved.
  • The approver then responds with their decision.
  • The SharePoint list is then updated with comments based on the approver’s decision.

Additionally, the user will need the following pre-requisites in order to complete the walkthrough:

  • Requires Office 365 Outlook along with user accounts.
  • Relevant SharePoint list.
  • Microsoft Flow

However, other services such as Gmail, Salesforce and even Zendesk can be used in place of SharePoint or Office 365. Flows can also be created from a completely blank template. This is achieved with the following steps:

  • You will need to firstly need to login to Microsoft Flow.
  • Then you’ll need to select the My Flows tab.
  • Next you’ll need to click on Create from blank.

And if you’re interested in adding a trigger, you’ll need to follow the steps below:

  • In the search box, type in SharePoint.
  • Next you’ll need to select the option “SharePoint-When an item is created trigger”.
  • Then you’ll need to select the SharePoint List name and the Site Address used by your flow to monitor newly added items.

Adding A Profile Action
The following steps can be used to add in a new profile section:

  • You’ll need to select New step followed by Add an action.
  • Then you’ll need to enter the profile into the “choose an action search box”.
  • You can now select the “Office 365 Users-get my profile action”
  • At this point you’ll need to input your flow name and also select create in order to save what you’ve done.

Adding Your Approval Action
If you’re interested in adding your desired approval action, you’ll need to do the following:

  • Firstly, you’ll need to select new step followed by the add action tab.
  • Then you’ll need to type approval in the action box.
  • Next you’ll be able to select “approval – Start an approval action”.
  • After you gotten to this point, you’ll be able to configure the approval card to suite your needs.

As we conclude, we’ve just looked at using approvals in flow. We have also taken you through the flow process. And we have also given you the relevant steps in order for you to add a trigger, a profile action and even your desired approval action!

Getting Started with Microsoft Whiteboard

Ulrich Fisher

Microsoft Whiteboard is a digital canvas that is a part of the Microsoft Tool Set. It offers all of the features that a standard whiteboard can provide, but it has plenty of other perks as well. If you’re just getting started with Microsoft Whiteboard, there are a few things you should know.

Whiteboard Is Designed For The Surface Hub

If you own a Surface Hub, then you’ll be able to enjoy all of the functionality of Microsoft Whiteboard. It can be used on the latest Surface Hub or older models. As long as you have access to Surface, you’ll have access to this app as well.  Whiteboard can also be used on PC’s that are running Windows 10 and above.

Installing The App Is Easy

Are you worried about what you’ll have to do when you install the app? If you have some concerns about the installation process, you should know that you’ll be given clear and easy-to-follow steps when you’re getting the app set up. You’ll have the app fully installed and ready to use before you know it.

This App Can Be Extremely Useful In An Office Environment

There’s a good chance that your office is interested in getting started with Microsoft Whiteboard. Having access to an app like this can be a productivity booster in meetings. You’ll be able to take notes and jot down ideas. Whiteboard is connected to Microsoft Bing, which means you’ll be able to search and find the things that you need later on.

While you can absolutely use this app at home, a lot of businesses are starting to rely on it. Why use an ordinary whiteboard when you can use a free-form digital canvas like this instead?

Whiteboard Allows For Collaboration Between Multiple Devices

Not everyone has to be in the same place when you’re using Whiteboard. Multiple devices running the Whiteboard apps can connect and collaborate, which will allow you to work with someone that’s in an entirely different location.

If you’re working on a project remotely, this tool can really come in handy. Several different people can view and edit this digital canvas at the same time, regardless of their location.

If you’re interested in getting started with Microsoft Whiteboard, why not give it a try today? It isn’t difficult to get everything set up. Once you have the app installed, you’ll find yourself using it over and over again. It’s a fantastic tool, and you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Microsoft Stream vs. YouTube: What’s the Best Place to Watch Videos?

Ulrich Fisher

If you like to watch a lot of video content, you certainly aren’t alone. People spend billions of hours every day watching streaming video. While YouTube is one of the biggest names in the streaming video world, it isn’t the only option out there. There are some competitors popping up, like Microsoft Stream.

How does Microsoft Stream compare to YouTube? Is it a viable option? If you’re not sure where you should be watching video content, these are some of the things that you’ll want to consider.

YouTube Is More Popular

No streaming site can compare to YouTube in popularity right now, which means they are the best place to go if you’re trying to create your own video content. When you’re on YouTube, you’re in the place where people are searching for video content.

Of course, there are some downsides to YouTube’s popularity. Since there are so many videos on YouTube, the videos that you make could be lost in the shuffle. Since there is less content on Stream, it’s possible that the videos you share there will have the chance to stand out.

YouTube Has More Content

The variety of content on YouTube is impressive. You can find videos on absolutely anything, from cooking to video games to beauty products to politics. Because people have been making videos for YouTube for years, there is a huge library of content for you to pore through.

Since Microsoft Stream is younger than YouTube, the content library isn’t really comparable. You can definitely find different types of content on Stream, but the library isn’t as robust as the YouTube library is.

Microsoft Stream Has An Excellent User Interface

YouTube has gone through a lot of changes over the years, and not all of those changes have been a hit. There are some people that are particularly frustrated by YouTube’s user interface. Some people find that YouTube is difficult to use and clunky at times.

If you’ve had these kinds of problems with YouTube in the past, then you might want to set aside some time to look at Stream. A lot of people have praised its user interface, and many people say that it is very easy to use. If you don’t have experience with it, you should try it out and see what you think. You might find that this interface is exactly what you’ve been looking for.

If You Use Stream, You May Have To Start Over

If you’ve been using YouTube for years, then it’s likely that you already have a long list of subscriptions. You probably have plenty of videos you’ve liked, and there’s a good chance that YouTube is able to offer you recommendations that actually appeal to you.

If you start using Stream instead of YouTube, you’re going to lose that. You won’t have a list of subscriptions anymore, and the recommendations might not be on target at first. It might be harder for you to find content that you actually like.

Of course, there is no reason to abandon YouTube when you use Stream. It will take some time to find content that you love on Stream, but you can keep using YouTube the entire time. If you take that approach, then you shouldn’t have to give up everything.

Now that you have a better understanding of what both Microsoft Stream and YouTube have to offer, you can decide which of these platforms you’d like to use. Of course, there’s no reason to limit yourself to watching video on a single platform. You have other options too. If you desire, you can watch videos on both platforms.

10 Things You Should Consider Before An Office 365 Deployment

Ulrich Fisher

If you’re currently planning an Office 365 deployment, there are a few things you’re going to want to think about. You should make sure you keep all of these things in mind so that you can deploy this software without experiencing any significant issues. Consider these things if you’re evaluating your readiness.

1. Take A Closer Look At Your Environment And Your Needs Before You Get Started

Before you start preparing for deployment, you’re going to want to evaluate both your environment and your needs. It will be a lot easier for you to find the best approach if you have more awareness of the environment you’ll be working in.

2. Remove Existing Versions Of Office Before You Upgrade

Prior to your upgrade, you’re going to want to make sure that all existing versions of Office are removed from your computers. If you don’t uninstall old versions of Office ahead of time, it could slow down the deployment process.

3. Use A Readiness Toolkit To Make Sure You’re Prepared For Deployment

It’s smart to make sure that you’re ready for deployment and everything that it entails. An easy way to check this is to use a readiness toolkit. The right toolkit will help you to determine whether or not you’re fully prepared with deployment. If you’re not ready, it will let you know what you need to be doing.

4. Make Sure You Have Access To A Reliable Deployment Tool

It’s likely that you’re going to be using a deployment tool for this upgrade. You’ll want to make sure you can rely on the tool that you’re using. You won’t want anything to go wrong during the process.

5. Check Out Your Configuration Options

You don’t necessarily want to stick with the default configuration options. Instead, you’ll want to explore these options and change them as needed. You may want to alter some of the settings.

6. Consider Deploying From The Cloud

You have a number of deployment options available to you. One option you’re going to want to think about is deploying from the cloud. Doing this is a lot easier than you might think; it’s actually one of the best deployment methods available.

7. Communicate Your Plans For Deployment

You’ll want to make sure everyone in your workplace is on the same page when it comes to deployment. You’ll want to have clear plans, and you’ll want to communicate those plans ahead of time so that no one is caught off guard.

8. Seek Advice From People That Have Been Through This Process Before

It’s likely that you have colleagues that have already been through the deployment process. You should reach out to them and see if they can give you any advice. You might find their feedback to be very helpful.

9. Decide How You Want To Manage Updates

It’s likely that you’ll have to install some updates after Office is deployed. It’s smart to think about how you want to manage that. Find an efficient way to handle updates.

10. Be Sure That You Have A Clear Deployment Plan In Place Before You Get Started

If you haven’t planned your deployment out, the process could wind up being a complete disaster. Think things through and come up with a solid plan before you start the deployment process. You’ll want to be confident that you’re ready for this.

As you can see, there are a lot of things you need to consider for an Office 365 deployment. This isn’t something that you’ll want to take lightly. Think things over and do everything you can  to put a solid plan in place to help you achieve a successful install.

Microsoft 365 Vs. Office 365: What’s The Best Option For You?

Ulrich Fisher

If you’re trying to decide what sort of software you should be using in your office, you’ll definitely want to ask yourself some questions. It’s a smart idea to compare options so that you can make the best possible choice. Look at Microsoft 365 vs Office 365 and decide which suite of programs you would like to use.

How Are You Going To Be Using These Programs?

Before you can find the right software to use, you’re going to want to think about what your needs are. You should consider how you are going to be interacting with these programs. You should aim to find software that can deliver what you need.

It’s wise to look at both office suites to see how well they align with your needs. You may find that one collection of software is a better fit for you than some of your other options.

What Will These Program Suites Cost You?

You’ll definitely want to look into what you’ll be spending on software. You probably have a budget in mind, and you’ll want to make sure you can stay within the budget that you’ve set. When you’re considering costs, you’ll want to be sure you’re looking at the full picture. Figure out exactly how much you’ll have to spend in order to get everything that you need.

You don’t necessarily have to pick the cheapest option available to you, but you should try to make sure that the option you’ve selected is affordable for you. Don’t spend money you don’t have in order to get the software you need.

Which Suite Of Programs Is Easier To Use?

It’s a wise idea to think about things like ease of use when you’re looking at software. After all, if a collection of software is difficult to use, it will take people longer to complete basic tasks. This can definitely lower your overall productivity.

You should try to find software that you’re familiar with, and you should make sure that your employees will be able to learn how to use these programs without any issues. You should try to find software that won’t be a source of stress for you.

Which Suite Has Software That You’re Familiar With?

If you already know a program very well, then you’ll want to pick a suite that will allow you to keep using that program. It can take a long time to get comfortable with a piece of software. If you’re not familiar with any of the programs in a suite, then you might not be happy with that suite in the long run.

It’s a good idea to evaluate suites and see exactly what they are offering you. If a suite has a lot of software that you’ve used before, then that suite is probably going to be a good fit for you.

What Are The Admin Options Like?

As the administrator of an office suite, you’ll have a lot of options that will allow you to manage your office in a more efficient way. You should check out the admin options of both office suites to see what you think.

You’ll be using the admin options all of the time, so you’re going to want to make sure that these options will meet your needs. This is definitely a feature that you’ll want to spend some time comparing.

What’s the best option for you? You’ll have to ask yourself some questions and look at Microsoft 365 vs. Office 365 before you make any decisions. If you carefully evaluate all of your choices, you’ll know that you made the right decision for your business.