Recent Discussions
M365 Business and Conditional Access
M365 Business does not include the ability to create conditional access rules. We are wondering if there was any specific reasons it was not included such as cost, complexity or MS felt for SMBs the risk was not the same. The price point of this product, $20/seat, is perfect so I would not want to see it go up but having 2-3 basic conditional access rules available would be ideal. These might be allow only authenticated devices, allow only from within North America and allow only from listed IP address ranges. Mark BentonUniversal Print is available for Microsoft 365 Business Premium
If you have a Microsoft 365 Business Premium subscription, you can now add the preview of Universal Print. Universal Print is a cloud-based print infrastructure, which will be included with your subscription once it is Generally Available. You can register printers in your subscriptions and your users can print from any place to those printers. Go from Ctrl + Pain to Ctrl + Print. Get a quick overview here or you can get started with accessing the Universal Print public preview for a step-by-step guide, support links, and FAQ. And don’t forget to participate in the Universal Print community and share your ideas and feature requests with us as you try it out. We are in the Tech Community too, so let us know how it goes! The Universal Print TeamWhat's the biggest challenge your small business is facing with technology right now?
Hi everyone, We're curious to hear from you all about any technology challenges your business is currently facing. Whether it's managing remote work, cybersecurity concerns, or finding the right tools to streamline operations, let's share our experiences and solutions. Your insights could help others in the community who might be facing similar issues. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!Shape the Future of Microsoft 365! 🚀 Share your feedback in our quick 5-minute survey!
We’re seeking customer feedback on an upcoming feature set related to security settings and device management in Microsoft 365. Please share your thoughts by filling out this 5-minute survey: https://forms.office.com/r/ynx42a41th If you’re interested in providing additional feedback, feel free to comment below.
Crafting a simple task and planning solution in 365 -Planner / Lists /...
Hi there I am a long term MS user with an IT management background. I have extensive experience of shaping, planning and delivering a range of technology and business projects. I understand process well. I am helping a small business craft a simple but effective solution and want to use the tools 365 Business standard. So here I may use Planner, Lists and and maybe forms. I have used and understand both VISIO and MS Project well as background, y aim here is to deliver something 'simple but effective'. My first challenge is to understand Planner and Lists well. Planner looks pretty straightforward, and I've just dabbled with Lists. So what is the easiest way for me to grasp what these tools can do so that I can 'assemble' my solution. I do not want to invest in more software but use the 365 Toolset I have. Here's the flow of what I want to achieve -it is 'top down' planning split into 2 stages: 1. Create High-level plan - Output: A network diagram of the 'key (big) deliverables' in a network (dependency) a PERT view would do this, would be nice to have 'deliverables on the node'. First thought (FS) -in VISIO (web). 2. Create detailed plan: 2.1 Define all the deliverables needed. 2.2 Identify the tasks each requires. Capture some details of each task, be nice to customise the attributes of these. Really want to be able to visualise dependencies between deliverables, show subordinate deliverables of 'key' deliverables and dependencies between tasks. Display options: Deliverable dependencies (key deliverables), all deliverables (without key deliverables option), task dependencies all a network view. Deliverables viewed in a single log with attributes (table format), Task log (table format). Kanban (board) view for tasks. Report: Deliverable status (format: dashboard summary), (format: dashboard detailed). Plan in GANTT task view and status -not required. I guess this lot is likely beyond the toolset at my disposal, but I'm intrigued to know how far might be possible! All and any feedback most welcome.... thank you! NiallMicrosoft Defender for Business Preview and Office Hours
Microsoft Defender for Business is now in preview! Partners and customers can join the preview to get early access to the capabilities - a new enterprise-grade endpoint security solution, specially designed for small and medium businesses (SMBs) with up to 300 employees. At general availability, Microsoft Defender for Business will be available both as a standalone SKU and included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Partners will soon be able to access Microsoft 365 Lighthouse capabilities in preview with Microsoft Defender for Business to view incidents and alerts at scale across your customers. Register for the preview and join us during our Microsoft Defender for Business office hours. In these meetings, we’ll showcase features and capabilities of Microsoft Defender for Business preview, answer questions about the product, and gather your feedback on the product experience to date. Register for the Microsoft Defender for Business preview trial. Attend Microsoft Defender for Business office hours on Monday, 1/24 at 9 AM PST Additional resources Review the technical documentation to understand the preview sign-up process and scenarios available. Review the Microsoft Defender for Business partner page.Learn about the marketplace at Microsoft Ignite 2024!
Microsoft Ignite is right around the corner, and the Microsoft commercial marketplace will be there! Learn how customers are discovering and deploying vendor AI solutions through the marketplace in our breakout session: More than a storefront, unlocking value through the marketplace (BRK125). We’ll cover how marketplaces are changing the future of B2B commerce and driving AI innovation for organizations of every size. You’ll also learn about new marketplace capabilities to help you spend smarter and move faster. Attending Ignite in Chicago? You can get your questions answered by marketplace experts who will be stationed in the MAICPP area on the Hub floor throughout the week. Register for Microsoft Ignite today!New: AI in Microsoft Teams and Teams Phone blog post
Check out the new Supercharge Your Business: Simplify communications with AI in Microsoft Teams and Teams Phone blog! This article highlights how AI-powered features in Microsoft Teams and Teams Phone can enhance business communication and collaboration. This new AI improves audio and video quality, helps with meeting transcriptions, and offers tools like Microsoft Copilot for real-time insights and meeting recaps. These features streamline communication, support hybrid meetings, and ensure clarity in calls, making Teams a versatile platform for businesses of all sizes. We are always looking to connect with small or medium businesses who are using Copilot, so comment to let us know some ways you are integrating Copilot into your company.Tell us about yourself! What do you want to see in the community?
We want to know more about you, to make sure we are providing the right content and bringing in experts that you are looking for. Tell us a bit more about you and what is important. Post in the comments or fill out a short survey for what you would like to see more of in this community!Welcome to the Small and Medium Business Community!
We’re so glad you are here! This is space for small and medium businesses to post questions and engage with both Microsoft and peers on what is top of mind. As Microsoft employees, we’re committed to providing the most up to date information about our products and solutions that help you run your business. We have engineering, marketing, even user on standby monitoring the discussions, so please ask your questions! We’ll also be hosting AMAs and kicking off discussions to help you get the information and advice that you need – so be sure to follow this community and stay tuned for more. Drop a hello in the comments and let us know what you’d like to see featured in this community.
Microsoft 365 Business Technical Fundamentals - Updated November 2018 (1 of 2)
Hi all, Attached are the updated Microsoft 365 Business Technical Fundamental presentations. I will post instructions for obtaining the corresponding hands-on labs as soon as they're ready for public consumption. This post includes: Deck 1 - Introduction (Train the trainer video) Deck 2 - Configure users & policies (Train the trainer video) Deck 3 - Configure advanced security policies (Train the trainer video) Part 2 of 2 can be found here David Bjurman-BirrSeeking IT Pros at Small Businesses in London!
Hi 👋🏻 My name is Mav DeCapua, and I am a program manager here at Microsoft on a new incubation team focused on cyber security for small businesses. My coworker Diana_Marshall and I are coming to London next week, and I would love to connect with individuals who manage the IT for a small business (<300 employees). Please reply with your LinkedIn, and I'll connect to share more details. Thanks so much!
Deploying M365B version of Office via Intune
If we use the M365B wizards during tenant configuration and choose to deploy Office, it appears to be some things behind the scenes. It's not clear what gets configured in Intune. However, if we choose not to use the wizard and build our own policies in Intune, it appears this is not supported as per this docs page (see purple section): Assign Office 365 apps to Windows 10 devices with Microsoft Intune However, others say that if one deploys O365 Pro Plus to users with M365B licenses, the ProPlus version will eventually sync licensing and become Office 365 Business. Is there any documentation that supports what the current recommended action is for M365B users who need office deployed via Intune (if at all possible). Any official statement? Thank you!Finishing 365 device enrollment
I spent a few weeks try to find out how to complete device enrollment from no ad to aad as part of 365 business. There was no way to retain the local user settings by switching login to use 365 credentials and no way other than 3rd party tools like pcmover. This felt like a huge gap. I enquired via multiple tickets with ms support over a few weeks. Then, I found the answer Ms is giving free versions free version of Laplink profile mover until June https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Microsoft-365-Business-Blog/Profile-Migration-Tool-for-Microsoft-365-Business-Subscribers/ba-p/250920Unlocking ROI: Forrester TEI Study Insights on Microsoft 365 Copilot for SMBs webinar
Join our webinar with GabeHo and KaylaPatterson to discover the results of the Forrester Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study on Microsoft 365 Copilot for SMBs. Learn about the significant business value and ROI that SMBs can achieve with Microsoft 365 Copilot. Key Highlights: Introduction to Microsoft 365 Copilot: See how AI enhances productivity across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. Forrester TEI Study Findings: Understand the projected ROI for SMBs using Microsoft 365 Copilot. Making it Real: Hear practical examples of SMBs successfully implementing Microsoft 365 Copilot to drive growth. Interactive Q&A Session: Get your questions answered by our experts about the study and the benefits of Microsoft 365 Copilot for your business. RSVP now!What the latest Copilot enhancements mean for Small and Medium-sized Businesses
Hey Everyone! In case you missed it, Microsoft made a slate of announcements earlier today discussing the next phase of Copilot for work. These include improvements in Excel with the integration of Python unlocking the ability to use everyday language to analyze data, new features such as Prioritize my inbox in Outlook, and Narrative builder in PowerPoint, and the addition of Copilot Pages within BizChat to foster collaboration while using AI generated content. Read more about these enhancements and more in this blog from Brenna Robinson. What are you most interested in trying out first? Sound off in the comments.In person events geared towards small and medium businesses
Are you looking for events that provide insights on scaling your business? Check out the Genesis Catalyst Expo: Strategies for Scaling Your Business on Thursday, September 12th hosted by Genesis Bank in Newport Beach, CA. This is an exclusive speaker series and expo designed to help businesses scale their operations efficiently and effectively. The diverse array of experts from HR, legal, marketing, business development, technology, innovation, and municipal resources, will share their insights and resources to help ensure your organization's success. RSVP today! What other events are coming up in your area that relate to the small and medium business community? Share below in the comments!
Recent Blogs
- The threat landscape continues to evolve creating ongoing challenges for small and medium businesses (SMBs) that are faced with increased regulations and cyberinsurance requirements. Today, Microsoft...Mar 06, 2025
- How Microsoft 365 is Empowering Small Businesses In the ever-changing world of productivity and collaboration tools, Microsoft 365 continues to shine as a vital tool for small businesses. With a t...Feb 07, 2025
