Each expert from the community contributes 15 minute video briefings on Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 topics. Check out this month’s updates.
Is there a topic you want to see or are you interested in doing an expert community briefing? Do let me know.
Microsoft Teams Monthly Update – September 2023
https://app.empowering.cloud/briefings/203/Microsoft-Teams-Monthly-Update-September-2023
September has been especially exciting with Microsoft’s announcement of the release date of Copilot for general access in enterprises, which among other news and updates is covered by MVP Tom Arbuthnot in just 13 minutes in the September Microsoft Teams Monthly Update:
- Microsoft Teams unbundling in the EU
- New Microsoft Room features in 4.18
- Cloud Video Interop (CVI) updates
- PowerShell Updates
- New features in Teams panels including a QR code for meeting room bookings
- Launch of Teams by Mobile in the UK by BT
- Microsoft’s Copilot copyright commitment
Introduction to Designing Meeting Rooms & Spaces that Wow
In this briefing, Onyinye Madubuko takes us through room design elements, considerations and next steps to combat the challenge in which 43% of remote attendees do not feel connected during meetings:
- Understanding the purpose of meeting rooms and spaces
- Essential design elements and considerations in creating hybrid workplaces, such as intelligent devices, accessibility, flexibility and security
- Understanding room layout, table shape, display, light, camera position, sound, ceiling type, noise level, number of room attendees, scheduling assistant and network ports when redesigning the meeting room
- Considerations for choosing meeting room devices and the importance of budget, cable management, logistic and procurement and product testing
- Implementation scope and the importance of client transparency throughout the process
- The necessity for training and support while transitioning to a new meeting room setup
Understanding Teams Phone Licensing
https://app.empowering.cloud/briefings/201/Teams-Phone-Licensing
Teams expert and author at CloudWay, Ben Lee explains the user licensing required around Teams phone functioning:
- Using Teams Phone requires 3 components:
- 1 – a Teams license
- 2 – a Teams Phone license
- 3 – some form of PSTN delivery
- Microsoft provide PSTN delivery themselves via the Calling Plan license
- Calling Plans are only available for certain countries and come with different included minute options
- Communications Credits can be used to pay for additional voice workloads not covered by other licenses
- Teams Phone Resource Accounts are required for Voice Apps and require a separate (free) license
- Teams Shared Device license is used for common area phones
- Teams meeting rooms require either a basic or pro license depending on functionality needs
Configure and Manage Device Join and Registration
https://app.empowering.cloud/briefings/204/Configure-and-Manage-Device-Join-and-Registration
MVP Peter Rising talks us through configuring and managing device join and registration, including write back features:
- Device identity is an object in Microsoft Azure AD, similar to users, groups or applications
- 3 ways to acquire a device identity
- 1 – Azure AD registration
- 2 – Azure AD join
- 3 – hybrid Azure AD join
- Azure AD join allows users to join their devices to Azure AD on Windows 10
- Azure AD registration is for enrolment with Microsoft Intune or Mobile Device Management for Office 365
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) may be required for device registration or joining using conditional access
- The recommended maximum number of devices per user is 20
- Azure AD registered devices support BYOD scenarios
- Configuring hybrid Azure AD domain joining and device writeback is done on the Azure AD Connect server
- Hybrid Azure AD join combines on-premises Active Directory with Azure AD
- Device writeback enables Windows Hello for business and condition access based on ADFS
- Device writeback configuration requires Azure AD Connect and the use of enterprise admin credentials
- The process includes configuring device options, forest selection, authentication service and the device writeback process
- The Azure AD Connect wizard can auto-generate PowerShell scripts for preparing the Active Directory for the device writeback
Microsoft Teams Development Update – September 2023
https://app.empowering.cloud/briefings/194/Microsoft-Teams-Development-Update-September-2023
MVP Tom Morgan gives us all the Microsoft Teams Development updates for September:
- The Microsoft 365 development update for this month focuses on AI-related updates
- Microsoft Copilot is expected to be announced soon and organisation should prepare by ensuring their data is good and well-tagged
- Developers can start getting ready for Copilot by exploring the 3 ways to extend its capabilities before its release
- Microsoft Research has introduced a new language model called ‘Gorilla’, which excels in understanding and making API calls, which could be valuable in bridging various APIs and services
- Prompt engineering tips for developers creating bots with large language models
- Improved visibility for add-ins on Microsoft Office apps, providing opportunities for developers to showcase their add-ins
Upcoming Community Events
Teams Fireside Chat with Karuana Gatimu – 25th October 16:00
https://ec.empowering.cloud/c/events-calendar/teams-fireside-chat-october-2023-karuana-gatimu
Join Tom Arbuthnot, Karuana Gatimu, and other community members to chat about New Teams and Copilot in a virtual fireside chat. Log in to Empowering.Cloud to RSVP – we hope to see you there!