Creating a live document
Hi All, I wonder if anyone could help me please or guide me in the right direction. We are a small charity who provides free transport for Cancer clients in our area as our nearest hospital is over 60 miles away. Once a week we produce a 'Run Sheet' in Word, convert it to a PDF and email the link of the file to all our drivers for their duties the following week. The problem we have is the sheet is out of date the minute we send it out as clients call continually and new 'runs' are added. We prefer PDF as our drivers (some with limited tech skills) have PDF Readers by default on their smart phones. Whether it's word or PDF, how could we create a 'live' run sheet so that when the co-ordinators add or change the 'run sheet' within our OneDrive the drivers can see this. I know the basic level of this is to just create a Word document and create a share link and send that but I am sure there will be a better way of doing it so that we can point 'one' link and not have to share the a different file each week. Is there something within the Microsoft Family that would do the job better? We have a full non-profit licence. Sorry if that is confusing. Any ideas are most welcome. Thanks, Andrew
Office365 Autoupdate on Mac
Last week I had an issue with Autoupdate on Microsoft365 where OneNote failed to update, other app were fine. I tried selecting just this app and updating it but got a download error. Autoupdate indicates "some apps have encountered errors" and retrying just repeats the download error. I've tried machine based fixes but none have worked and I suspect it's something else as I have a Mac mini and MacBook doing the same along with my wife who has a Mac desktop. The issue is still the same a week on.Microsoft Teams – “Save this message” feature missing in both Desktop and Web clients
a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } Hello, We are experiencing an issue in our Microsoft 365 tenant where the “Save this message” feature in Microsoft Teams is not available, neither in the Teams desktop app nor in Teams Web. Details The feature should be available globally, as Microsoft planned full rollout between August and October 2025 (Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 496369). This is confirmed in multiple official and community‑published sources. https://m365admin.handsontek.net/microsoft-teams-users-can-save-chats-channel-messages-later/, https://supersimple365.com/teams-save-chats-and-channel-messages-for-later/ Microsoft also stated that no admin controls exist to disable this feature and no configuration is required in the tenant. https://m365admin.handsontek.net/microsoft-teams-users-can-save-chats-channel-messages-later/ Despite this, the option does not appear at all in the message overflow menu (… → More actions) in both: Microsoft Teams Desktop (version 26032.206.4355.6508) Microsoft Teams Web (teams.microsoft.com) Troubleshooting already performed Full cache removal for the new Teams client under: %localappdata%\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache Log out / sign‑in cycle Full Teams desktop restart Verification across different clients (desktop + web) Verification from multiple messages and channels
Publish an Excel Add-in by just submitting the add-in manifest to Microsoft Marketplace
I am working on Excel Add-in built using the react template. We are planning to host the add-in code on our domain and update the manifest to point to the URL for our domain. Can I just submit the add-in manifest to Microsoft to publish it in Microsoft Marketplace?Access to subAddress Property of Hyperlinks in Powerpoint Javascript API
Recently my company has me developing a Taskpane Add-in for Powerpoint using the Javascript API. Right now the API is still missing a 'subAddress' property for the Powerpoint.Hyperlink class. My heart's deepest longing is to add a slide to a presentation with existing slide-to-slide hyperlinks, check those hyperlinks for discrepancies between the slide ID and the text (ie: a Hyperlink reading '13' that now links to slide 14), and finally correct the text to the subaddress ID of the hyperlink in Javascript. It is my burning passion to do this for every hyperlink in my presentation with the push of a button. In the interest of all mankind I would ask that the 'subAddress' property of the hyperlinks be available for use in addition to the 'address' and 'screenTip' properties which now exist. To the microsoft dev who can grant me this boon I offer half my kingdom. Truly there is no dev more favoured than thee.Architecting Microsoft 365 Environments for Multi-National Enterprises: Lessons from the Field
Introduction In today’s global economy, enterprises rely on Microsoft 365 to empower seamless collaboration across borders. However, deploying and securing multi-national M365 environments introduces complex technical, operational, and compliance challenges. With over two decades architecting cloud environments across the Americas, EMEA and APAC, I’ve led numerous deployments and migrations requiring hybrid identity resilience, data sovereignty compliance, and global operational continuity. This article presents field-tested lessons and strategic best practices to guide architects and IT leaders in designing robust, compliant, and scalable Microsoft 365 environments for multi-national operations. Key Challenges in Multi-National M365 Deployments 1. Hybrid Identity Complexity Managing synchronization between on-premises Active Directory and Azure AD becomes exponentially complex across regions. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/hybrid/whatis-hybrid-identity can introduce replication delays and login failures if not properly planned. Tip: Always assess latency impact on Kerberos authentication, token issuance, and Azure AD Connect synchronization cycles. 2. Data Residency and Compliance Many countries enforce strict data sovereignty laws restricting where personal and sensitive data can reside. Selecting tenant regions and enabling https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/microsoft-365-multi-geo?view=o365-worldwide become critical to avoid compliance violations. Impact Example: A financial institution with European operations faced potential GDPR breaches until Multi-Geo was implemented to ensure Exchange Online and OneDrive data remained within EU boundaries. 3. Licensing and Cost Control Balancing E3, E5, and F3 licenses across countries with varying user roles and local currencies adds administrative and financial complexity. Best Practice: Implement https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/enterprise-users/licensing-groups-assign, aligning assignments with security groups mapped to user personas. 4. Secure Collaboration Across Borders External sharing in SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams federation introduces security risks if not precisely configured. Default sharing settings often exceed local compliance requirements, risking data leakage. Lesson Learned: Always validate external sharing policies against each country’s data protection laws and client contractual agreements. 5. Operational Support and SLA Alignment Global operations require support models beyond single-region business hours, demanding proactive incident response and escalation planning. Example: Implementing follow-the-sun support with regional admins trained on Microsoft 365 admin centers and PowerShell mitigates downtime risks. Strategic Solutions and Best Practices 1. Architect Hybrid Identity with Redundancy Deploy https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/hybrid/connect/how-to-connect-sync-staging-server in alternate datacenters. Implement Password Hash Sync to reduce dependency on VPN and WAN availability for authentication. 2. Utilize Microsoft 365 Multi-Geo Capabilities Leverage https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/microsoft-365-multi-geo?view=o365-worldwide to meet data residency requirements per geography. Validate licensing implications and admin configurations for each satellite location. 3. Segment Licensing by User Persona Define clear user personas (executives, knowledge workers, frontline staff). Map license types accordingly, optimizing costs while ensuring productivity needs are met. Use https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/enterprise-users/licensing-groups-assign for scalable management. 4. Design Conditional Access Policies by Geography Create https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/conditional-access/location-condition. Integrate with Intune compliance policies to block or limit access for non-compliant devices. 5. Implement a Global Governance Model Establish clear local vs. global admin roles to maintain accountability. Enforce https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/privileged-identity-management/pim-configure to control and audit privileged access. Lessons Learned from the Field Latency is a silent killer – Always test Microsoft Teams and OneDrive performance across regions before production rollouts. Communication is critical – Local IT teams must align early with global security and compliance strategies. Compliance first – Never assume Microsoft’s default data location suffices for local regulations. Cost optimization is ongoing – Conduct license audits and adjust assignments every six months. Conclusion Architecting Microsoft 365 for a multi-national enterprise demands strategic integration of compliance, hybrid identity resilience, secure collaboration, and cost optimization. Cloud success in a global enterprise is not an accident – it is architected. By applying these best practices validated against Microsoft recommendations and real-world deployments, organizations can empower global collaboration without sacrificing governance or security. About the Author Gonzalo Brown Ruiz is a Senior Office 365 Engineer with over 21 years architecting secure, compliant cloud environments across North America, Latin America, EMEA and APAC. He specializes in Microsoft Purview, Entra ID, Exchange Online, eDiscovery, and enterprise cloud security.Securing the Modern Workplace: Transitioning from Legacy Authentication to Conditional Access
Authored by: Gonzalo Brown Ruiz, Senior Microsoft 365 Engineer & Cloud Security Specialist Date: July 2025 Introduction In today’s threat landscape, legacy authentication is one of the weakest links in enterprise security. Protocols like POP, IMAP, SMTP Basic, and MAPI are inherently vulnerable — they don’t support modern authentication methods like MFA and are frequently targeted in credential stuffing and password spray attacks. Despite the known risks, many organizations still allow legacy authentication to persist for “just one app” or “just a few users.” This article outlines a real-world, enterprise-tested strategy for eliminating legacy authentication and implementing a Zero Trust-aligned Conditional Access model using Microsoft Entra ID. Why Legacy Authentication Must Die No support for MFA: Enables attackers to bypass the most critical security control Password spray heaven: Common vector for brute-force and scripted login attempts Audit blind spots: Limited logging and correlation in modern SIEM tools Blocks Zero Trust progress: Hinders enforcement of identity- and device-based policies Removing legacy auth isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s a prerequisite for a modern security strategy. Phase 1: Auditing Your Environment A successful transition starts with visibility. Before blocking anything, I led an environment-wide audit to identify: All sign-ins using legacy protocols (POP, IMAP, SMTP AUTH, MAPI) App IDs and service principals requesting basic auth Users with outdated clients (Office 2010/2013) Devices and applications integrated via PowerShell, Azure Sign-In Logs, and Workbooks Tools used: Microsoft 365 Sign-In Logs Conditional Access insights workbook PowerShell (Get-SignInLogs, Get-CASMailbox, etc.) Phase 2: Policy Design and Strategy The goal is not just to block — it’s to transform authentication securely and gradually. My Conditional Access strategy included: Blocking legacy authentication protocols while allowing scoped exceptions Report-only mode to assess potential impact Role-based access rules (admins, execs, vendors, apps) Geo-aware policies and MFA enforcement Service account handling and migration to Graph or Modern Auth-compatible apps Key considerations: Apps that support legacy auth only Delegates and shared mailbox access scenarios BYOD and conditional registration enforcement Phase 3: Staged Rollout and Enforcement A phased approach reduced friction: Pilot group enforcement (IT, InfoSec, willing users) Report-only monitoring across business units Clear communications to stakeholders and impacted users User education campaigns on legacy app retirement Gradual enforcement by department, geography, or risk tier We used Microsoft Entra’s built-in messaging and Service Health alerts to notify users of policy triggers. Phase 4: Monitoring, Tuning, and Incident Readiness Once policies were in place: Monitored Sign-in logs for policy match rates and unexpected denials Used Microsoft Defender for Identity to correlate legacy sign-in attempts Created alerts and response playbooks for blocked sign-in anomalies Results: 100% of all user and app traffic transitioned to Modern Auth Drastic reduction in brute force traffic from foreign IPs Fewer support tickets around password lockouts and MFA prompts Lessons Learned Report-only mode is your best friend. Avoids surprise outages. Communication beats configuration. Even a perfect policy fails if users are caught off guard. Legacy mail clients still exist in vendor tools and old mobile apps. Service accounts can break silently. Replace or modernize them early. CA exclusions are dangerous. Every exception must be time-bound and documented. Conclusion Eliminating legacy authentication is not just a policy update — it’s a cultural shift toward Zero Trust. By combining deep visibility, staged enforcement, and a user-centric approach, organizations can securely modernize their identity perimeter. Microsoft Entra Conditional Access is more than a policy engine — it is the architectural pillar of enterprise-grade identity security. Author’s Note: This article is based on my real-world experience designing and enforcing Conditional Access strategies across global hybrid environments with Microsoft 365 and Azure AD/Entra ID. Copyright © 2025 Gonzalo Brown Ruiz. All rights reserved.Building Enterprise-Grade DLP with Microsoft Purview in Hybrid & Multi-Cloud Environments
Authored by: Gonzalo Brown Ruiz, Senior Microsoft 365 Engineer & Cloud Security Specialist Date: July 2025 Introduction Data is the lifeblood of every modern organization, yet it remains one of the most exposed assets. As organizations embrace hybrid and multi-cloud models, traditional endpoint or email-only DLP solutions no longer provide sufficient protection. The explosion of data across Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and third-party SaaS applications introduces new risks and compliance challenges. Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) provides a powerful solution that unifies data governance, sensitivity labeling, and policy enforcement across your cloud ecosystem. However, building an enterprise-grade DLP strategy goes far beyond enabling policies. Why Traditional DLP Fails in Modern Environments Traditional DLP approaches often: Protect only endpoints or email without covering cloud services Lack integration with data classification and labeling frameworks Generate excessive false positives due to generic rule sets Create operational friction for end users In hybrid environments with Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive, these limitations lead to fragmented coverage, compliance blind spots, and user workarounds that expose sensitive data. The Microsoft Purview Advantage Microsoft Purview DLP offers: Unified policy management across Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive Integration with Sensitivity Labels for data classification and encryption Real-time policy tips that educate users without blocking productivity Built-in compliance manager integration for audit readiness When architected properly, Purview becomes a strategic enabler of data governance and compliance rather than just a security checkbox. Key Components of an Enterprise-Grade DLP Strategy 1. Data Classification and Labeling Implement Sensitivity Labels with auto-labeling policies to classify and protect sensitive data at scale. 2. Policy Scoping and Exceptions Handling Design DLP policies that balance security with operational needs, incorporating exceptions for justified business processes. 3. Insider Risk Management Integration Correlate DLP events with insider risk signals to identify intentional or accidental data misuse. 4. Audit, Reporting, and Compliance Evidence Configure alerting, detailed reporting, and data residency mapping to fulfill regulatory and internal audit requirements. Implementation Framework: Your Step-by-Step Guide 1. Preparation Conduct a data inventory and sensitivity assessment Identify regulatory and contractual compliance obligations Engage business stakeholders for adoption readiness 2. Pilot Deployment Roll out policies to a controlled user group Review policy matches and refine rules to minimize false positives Provide targeted user training on policy tips and data handling expectations 3. Full Deployment Scale DLP policies across workloads (Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive) Implement automated remediation actions with user notifications and audit logs 4. Optimization and Continuous Improvement Review policy match reports regularly to fine-tune thresholds and rules Incorporate feedback from security, compliance, and end users Integrate with eDiscovery workflows for legal readiness Best Practices and Lessons Learned Start with monitor-only policies to baseline activity before enforcing blocks Combine DLP with Sensitivity Labels and encryption policies for holistic protection Regularly educate users on data classification and handling standards Create clear governance structures for DLP ownership and policy management Balance security controls with user productivity to avoid shadow IT workarounds Conclusion Data Loss Prevention is no longer optional – it is a critical enabler of trust, compliance, and operational excellence. By architecting Microsoft Purview DLP as part of an enterprise data governance strategy, organizations can protect their most valuable asset – data – while empowering users to work securely and efficiently. Author’s Note: This article is based on my extensive professional experience designing and implementing Microsoft Purview DLP solutions for global enterprises across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Copyright © 2025 Gonzalo Brown Ruiz. All rights reserved.
PAGE BREAK 365 WORD DOC doesn't work
Hello The page break on 365 word docs don't work properly. The create an enormous space between one page and the following, making it very difficult to work with for presentation, taking into account that the company only allows these type of docs to work with. In the attach image you can see how large these breaks are with the circles in red. I've tried all options in paragraph options but it doesn't word. I've tried help with the assistance of an AI but it has given up saying there might be some limitations to these type of pages. Anyone know what I can do to avoid these large page breaks in 364 Word docs? Thank you very much in advance Alberto
Excel Power Query crashing 0xC000026F
Hi, I have the same error that was already reported by other users 0xC000026F. Since today, I have an error when I try to create a new “basic query” or if I try to refresh an existing one which was working fine last week (on January 22 it was still working fine). Error Message: Container unexpectedly exited. Exit code: 0xC000026F. PID: 19148 … From what I see my Excel is Version 2512 (build 19530.20184) from 21 January 2026… I am wondering if it is this update which crash PQ ? I have already tried: sfc /scannow then dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth Without success… Any help would be appreciated. Regards,
