Microsoft SharePoint Report Feature Update

Image Source: blogs.office.com

Microsoft has launched an update for Sharepoint, here’s what you need to know and how it’s affecting OneDrive.

The new update to the Microsoft SharePoint Application has a client-centered approach with updates that enhance the user experience. The team has modernized their framework to include the new trends within today’s digital industry. They have also given the public a glimpse of what they see for the future of OneDrive, Microsoft Graph, and SharePoint. But to better understand the update, let’s first get back to the basics.

Back to the Basics

Microsoft SharePoint is a web-based application that helps businesses store and manage their content in a way that enhances the collaborative experience. Multiple accounts can be working and editing a file at once, and the app shares the updates instantaneously so everyone has the most recent version of the document. SharePoint also makes a note of which users are active and what files they’re on at any given time. With a user-friendly interface and ease of access, it’s no wonder how popular the app has gotten over the years. According to CMSWire.com, over 80% of fortune 500 companies use SharePoint in their offices and 38% of their users access it through Microsoft Office 365. To make the process even better, they have recently updated the software to provide users with the best experience yet.

Function of the New Microsoft SharePoint Application Framework

In this quickly developing digital world, Microsoft has continuously been an example of adaptation. They have once again set the standard with their new update on SharePoint and the changes they’ve made to create a stronger and more reliable framework for its users. The SharePoint team writes,

“We will let our partners, our customers and our independent developers leverage the latest JavaScript frameworks like React and Angular. This model provides dramatically better experiences, performance, mobile support and more while broadening our developer ecosystem from .NET and beyond.”

                                                                                      Image Source: blogs.office.com

Microsoft recognized the trends and habits of today’s users and is taking the right steps to evolve with them. Many people are using script injections and their new framework enables users to extend even further than .NET, because it is no longer .NET dependent. However, what makes their framework so special is the customization. The SharePoint team notes, “We’re enabling you to choose the framework that you want.” The new developments build off of the already existing strengths SharePoint has, including the arsenal of tools from Office 365 to create an approach that is more client based. The intention with the new design was to allow easier access in and among different “browsers, devices, and screen sizes.”

The framework also has a special focus on the end users. They will be able to interact with the Web Parts and Canvas by adding different features such as text. Another reason why they are becoming a priority is to allow insight into what end users within the organization are using within Office 365. 

                                                                                Image Source: thewindowsclub.com

New Features and Benefits

Keeping in theme with a more client-based system, the Microsoft SharePoint application changed the structure of its pages. They have become technology independent and from the client side, the interface can be created by using JavaScript and a template framework. What’s more is the added ability of add-ins and webinars. An update on the report feature page will inform users of which accounts have been synchronized to different documents, page views, and other actions. This makes information easier to manage for managers and administration for large businesses.

OneDrive, Microsoft Graph, and SharePoint are all large players in the online world and the future goal is to align them all in a multi-platform community that will enhance the user experience across all channels. Something that includes all intricate aspects of each app but is simple. What the team hopes to accomplish is to create an interface where engineers, partners, customers, and developers will be able to innovate in one application that provides access to all the tools they need.

Recapturing the Update

1.    The new SharePoint framework is client based

2.    There’s a focus on end users

3.    A more modern approach to reporting and updating

4.    A vision of the future into a multi-platform community 

Microsoft SharePoint Report Feature Update

Posted by Sophina Dillard No comments

Image Source: blogs.office.com

Microsoft has launched an update for Sharepoint, here’s what you need to know and how it’s affecting OneDrive.

The new update to the Microsoft SharePoint Application has a client-centered approach with updates that enhance the user experience. The team has modernized their framework to include the new trends within today’s digital industry. They have also given the public a glimpse of what they see for the future of OneDrive, Microsoft Graph, and SharePoint. But to better understand the update, let’s first get back to the basics.

Back to the Basics

Microsoft SharePoint is a web-based application that helps businesses store and manage their content in a way that enhances the collaborative experience. Multiple accounts can be working and editing a file at once, and the app shares the updates instantaneously so everyone has the most recent version of the document. SharePoint also makes a note of which users are active and what files they’re on at any given time. With a user-friendly interface and ease of access, it’s no wonder how popular the app has gotten over the years. According to CMSWire.com, over 80% of fortune 500 companies use SharePoint in their offices and 38% of their users access it through Microsoft Office 365. To make the process even better, they have recently updated the software to provide users with the best experience yet.

Function of the New Microsoft SharePoint Application Framework

In this quickly developing digital world, Microsoft has continuously been an example of adaptation. They have once again set the standard with their new update on SharePoint and the changes they’ve made to create a stronger and more reliable framework for its users. The SharePoint team writes,

“We will let our partners, our customers and our independent developers leverage the latest JavaScript frameworks like React and Angular. This model provides dramatically better experiences, performance, mobile support and more while broadening our developer ecosystem from .NET and beyond.”

                                                                                      Image Source: blogs.office.com

Microsoft recognized the trends and habits of today’s users and is taking the right steps to evolve with them. Many people are using script injections and their new framework enables users to extend even further than .NET, because it is no longer .NET dependent. However, what makes their framework so special is the customization. The SharePoint team notes, “We’re enabling you to choose the framework that you want.” The new developments build off of the already existing strengths SharePoint has, including the arsenal of tools from Office 365 to create an approach that is more client based. The intention with the new design was to allow easier access in and among different “browsers, devices, and screen sizes.”

The framework also has a special focus on the end users. They will be able to interact with the Web Parts and Canvas by adding different features such as text. Another reason why they are becoming a priority is to allow insight into what end users within the organization are using within Office 365. 

                                                                                Image Source: thewindowsclub.com

New Features and Benefits

Keeping in theme with a more client-based system, the Microsoft SharePoint application changed the structure of its pages. They have become technology independent and from the client side, the interface can be created by using JavaScript and a template framework. What’s more is the added ability of add-ins and webinars. An update on the report feature page will inform users of which accounts have been synchronized to different documents, page views, and other actions. This makes information easier to manage for managers and administration for large businesses.

OneDrive, Microsoft Graph, and SharePoint are all large players in the online world and the future goal is to align them all in a multi-platform community that will enhance the user experience across all channels. Something that includes all intricate aspects of each app but is simple. What the team hopes to accomplish is to create an interface where engineers, partners, customers, and developers will be able to innovate in one application that provides access to all the tools they need.

Recapturing the Update

1.    The new SharePoint framework is client based

2.    There’s a focus on end users

3.    A more modern approach to reporting and updating

4.    A vision of the future into a multi-platform community 

Microsoft Office 365 Groups Integration and SharePoint Team Sites Improvements

If you asked what people thought a “Cloud” was twenty years ago, they would appropriately point to the sky and tell you that they are those white, puffy things. Nowadays, the “Cloud” is an online file sharing and network server storage used for a multitude of reasons. It is a far cry from the days of floppy disks and even USB’s. But why do people love the cloud so much? One easy answer; it makes life easier. The value of the cloud from a corporate perspective is unlimited. The sharing of information is substantially easier for workers, which raises productivity and in turn increases sales. With close to 95% of workers using any form of cloud service in their office, the sky is the limit (no cloud pun attended).                                                         Image Source: mvapublicstorage.blob.core.windows.net Microsoft Office 365, ever since its release date back in 2011, enables a subscription cloud service for all of its very popular Microsoft software such as word, excel, PowerPoint, access, etc. This along with the company’s Microsoft SharePoint Application, which is a program that acts as a secure place to store and organize information, gives businesses the tools they need to succeed. With four out of five Fortune 500 companies using Microsoft Office 365, the popularity of these apps in the workplace has become relevant. Early this September, Microsoft announced some improvements for their Office 365 and SharePoint software. Since it’s important to stay current with these changes, we’ve got you covered on the updates: Microsoft Office 365 Groups Integration Microsoft explained in their announcement; “The integration of groups and SharePoint team sites means that any time a new team site is created, a new group membership will be created as well.” Microsoft explains; “When you create a group, Office 365 gives the group a shared inbox, calendar, OneNote notebook, a Planner for task management.” The update now also includes a full-powered SharePoint team site where now each added group gets a plethora of new updates revolving around features like adding new web pages, document libraries, etc. There are some other interesting details included with the update announcement: Redesigning of the team site home page provides easier navigation to and throughthe team’s lists, applications, libraries of data, and sub team sites. Also, now when you choose the name of the team site, the group card will be shown. Addition of quick links now makes inserting content into your team’s site that much easier. The new activity section now shows recent actions of users in a group. All of these additions make the groups feature in Microsoft Office 365 that much more convenient, which let’s be honest, is the main reason companies use software like this. Let’s move on to the announcements surrounding the updates Microsoft made to SharePoint: Microsoft Office SharePoint Online Improvements More recently, Microsoft has really made it a point to improve their Microsoft SharePoint Application software. In May of this year, Microsoft talked about what they saw as the future of SharePoint at their event in San Francisco. Here they said; “…we unveiled a new cloud-first, mobile-first vision and roadmap for SharePoint, along with innovations that empower people, teams, and organizations to intelligently discover, share and collaborate on content from anywhere and on any device.”                                                                       Image Source: ms-purple.com With this update rolling out, we finally get to see some of these visions come to fruition. The new announcement included: As explained in the announcement; “The new “highlighted content” web part lets you set criteria so that specific content will automatically and dynamically populate in that area of the page.” The toolbox acts as a repository for webpage parts and developers can now make custom web parts right from this addition. They also included in on their announcement of Microsoft SharePoint updates that with, “Modern lists and support for Microsoft Flow and PowerApps” you can, “Collaborate on structured data, connect with other data sources, automate business processes and create mobile business applications based on SharePoint lists.”  The sharing and organizing of files, access to those files, and similar interactions will be introduced with the SharePoint and OneDrive apps. Note; according to the update; “Microsoft PowerApps and Flow will both soon come to the modern document library experience.” Updated Site Contents page with team sites.                                                                              Image Source: blogs.office.com One of the biggest announced updates is that the Microsoft SharePoint Application site collection storage limit will increase from 1TB to 25TB. Often times, users of the software felt that having only 1TB was a bottleneck for business purposes. This improvement will allow for improved content preservation and site collection. It would seem that Microsoft is continuing their pursuit in making these programs that much more exceptional and painless to use. Microsoft knows just how to treat their customers. I know I’m excited; you should be too!

Microsoft Office 365 Groups Integration and SharePoint Team Sites Improvements

Posted by Sophina Dillard No comments

If you asked what people thought a “Cloud” was twenty years ago, they would appropriately point to the sky and tell you that they are those white, puffy things. Nowadays, the “Cloud” is an online file sharing and network server storage used for a multitude of reasons. It is a far cry from the days of floppy disks and even USB’s. But why do people love the cloud so much? One easy answer; it makes life easier. The value of the cloud from a corporate perspective is unlimited. The sharing of information is substantially easier for workers, which raises productivity and in turn increases sales. With close to 95% of workers using any form of cloud service in their office, the sky is the limit (no cloud pun attended).                                                         Image Source: mvapublicstorage.blob.core.windows.net Microsoft Office 365, ever since its release date back in 2011, enables a subscription cloud service for all of its very popular Microsoft software such as word, excel, PowerPoint, access, etc. This along with the company’s Microsoft SharePoint Application, which is a program that acts as a secure place to store and organize information, gives businesses the tools they need to succeed. With four out of five Fortune 500 companies using Microsoft Office 365, the popularity of these apps in the workplace has become relevant. Early this September, Microsoft announced some improvements for their Office 365 and SharePoint software. Since it’s important to stay current with these changes, we’ve got you covered on the updates: Microsoft Office 365 Groups Integration Microsoft explained in their announcement; “The integration of groups and SharePoint team sites means that any time a new team site is created, a new group membership will be created as well.” Microsoft explains; “When you create a group, Office 365 gives the group a shared inbox, calendar, OneNote notebook, a Planner for task management.” The update now also includes a full-powered SharePoint team site where now each added group gets a plethora of new updates revolving around features like adding new web pages, document libraries, etc. There are some other interesting details included with the update announcement: Redesigning of the team site home page provides easier navigation to and throughthe team’s lists, applications, libraries of data, and sub team sites. Also, now when you choose the name of the team site, the group card will be shown. Addition of quick links now makes inserting content into your team’s site that much easier. The new activity section now shows recent actions of users in a group. All of these additions make the groups feature in Microsoft Office 365 that much more convenient, which let’s be honest, is the main reason companies use software like this. Let’s move on to the announcements surrounding the updates Microsoft made to SharePoint: Microsoft Office SharePoint Online Improvements More recently, Microsoft has really made it a point to improve their Microsoft SharePoint Application software. In May of this year, Microsoft talked about what they saw as the future of SharePoint at their event in San Francisco. Here they said; “…we unveiled a new cloud-first, mobile-first vision and roadmap for SharePoint, along with innovations that empower people, teams, and organizations to intelligently discover, share and collaborate on content from anywhere and on any device.”                                                                       Image Source: ms-purple.com With this update rolling out, we finally get to see some of these visions come to fruition. The new announcement included: As explained in the announcement; “The new “highlighted content” web part lets you set criteria so that specific content will automatically and dynamically populate in that area of the page.” The toolbox acts as a repository for webpage parts and developers can now make custom web parts right from this addition. They also included in on their announcement of Microsoft SharePoint updates that with, “Modern lists and support for Microsoft Flow and PowerApps” you can, “Collaborate on structured data, connect with other data sources, automate business processes and create mobile business applications based on SharePoint lists.”  The sharing and organizing of files, access to those files, and similar interactions will be introduced with the SharePoint and OneDrive apps. Note; according to the update; “Microsoft PowerApps and Flow will both soon come to the modern document library experience.” Updated Site Contents page with team sites.                                                                              Image Source: blogs.office.com One of the biggest announced updates is that the Microsoft SharePoint Application site collection storage limit will increase from 1TB to 25TB. Often times, users of the software felt that having only 1TB was a bottleneck for business purposes. This improvement will allow for improved content preservation and site collection. It would seem that Microsoft is continuing their pursuit in making these programs that much more exceptional and painless to use. Microsoft knows just how to treat their customers. I know I’m excited; you should be too!

Microsoft SharePoint’s OneDrive New Features You Should Know

                                                                         Image Credit: mva.microsoft.com

Microsoft has released a slew of new upgrades to their SharePoint and OneDirve services over the past few months. The new improvements assist enterprises that already utilize Office 365 and its features including SharePoint. Some of the enhancements are a new SharePoint framework, Microsoft Flow integration, and the addition of a Sharepoint mobile app for iOS. All of these improvements help employees work faster and smarter than they have before. 

SharePoint and Microsoft Flow

Microsoft SharePoint is a web based collaboration and document management platform, which allows enterprises to host files, manage documents, and collaborate on projects. SharePoint’s ability to store, archive, and manage documents while also allowing workers to collaborate on a document in real time gives the application a flexibility to fit any enterprises needs. One of the new updates is the addition of Microsoft Flow to SharePoint online. Microsoft Flow is an application, which automates workflows and makes managing information much easier because the application cooperates with Microsoft and many third-party applications.

SharePoint’s OneDrive Online Document Libraries

Every business needs a place to securely store their documents online and SharePoint provides a central location for workers to share, store, and collaborate on documents called OneDrive for business. Much like OneDrive, which is Microsoft’s personal cloud storage services, OneDrive for business is a cloud storage system but instead of being managed by an individual it is maintained by an organization. Microsoft even allows a user to transfer documents from their personal OneDrive account to their OneDrive for business account. 

                                                                              Image Credit: support.office.com

SharePoint Framework

SharePoint Framework allows developers to create powerful applications creating a robust user experience. The platform leverages a new page structure called SharePoint Page. The page structure gives developers the ability to build from the client-side and has some great features like hosting web parts and add-ins while being technologically independent. The whole purpose of SharePoint Framework is usability and Jeff Teper, corporate VP for Microsoft’s SharePoint and OneDrive for Business, conveyed this best when he said, “I think you'll see a simple user experience [and] we will have an extensibility model. The goal is not to have somebody have to read 1,000-page how-to program in a SharePoint book.” Microsoft has made an effort in recent months to make enterprises have simple and seamless experiences with their applications and services.

                                                                                 Image Credit: blogs.office.com 

SharePoint Mobile

For any business that wants convenience, a mobile application in today’s world is a necessity. Microsoft’s mobile application offers users the ability to enter portals, access content, and collaborate with coworkers. Sharepoint is connected through Office 365 so it always on a user’s desktop, while OneDrive for Business is integrated into the iOS app. Both applications allow an employee to always be available, which creates a more productive business. The app also comes with Microsoft Graph technology, which connects SharePoint Online and Office 365.

                                                                                   Image Credit: blogs.office.com

Businesses are constantly looking to make their workers more efficient and open. Microsoft is always adding new features to their services and interpreting and predicting the needs of their customers. SharePoint and OneDrive are great examples because they are built with business demands in mind. In the future, Microsoft is adding Webhooks into SharePoint, custom sites on the SharePoint Framework, and the sites API on Microsoft Graph.

All of these new components will make their applications more efficient and seamlessly help a business. SharePoint delivers workers a central location to communicate with their coworkers, produce content, and accept tasks. Sharing content online in a secure environment has become an important aspect of any business. OneDrive for Business allows organizations to control their employees’ capability to contribute to the documents in the library. Microsoft creates applications and services that better enterprises by improving the technology people use everyday. 

Microsoft SharePoint’s OneDrive New Features You Should Know

Posted by Sophina Dillard No comments

                                                                         Image Credit: mva.microsoft.com

Microsoft has released a slew of new upgrades to their SharePoint and OneDirve services over the past few months. The new improvements assist enterprises that already utilize Office 365 and its features including SharePoint. Some of the enhancements are a new SharePoint framework, Microsoft Flow integration, and the addition of a Sharepoint mobile app for iOS. All of these improvements help employees work faster and smarter than they have before. 

SharePoint and Microsoft Flow

Microsoft SharePoint is a web based collaboration and document management platform, which allows enterprises to host files, manage documents, and collaborate on projects. SharePoint’s ability to store, archive, and manage documents while also allowing workers to collaborate on a document in real time gives the application a flexibility to fit any enterprises needs. One of the new updates is the addition of Microsoft Flow to SharePoint online. Microsoft Flow is an application, which automates workflows and makes managing information much easier because the application cooperates with Microsoft and many third-party applications.

SharePoint’s OneDrive Online Document Libraries

Every business needs a place to securely store their documents online and SharePoint provides a central location for workers to share, store, and collaborate on documents called OneDrive for business. Much like OneDrive, which is Microsoft’s personal cloud storage services, OneDrive for business is a cloud storage system but instead of being managed by an individual it is maintained by an organization. Microsoft even allows a user to transfer documents from their personal OneDrive account to their OneDrive for business account. 

                                                                              Image Credit: support.office.com

SharePoint Framework

SharePoint Framework allows developers to create powerful applications creating a robust user experience. The platform leverages a new page structure called SharePoint Page. The page structure gives developers the ability to build from the client-side and has some great features like hosting web parts and add-ins while being technologically independent. The whole purpose of SharePoint Framework is usability and Jeff Teper, corporate VP for Microsoft’s SharePoint and OneDrive for Business, conveyed this best when he said, “I think you'll see a simple user experience [and] we will have an extensibility model. The goal is not to have somebody have to read 1,000-page how-to program in a SharePoint book.” Microsoft has made an effort in recent months to make enterprises have simple and seamless experiences with their applications and services.

                                                                                 Image Credit: blogs.office.com 

SharePoint Mobile

For any business that wants convenience, a mobile application in today’s world is a necessity. Microsoft’s mobile application offers users the ability to enter portals, access content, and collaborate with coworkers. Sharepoint is connected through Office 365 so it always on a user’s desktop, while OneDrive for Business is integrated into the iOS app. Both applications allow an employee to always be available, which creates a more productive business. The app also comes with Microsoft Graph technology, which connects SharePoint Online and Office 365.

                                                                                   Image Credit: blogs.office.com

Businesses are constantly looking to make their workers more efficient and open. Microsoft is always adding new features to their services and interpreting and predicting the needs of their customers. SharePoint and OneDrive are great examples because they are built with business demands in mind. In the future, Microsoft is adding Webhooks into SharePoint, custom sites on the SharePoint Framework, and the sites API on Microsoft Graph.

All of these new components will make their applications more efficient and seamlessly help a business. SharePoint delivers workers a central location to communicate with their coworkers, produce content, and accept tasks. Sharing content online in a secure environment has become an important aspect of any business. OneDrive for Business allows organizations to control their employees’ capability to contribute to the documents in the library. Microsoft creates applications and services that better enterprises by improving the technology people use everyday. 

The risks of SharePoint security mismanagement

How would you feel if that creep from the office had looked through your contract to find out what you earn? Would it bother you if anyone other than your direct manager could read your performance review? What would it look like if your company’s customer details or information about a merger were hacked?

SharePoint is an amazingly powerful tool which, when implemented correctly, is perfectly secure. However, that’s the catch: it has to be implemented correctly. We love SharePoint because it’s so amazingly flexible, and this flexibility basically allows you to deploy it in almost any way you want. However, this feature is a double-edged sword – people often implement SharePoint in a risky manner, and open their organizations to the danger of leaks and hacks.

Why you need to be aware of SharePoint risks

Not convinced that having a security policy is such a big deal? Think again. 

A recent survey of 1000 SharePoint users found some pretty surprising results. 34% of respondents admitted that themselves or their colleagues had, at some point, looked at documents they weren’t supposed to read. Of those who had, 23% had looked into their colleagues’ salary information, 34% had looked at other personal details and 8% had discovered secret information about mergers and acquisitions. Respondents also shared information they weren’t supposed to, either by putting it on USB sticks or sharing it with themselves via email. 

Perhaps most worryingly, a lot of companies don’t have any kind of strategy for dealing with security. Research by Emedia revealed that a staggering 22% of organizations have NO information security policy:

As Emedia’s research shows, only 1/3 of organizations actually have a comprehensive and up-to-date security policy to protect themselves against data breaches.

Why is all of this a problem?

If you don’t have a comprehensive security strategy, you’re opening your company up to a lot of risks.

Privacy

It goes without saying, but most employees would feel violated if they knew anyone in the business would be able to see their personal information. Even if they had ‘nothing to hide’ the simple fact that their colleagues could discover private information without asking them directly would make many people feel uncomfortable.

Leaks

Another major risk for organizations without a strong security policy is that information may be leaked by employees with an agenda or who want to damage the organization in some way. While it’s true that SharePoint wasn’t at fault for the Edward Snowden leaks at the NSA (lax security was to blame), it does show how even a technically advanced organization can be vulnerable to internal attacks. Without a strong security policy, your organization’s plans, trade secrets and strategy could be shared with competitors and undermine your market position. 

Hacking

Almost any organization worth its salt is at risk of hacking. If a hacker is determined, they may well find a hole at some point in your company’s security – even if you have a well maintained firewall. However, those organizations who have developed ‘defense in depth’ will always be able to limit the impact of such attacks. Even if a hacker ‘gets in’ with a valid user name they’ve acquired, they’ll only ever be able to see what that user had access to. If your company doesn’t have a well maintained internal security policy and allows anyone to look at any document, you may as well fling the doors wide open. 

Compliance

You might still not be convinced that any of the above reasons are enough to make you improve your SharePoint security strategy. However, you never really had much of a choice anyway. There are a range of regulations around the world which, to some degree or another, will force you to treat and manage the data your company collects in a secure manner. 

The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be coming into force over the next couple of years. It will basically affect any company that ever treats the Personably Identifiable Information (PII) of individuals from the EU – whether they’re customers, clients or employees. The rule will force companies to implement strict data management policies to reduce the chances of private data getting into the wrong hands. And if you don’t comply, expect a hefty fine – either 100 million Euros or 5% of annual turnover – whichever is greater. 

Get smart

SharePoint security needn’t be too hard, though. Fortunately, there is software out there, such as Sharegate, that makes SharePoint security management very simple. If you properly manage SharePoint’s security, you’ll massively reduce your chances of losing vital information, secrets and being fined by international organizations. Secure SharePoint management doesn’t require a HUGE effort, just a little planning and preparation. If you make up one of the two thirds of companies that don’t have a comprehensive strategy, ask yourself “why not?”.

The risks of SharePoint security mismanagement

Posted by Sophina Dillard No comments

How would you feel if that creep from the office had looked through your contract to find out what you earn? Would it bother you if anyone other than your direct manager could read your performance review? What would it look like if your company’s customer details or information about a merger were hacked?

SharePoint is an amazingly powerful tool which, when implemented correctly, is perfectly secure. However, that’s the catch: it has to be implemented correctly. We love SharePoint because it’s so amazingly flexible, and this flexibility basically allows you to deploy it in almost any way you want. However, this feature is a double-edged sword – people often implement SharePoint in a risky manner, and open their organizations to the danger of leaks and hacks.

Why you need to be aware of SharePoint risks

Not convinced that having a security policy is such a big deal? Think again. 

A recent survey of 1000 SharePoint users found some pretty surprising results. 34% of respondents admitted that themselves or their colleagues had, at some point, looked at documents they weren’t supposed to read. Of those who had, 23% had looked into their colleagues’ salary information, 34% had looked at other personal details and 8% had discovered secret information about mergers and acquisitions. Respondents also shared information they weren’t supposed to, either by putting it on USB sticks or sharing it with themselves via email. 

Perhaps most worryingly, a lot of companies don’t have any kind of strategy for dealing with security. Research by Emedia revealed that a staggering 22% of organizations have NO information security policy:

As Emedia’s research shows, only 1/3 of organizations actually have a comprehensive and up-to-date security policy to protect themselves against data breaches.

Why is all of this a problem?

If you don’t have a comprehensive security strategy, you’re opening your company up to a lot of risks.

Privacy

It goes without saying, but most employees would feel violated if they knew anyone in the business would be able to see their personal information. Even if they had ‘nothing to hide’ the simple fact that their colleagues could discover private information without asking them directly would make many people feel uncomfortable.

Leaks

Another major risk for organizations without a strong security policy is that information may be leaked by employees with an agenda or who want to damage the organization in some way. While it’s true that SharePoint wasn’t at fault for the Edward Snowden leaks at the NSA (lax security was to blame), it does show how even a technically advanced organization can be vulnerable to internal attacks. Without a strong security policy, your organization’s plans, trade secrets and strategy could be shared with competitors and undermine your market position. 

Hacking

Almost any organization worth its salt is at risk of hacking. If a hacker is determined, they may well find a hole at some point in your company’s security – even if you have a well maintained firewall. However, those organizations who have developed ‘defense in depth’ will always be able to limit the impact of such attacks. Even if a hacker ‘gets in’ with a valid user name they’ve acquired, they’ll only ever be able to see what that user had access to. If your company doesn’t have a well maintained internal security policy and allows anyone to look at any document, you may as well fling the doors wide open. 

Compliance

You might still not be convinced that any of the above reasons are enough to make you improve your SharePoint security strategy. However, you never really had much of a choice anyway. There are a range of regulations around the world which, to some degree or another, will force you to treat and manage the data your company collects in a secure manner. 

The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be coming into force over the next couple of years. It will basically affect any company that ever treats the Personably Identifiable Information (PII) of individuals from the EU – whether they’re customers, clients or employees. The rule will force companies to implement strict data management policies to reduce the chances of private data getting into the wrong hands. And if you don’t comply, expect a hefty fine – either 100 million Euros or 5% of annual turnover – whichever is greater. 

Get smart

SharePoint security needn’t be too hard, though. Fortunately, there is software out there, such as Sharegate, that makes SharePoint security management very simple. If you properly manage SharePoint’s security, you’ll massively reduce your chances of losing vital information, secrets and being fined by international organizations. Secure SharePoint management doesn’t require a HUGE effort, just a little planning and preparation. If you make up one of the two thirds of companies that don’t have a comprehensive strategy, ask yourself “why not?”.

Facts about SharePoint 2016 Preview and What makes it Different from its Previous Version

Image Source: itunity.com

You might have read about the SharePoint 2016 updates in my previous blog, here I am back with some more important highlights and facts about the SharePoint 2016  such as its preview version, launch date, usage, advancement, applications, features as well as answers to some basic queries of the users.

As we know Microsoft has released SharePoint 2016 Preview on August 24, 2015 to test the features of original SharePoint 2016 which will become usually available in 2nd quarter of 2016. Let’s have brief look on SharePoint 2016 features and what makes it different from its previous version. SharePoint 2016 will focus more on better user experience, cloud hybrid infrastructure, compliance & monitoring and many others.

Better User Experience - SharePoint 2016 will be most likely  similar to  SharePoint 2013 but with more people centric feature. By improving the user experiences with the use of innovative technology such as, it will provide improved touch based experience across all the devices, mobiles, and tablets. While emphasising more on one drive for business, which means place where all the files you are working with are stored and accessible from anywhere. A personal online storage space just like “Dropbox”.

Cloud Hybrid Infrastructure - SharePoint server 2016 updates allow users to avail advantage of cloud hybrid capabilities. By providing all-in-one facility to all the users who are working in different environment. It means, with the help of a true hybrid index users can get search results from Office 365 and SharePoint 2016 as well as SQL Server together with cloud data commonly in a single index.

Compliance & Monitoring -With every new version, SharePoint provides better authentication and security features so that content can be shared securely and safely inside and outside of the organization. Same with the SharePoint Server 2016- It ensures better security and monitoring facility than the previous version and with investment in DLP (data loss prevention) information remains protected i.e. in earlier versions DLP was negotiable, schools and organization doesn’t pay much attention but now it’s compulsion for all to make sure that confidential information remains protected.

These are some SharePoint 2016 features, now let’s have a look on to solutions of some common questions of the users which arise in their minds before installation of SharePoint 2016 preview

Which  Browsers are Supported in SharePoint 2016?

SharePoint Server 2016 IT preview supports all the popular browsers like latest versions of Internet Explorer i.e. 11 & 10. All versions of Microsoft edge, latest versions of Google Chrome, previous to latest and most recent versions of Mozilla Firefox, latest released version of Apple Safari. But all the features do not work in all the above browsers and their different versions. 

What are the Minimum Specifications Required?

Hardware requirements are –

For single SQL server instance RAM 12 to 16 GB RAM, with 64-bit 4 Core processor, 80 GB space for drive and addition 100 GB for second drive.

Single farm server (separate server for the SQL DB) RAM 12 to 16 GB, 64-bit 4 Core processor, 80 GB for drive space.

Software Requirements are – 

You'll need to update some of the softwares like Server 2012 R2 at a minimum and .NET Framework 4.5.2. It can also run on Server 10 with only change in .Net Framework i.e. 4.5.6 instead of 4.5.2

Can SharePoint 2016 Preview  be Upgradable to RTM?

No, one cannot upgrade the SharePoint 2016 Preview to RTM.

Are Excel Services Removed from SharePoint 2016?

Following Excel Services in standalone SharePoint 2016 farm is deprecated-

View Excel Spreadsheet

Reliable data providers

Unattended service account 

Excel SOAP API & Webparts

But it is suggested to IT admins to use the Office Online Server to host Excel services.

What are the Extra new Features that are Coming in SharePoint 2016?

Speedily Site Creation – The site collection process became easy now, it will totally rely on copying collection of existing site which increases the speed.

Link Durability – Links whose file name changed and moved to different site collection still it will work properly.

Hybrid Result – Now in SharePoint 2016 search results are shown from cloud and on-premises farms i.e. hybrid results are shown, no matter from where you search.

Launch of SharePoint 2016 is still a year away but you may install its preview version. It will give you a closer view about its working, features, specifications and more.

Keep in tune I will keep on updating you with more facts about  SharePoint 2016  and its release date.

Contact here for your SharePoint application development services. Our expertise on Microsoft SharePoint will help you

Facts about SharePoint 2016 Preview and What makes it Different from its Previous Version

Posted by Sophina Dillard No comments

Image Source: itunity.com

You might have read about the SharePoint 2016 updates in my previous blog, here I am back with some more important highlights and facts about the SharePoint 2016  such as its preview version, launch date, usage, advancement, applications, features as well as answers to some basic queries of the users.

As we know Microsoft has released SharePoint 2016 Preview on August 24, 2015 to test the features of original SharePoint 2016 which will become usually available in 2nd quarter of 2016. Let’s have brief look on SharePoint 2016 features and what makes it different from its previous version. SharePoint 2016 will focus more on better user experience, cloud hybrid infrastructure, compliance & monitoring and many others.

Better User Experience - SharePoint 2016 will be most likely  similar to  SharePoint 2013 but with more people centric feature. By improving the user experiences with the use of innovative technology such as, it will provide improved touch based experience across all the devices, mobiles, and tablets. While emphasising more on one drive for business, which means place where all the files you are working with are stored and accessible from anywhere. A personal online storage space just like “Dropbox”.

Cloud Hybrid Infrastructure - SharePoint server 2016 updates allow users to avail advantage of cloud hybrid capabilities. By providing all-in-one facility to all the users who are working in different environment. It means, with the help of a true hybrid index users can get search results from Office 365 and SharePoint 2016 as well as SQL Server together with cloud data commonly in a single index.

Compliance & Monitoring -With every new version, SharePoint provides better authentication and security features so that content can be shared securely and safely inside and outside of the organization. Same with the SharePoint Server 2016- It ensures better security and monitoring facility than the previous version and with investment in DLP (data loss prevention) information remains protected i.e. in earlier versions DLP was negotiable, schools and organization doesn’t pay much attention but now it’s compulsion for all to make sure that confidential information remains protected.

These are some SharePoint 2016 features, now let’s have a look on to solutions of some common questions of the users which arise in their minds before installation of SharePoint 2016 preview

Which  Browsers are Supported in SharePoint 2016?

SharePoint Server 2016 IT preview supports all the popular browsers like latest versions of Internet Explorer i.e. 11 & 10. All versions of Microsoft edge, latest versions of Google Chrome, previous to latest and most recent versions of Mozilla Firefox, latest released version of Apple Safari. But all the features do not work in all the above browsers and their different versions. 

What are the Minimum Specifications Required?

Hardware requirements are –

For single SQL server instance RAM 12 to 16 GB RAM, with 64-bit 4 Core processor, 80 GB space for drive and addition 100 GB for second drive.

Single farm server (separate server for the SQL DB) RAM 12 to 16 GB, 64-bit 4 Core processor, 80 GB for drive space.

Software Requirements are – 

You'll need to update some of the softwares like Server 2012 R2 at a minimum and .NET Framework 4.5.2. It can also run on Server 10 with only change in .Net Framework i.e. 4.5.6 instead of 4.5.2

Can SharePoint 2016 Preview  be Upgradable to RTM?

No, one cannot upgrade the SharePoint 2016 Preview to RTM.

Are Excel Services Removed from SharePoint 2016?

Following Excel Services in standalone SharePoint 2016 farm is deprecated-

View Excel Spreadsheet

Reliable data providers

Unattended service account 

Excel SOAP API & Webparts

But it is suggested to IT admins to use the Office Online Server to host Excel services.

What are the Extra new Features that are Coming in SharePoint 2016?

Speedily Site Creation – The site collection process became easy now, it will totally rely on copying collection of existing site which increases the speed.

Link Durability – Links whose file name changed and moved to different site collection still it will work properly.

Hybrid Result – Now in SharePoint 2016 search results are shown from cloud and on-premises farms i.e. hybrid results are shown, no matter from where you search.

Launch of SharePoint 2016 is still a year away but you may install its preview version. It will give you a closer view about its working, features, specifications and more.

Keep in tune I will keep on updating you with more facts about  SharePoint 2016  and its release date.

Contact here for your SharePoint application development services. Our expertise on Microsoft SharePoint will help you

SharePoint Server 2016 Updates

As the world is moving towards cloud based technology, Microsoft is planning to release yet another product SharePoint server 2016 in the next year which will give a new outlook to the SharePoint technology. The SharePoint server 2016 will be released in Q2 2016, with a public beta planned for Q4 2015. It is the next version of SharePoint Server which is inspired by cloud technology and will help to unify the servers. At the same time, hybrid deployments of SharePoint Server with Office 365 will be possible through cloud innovation.

It is assumed that “SharePoint server 2016 can be all or one thing” meaning, it will be the server experiencing all kind of features including file repositories, providing various BI (Business intelligence) . So, everything will be available at a single place for the user.

With SharePoint 2016, Microsoft is moving various technologies into cloud such as Delve, clutter, groups, and is also introducing a new layer rather than keeping all services separate. Moreover, Microsoft is also planning to add new experiences to the server 2016 by making it more social and mobile, and enforcing machine learning capabilities. The main improvement which will be introduced in SharePoint server 2016 is SharePoint's Files, Content Management, Sites and Portals.

Portal will now be mobile enabled and will be more simplified for the end users. Search improvement in the SharePoint will be Delve based on office craft technology and will have governance control for IT department. Files in SharePoint 2016 will be improved with one drive for business (previously it was My Documents). The improved files will help in mobile data management and prevention of data loss.

In addition to this, SharePoint 2016 will now be more consistently code based, which will help in filling gaps between offline and online products. Another important feature is patch with zero down time. A super exciting feature.

Continuing with the more features; SharePoint 2016 will also be adding server role installation wizard, while new compliance reports with role based installation will be added in the product.

Last but not the least, server will have inbuilt health analysers which will keep track on road as provision in SharePoint form.

Few Requirements for SharePoint server 2016-

OS requirement for SharePoint server 2016 will be Windows Server 2012 R2 or "Windows Server 10 In addition to this, it also requires Windows Server App Fabric 1.1 but it will be deplored next year. For the time being it will be supported in the SharePoint 2016.

Author :

Omnie Solutions is an enterprise application development company providing custom web and enterprise mobile application development services to global business using enterprise platforms like Microsoft sharepoint 2013, IBM WebSphere portal, Siebel CRM and more. Follow Omnie Solutions on Facebook, and Twitter. 

SharePoint Server 2016 Updates

Posted by Sophina Dillard No comments

As the world is moving towards cloud based technology, Microsoft is planning to release yet another product SharePoint server 2016 in the next year which will give a new outlook to the SharePoint technology. The SharePoint server 2016 will be released in Q2 2016, with a public beta planned for Q4 2015. It is the next version of SharePoint Server which is inspired by cloud technology and will help to unify the servers. At the same time, hybrid deployments of SharePoint Server with Office 365 will be possible through cloud innovation.

It is assumed that “SharePoint server 2016 can be all or one thing” meaning, it will be the server experiencing all kind of features including file repositories, providing various BI (Business intelligence) . So, everything will be available at a single place for the user.

With SharePoint 2016, Microsoft is moving various technologies into cloud such as Delve, clutter, groups, and is also introducing a new layer rather than keeping all services separate. Moreover, Microsoft is also planning to add new experiences to the server 2016 by making it more social and mobile, and enforcing machine learning capabilities. The main improvement which will be introduced in SharePoint server 2016 is SharePoint's Files, Content Management, Sites and Portals.

Portal will now be mobile enabled and will be more simplified for the end users. Search improvement in the SharePoint will be Delve based on office craft technology and will have governance control for IT department. Files in SharePoint 2016 will be improved with one drive for business (previously it was My Documents). The improved files will help in mobile data management and prevention of data loss.

In addition to this, SharePoint 2016 will now be more consistently code based, which will help in filling gaps between offline and online products. Another important feature is patch with zero down time. A super exciting feature.

Continuing with the more features; SharePoint 2016 will also be adding server role installation wizard, while new compliance reports with role based installation will be added in the product.

Last but not the least, server will have inbuilt health analysers which will keep track on road as provision in SharePoint form.

Few Requirements for SharePoint server 2016-

OS requirement for SharePoint server 2016 will be Windows Server 2012 R2 or "Windows Server 10 In addition to this, it also requires Windows Server App Fabric 1.1 but it will be deplored next year. For the time being it will be supported in the SharePoint 2016.

Author :

Omnie Solutions is an enterprise application development company providing custom web and enterprise mobile application development services to global business using enterprise platforms like Microsoft sharepoint 2013, IBM WebSphere portal, Siebel CRM and more. Follow Omnie Solutions on Facebook, and Twitter. 

Innovative Use of SharePoint in Different Field

United Airlines- Central Deployment

United Airlines is one of the well-known and leading airlines with over 85,000 employees, participated in the SharePoint Server 2013 Rapid Deployment Program. The program build to provide advice or feedback about the customer’s airline’s experience in its WAN environment. Simultaneously, it also allowed each customer to reduce their server footprint while providing an outstanding social collaboration experience. Moreover team developed a new procurement tool that is based on taxonomy and additional features in SharePoint 2013.

United Airlines’ team trust on SharePoint sites to complete job-related tasks including the 379 global airports. Even the whole route map for the airline which shows the geographic environment is served by a centralized SharePoint farm.

Ref: technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh206325

University of West London - Social Learning

University of West London (UWL) decided to create a student portal by using SharePoint. A platform that allows students to interact with each other safely and which create academically driven environment.

To keep this thing in mind an online portal is created using SharePoint for better collaboration between staff, students and administration, and to make the things and services available at anytime, anywhere & from any device. The student portal has so many features, range of tools, services under one platform i.e. My UWL branding. (My Email, My Site, My SkyDrive, My School, My Noticeboard, My Connections, My Marks, My Timetable, My Personal Details, My Modules, My Pebble pad, My Calendar, My Graduation, My Software Deals).My site was similar to social networking platform like Facebook.

Ref: ucisa.ac.uk/groups/cisg/sharepoint

University of Essex -Student Recruitment

University of Essex started 2 year SharePoint project to store and use the central students file. They replaced their paper based document record with an Electronic Student File hosted in SharePoint. A two year SharePoint project was started at university of Essex to store and use the University’s central student files for editing and updating files and other sources into a single electronic file. The aim of creating Electronic files is to keep them safe and they can never be misplaced or misfiled. With SharePoint it is also possible to manage registry process from initiation to completion.

By the time SharePoint used for monitoring academic selectors’ approval of applications, interview results and disability needs valuation. Which lead to significant savings in staff time and reduction in paper files.

After the implementation of electronic files for undergraduates, the University turned its attention to postgraduate applications. These benefits of SharePoint resulted into unexpectedly positive degree.

Ref: ucisa.ac.uk/groups/cisg/sharepoint

D & M Holdings Inc. - Enhances Images, Cuts Cost 

D&M manufactures various brand of exclusive consumer electronics including Denon and Marantz. Now the company required to streamline the management of its brand website to increase the sales and reduce the cost. Hence D&M Holdings selected Microsoft SharePoint 2010 for internet sites. With the amazing feature of SharePoint the company has combined nine different platform into one, and created unified brand image. Resultant of it is website user experience has improved.

Ref: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/111176438/Omnie-Solutions-Implemented-MicroSoft-SharePoint-2010-for-D-and-M-Holdings-Company

Hence, this are some case studies defining the importance of SharePoint since many years, there are many more unique features of SharePoint which will lead users by surprise.

Innovative Use of SharePoint in Different Field

Posted by Sophina Dillard No comments

United Airlines- Central Deployment

United Airlines is one of the well-known and leading airlines with over 85,000 employees, participated in the SharePoint Server 2013 Rapid Deployment Program. The program build to provide advice or feedback about the customer’s airline’s experience in its WAN environment. Simultaneously, it also allowed each customer to reduce their server footprint while providing an outstanding social collaboration experience. Moreover team developed a new procurement tool that is based on taxonomy and additional features in SharePoint 2013.

United Airlines’ team trust on SharePoint sites to complete job-related tasks including the 379 global airports. Even the whole route map for the airline which shows the geographic environment is served by a centralized SharePoint farm.

Ref: technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh206325

University of West London - Social Learning

University of West London (UWL) decided to create a student portal by using SharePoint. A platform that allows students to interact with each other safely and which create academically driven environment.

To keep this thing in mind an online portal is created using SharePoint for better collaboration between staff, students and administration, and to make the things and services available at anytime, anywhere & from any device. The student portal has so many features, range of tools, services under one platform i.e. My UWL branding. (My Email, My Site, My SkyDrive, My School, My Noticeboard, My Connections, My Marks, My Timetable, My Personal Details, My Modules, My Pebble pad, My Calendar, My Graduation, My Software Deals).My site was similar to social networking platform like Facebook.

Ref: ucisa.ac.uk/groups/cisg/sharepoint

University of Essex -Student Recruitment

University of Essex started 2 year SharePoint project to store and use the central students file. They replaced their paper based document record with an Electronic Student File hosted in SharePoint. A two year SharePoint project was started at university of Essex to store and use the University’s central student files for editing and updating files and other sources into a single electronic file. The aim of creating Electronic files is to keep them safe and they can never be misplaced or misfiled. With SharePoint it is also possible to manage registry process from initiation to completion.

By the time SharePoint used for monitoring academic selectors’ approval of applications, interview results and disability needs valuation. Which lead to significant savings in staff time and reduction in paper files.

After the implementation of electronic files for undergraduates, the University turned its attention to postgraduate applications. These benefits of SharePoint resulted into unexpectedly positive degree.

Ref: ucisa.ac.uk/groups/cisg/sharepoint

D & M Holdings Inc. - Enhances Images, Cuts Cost 

D&M manufactures various brand of exclusive consumer electronics including Denon and Marantz. Now the company required to streamline the management of its brand website to increase the sales and reduce the cost. Hence D&M Holdings selected Microsoft SharePoint 2010 for internet sites. With the amazing feature of SharePoint the company has combined nine different platform into one, and created unified brand image. Resultant of it is website user experience has improved.

Ref: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/111176438/Omnie-Solutions-Implemented-MicroSoft-SharePoint-2010-for-D-and-M-Holdings-Company

Hence, this are some case studies defining the importance of SharePoint since many years, there are many more unique features of SharePoint which will lead users by surprise.