3 Types of Power Apps You Can Create

What are Power Apps? 

Essentially, Power Apps is an incredible tool that any person, from any educational background, any prior experience, can hop into and start learning and contributing. You may already know all about Power Apps, but for some readers, this is entirely foreign. We are here to help you understand what Power Apps are, what different types exist, how to get started using them, and the big picture of how this could help you and your organization. Let’s get into it. 

5 Tips to Start Your Microsoft 365 Plan

5 Tips to Start Your Microsoft 365 Plan

As you start up your Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise plan, it is necessary to strategize a plan for yourself, your team, and your organization. Your Microsoft 365 tools will be only as good as your communication structure, applied wisdom of the tools, and vision for your digital workplace. In this article, we will take a deep dive into Microsoft 365, 5 tips to start your Microsoft 365 plan, and how you can find help if needed. Let get started:

Kick Start Your Microsoft 365?

Ultimately, Microsoft 365 is a bundle of Windows 10, Office 365, and Enterprise Mobility + Security (EM+S). Microsoft offers its package for home, business, and enterprise. It is designed to help you achieve more with innovative productivity apps, intelligent cloud services, and world-class security. Microsoft 365 has the tools you need to work anytime, anywhere, on any device. It has the same Office apps (cloud versions or locally run applications) you’ve used for years, plus all the benefits of being on the cloud securely. All cloud-based applications stay up to date, so you’re always working with the latest versions.

Microsoft 365 is currently the best digital workplace platform for everyone in your organization to be creative, productive, and work securely in today’s modern world.  However, it can be frustrating when you are stuck at any point in your Microsoft 365 experience. Before you dive headfirst into your digital workplace, here are five tips to start on the right foot: 

1. Identify and Communicate “Purpose”

As with most things, we need to start with “why.” I highly recommend understanding the role that technology plays in your organization and how it matches the vision, mission, and values. Not those glossed over things that might be hanging on your walls, but the true meaning and higher purpose of the organization.

If your users are brought into the overall goals of the organization, then rolling out new technology should be easy. Technology is ultimately intended to serve the organization by making things easier for your users. You will be much more successful if you can align and communicate your technology roll out to the more significant and higher purpose that your culture remains. Start with “why”:

• Why the organization exists?
• Why you need technology?
• Why are you pushing for adoption?
• Why should your users care?
• Why will this help us in the long run? 

2. Beware of the Fire Hose

Are you confused or overwhelmed with all the features in Office 365? It can feel like trying to take a sip from a fire hose. You don’t have to do it all at once. This is something that can be planned to add value to your organization over time continuously. It’s probably best to slowly adopt this technology and ensure success each time you add something rather than try to do too much too fast and fail at all of it.

If you are interested in adopting more than one piece of technology, do it in such a way that it solves a specific organizational need. An example would be utilizing a SharePoint Team Site, a Power App, or a Power Automate workflow to facilitate contract creation and approval. Whatever it is, take it slow and ensure success. In the following article, we review the various tools that Office 365 has to provide; find out more!

Here’s what we suggest:

• Pick a technology that you want to explore and start by watching the videos provided here: https://support.office.com/en-us/office-training-center.
• Pilot that technology with you and a couple of other trusted folks. Kick the tires, see if it makes sense to you and your trusted colleagues.
• If successful, then it’s the right candidate for a broader audience and could be worthy of a greater concerted effort to roll out.

3. Create a Plan

It doesn’t have to be super detailed or include every piece of technology. Still, it’s a good idea to understand what piece of technology looks useful and what is not worth investigating further. Then use that high-level information to create a simple timeline of when you might want to consider adopting the technology (i.e., Exchange Online, Groups, Planner, SharePoint Intranet, Teams with each one adopted over a quarter).

When communicated appropriately, this will make you look like a rock star to your users – and those users who are anxious to get started will know when something is slated for adoption. This will also give you plenty of time to plan your pilot groups, training, testing, and communication plans.

One last thing on plans – be flexible. A project is always perfect until you encounter resistance. Your success is determined by your ability to plan while allowing the appropriate amount of flexibility to meet the end goal.

4. Embrace the Change

In recent years, big corporations and small businesses have increasingly invested in digital workplace solutions. This demand for digital workplace tools is no coincidence! Modern solutions are no longer a future trend but rather a mandatory strategy for companies to learn and stay competitive in today’s markets.  

Things are moving faster and faster than ever before. We all see it and feel it, but only when we take a short second to take notice. Microsoft used to release new major software releases every three years. Now, that pace has been shortened to releases made in real-time! 

For a huge behemoth like Microsoft to keep up with the pace of innovation in the market, they have had to change the way that they deliver software to us completely. They host the software and roll out changes as fast as their teams can create the updates.

What does this mean for you? It means several things.

• Changes are sometimes not controlled by you
• Some things you can hold off on and others you cannot
• Eventually, you will probably get the change anyhow
• Sometimes this means that menus move around or look different
• Training will be impacted. Things are moving so fast that as soon as a training video is created and posted on a third-party site, it’s probably out of date the following week. Stay up-to-date and receive any information you are looking for here.

Beware! Change is inevitable. This level of change can be uncomfortable, but if you master it, you will rise above those who cannot embrace the change.

5. Make it Fun

Do you remember when learning was fun? Or maybe it’s only fun when it isn’t “work.” Most people love to learn new things. I know I do. The challenge is, learning some of this Microsoft  365 “stuff” isn’t fun. It’s work. If you recall the last time you learned something and didn’t realize that you were learning, it was probably with someone that you are close to. 

Here are some tips for making Microsoft 365 fun:

• Learn in small
• Make it a 2-hour or half-day event rather than a full day
• Include food! (breakfasts, lunches, coffee, and time for folks to mingle)
• Maximize learning by creating a game or challenge for what you’ve learned

How Can I Get Help with My Microsoft 365?

Of course, this is easier said than done. If you’re interested in customized feedback on your current Microsoft 365 environment, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.  For more insights and information or questions, consult Klarinet Solutions and talk to one of our pros so we can collaborate for a successful transition for Intranet communications, Microsoft 365, or SharePoint.  

How to Turn on Together mode in Microsoft Teams

Together Mode in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams’ Together Mode is finally here for general users. Teams now allow you to bring together 49 participants in a room-like environment by segmenting your user’s faces using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in real-time. Your avatars are then placed in a virtual environment alongside coworkers to limit background distractions. Your avatars (users) can interact and perform various actions with your coworkers, including high fives and shoulder taps. 

This tool works well for corporate meetings, team conferences, educational purposes, and so much more. As of now, Microsoft has included the functionality to appear in an auditorium. But the company plans on adding more virtual backgrounds as the feature becomes utilized by all users. 

The company also released extensive detail about all the features that have recently been added to Microsoft Teams. For example, Microsoft is also launching a dynamic view of Teams. It is designed to allow people to share content side by side with participants dynamically. It is a model that’s useful if you’re presenting with a group of coworkers, and you want your slide deck on one side and specific team members’ video to show alongside to all meeting participants.

Microsoft is also adding in video filters and live reactions to Microsoft Teams. To improve your webcam in Teams, you can use the filters to adjust lighting levels or soften the camera’s focus. Live reactions will allow participants to react with emoji during meetings that will appear for everyone.

Meetings will soon grow to support up to 1,000 participants and even up to 20,000 if they join to watch a presentation or discussion. It’s a big jump that will allow several companies to handle all-hands calls through Teams. Microsoft is also adding live transcripts to Teams later this year alongside the ability to translate live captions into subtitles so anyone can follow a meeting held in another language.

Now, let us get started with our guide and learn how to enable Microsoft Teams’ Together Mode. Besides, this guide will also allow the new meeting controls for you in Teams. With that in mind, let’s now go through our tutorial:

1. First, update Microsoft Teams to the latest version to get all the new features. You can download the newest build from here.

2. Then, click on your profile menu that is located at the top right corner and open your Settings.

3. Within the “General” tab, enable the toggle for “Turn on the new meeting experience.” If you do not see this option is not available to you, then you may have to wait a bit longer as the feature is progressively rolled out to all users.

4. Finally, once these steps are completed, go ahead and place a group call in Microsoft Teams. Then click on the 3-dot menu on the top right corner and click on the “Together Mode” option. You’re set!

Microsoft Teams will now segment the faces using AI and bring everyone together. Also, keep in mind, you at least need 5 participants to enable Together Mode in Microsoft Teams, and it can fit a total of 49 users for now. Check out how it will look:

Why do you need Microsoft Teams?

Is it to increase sales, ship more product, communicate more, or increase performance, family time, and money? Teams can be a bit complicated. However, people often do not grasp the complexity and power behind Teams. Microsoft Teams helps managers become transparent, good communicators, and work towards building positive working relationships with their team. Teams are one of the most successful enterprise solution apps that allow businesses to manage their teams, drive productivity, and connect people through all device’s enterprise-wide. Microsoft’s Teams provides unprecedented levels of flexibility to businesses and their users while also providing better video conference tools, control deployments, security, and other powerful remote work features. It is no coincidence that Microsoft Teams is one of the leading corporate communication tools. Microsoft’s ability to listen to all users’ needs across various segments has made Teams the superior communication/collaboration platform, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Klarinet Solutions specialize in optimizing your Microsoft 365 Teams integration, implementing policies to secure your data, and developing a streamlined process that supports business objectives. If you want to hear the latest news, insightful hacks, or ways to leverage technology, contact us at 866.211.8191 or through email at info@klarinetsolutions.com.

Guide to Microsoft 365 Business Platform

Do you get analysis paralysis every time you open your Microsoft 365 Business platform?  

You are not alone! As a Microsoft corporate user, it becomes extremely easy to get lost within the endless number of application tools and constant updates that Microsoft 365 provides. Whether you are a first-time user or a lifelong Microsoft partner, it is necessary to take control of your digital workplace tools early on. To help you further understand Microsoft 365, we created this article that will review what Microsoft 365 is, how you can use it, why it is essential, and how you can purchase it. Let us get started!

Tech Talk – Getting Started with Power Automate

Tech Talk – Getting Started with Power Automate   

Klarinet Solutions hosts monthly Tech Talks for our clients and partners, covering various topics around Microsoft 365 and the modern digital workplace. In our latest Tech Talk, Michelle Willard, Digital Workplace Consultant, and Daniel Amaro, Lead Consultant at Klarinet Solutions, led the main discussion on Microsoft Power Automate and Microsoft 365 Updates from the past 30 days. However, in this article, we will summarize what our experts discussed for Microsoft Power Automate, here it is:    

Tech Talk – Microsoft Security and Compliance

Microsoft Security and Compliance 

Klarinet Solutions hosts monthly Tech Talks for our clients and partners, which covers various topics around Microsoft 365 and the modern digital workplace. In our latest Tech Talk, Matt Fishman, Director of Solutions Delivery, and Daniel Amaro, Lead Consultant at Klarinet Solutions, led the main discussion on Microsoft Security and Compliance and its recent updates. In this article, we will summarize the main points on Security and Compliance, here is what our experts discussed: