Are you concerned about the potential risks to your business in the instance of a data breach? How confident are you that your business is meeting all regulatory compliance requirements and data governance standards? Do you have the productivity tools, like Microsoft 365 administration, to overcome these challenges, but don’t know how to optimize them? 

If you’re a business leader facing these types of challenges, you may be in the process of seeking help from an experienced team of IT consultants or a cloud services provider.

Efficient administration of cloud services is paramount for small to medium businesses looking to maximize benefits while also ensuring security and compliance. Having a complete understanding of Microsoft 365 administration can optimize productivity, enhance collaboration and fortify security for your business in one comprehensive suite of tools.

Today, you’ll learn more about the benefits of Microsoft 365 and what it offers, including 10 essential tactics you can implement to elevate Microsoft 365 administration for your organization.

What Is Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 (previously known as Office 365) is a large platform with many service offerings. Microsoft 365 administration is the management and configuration of these services and subscriptions within an organization. Administration includes: 

• User management.
• License allocation. 
• Security settings. 
• Email configuration. 
• SharePoint and OneDrive management. 
• Compliance management. 
• And more.

Microsoft 365 administration ensures that your organization’s Microsoft 365 environment is properly set up, maintained and secure to meet your business needs.  Your cloud service provider or IT consultant will conduct an annual or bi-annual review of your Microsoft 365 tenant. These reviews should target security best practices, but can also be helpful to understand how to best configure this product in general. 

10 Tactics to Help You Elevate Microsoft 365 Administration

To excel in Microsoft 365 administration, business leaders must employ a strategic approach that prioritizes security, productivity and compliance. Here are 10 essential tactics that your organization can implement to elevate Microsoft 365 administration:

1. Conduct regular security reviews: Conduct periodic security reviews with trusted vendors to identify vulnerabilities and implement best practices.
   
2. Implement proper security measures: Utilize multi-factor authentication (MFA), assign appropriate user roles and establish robust security protocols.
   
3. Customize for your brand: Enhance brand recognition and legitimacy by customizing Office 365 services with company branding.
   
4. Manage external sharing: Safeguard sensitive data by effectively managing external sharing settings for OneDrive and SharePoint.
   
5. Utilize folder redirection: Protect business data by setting up Windows common folder redirection to OneDrive for Business.
   
6. Enable phishing protection: Utilize Office 365’s built-in phishing protection and spam-blocking features to safeguard email communications.
   
7. Monitor Microsoft Secure Score: Regularly review Microsoft Secure Score to gain insights and recommendations for improving security posture within Office 365.
   
8. Stay informed on service offerings: Stay up to date with Microsoft’s evolving service offerings and licensing updates to leverage the latest innovations.
   
9. Implement device management: Utilize Microsoft Intune for effective device management, allowing you to configure and enforce compliance policies on computing devices.
   
10. Audit and monitor activity: Set up and regularly review auditing within Microsoft 365 to track user activity and identify security issues or functionality concerns.

Stay Secure and Compliant With Microsoft 365 Administration

At Afidence, the safety and integrity of your business is our top priority. Microsoft 365 offers a range of features and capabilities designed to protect your business from various security threats and ensure the integrity of your data.

Here are a few ways Microsoft 365 administration can keep your organization safe from cyber threats:

• Machine learning and behavioral analysis: Microsoft 365 includes built-in security features such as Exchange online protection (EOP) and advanced threat protection (ATP) to safeguard your email against phishing attacks, malware and spam. ATP uses machine learning and behavioral analysis to detect and block sophisticated threats in real time, providing an additional layer of defense for your email communications.
  
• Data loss prevention (DLP): Microsoft 365’s DLP policies help prevent the accidental or intentional sharing of sensitive information by identifying and automatically encrypting or blocking the transmission of confidential data. DLP policies can be customized to meet specific compliance requirements and regulatory standards, helping you protect your intellectual property and sensitive information.
  
• Identity and access management: Microsoft 365 offers robust identity and access management capabilities, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), conditional access policies and privileged identity management (PIM). These features help protect against unauthorized access to your Microsoft 365 environment and ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive data and resources.
  
• Compliance and governance: Microsoft 365 helps businesses meet regulatory compliance requirements and industry standards by offering built-in compliance features such as data retention policies, eDiscovery and legal hold capabilities. These tools enable organizations to manage and enforce compliance policies, conduct audits and respond to legal and regulatory inquiries effectively.

Ready to Get Started With Microsoft 365 Administration?

In addition to bolstering security and compliance measures, effective Microsoft 365 administration can also enhance productivity and foster inter-departmental collaboration. With these kinds of benefits, who wouldn’t want this product for their business?

By leveraging the full capabilities of Microsoft Office 365, you can streamline workflows, facilitate seamless communication and empower your teams to achieve more together.

Elevating Microsoft 365 administration requires a combination of best practices and proactive implementation strategies. At Afidence, we help you leverage productivity tools and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Contact us today to embrace innovation and stay vigilant against emerging threats with a strategic approach to Microsoft 365.