nonprofit tech acceleration (nta)
44 TopicsIntroduction to Setting Up Public or Private Teams in Microsoft Teams: A Step-by-Step Guide
Microsoft Teams is a robust collaboration platform that enables you to create teams tailored to various projects, departments, or interests. Depending on your requirements, you can set up either public or private teams. Public teams are accessible to everyone in your organization, while private teams are restricted to invited members only. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to create both types of teams. Steps to Create a Public or Private Team 1. Open Microsoft Teams: Launch the Microsoft Teams app on your desktop or navigate to the web version. 2. Go to Teams: Click on the "Teams" icon on the left sidebar. 3. Create a Team: Select "Create a team" on the Teams list. 4. Give your team a name, description, name your first channel, and select your Team type. Team type: Private: People need permission to join Public: Anyone in your organization can join. 5. Once your team is created, you will have the option to add members: You can add members immediately or skip this step and add them later. Managing Team Settings After creating your team, you can manage its settings to ensure it meets your needs. Steps to Manage Team Settings: 1. Access Team Settings: Click on the three dots (More options) next to your team’s name and select "Manage team." 2. Edit Team Details: In the "Settings" tab, you can edit the team’s name, description, and privacy settings. You can also add or remove members, set permissions, and configure other settings. Switching Between Public and Private If you need to change the privacy settings of an existing team, you can do so easily. Steps to Change Privacy Settings: 1. Go to Team Settings: Click on the three dots (More options) next to your team’s name and select "Manage team” as previously mentioned. 2. Edit Privacy Settings: Again, in the "Settings" tab, expand the "Team details" section and click "Edit." You can then switch between public and private. In conclusion, creating public and private teams in Microsoft Teams is a straightforward process that allows you to tailor your collaboration spaces to your specific needs. Public teams are great for open collaboration, while private teams provide a secure environment for sensitive projects. By following these steps, you can set up and manage your teams effectively, ensuring that your organization can collaborate efficiently and securely. This is just an introduction to setting up teams in Microsoft Teams. Stay tuned for additional in-depth blogs on Teams features and capabilities! For additional tips and resources, be sure to follow our Nonprofit Community | Microsoft Community Hub for blogs, updates, and expert advice on maximizing your nonprofit tools.83Views0likes0CommentsMastering Approvals: Simplifying Your Team’s Workflow and Request Management
Approvals is a powerful tool designed to streamline your team’s requests and processes, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks. It simplifies workflows such as getting documents signed, approving invoices, or finalizing marketing materials, making collaboration more efficient. Now that we know what Approvals is, let’s take a look at how to access it: How to Access Approvals: 1. Navigate to the application bar on the left side of your Teams app. 2. Click the ellipses (three dots) to reveal additional applications. 3. Select "Approvals" from the list or use the search box to find and select it. Approvals’ Interface: Once you've accessed Approvals, you'll find the interface is simple and intuitive to navigate. At the top left, you’ll see the "Received" tab, where you can view requests from your staff, and the "Sent" tab, which shows the approvals you've sent out for review On the left-hand side, you'll find options for Approvals, Adobe Sign, and DocuSign. If you have an account with either service, you can select the option, sign in with your credentials, or start a free trial. The left-hand tab offers the following options: Approvals – View and manage your current approval requests. Adobe Sign – Adobe Sign for Microsoft Teams allows you to create, send, sign, and manage agreements directly within Teams. DocuSign – The DocuSign integration with Microsoft Teams streamlines approval processes, enabling you to create, manage, and share approvals that require signatures Now that you know how to navigate Approvals, let's go ahead and create our first approval request! How to Create a New Approval Request: 1. Click on "New approval request" located at the top right of the screen. 2. Select your request type: Basic Request – A simple, straightforward request. Adobe Sign – Use Adobe Sign to send and sign documents for eSignature. Note: You must sign in to your existing Adobe account or start a free trial if you don’t have one. DocuSign – Send and sign documents using DocuSign. You’ll need to sign in to your existing DocuSign account or start a free account if you don’t have one. Templates in Approvals – Create and use templates for recurring requests, saving time and tailoring them to fit the needs of your team and organization For demonstration purposes, we’ll be creating a basic request. 3. Give your request a clear and descriptive name for easy identification. 4. Enter the names of the approver(s) and select them. If sending to multiple approvers, you can toggle on "Require responses in the assigned order." This ensures that while you can add multiple recipients at each level, only one response is needed for the request to proceed. 5. Choose the priority 6. Add additional details if needed 7. Add an attachment to the file you want approved. 8. You can create custom response options for the approvers, such as "Yes" or "No," by enabling the "Custom response" toggle. Additionally, you have the option to send the request to an environment other than the default one. 9. Click Send. Additionally, you can create an internal approval request directly through a chat or channel by following the steps below: 1. Navigate to Chat or Channel in Teams. 2. Select the chat or channel you’d like to send an approval request in. 3. At the bottom of the conversation bar, click the “+” sign to search for and add approvals. 4. From there you will have the options to create your request accordingly. Receiving Approvals: Once you receive an approval in your "Received" tab, you’ll be able to view the following details for each request: Priority – An exclamation mark indicates high priority, while medium priority requests have no symbol. Request Title – The name of the request. Status – Shows the current status: Requested, Approved, Canceled, or Rejected. Source – The origin of the request. Created – The date and time the request was created. Sent By – The person who sent the request. Sent To – The recipient of the request. You’ll also find the same information for approvals you’ve sent in the "Sent" tab. How to Approve Requests Sent to You: To approve or reject a request sent to you, follow these steps: 1. Select the request you wish to approve (or reject) by clicking on it. 2. The approval request details will appear. 3. Add any comments (optional). 4. Select Approve or Reject or choose More Actions if you need to Cancel the request. 5. Once you have submitted your response, you should see that its status has changed to approved under your “Received” tab. With Approvals, streamlining your team’s requests and processes has never been easier. Now that you know how to access, create, and manage approvals, you're all set to enhance collaboration and ensure nothing slips through the cracks. Ready to take control of your workflows? Let’s start using Approvals today and make the approval process more efficient than ever! For additional tips and resources, be sure to follow our Nonprofit Community | Microsoft Community Hub for blogs, updates, and expert advice on maximizing your nonprofit tools165Views0likes0CommentsMaster Excel Like a Pro: Must-Know Tutorials & Templates for Nonprofits
How These Tutorials & Templates Can Help Nonprofits Work Smarter Nonprofits often have to do a lot with limited resources, so finding affordable and efficient ways to manage data is a game-changer. However, knowing how to use Excel effectively can be a challenge. That’s where Excel’s built-in tutorials, templates, and additional learning resources come in—they provide step-by-step guidance and ready-made solutions to help nonprofits: Stay organized – Whether you’re tracking donations or planning events, Excel keeps everything in one place, and templates like the Project Tracker make managing tasks easier. Work smarter, not harder – Automate calculations, generate reports, and analyze data without needing an IT team, with help from formulas tutorials and tools like the Expense Report Basic template. Visualize your impact – Use charts and graphs to turn numbers into stories that resonate with donors and stakeholders, aided by tutorials on Pivot Tables and data visualization. Collaborate effortlessly – Since Excel integrates with Microsoft 365, your team can work together in real time, making tools like the Weekly Schedule Planner even more effective. By leveraging these tutorials and templates, nonprofits can overcome the learning curve and unlock Excel’s full potential, making everyday operations smoother and more efficient. Easy-to-Follow Excel Tutorials If you’re new to Excel (or just need a refresher), Microsoft has free tutorials to help you get the hang of things. Here are some great ways to learn: In-App Guided Tutorials Did you know Excel has built-in tutorials? Just open Excel, click New, and search amongst the tutorials and templates to find interactive lessons that walk you through different features. Some of these include: Pivot Table Tutorial Formulas Tutorial Python in Excel Tutorial Microsoft’s Official Excel Help & Learning Microsoft offers a user-friendly Excel Help & Learning page with step-by-step guides on: Formatting spreadsheets Using formulas to automate calculations Creating charts and pivot tables Automating tasks with macros Microsoft Learn Platform If you’re looking for deeper knowledge, check out Microsoft Learn for structured courses on everything from basic spreadsheets to data visualization and automation. Must-Have Excel Templates for Nonprofits Excel comes packed with ready-to-use templates that can save you time and effort. Here are some of the most useful ones for nonprofits: Project Tracker Stay on top of ongoing projects by tracking tasks, deadlines, and progress in one easy-to-use template. Weekly Schedule Planner Plan out your week efficiently by organizing meetings, tasks, and deadlines in a structured format. Marketing Project Planner Manage your nonprofit’s marketing efforts by outlining key strategies, deadlines, and campaign milestones. Expense Report Basic Keep a clear record of expenses to maintain financial transparency and simplify reporting. Weekly Timesheet Track staff and volunteer hours effortlessly with a weekly timesheet template. Budget for Fundraiser Event Organize and manage your fundraising event budget to ensure financial planning is on track. How to Find and Use Excel Templates Using a template in Excel is super simple: Open Excel. Click New. Use the search bar to find templates like Project Tracker, Weekly Schedule Planner, or Expense Report Basic. Click Create and start using the template right away. Final Thoughts If you’re not using Excel to its full potential, you’re probably working harder than you need to! Whether you’re tracking donations, managing budgets, or planning events, these tutorials and templates can help you save time and focus on what truly matters—your mission. Take a few minutes to explore these features and see how they can simplify your work. Do you have a favorite Excel trick or template that helps your nonprofit? Share it in the comments below—we’d love to hear about it!45Views0likes0CommentsBuild a Custom Power Apps Application in Less Than 10 Minutes: A Quick Start Guide
In today's fast-paced business environment, the ability to quickly develop custom applications can be a game-changer. However, not everyone has the extensive coding knowledge required to build these apps from scratch. This is where Power Apps comes in. Power Apps is a powerful tool that allows you to create low-code applications tailored to your business needs, even if you have little to no coding experience. In this blog, we'll explore how you can leverage Power Apps to build custom business apps quickly and efficiently. What is Power Apps? Power Apps is a low-code platform that allows you to create apps that can run on web browsers, mobile devices, and tablets, all without the need for extensive coding knowledge. With Power Apps, you can connect to various data sources, automate workflows, and create user-friendly interfaces with ease. Here's a step-by-step guide to building a low-code app using a template in Power Apps: Building a Canvas App with Power Apps: Step-by-Step Guide Creating a custom business app with Power Apps is simple and efficient, even if you don't have extensive coding knowledge. Follow these steps to get started: Step 1: Sign In to Power Apps First, you'll need to sign in to Power Apps. You can do this by visiting https://make.powerapps.com and logging in with your account credentials. Step 2: Create your application Once you have signed in, you'll be taken to the Power Apps home page. From here, click on "Create" in the left-hand menu to access Power Apps Studio. Step 3: Choose a Template In Power Apps Studio, you'll see a variety of templates available for different business scenarios. These templates provide a great starting point and can save you a lot of time. To choose a template: Scroll down until you see start from template Browse through the available templates and select one that fits your needs. For example, you might choose the "My expenses" template if you're looking to create an app for managing expenses. Step 5: Customize Your App With your template and data source set up, you can start customizing your app. Power Apps Studio provides a user-friendly interface where you can drag and drop elements, such as text boxes, buttons, and images, to design your app. You can also customize the look and feel of your app to match your brand. Step 6: Add Functionality Power Apps allows you to add functionality to your app without writing complex code. You can use Power FX formulas and expressions to create logic and automate tasks. For example, you can create a text that automatically calculate totals, validate user input, and trigger workflows based on specific conditions. Here is a reference for Power FX Formulas: Formula reference - canvas apps - Power Platform | Microsoft Learn Step 7: Test Your App Before publishing your app, it's important to test it thoroughly to ensure it works as expected. Power Apps provides a preview mode that allows you to test your app in a simulated environment. Make sure to test all the features and functionality to catch any issues. Step 8: Save and Publish Your App Once you're satisfied with your app, save your work and publish it so others can use it. To save and publish your app: click on "Save" from the top right of your screen After saving, click on "Publish" to make your app available to your team or organization. By following these steps, you'll be able to quickly build a custom business app using Power Apps, even without extensive coding knowledge. Power Apps makes it easy to create powerful and user-friendly apps that can help streamline your business processes and improve efficiency. Accessing Your Apps on Desktop Go back to the home page by pressing the left arrow. You can also do this by visiting https://make.powerapps.com. Navigate to Your Apps: On the Power Apps home page, you'll see a list of apps you've created or have access to. Click on the app you want to open. Run the App: Click on the play button next to the apps name to run it directly in your web browser. Accessing Your Apps on Mobile Devices Download the Power Apps Mobile App: For iOS: Go to the App Store and search for "Power Apps." For Android: Go to the Google Play Store and search for "Power Apps." Open the App: Once installed, open the app. Sign In: Log in with your Power Apps account credentials. Find Your App: After signing in, you'll see a list of apps you've created or have access to. Run the App: Tap on the app's name to open and run it on your mobile device. Additional Resources Formula reference - canvas apps - Power Platform | Microsoft Learn Designing - Which type of app to make - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn Overview of building canvas apps - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn139Views0likes0CommentsEmpowering Nonprofits with Copilot Actions in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Empowering Nonprofits with Copilot Actions in Microsoft 365 Copilot Nonprofits often face unique challenges, from managing limited resources to coordinating volunteers and engaging with donors. Microsoft 365 Copilot offers a powerful solution to streamline these processes through Copilot Actions. These AI-driven tools can automate repetitive tasks, enhance productivity, and allow nonprofit teams to focus on their mission. Here's how you can make the most of Copilot Actions in your nonprofit organization. Automate Routine Tasks One of the key benefits of Copilot Actions is the ability to automate everyday tasks. For example, you can set up actions to automatically summarize your most important action items at the end of each workday. This ensures that your team stays on top of their responsibilities without spending extra time on manual updates. Enhance Meeting Preparation Preparing for meetings can be time-consuming, especially when coordinating with multiple stakeholders. Copilot Actions can automate the preparation process by generating meeting agendas, summarizing previous discussions, and even suggesting relevant documents. This allows your team to focus on the content of the meeting rather than the logistics. Streamline Volunteer Coordination Managing volunteers is a critical aspect of nonprofit operations. Copilot Actions can help by automating volunteer scheduling, sending reminders, and tracking volunteer hours. This ensures that your volunteers are well-informed and engaged, leading to a more efficient and motivated team. Improve Donor Engagement Engaging with donors is essential for the sustainability of any nonprofit. Copilot Actions can automate donor communications, such as sending personalized thank-you notes, updating donor records, and generating reports on donation trends. This helps build stronger relationships with your donors and ensures that they feel valued and appreciated. Optimize Fundraising Campaigns Fundraising campaigns require careful planning and execution. Copilot Actions can assist by automating campaign tracking, generating performance reports, and suggesting improvements based on data analysis. This allows your team to focus on creative strategies and outreach efforts, rather than administrative tasks. Enhance Data Management Nonprofits often deal with large amounts of data, from donor information to program outcomes. Copilot Actions can automate data entry, update records, and generate insights from your data. This ensures that your data is accurate, up-to-date, and easily accessible for decision-making. Getting Started with Copilot Actions To start using Copilot Actions in Microsoft 365 Copilot, follow these steps: Identify Key Tasks: Determine which tasks in your organization can be automated to save time and improve efficiency. Set Up Actions: Use the Copilot Studio to create and configure actions based on your identified tasks. You can describe the actions in natural language or manually configure them. Monitor and Adjust: Regularly review the performance of your Copilot Actions and make adjustments as needed to ensure they continue to meet your organization's needs. Creating a New Action in Copilot Studio Here are the detailed steps to create a new action in Copilot Studio: Access Copilot Studio: Open Copilot Studio from the Microsoft 365 admin center. Select Agents: On the side navigation pane, select "Agents". Add New Action: Select the "Actions" tab and click on "+ Add action". Choose Action Type: A menu of available action types will appear. Select "New action" and choose the type of action you want to create (e.g., Conversational, Flow, Connector, Topic). Configure Action: A configuration window will appear. Set the basic configurations for the action, such as name, primary language, solution, and schema name. Create Action: Click "Create" to proceed. Your new action will be created and ready for further customization. Customizing and Testing the Action After creating the action, you can customize it further: Define Capabilities: Author the basic capabilities of the action, such as the operations it will perform and the responses it will generate. Test the Action: Use the test pane in Copilot Studio to validate the action and ensure it works as expected. Refine the Action: Make any necessary adjustments based on the test results to improve the action's performance and reliability. Publishing and Deploying Action Once the action is ready, you can publish and deploy it: Publish the Action: Publish the action to the Microsoft 365 admin center. Admin Approval: The tenant admin needs to approve the action for it to be available to users. Deploy the Action: Deploy the action securely using central administration, built-in security roles, and simple management across environments to maintain compliance and governance. By following these detailed steps, you can successfully create and deploy Copilot Actions in Microsoft 365 Copilot, enhancing your organization's productivity and efficiency. References: Extend Microsoft 365 Copilot or Copilot agents with flow actions (preview) - Microsoft Copilot Studio | Microsoft Learn49Views0likes0CommentsList It, Track It, Done! Unleash the Power of Microsoft Lists
What is Microsoft Lists? Microsoft Lists is a powerful and intuitive tool within the Microsoft 365 suite that helps you stay organized, manage data, and track projects with ease. Think of it as a supercharged to-do list, with endless customization and interactivity! From organizing work projects to planning events, Microsoft Lists makes it simple to create, manage, and share all kinds of lists. Navigating Microsoft Lists When you first open Microsoft Lists, you’ll land on your Lists Dashboard—your command center for organizing all your lists. Here’s a quick overview of the key sections: Favorites: This section shows your most-used lists. Simply click the star icon next to any list to mark it as a favorite, and it’ll appear at the top for easy access. Recents: In this section, you'll find all the lists you've recently worked on or ones that have been shared with you. It’s a quick way to pick up where you left off, saving you time from searching for them. My Lists: This is your personal collection, where you'll find all the lists you’ve created or that others have shared with you. It’s essentially your list library, helping you stay on top of everything you need to manage. Now that we know the basics of navigating the dashboard, let’s create your first list! Let’s Create Your First List! Ready to get started? It’s easy – let’s dive in. 1. Access Microsoft Lists: Go to Microsoft 365 and sign in with your work or school account. Click on the app launcher (the grid icon) in the top-left corner and select Lists. If you don’t see it, just search for “Lists” in the search bar. 2. Create a New List: Click on the + Create new button. Choose your preferred method for creating a list: Create from Blank: Start fresh and create a completely custom list. Import from Excel: Bring in data from an Excel spreadsheet. Import from a CSV File: Upload a CSV from your device or OneDrive. Use a Template: Pick a pre-made template designed for different use cases. For this demo, we’ll choose List under Create from Blank. Give your list a name and click Create. 3. Add Columns: Once your blank list is created, you can start defining what data you want to track by adding columns. Click + Add column, then select the type of column (e.g., text, number, date, or choice). Enter a name for the column, adjust any additional settings, and hit Save. 4. Add items to your list: After setting up your columns, it’s time to add items! Click on Add new item (either from the top ribbon or under the title). Fill in the information for each column and click Save to add the item to your list. 5. Customize your list: Microsoft Lists lets you customize the way you view and organize your data by select the +Add View tab at the top. You can choose from a variety of display options, depending on what makes the most sense for your project. Here are some of the views you can choose from: List View: This is the default view where your data is displayed in rows and columns, similar to a traditional spreadsheet. It’s great for detailed information and easy data entry. Gallery View: Display your items in a visually appealing card-like format. This view is great when you want to highlight images or key pieces of information from each item. Calendar View: Perfect for scheduling and tracking time-sensitive data, the Calendar View shows your list items as events on a calendar. This is particularly useful for project deadlines, appointments, or event planning. Board View: Inspired by Kanban boards, this view helps you manage tasks visually. It’s perfect for tracking progress on projects or organizing tasks into different stages, like "To Do," "In Progress," and "Completed." 6. Use Filters, Sorting, and Grouping To keep your list organized and easy to navigate, you can filter, sort, and group your items at the top right-hand corner: Filters: Easily filter your list based on specific criteria (e.g., items due today, or tasks assigned to a certain person). Sorting: Sort your list alphabetically, by date, or by custom fields to help you find what you need quickly. Grouping: Group your items by categories, such as status or priority, to see related items together. And that’s it! You’ve just created and customized your first Microsoft List! Whether you’re managing tasks, tracking inventory, or organizing personal projects, Microsoft Lists makes it easy to stay on top of everything. So, whether you're planning your next big project, organizing an event, or keeping track of your to-dos, Microsoft Lists is here to help you stay organized all year long. Happy listing!218Views0likes0CommentsResetting Passwords in Microsoft 365 Admin Center
As an administrator, you have multiple responsibilities of managing resources. Depending upon your scope of work you may need to manage sites, create mailboxes, and create Microsoft groups, etc. As an administrator, you have the capability to reset user passwords directly through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. Additionally, enabling self-service password reset empowers users to manage their own passwords, reducing administrative overhead. This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough on one of those methods, ensuring a secure and user-friendly experience. However, we will cover enabling the self-service password reset in another article where we will take a closer look into Microsoft Entra Admin Center. Accessing the Microsoft 365 Admin Center Before you begin. You will need to have access to Microsoft 365 Admin Center. Additionally, you will need to be a Global administrator, User Administrator, Password Administrator, or Helpdesk Administrator. Global administrators have full access to reset passwords for everyone. Password, User, and Helpdesk admins can reset non-admin users. However, these roles can reset certain admin user passwords. You can learn more about administrative roles and capabilities here: About admin roles in the Microsoft 365 admin center - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn. There are multiple ways to reset a password for a user, so I will showcase the most common. Resetting Passwords - Scenario 1 Sign into Microsoft 365 admin center using your administrator credentials. Navigate to "Users." In the left-hand navigation pane, select Users > Active users. Under the "Home" tab of the Active Users window, select the checkbox next to the user you would like to reset the password. You may also hover over the user account. Next, select the Key icon, which will appear next to the selected user. A new pane will appear on the right side of the screen. By default, both checkboxes are selected for "Automatically reset password" and "Require this user to change their password on first sign in." You can opt to auto-generate a new password or create one manually. Ensure the option Require this user to change their password when they first sign in is selected to maintain security. Communicate the New Password Securely As of August 30, 2024, Microsoft has removed the ability to send user account details and passwords via email from within the admin center. It is recommended to print the account details to a PDF file and share it with the user through a secure method. Resetting Passwords - Scenario 2 Navigate to Microsoft 365 Admin Center with administrator credentials. Navigate to "Users." In the left-hand navigation pane, select Users > Active users. Under the "Home" tab of the Active Users window, select the name of the user you would like to reset the password. On the user's details pane, select "Reset password". It should be located underneath the name of the individual's name. A new pane will appear on the right side of the screen. By default, both checkboxes are selected for "Automatically reset password" and "Require this user to change their password on first sign in." You can opt to auto-generate a new password or create one manually. Ensure the option Require this user to change their password when they first sign in is selected to maintain security. Important Considerations Encourage users to create strong, unique passwords and to update them regularly. Regularly review and update your organization's password policies to align with the latest security recommendations. In Conclusion By following these steps, you can efficiently manage user passwords within your organization, enhancing both security and user autonomy. Administrators have a variety of tools at their disposal to easily manage user passwords, ensuring a seamless and secure experience for all users. In our next blog, we will cover how to enable password reset for users utilizing Microsoft Entra ID, providing further insights into optimizing your organization's password management processes. Hyperlinks About admin roles in the Microsoft 365 admin center - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn Reset passwords - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn257Views0likes0CommentsHow Nonprofits can Utilize Microsoft Sway for Digital Storytelling
If your organization is looking for an easy way to create visually appealing reports, presentations, and newsletters, Microsoft Sway might be the perfect solution. What is Microsoft Sway? Microsoft Sway is a web-based application designed for creating and sharing interactive reports, personal stories, presentations, and more. Unlike traditional presentation tools, Sway focuses on ease of use and automatic design, ensuring professional-quality content without requiring expertise in graphic design. With a simple drag-and-drop interface, Sway allows you to create dynamic, mobile-friendly content that adapts to any screen size, making it ideal for nonprofits looking to expand their digital storytelling capabilities. Key Features of Microsoft Sway 1. Interactive and Visual Content Sway allows you to incorporate a variety of multimedia elements, including: Text & Headlines – Organize your story into sections with clear messaging. Images & Videos – Showcase compelling visuals to bring your stories to life. Embedded Content – Integrate YouTube videos, Tweets, or other web-based resources to enrich your presentation. The best part? Sway’s built-in design engine ensures that your content always looks polished and professional, no matter the device it's viewed on. 2. Templates and Customization Even if you have no prior design experience, Sway makes content creation simple with pre-designed templates. Whether you're crafting an annual report or a fundraising campaign summary, you can start with a template and customize it to reflect your nonprofit’s brand colors and style. 3. Effortless Sharing and Collaboration With Sway, there's no need to send large file attachments or worry about formatting issues across different devices. You can share your Sway presentation using a simple link. Privacy settings allow you to control who can view and edit your content, making it ideal for both public engagement and internal collaboration. 4. Free and Integrated with Microsoft 365 Sway is free to use with a Microsoft account. For organizations with a Microsoft 365 subscription, additional features and customization options are available, making it an even more powerful tool for nonprofit teams. How Nonprofits Can Use Microsoft Sway Wondering how Sway can benefit your organization? Here are some practical ways nonprofits can use this tool to communicate more effectively: Storytelling Your nonprofit’s story is at the heart of your mission. With Sway, you can create compelling visual narratives about your organization's journey, highlight impactful case studies, and share testimonials from beneficiaries and supporters. Reports and Presentations Annual reports, fundraising updates, and impact reports don’t have to be long, static PDFs. With Sway, you can create engaging, interactive presentations that keep your audience’s attention and make complex information more digestible. Newsletters Keep your donors, volunteers, and community members informed with dynamic newsletters that include images, videos, and embedded content. Unlike traditional email newsletters, Sway allows for a more immersive experience. Training Materials Need to train new volunteers or staff? Sway is a great way to develop interactive onboarding materials, policy guides, and instructional content that’s engaging and easy to update as needed. Microsoft Sway is a game-changer for nonprofits looking to enhance their storytelling and communication efforts. Whether you’re creating reports, presentations, newsletters, or training materials, Sway offers an intuitive and visually engaging way to share your content. How to Get to Microsoft Sway To get to Microsoft Sway: Navigate to sway.cloud.microsoft. Here are your options to get started: Create a blank canvas by choosing Create + New. Start from a topic to give Sway an idea and let it create an outline for you. Start from a document to turn a Word document into a presentation or site. Start from a template to choose from many creative designs, allowing you to customize your ideas and finish your presentation quickly. In wrapping up, Microsoft Sway is a fantastic tool for nonprofits looking to create captivating presentations and share their stories in a compelling way. Its easy-to-use features help you connect with your audience, advance your mission, and amplify your impact. Give Sway a try and see how it can bring your nonprofit's vision to life!95Views0likes0CommentsCreating A Plan for Success with Microsoft Planner
Leadership Demands Planning As a leader, you know the struggle of juggling many hats. Fundraisers, signatures, event planning, and grant deadlines can creep up on you. More importantly, making sure your team accomplishes the goal is critical. Your community needs you, having the tools you need to make the important decisions ensures things get done. Microsoft Planner keeps your team doing what they do best. Stay organized, keep track of priorities by tracking objectives and goals. Keep your team up to date with a centralized location with a user-friendly interface that integrates into the apps you know and love. You can use checklists to mark off important Todo's, use labels to categorize you most crucial areas like across departments or specific initiative. Add important files for your team to have access to anytime anywhere. Key Features and Capabilities Multiple Views: Visualize tasks in various formats, including Board, List, and Timeline (Gantt) views, to suit different project management styles. Task Details: Enrich tasks with descriptions, checklists, attachments, and labels to ensure clarity and context. Progress Tracking: Monitor task statuses and overall plan progress through visual dashboards and charts. Collaboration: Integrate seamlessly with Microsoft Teams to discuss tasks, share updates, and collaborate in real-time. Advanced Features: For organizations seeking more robust project management tools, premium plans offer capabilities such as task dependencies, sprints for agile planning, custom fields, and resource management. Life constantly keeps you on the go, stay prepared for anything. Whether you are catching a flight or grabbing an uber. Planner is right at your fingertips on your mobile phone on both iOS and Android respectively. Creating Your First Plan Log into your Microsoft 365 account Click on the app launcher located on the top left-hand corner (Grid Icon). Navigate to the Planner application. If you don’t see the planner icon, then click on more apps. Scroll down and select Planner. Inside the planner, click on "New Plan" located on the bottom-left of the screen. Choosing Between Basic or Templates Choose between "Basic" and “Basic and Premium templates.” You can click on “see all templates” for more templates. If you use a template, select the template you would like to use, then click “use template.” Otherwise click on “basic”. You will then be prompted to “Create a basic plan from scratch.” You can click on the “Add to my pinned plans” for easier access in the pinned panel in Planner. In the dropdown menu select the Microsoft group or Microsoft Teams group. Then select “Create.” Adding Team Members: By default, all members of the group will have access to the newly created plan. In the top-right corner, click on the avatar icon to open the invite member interface. Add members by searching with your organization and then clicking invite. Organize Tasks: Create tasks by clicking "+ Add task." Assign tasks to team members, set due dates, and add relevant details such as descriptions, checklists, attachments, and labels for categorization. Structure with Buckets: Use "Buckets" to categorize tasks into different stages or categories, such as "To Do," "In Progress," and "Completed," to visualize the workflow. Integrations Microsoft Planner integrates seamlessly with various Microsoft 365 applications to provide a cohesive work management experience: Microsoft Teams: Cocreate to-do lists and make plans based on meetings and conversations. Microsoft Loop: Track your team's plans alongside other online planner content in one workspace. Microsoft Outlook: Check assignments from flagged emails without leaving Planner. Microsoft Viva Goals: Integrate with Planner to automatically update key results and initiatives, ensuring that task progress aligns with strategic objectives Conclusion The new Microsoft Planner is a powerful tool for nonprofit organizations aiming to enhance task management and team collaboration. By leveraging its intuitive interface, robust features, and seamless integrations, your organization can streamline workflows, improve productivity, and stay focused on achieving your mission. For more information and to explore how Microsoft Planner can benefit your organization, visit the official Microsoft Planner page. Please see references below for a deeper dive. Hyperlinks Microsoft Planner | Daily Task and Work Management Microsoft Planner Integration | Microsoft Learn Get started with Microsoft Planner - Microsoft Support Plan an event in Microsoft Planner - Microsoft Support Microsoft Planner on the App Store Microsoft Planner - Apps on Google Play177Views0likes0CommentsKalen's Corner: An Introduction to Azure PlayFab for Nonprofit Organizations
Welcome to Kalen's Corner! I'm Kalen Shaw, a software engineer working in the Nonprofit Tech Acceleration program. In this series, we'll explore various Microsoft tools and services, particularly those that are gaming-related or gaming-adjacent, and how nonprofits can leverage them to achieve their goals and enhance their projects. Let's dive into our first topic: Azure PlayFab. Core Services of Azure PlayFab Azure PlayFab offers a suite of core services designed to support various aspects of game development and operation. These services include: Player and User Management: Manage user accounts, authentication, and authorization seamlessly. Data Analytics: Collect and analyze data to understand user behavior and make informed decisions. LiveOps: Monitor and interact with live games, including real-time analytics and remote configuration. Economy Management: Create and manage virtual economies including in-game currencies, items, and leaderboards. Content Management: Handle content updates and delivery to keep the user experience fresh and engaging. Advantages of Azure PlayFab for Nonprofits Nonprofit organizations can leverage Azure PlayFab to streamline operations, engage with their audience, and drive their mission forward. Here are some key benefits: Enhanced Engagement: Use PlayFab's player management and engagement tools to create interactive and engaging experiences for donors and beneficiaries. Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize PlayFab's robust analytics to gain insights into program performance and impact, allowing for data-driven decision-making. Cost-Effective Solutions: By using a comprehensive platform like PlayFab, nonprofits can reduce the need for multiple disparate systems, saving on costs and simplifying management. Scalability and Flexibility: PlayFab's cloud-based infrastructure ensures that your operations can scale according to demand, providing flexibility and reliability. Data Analytics Feature Overview In this first blog, we will delve into the Data Analytics feature of Azure PlayFab and explore its potential impact on nonprofit organizations. Understanding Data Analytics Data Analytics in PlayFab allows organizations to collect, store, and analyze data from various sources. This powerful tool can provide deep insights into user behavior, program effectiveness, and overall organizational performance. Impact for Nonprofits Nonprofits can use PlayFab's Data Analytics to: Measure Program Effectiveness: Track and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) to understand the impact of your programs and initiatives. Understand Donor Behavior: Gain insights into donor preferences and behaviors, allowing for more targeted and effective fundraising campaigns. Optimize Resource Allocation: Make informed decisions on resource allocation based on data-driven insights, ensuring maximum impact with limited resources. Case Study: Charity Water Charity Water, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries, has successfully implemented Azure PlayFab to enhance its operations. By leveraging PlayFab's Data Analytics, Charity Water can track the performance of its fundraising campaigns, understand donor behavior, and optimize its outreach strategies. This data-driven approach has enabled Charity Water to increase donor engagement and ensure that its resources are used most effectively. Conclusion Azure PlayFab offers a powerful suite of services that can significantly benefit nonprofit organizations. By leveraging its capabilities, nonprofits can enhance engagement, make data-driven decisions, and optimize their operations. In our next blog, we will dive deeper into another key feature of PlayFab and explore its potential impact on the nonprofit sector. Stay tuned!51Views0likes0Comments