As the world becomes increasingly digital, nonprofits play a crucial role in addressing societal challenges. Microsoft recognizes this and offers a range of grants and discounts to empower nonprofit organizations. Let’s delve into the details of Microsoft 365 Grants for Nonprofits.

Eligibility Criteria

Before diving into the specifics, let’s understand the eligibility requirements:

1. Organization Mission:
   • Your organization must be a nonprofit or non-governmental entity with recognized legal status in your respective country. This status should be equivalent to the 501©(3) status under the United States Internal Revenue Code.
   • Alternatively, your organization can be a public library providing general services to residents or a public museum focused on cultural preservation, education, or aesthetic enjoyment.
2. Non-Discrimination:
   • Microsoft emphasizes inclusivity. Eligible organizations must not discriminate based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, or any other protected status.
3. Additional Terms of Use:
   • Organizations must adhere to Microsoft’s terms of use and policies.

Registration Process

1. Who Should Register?:
   • The person completing the nonprofit registration must be an employee or strategic volunteer of the nonprofit.
   • Third-party IT providers or other entities working for a nonprofit cannot complete registration on its behalf.
2. License Usage:
   • Nonprofit discounts and grants apply to specific employees and volunteers.
   • Beneficiaries, donors, and members (e.g., church members, club participants) are not eligible for nonprofit offers.
3. Grants vs. Discounted Licenses:
   • Grants:
     • Granted licenses are permitted for paid employees and unpaid executive staff (if all eligibility criteria are met).
     • User limits apply, varying by country.
     • Organizations should regularly remove unused granted licenses.
     • Adherence to policy guidance is encouraged.
   • Discounted Licenses:
     • Discounted licenses are available for all staff, including volunteers and temporary personnel.
     • Eligible nonprofits can access discounted pricing for commercial cloud offers and some on-premise solutions.

Microsoft 365 Benefits for Nonprofits

Microsoft 365 offers a suite of powerful tools to enhance nonprofit operations:

1. Simplified IT Management:
   • Microsoft 365 streamlines IT processes, allowing nonprofits to focus on their mission.
   • Manage users, devices, and security centrally.
2. Cost Reduction:
   • Nonprofits can reduce costs by leveraging Microsoft 365’s cloud-based solutions.
   • Access productivity apps, email, file storage, and collaboration tools—all at discounted rates.
3. Collaboration Anywhere:
   • Staff and volunteers can collaborate securely from any location, using any device.
   • Microsoft Teams facilitates seamless communication and teamwork.

Getting Started

1. Visit the Microsoft Nonprofits Eligibility page to check if your organization qualifies.
2. Explore Microsoft 365 plans and pricing here.

1. Purpose of SharePoint Hub Sites:
   • Hub sites act as central hubs that tie together multiple associated sites. They make it easier to:
     • Discover related content, including news and other site activities.
     • Apply consistent navigation, branding, and site structure across all associated sites.
     • Implement search capabilities that span the entire hub and its associated sites.
2. Creating a SharePoint Hub Site:
   • SharePoint administrators can create hub sites. When they convert an existing SharePoint site into a hub site, it becomes the focal point for associated sites.
   • The hub site navigation bar appears at the top of the site, but the home page and all site contents remain the same.
3. Key Features of a SharePoint Hub Site:
   • Shared Hub Navigation:
     • The hub site navigation bar appears at the top of the hub site and all associated sites.
     • Hub site owners can customize this navigation bar and choose to use the mega menu layout.
   • Search Across the Hub:
     • When you search from a hub site, content from both the hub site itself and any associated sites is returned in the search results.
     • Viewers see only the content they have access to.
   • Recommended Web Parts:
     • To enhance the hub site experience, site owners can add the following web parts to the home page:
       • News Roll-Up:
         • Automatically aggregates news published on the hub site and its associated sites.
         • Viewers see news only for sites they have access to.
         • Clicking a news article link takes you to the site where the article was published.
       • Associated Sites:
         • Displays the most active sites associated with the hub site on the home page.
       • Highlighted Content:
         • Dynamically displays content from sites associated with the hub site.
       • Events:
         • Dynamically displays events from associated sites.
4. Permissions and Security:
   • Sites associated with a hub site do not inherit permissions from the hub site by default.
   • Hub owners can enable hub site permissions sync to ensure visitors have appropriate access to associated sites.

Also explained in the youtube video : https://youtu.be/ti9X3UNdoMY

Connect to SharePoint Online

Connect-SPOService -Url “https://yourtenant-admin.sharepoint.com” -Credential (Get-Credential)

Get all site collections

$allSiteCollections = Get-SPOSite

Loop through each site collection

foreach ($site in $allSiteCollections) {
$siteUrl = $site.Url
Write-Host “Site Collection: $siteUrl”

# Validate user permissions
$userEmail = "[email protected]"  # Replace with the user's email address
$userPermissions = Get-SPOUser -Site $siteUrl | Where-Object { $_.LoginName -eq $userEmail }

if ($userPermissions.Count -gt 0) {
    Write-Host "User has permissions on this site collection."
} else {
    Write-Host "User does not have permissions on this site collection."
}

}

Also explained in my youtube video :

1. Centralized Storage:

• A SharePoint document library provides a centralized location for storing files. Instead of having documents scattered across various devices and folders, you can consolidate them in one place. This centralization simplifies file retrieval, regardless of where they were created.

2. Collaboration:

• Document libraries facilitate collaboration among team members. Multiple users can access, edit, and co-author documents simultaneously. Real-time collaboration ensures that everyone stays up-to-date with the latest changes.

3. Version History:

• SharePoint maintains a version history for each document. You can track modifications, view previous versions, and restore to a specific point if needed. This feature is crucial for auditing and maintaining document integrity.

4. OneDrive Sync:

• Syncing a document library with OneDrive allows you to work offline. Changes made locally automatically sync when you reconnect to the internet. It’s a seamless way to access files across devices.

5. Co-Authoring:

• Collaborate in real time with co-authoring. Multiple users can edit the same document simultaneously. You’ll see their changes as they happen, fostering efficient teamwork.

6. Mobile Access:

• SharePoint document libraries are accessible via mobile devices. Whether you’re using a smartphone or tablet, you can view, edit, and upload files on the go.

7. Integration with Other Microsoft Tools:

• Leverage integration with other Microsoft applications. For instance, you can embed Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, or Outlook emails directly within a library.

8. Access Control:

• Granular permissions allow you to control who can access a library, folders within it, or individual files. Set read-only, edit, or full control permissions as needed.

9. Custom Views:

• Create custom views to organize documents based on metadata, filters, or columns. Tailor the library’s display to suit your preferences.

10. External Sharing:

• Share files or folders with external collaborators by generating secure links. You can control whether recipients can edit or only view the content.

Also explained in my youtube video :

Introduction

Authorization Manager (AzMan) is a powerful access control framework that simplifies managing roles and permissions within your application. Whether you’re building a web application or a smart client, AzMan provides a flexible way to define operations and group them into tasks. These operations represent actions that users can perform.

Key Features

1. Role-Based Framework: AzMan allows you to manage roles by granting permissions for various operations. Users are assigned roles, and permissions are then associated with those roles.
2. Microsoft Management Console (MMC): AzMan provides a user-friendly management console for defining operations, roles, and permissions. You can configure the policy store either in Active Directory or as an XML file.
3. Integration with Active Directory: AzMan seamlessly integrates with Active Directory, allowing you to directly configure AD groups for specific permissions.

Getting Started with AzMan

1. Installation

• AzMan is available by default in the most recent version of Windows servers

2. Creating an AzMan Policy Store

• You can create the policy store in either Active Directory or as an XML file.
• In the MMC, ensure you’re in “Developer Mode” to create a new policy.
• Create a new authorization store with the “XML” type and define your policies.

3. Managing Applications

• Create a new application (e.g., “SampleApplication”).
• Maintain groups, users, roles, and permissions specific to your application.
• Apply policies to multiple applications, each with its own mappings of roles, users, and permissions.

4. Defining Tasks and Operations

• Under the policy, select your application (e.g., “SampleApplication”).
• Expand “Definitions” and choose “Operation Definitions.”
• Create new operation definitions to represent tasks that users can perform.

5. Groups

Groups : We can create different type of groups. We can create a Basic Application Group which is much like a local group. We can add users/groups from Active Directory or another group from Authorization Manager. We can even exclude users/group as well. Say you have a group of 200 users in AD where you want to add all the users but one user. We could add the group then go in and exclude the one user.

An LDAP Query Application Group could be created that determine who is a member by running a LDAP query. If the user matches the query then the user is deemed to be a member of the group. You could use a simple LDAP query or you could make it more complex to fit your needs.

Business Rule Application Group is the third type of group that can be created. In this type of group you will need to have a script that defines the members of this type of group. The script will need to be constructed either in VB or Java.

Role Definitions : A role definition is defined as a set of permissions that a user must have to perform a job or task. A role can have lower level tasks, roles and operations associated with it.

Task Definitions: A task definition is smaller than a role definition and can be use to define other roles and tasks.

Operation Definitions: This can only be seen in Developer mode. Operation definitions are small computer level actions that are used to define tasks and usually are not relevant to an administrator.

For more details do refer article : AzMan MMC with a sample application – Microsoft Community Hub

Here are some common interview questions related to Microsoft Teams administration:

1. Define Microsoft Teams:
   • Microsoft Teams is a powerful collaboration platform designed to facilitate efficient business communications. It offers a persistent chat-based environment where teams can collaborate, share documents, and conduct online meetings seamlessly. Having a well-designed team space is essential for effective decision-making and communication within an organization.
2. Key Features or Functionalities of Microsoft Teams:
   • Microsoft Teams boasts several key features:
     • Chat (Messaging): Users can have individual or group chats, share files, and send messages within the Teams interface.
     • Integration with Office 365: Teams seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft Office 365 applications, such as SharePoint, OneDrive, and Outlook.
     • Mobile and Remote Access: Teams offers mobile apps and supports remote access, enabling users to stay connected and collaborate from anywhere.
     • Audio Conferencing: Teams supports audio and video calling capabilities for one-on-one or group conversations. Users can schedule and join virtual meetings, conduct webinars, and share screens during presentations.
     • File Sharing: Teams allows users to store, share, and collaborate on files within channels, including documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
3. Data Storage in a Team Channel:
   • In a team channel, you can store various types of data, including:
     • Files: Documents, images, videos, and other file types.
     • Conversations: Chat messages, discussions, and threaded conversations.
     • Tabs and Apps: Custom tabs and integrated apps that enhance collaboration.
4. Maximum File Size for Sharing Messages via Microsoft Teams:
   • The maximum file size allowed for sharing messages via Microsoft Teams is 2 GB

Also explained in youtube video : https://youtu.be/M4t86vwHx8U

If you’re preparing for a SharePoint Administrator interview, it’s essential to be well-versed in the platform’s intricacies. Here are some common interview questions related to SharePoint administration:

1. What is SharePoint Online, and how is it related to Microsoft Cloud Service Office 365?
   • Answer: SharePoint Online is part of Office 365, Microsoft’s cloud service suite. It provides features like document management, collaboration, and content sharing. Unlike the on-premises version, SharePoint Online is hosted and maintained by Microsoft. It doesn’t allow server-side code, but it offers all the core SharePoint features.
2. What are the differences between SharePoint Online and SharePoint On-Premise?
   • Answer: Key differences include:
     • Hosting: SharePoint Online is hosted by Microsoft, while on-premises SharePoint is maintained by your organization.
     • Maintenance: Microsoft handles patches and updates for SharePoint Online, whereas your IT team manages on-premises maintenance.
     • Server-Side Code: SharePoint Online doesn’t allow server-side code, but on-premises allows it.
     • Client-Side Development: SharePoint Add-ins (formerly Apps) are used for customizations in SharePoint Online.
3. What are SharePoint Add-ins, and how do they differ from SharePoint Apps?
   • Answer: SharePoint Add-ins (formerly known as Apps) are self-contained pieces of functionality that extend SharePoint’s capabilities. They solve specific business problems. While the terms are often used interchangeably, SharePoint Add-ins can be hosted externally, whereas SharePoint Apps are hosted within SharePoint itself.
4. What responsibilities does a SharePoint administrator have?
   • Answer: SharePoint administrators manage storage, access permissions, backups, security, and user support. They ensure smooth operation, troubleshoot issues, and implement solutions.
5. How would you design and implement a SharePoint solution for an organization?
   • Answer: I’d start by understanding business requirements, then design site structures, permissions, and workflows. I’d choose appropriate lists, libraries, and web parts, considering scalability and security.
6. What strategies do you use to ensure secure data access for users on SharePoint?
   • Answer: I manage permissions, use groups, and apply access controls. Regular audits help identify and address security gaps.
7. How do you stay informed about SharePoint developments?
   • Answer: I follow official Microsoft resources, blogs, and community forums. Attending conferences and networking with other professionals also keeps me updated.
8. Can you share an example of a complex SharePoint issue you resolved?
   • Answer: Describe a specific problem you encountered, the steps you took to diagnose it, and how you ultimately resolved it.

Also explained in youtube video : https://youtu.be/oOxUA-KvzqA

Introduction

SharePoint Advanced Management is a Microsoft 365 add-on that equips organizations with a suite of features to enhance their SharePoint and OneDrive experience. Whether you’re a SharePoint administrator or a site owner, these advanced capabilities empower you to manage, govern, and secure your content effectively.

Key Features

1. Advanced Access Policies for Secure Content Collaboration

• Restrict SharePoint Site Access: You can limit access to SharePoint sites based on membership in Microsoft 365 groups (for group-connected sites) or security groups (for non-group connected sites). Users outside these specified groups won’t have access, even if they previously had permissions or shared links.
• OneDrive Content Access Restrictions: Control access to shared content in a user’s OneDrive by defining a security group. Only members of the group can access the content.
• OneDrive Service Access Limitation: Fine-tune OneDrive access by allowing only specific users (members of a security group) to utilize it.

2. Data Access Governance Reports

• Identify potentially overshared or sensitive content within SharePoint sites using data access governance reports. These reports help you assess and apply appropriate security and compliance policies.

3. Conditional Access Policies

• With Microsoft Entra authentication context, enforce stringent access conditions for SharePoint sites. Authentication contexts can be directly applied or connected to sensitivity labels.

4. Secure SharePoint Document Libraries

• When SharePoint is enabled for sensitivity labels, configure a default label for document libraries. New files uploaded or existing files edited in the library will automatically inherit this label.

5. Advanced Sites Content Lifecycle Management

• Block Download Policy: Prevent file downloads from SharePoint sites or OneDrive without relying on Microsoft Entra Conditional Access policies.

Licensing and Cost

SharePoint Advanced Management is available as a per-user license. Commercial customers can acquire it for $3 per user per month.

Also explained in youtube video : https://youtu.be/FtVHP28oWVI

If you’ve ever needed to conceal a button in your SharePoint Online list or document library, you’re in the right place. Whether it’s the “New” or button or any other, you can achieve this using list view formatting with just a few lines of JSON code.

Here’s how you can hide a button from the SharePoint Online list view:

1. Navigate to the List or Document Library:
   • Open the SharePoint list or document library where you want to hide the button.
2. Access View Formatting:
   • Click on the View dropdown menu.
   • Choose “Format current view” from the options.
3. Advanced Mode:
   • In the formatting pane, click on “Advanced Mode” to access the JSON editor.
4. Hide the New Button:
   • Paste the following JSON snippet to hide the “New” button from the toolbar:
   • {
   • “commandBarProps” : {
   • “commands”: [
   • {
   • “key”: “new”,
   • “hide”: true
   • },
   • {
   • “key”: “editInGridView”,
   • “text”: “Quick edit”,
   • “iconName”: “EditTable”,
   • “primary”: true
   • },
   • {
   • “key”: “share”,
   • “iconName”: “”,
   • “title”: “Share this List”
   • }
   • ]
   • }
   • }
   • This will effectively hide the “New” button.
5. Customization Options:
   • Remember that the command bar customization method isn’t limited to hiding buttons. You can also:
     • Rename button text.
     • Replace icons.
     • Change the order of buttons.

Toolbar Key
‘new’
‘newFolder’
‘newWordDocument’
‘newExcelWorkbook’
‘newPowerPointPresentation’
‘newOneNoteNotebook’
‘newFormsForExcel’
‘newVisioDrawing’
‘upload’
‘uploadFile’
‘uploadFolder’
‘open’
‘share’
‘copyLink’
‘download’
‘rename’
‘copyTo’
‘moveTo’
‘delete’
‘edit’
‘comment’
‘editNewMenu’
‘powerBI’
‘powerBIVisualizeList’
‘automate’
‘automateCreateRule’
‘automateManageRules’
‘powerAutomate’
‘powerAutomateCreateFlow’
‘powerAutomateSeeFlows’
‘powerAutomateConfigureFlows’
‘aiBuilderCreate’
‘aiBuilderGoto’
‘aiBuilder’
‘alertMe’
‘newLink’
‘integrate’
‘manageAlert’
‘powerApps’
‘powerAppsCreateApp’
‘powerAppsSeeAllApps’
‘powerAppsCustomizeForms’
‘viewDocumentUnderstandingModels’
‘versionHistory’
‘openInImmersiveReader’
‘classifyAndExtract’
‘checkOut’
‘checkIn’
‘undoCheckOut’
‘properties’
‘pinItem’
‘exportExcel’
‘exportCSV’
‘export’
‘editInGridView’
‘exitGridView’
‘sync’
‘uploadTemplate’
‘addTemplate’
‘openInOfficeOnline’
‘openInOfficeClient’
‘addShortcut’
‘pinToQuickAccess’
‘unpinFromQuickAccess’

Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365) is a comprehensive cloud-powered productivity platform that offers a suite of powerful tools and services for individuals, businesses, and enterprises.

Also explained in my Youtube video :

Overview

• Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based service that provides access to a range of applications and services.
• It includes familiar productivity apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Unlike the traditional standalone Office software, Microsoft 365 is continuously updated with new features and improvements.

Core Components

• Microsoft Teams: A collaboration hub for chat, video conferencing, file sharing, and project management.
• OneDrive: Cloud storage with 1 TB of space per user.
• SharePoint: A platform for creating and managing intranet sites and team collaboration spaces.
• Exchange Online: Cloud-based email and calendar service.
• Power Platform: Tools for creating custom apps, automating workflows, and analyzing data.

Benefits

• Anywhere Access: Install Microsoft 365 apps on PCs, Macs, tablets, and phones.
• Collaboration: Real-time collaboration on documents with colleagues.
• Security: Built-in security features and compliance tools.
• Productivity: Streamlined workflows and integration across apps.

Plans and Pricing

• Microsoft 365 offers different plans for home users, businesses, and enterprises.
• Choose the plan that best suits your needs based on the number of users and features required.
• Microsoft 365 is more than just software; it’s a complete productivity ecosystem.
• Whether you’re an individual, a small business, or a large enterprise, Microsoft 365 can enhance your productivity and collaboration.

Advantages over its competitors

1. Comprehensive Suite:
   • Microsoft 365 provides a complete suite of productivity tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more.
   • Competitors often lack the breadth of applications that Microsoft 365 offers.
2. Integration and Ecosystem:
   • Microsoft 365 seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products and services, such as OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint.
   • This ecosystem enhances collaboration, communication, and data sharing within organizations.
3. Cloud-Based Collaboration:
   • Microsoft 365 is cloud-based, allowing users to access their files and applications from anywhere.
   • Real-time collaboration in documents through Microsoft Teams and OneDrive is a significant advantage.
4. Regular Updates:
   • Microsoft continuously updates its applications, adding new features and security enhancements.
   • Competitors may not offer the same level of consistent updates.
5. Industry Standard:
   • Microsoft Office has been an industry standard for decades, making it familiar to users worldwide.
   • Compatibility with existing files and workflows is crucial, and Microsoft 365 excels in this area.
6. Enterprise-Grade Security:
   • Microsoft invests heavily in security features, including data encryption, threat detection, and compliance tools.
   • Competitors may not offer the same robust security infrastructure.
7. Business Intelligence and Analytics:
   • Microsoft 365 includes tools like Power BI for data visualization and analysis.
   • Competitors may lack similar business intelligence capabilities.
8. Customization and Extensibility:
   • Microsoft 365 allows customization through Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power Virtual Agents).
   • Organizations can build custom solutions tailored to their needs.
9. Hybrid Deployment Options:
   • Microsoft 365 supports hybrid deployments, allowing organizations to combine cloud and on-premises solutions.
   • Competitors may not offer the same flexibility.
10. Massive Cloud Storage:
    • Microsoft 365 provides 2TB of cloud storage per user through OneDrive.
    • Competitors may have limitations on storage capacity.