Microsoft deployment blueprint - Address oversharing concerns for your M365 Copilot deployment
Optimized deployment leverages advanced compliance and automation capabilities available in Microsoft 365 E5. This episode outlines how E5 customers can proactively secure data and enhance Copilot performance.Microsoft deployment blueprint - Address oversharing concerns for your M365 Copilot deployment
In regulated industries, internal oversharing can compromise data integrity and Copilot effectiveness. This episode defines what “Foundational” means for Microsoft 365 E3 customers and outlines actionable steps to mitigate oversharing risks during Copilot deployment.How SharePoint Embedded works and how to build AI apps on it
SharePoint Embedded is a fully managed, cloud-based, API-only document management system that lets you securely integrate your custom web or mobile apps, whether built on Azure or other clouds, with Microsoft 365 file storage. It’s especially ideal for ISVs building multi-tenant apps because content stays within each customer’s Microsoft 365 tenant. Design apps that include Microsoft 365 Copilot and agent capabilities, connected Office experiences like Word, and Microsoft Purview compliance and data protection, all within your own user experience. Use built-in retrieval augmented generation (RAG) or bring your own models to create intelligent, secure solutions that reason over your business content, support real-time co-authoring, and scale with granular permissions and storage control. Jeremy Chapman, Microsoft 365 Director, shares how to build intelligent, secure solutions that integrate seamlessly with Microsoft 365 content and services. No data movement & no loss of control. Keep custom app content in your Microsoft 365 tenant. Check out Microsoft SharePoint Embedded. Custom frontend, your domain. Still connected to Office, Copilot, and Microsoft 365. Get started with SharePoint Embedded. Built-in vector embeddings. Automatically index files for AI. Get started with SharePoint Embedded. QUICK LINKS: 00:00 — Keep content secure & compliant without moving it 01:21 — Build fully custom experiences 02:11 — Use built-in vector indexing and RAG 02:55 — Use your models with Copilot’s vector search 04:34 — How it works 05:23 — How the app is built 06:19 — Microsoft Copilot retrieval API 06:58 — Security and compliance 08:02 — Wrap up Link References Build your first agent at https://aka.ms/SPEAgent Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics? As Microsoft’s official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft. Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog Watch or listen from anywhere, subscribe to our podcast: https://microsoftmechanics.libsyn.com/podcast Keep getting this insider knowledge, join us on social: Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MSFTMechanics Share knowledge on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft-mechanics/ Enjoy us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msftmechanics/ Loosen up with us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@msftmechanics Video Transcript: -If you’re looking to build AI powered web or mobile apps for your employees that can securely leverage your organization’s content without moving it or compromising your existing data security. That’s where SharePoint Embedded comes in. Microsoft SharePoint Embedded is a cloud-based document management system. As an API only solution, it lets you as a developer connect the apps that you might be building on Azure or in other clouds securely to the Microsoft 365 file and document storage platform. And this is also an advantage if you’re an ISV who’s building multi-tenant apps because the content stays within your customer’s Microsoft 365 tenant. SharePoint Embedded lets you integrate Microsoft 365 capabilities into your apps, including Microsoft 365 Copilot and agent capabilities, connected Office app experiences like Word and other familiar apps, as well as Microsoft Purview data security and compliance controls. -So you can build generative AI and agent-based solutions using built-in retrieval augmented generation without needing to move your business documents outside of your Microsoft 365 boundary. SharePoint Embedded is also fully managed, so you don’t need to worry about provisioning or managing the underlying compute and infrastructure. And this works with your own web front ends and logic. Let me show you an example. So this is a specialized contract management app that curates case files, which are stored in SharePoint Embedded. Notice this isn’t a SharePoint created site. It’s our own custom application. It’s our own user experience and it’s on our own domain. You’ll see that I need to connect to Microsoft 365 with my user account because the file access is based on my unique set of permissions like I would have if I was running this in Microsoft 365 or an Office app. -This is a one-time connection performed by an end user account, and previously to build an app like this, you would need to send those files to another document management or storage location, maybe like Azure Blob storage or another cloud service where the classifications, protections and permissions for those files would effectively get lost. And once I’m securely signed in, I can see the documents that I have permissions to access within the app and that I want my AI app to reason over. I can also upload or add cloud files from SharePoint, OneDrive, or third party locations into my app, and these files, if not previously on SharePoint or OneDrive will get stored in SharePoint Embedded containers in my tenant. And behind the scenes, these files are indexed at upload time for AI reasoning using embeddings for vector-based search, and the vector index itself is also within my Microsoft 365 tenant. -Here, we’re also using Microsoft 365 Copilot’s orchestration within the app for retrieval augmented generation to respond to my prompts. Alternatively, you can also leverage your own foundational models while leveraging Copilot’s vector search and retrieval, and that way, your content and associated indexes stay within your compliance boundary. The app is designed so that the manual work of rationalizing and processing proposals and legal documents can be done in a fraction of the time using AI. So I can use the custom starter prompts on the top with this agent or write my own prompts. -Here, I’m going to ask it to summarize the proposals by uptime and hourly rates. And as it responds, you’ll see a summary of the uploaded and attached files. Using this app’s custom instructions, it knows exactly how to respond with the right voice and format. Everything in this response is grounded on our information in SharePoint Embedded and contextualized to our application. It’s also fully integrated with familiar Office app experiences, so when I click into any of these documents, the app can open them directly in their respective apps on desktop, web and mobile. And because it’s powered by SharePoint, you can also do real-time co-authoring, also commenting and sharing, and it works with over 300 different file types. And I can even access this as an agent using Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, like I’m doing here with my prompt, looking for information from the same SharePoint Embedded container that I showed earlier. You now have the flexibility for how you want to design your apps and their information architecture while maintaining data security and permission controls over the underlying files. -So let me explain how this works. When you have an app that uses SharePoint Embedded in your Microsoft 365 tenant, SharePoint Embedded creates another partition within your tenant. The storage partition is headless and doesn’t have a user experience so you can develop your own. Within it, the documents you upload go into that storage partition and they’re only accessible via APIs. In that partition, documents are accessible to the custom app or agent while residing in your own Microsoft 365 tenant and to limit per app access within this new storage partition, a SharePoint Embedded app can create multiple file storage containers to store content where each container can have its own unique permissions. So the app that uses SharePoint Embedded has full control over the containers and the documents within them. -And if you’re a developer, let me show you how you can build an app like this. So I’m in Visual Studio Code. And the first thing that you’ll need to do is provision a container, and containers within SharePoint Embedded are tied to the app that creates them. Next, your application will need to integrate with Microsoft Entra for authentication for the signed in user to access files in that storage location. Again, because this is powered by SharePoint, you can build in all the granular access controls all the way down to the individual file level. And because this also leverages Microsoft Graph, you can use Graph APIs to directly access files in your SharePoint Embedded containers. This uses the same file operations that you have across Microsoft 365, except they’re scoped to your app that uses SharePoint Embedded. That means that anything that you can use with Graph APIs can also be used in your SharePoint Embedded apps. -And related to that, you can also use the Microsoft 365 Copilot retrieval API, so that you can leverage built-in RAG for your own custom orchestration and have full control over the experience, or you can use what’s built in, like I showed before. In fact, this is the code for the AI component of our app where we’ve defined the information locations to ground responses and the theming of the sidebar so it matches your app, the suggested prompts that are presented as starter recommendations for users and the meta prompt to customize the voice, tone, format and other aspects of generated responses. -Importantly, your application gets the full Microsoft Purview security and compliance capabilities, which include detailed auditing for all SharePoint Embedded app interactions, data loss prevention, or DLP policy integration to protect sensitive and high value information and information protection controls to identify and protect other classified content. Your containers can be managed from the SharePoint admin center, where you can also apply default sensitivity labels for each container to protect the content within it. -Again, any security and compliance controls that you can apply to your SharePoint sites can also be leveraged by your SharePoint Embedded app. SharePoint Embedded is an Azure service that’s billed based on consumption for storage, transactions and Copilot interactions. When you set up SharePoint Embedded for the first time in the Microsoft 365 admin center, under Org settings, you’ll enable it as a pay-as-you-go service in one billing policy where you’ll define your Azure subscription, your resource group, and your region. Now you’re ready. And the good news is, as a developer, you can get started right away using the Visual Studio extension for SharePoint Embedded. -To find out more about that and build your first agent, check out aka.ms/SPEAgent and keep watching Microsoft Mechanics for the latest tech updates. Subscribe to our channel and thanks for watching.SharePoint and Power Apps: Managing Roles and Permissions
One of the key aspects of SharePoint security is managing permissions at the list or item level, which allows you to control who can view or edit the data. This granular control is essential for maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive information within your organization. By effectively managing permissions, you can ensure that only authorized personnel have access to specific data, thereby reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Whether you choose to restrict access to the entire list for simplicity or use item-level permissions for more advanced scenarios, SharePoint provides the tools you need to keep your data secure. Restrict Access to the Entire SharePoint List This happens in SharePoint itself, not Power Apps. You need to manage permissions at the list or item level: Go to your SharePoint site > Open the List. Click on the gear ⚙️ > List settings. Under Permissions and Management, click Permissions for this list. Stop inheriting permissions (click the ribbon command: Stop Inheriting Permissions). Remove default access groups (like "Members" or "Visitors"). Add a specific SharePoint group or individuals who should have full access —an admin or manager, not end users. End users will only interact with the list through Power Apps — they don’t need direct list access. Please keep in mind that if users need to edit entries, they must have access to the list. Without proper permissions, they won't be able to see or edit the list. The next user permissions option is ideal for users who need to edit their own entries. Use Item-Level Permissions in SharePoint This is only advisable if you can enforce it consistently: Go to List settings > Under Advanced settings. Scroll to Item-level Permissions. Choose: ✅ Read access: Only their own ✅ Create and Edit access: Only their own This works well only if users are submitting forms (e.g., time-off requests) that shouldn’t be visible to others. Prevent Users from Viewing or Editing Power App Code This is configured through Power Apps and Microsoft Admin Center. Limit Who Has Access to Edit the App In Power Apps Studio: Go to File > Share. Remove or do not add users as Co-owners. Instead, share as Users only — give them “Can use” permission. Use Environment Roles (Dataverse or Environment Scope) In the Power Platform Admin Center (https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com): Go to Environments > Click your environment > Security roles. Set roles so users: Are not Environment Admins or Makers. Only have User roles in production environments. Summary of What to Check: Task Where Goal Limit list access SharePoint List Settings Prevent users from directly viewing data Use item-level permissions SharePoint Advanced Settings Let users only see/edit their own submissions Limit app editing Power Apps Share Panel Ensure only owners can edit Secure environment roles Power Platform Admin Center Block access to Maker/Admin capabilitiesCreate an Internal Support Ticket Hub with Microsoft Lists, Forms & Power Automate
Setting Up the Support Ticket Portal First, we will set up the support ticket portal. This is where ticket requests will populate, be triaged, assigned and managed. It's a central location where the support team members can keep track of their tasks as well as keep the client informed through automated notifications upon status changes. Let's get started! 1. Create the Microsoft List: Navigate to Microsoft Lists from the Microsoft365.com App launcher in the upper left. Select the “+ New list” and choose the “Issue Tracker" template. Fill out the list information (name, description*, color*, icon*, and associate it with a team or save to your lists) and select create to make your form (*optional). In this case, associating the list with a team is required as it is needed for notification purposes later on in the tutorial. Review the list items from the template and customize the list to what your organization needs. Include columns that capture essential details such as issue description, priority level, assigned to, and status. Ensure the list is set up to store all necessary information for managing support tickets. There will be items you need captured from the person submitting the form as well as items to triage, assign, and track the status of the case. 2. Creating the Support Ticket Form In the list menu, select the "Forms" tab to create a new form. Customize the form by removing or unchecking questions that are designed for the support team, leaving only the questions needed from the person submitting the ticket. For example, you’d remove the Priority, Status and Assigned To fields from the form because those items are not determined by the submitter, but by the internal staff triaging the case. Ensure the form captures essential details such as the issue description, associated files, and contact information. 3. Enabling Notifications and Assigning Tickets In the form settings, select the toggle next to "Notify me" so that whenever a new item (support ticket) is submitted, you are immediately notified. This ensures that you don't miss an urgent request. Preview your form Check for changes or adjustments you’d like to make. If everything is good, congratulations! You’ve made your support ticket form! 4. The Workflow Process: Now that your form and list are created you can test out your new form and ticket portal. Grab the link to your new form by selecting the forms button again in the menu. Select the link sign to copy the link. Let's test things out. Fill out the form with information as if you are an employee submitting a ticket about an issue. Refresh and check your Microsoft List to make sure the form responses were automatically added. Triage the case. In the Microsoft List, double click on the form submission list item. Here, the support admin will triage the case by assigning it to a member of the support team, updating the status of the ticket to "In Progress" and assigning it a priority status. When a ticket is assigned, the assigned staff member receives a notification, ensuring they are aware of their new task. If they need to get in contact with the employee that submitted the case, they are able to come to the list item, and check for contact/email details in the email column. Team members can update the status of the ticket to "In Progress" when they start working on it and then to "Completed" once the issue is resolved. These status updates help track the progress of each ticket and ensure timely resolution. Congratulations! You have an internal support ticket portal and form. To further enhance the transparency and efficiency of your internal support ticket system, you can implement additional notifications to keep the requester informed about the status of their ticket. By setting up automated notifications in Power Automate for when a ticket is marked as "In Progress" and "Completed," you ensure that the requester is always aware of the current status of their issue. This not only improves communication but also boosts confidence in the support process, as employees feel assured that their concerns are being actively addressed and resolved. 5. Automating Notifications with Power Automate Create a Flow: From the Microsoft365.com app launcher, open Power Automate. Click "+ Create" and select "Automated Cloud Flow". Choose a flow name and set the trigger to "When an item or file is modified". Configure the Flow: On the canvas, select the trigger to enter the required data. The site address your Microsoft List is attached to and the list or library name. Next, we must add a trigger condition in order for the flow to only trigger when the status column has been changed. In the settings tab add the following trigger condition NOt(equals(triggerOutputs()?['body/Status'], triggerOutputs()?['body/PreviousStatus'])) Return to the canvas to create a new action. Select the + sign under your trigger. In the search menu, search for the condition action. For the value of the condition, we want to choose the Status Value from the dynamic field (the lightning bolt). We want to make sure the condition states “Status Value is equal to In progress”. (Capitalization matters here so make sure the capitalization of “In progress” matches the way it is spelled on your Microsoft List”. In the "True" column of your condition we will add a new action. Select “Send an email (V2) Inside of your action select, “Switch to Advanced Mode” to be able to enter dynamic fields or fields directly associated with your form submission. In the "To" field, select the lightning bolt for a dynamic entry. And select the “Issue logged by Email”. This will add the email address of the form sender to the “To” field and who the notifications will be sent to. In the Subject field type and appropriate title such as “Support Ticket Status Update”. In the Body field type a message to the requester. For example, "Hello, you are receiving this message to notify you that your support ticket for" (dynamically insert the name of the issue) “has been changed to “In Progress”. At this point, the flow now sends notifications for when the status column has been modified to “In Progress. Now, let's do the same and send a notification for when the status has been changed to “Completed”. In the False column, we are going to add another condition. The values for the condition will be the same except where it once said, “In Progress” it will say “Completed”. You want the statement to read “Status value is equal to Completed”. In the true column add the same action for sending an email and fill out the details accordingly. Save and test your flow. Test and Deploy: Test the flow to ensure it works as expected. Select Test and choose Manually. This specific flow is triggered when the status column has been modified to “In Progress” or “Completed”. Test both separately to make sure both works. You will see green check marks and receive a notification to the email you provided earlier when filling out the form with sample data. In this example, I tested the flow by updating the status to “In Progress” so in this case I have green check marks along the left side because that follows the first conditions. The green check marks will follow the right-side path if I choose to test the “Completed” status. Here is a copy of the email that was sent to the inbox. Once satisfied, deploy the flow to automate the notification process, enhancing communication and satisfaction. Conclusion By leveraging Microsoft Lists and Forms, you can create a robust internal support ticket system that streamlines the process of submitting, triaging, and resolving support requests. The integration with Power Automate further enhances this system by automating notifications, ensuring that all parties are kept informed throughout the process. This setup not only improves efficiency but also boosts employee satisfaction by providing a transparent and responsive support system.Building a Power App with SharePoint: A Series for Nonprofits
Introduction to the Series ➡️ Next: Building a Power App with SharePoint: An Overview Welcome to our step-by-step series on building a functional Power App connected to a SharePoint List — designed specifically with nonprofits in mind. Whether you're a nonprofit staff member looking to simplify your internal workflows or a tech-savvy volunteer eager to streamline operations, this series is for you. We’ll walk you through creating a simple yet powerful app that helps track records, use filters, and guide users through intuitive navigation — all using low-code Power Platform tools. This app can serve as a foundational template for many nonprofit scenarios like volunteer intake, service tracking, or resource request forms. Each blog post in this series will build on the last, using a SharePoint List as our backend and Power Apps as the frontend. 🎥 Take a Quick Look at the App Want a quick look at the final product before diving into the steps? Watch this short video overview of the custom Power App we built using SharePoint Lists and Power Apps. What We’ll Cover in This Series Here’s what you can expect across the series: Blog 1: Why Power Apps + SharePoint? A Nonprofit-Friendly Overview We’ll explain what SharePoint is, why it’s a powerful tool for storing data, and how it works seamlessly with Power Apps to create simple, low-code solutions for your organization. Blog 2: Building a Power App with SharePoint — Setting Up Your SharePoint List Before jumping into Power Apps, you’ll need a SharePoint List to hold your data. This post walks through how to create a list, configure the right columns, and prepare it to integrate with your app. Blog 3: Creating the Power App — Screens, Forms, and Filters In this final part, we’ll walk you through connecting your list to Power Apps, building the form screen, adding a view screen with filters, and setting up basic navigation to create a clean user experience. Who This Is For This guide is tailored for nonprofit professionals, accidental techies, or small teams trying to make the most of Microsoft 365 tools they already have. You don’t need a development background — just curiosity and a desire to build something helpful! Before You Begin To follow along, you’ll need: Access to Power Apps A SharePoint List you can connect to Basic familiarity with how Microsoft 365 works By the end of this series, you’ll have a working Power App that can be used as-is or adapted to suit your nonprofit’s needs. Let’s get started! 📚 Explore the Series Series Introduction An Overview of the SharePoint/PowerApps Combination Setting Up Your SharePoint List Building Your Power App
1000 Free Udemy Coupons on Microsoft Power Automate With AI Builder
<<BAKRI ID(Id-ul-Ad'ha) -- 1000 FREE UDEMY COUPONS ON RPA>> On the Occasion of BAKRI ID(Id-ul-Ad'ha), I am very happy to share 1000 Free udemy coupons on Microsoft Power Automate With AI Builder Title : Advanced RPA - Microsoft Power Automate With AI Builder https://www.udemy.com/course/microsoft-power-automate-with-ai-builder/?couponCode=LT-BAKRID <<Our other courses on Udemy and Udemy Business>> Title : PL-500 Microsoft Power Automate RPA Developer BootCamp Link: https://www.udemy.com/course/pl-500-microsoft-power-automate-rpa-developer-bootcamp/?referralCode=891491BAB7F20B865EE6 Title 1: Become RPA Master in MS Power Automate Desktop https://www.udemy.com/course/microsoft-power-automate-desktop-tutorials-for-beginners/?referralCode=03D49B549EE2193E79EE Title 2: RPA : Microsoft Power Automate Desktop - Zero to Expert : 2 https://www.udemy.com/course/microsoft-power-automate-desktop-course-zero-to-expert-2/?referralCode=783F39A1D0CDB4A70A7C Title 3: RPA:Microsoft Power Automate Desktop:Intelligent Automation https://www.udemy.com/course/power-automate-desktop-course-intelligent-automation/?referralCode=E8C51F3C27EA98FE100C Connect with me on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameer-basha-p-b44880262/ Youtube Channel : www.youtube.com/learningtechnologiesBuilding a Nonprofit Intranet with SharePoint (Part 1)
Why Nonprofits Should Leverage SharePoint’s Intranet Capabilities Nonprofits often operate with distributed teams, volunteers, and multiple departments that require seamless communication and resource sharing. SharePoint’s intranet capabilities provide a structured way to: Centralize information Streamline workflows Maintain brand and communication consistency across the organization This blog explores how SharePoint can be used to build a powerful nonprofit intranet, using a real-world example: the Two Six Project. This initiative aimed to create a collaborative digital space for a nonprofit’s various programs, each with unique needs for document storage, communication, and role-based access. The solution included a SharePoint hub site with connected program-specific sites, automated forms feeding into SharePoint lists, and integrated analytics via Power BI. The result was a scalable, secure, and user-friendly intranet that empowered staff, students, and administrators alike. SharePoint Hub Sites: Connecting Departments and Initiatives SharePoint Hub Sites allow nonprofits to connect multiple related SharePoint sites under a single umbrella, promoting discoverability and unified experiences. Key Benefits of Hub Sites: Unified Navigation: Provides a common navigation structure across all associated sites. Search and Discovery: Users can search across all connected sites for relevant documents, announcements, and events. Consistent Branding: Ensures uniform branding, layouts, and permissions across associated sites. Cross-Site Content Aggregation: Displays news, activities, and updates from different sites in a centralized view. Two Six Project Example: In the Two Six Project, a nonprofit needed a centralized hub for multiple educational programs. Each program received its own SharePoint site, connected under a single hub site. This allowed for unified navigation, consistent branding, and easy access to program-specific resources like waiver forms, curriculum documents, and announcements. Site Pages and Nested Pages: Organizing Content Effectively SharePoint lets you build rich, structured content within each site to ensure intuitive navigation and access to important information. Key Features of Pages & Nested Pages: Rich Content Pages: Embed videos, documents, images, and news to create interactive internal communication. Nested Pages: Organize information in a hierarchical manner for intuitive browsing (e.g., a main ‘Volunteer Resources’ page with subpages for ‘Training Materials,’ ‘Policies,’ and ‘FAQs’). Permissions Management: Control who can edit or view specific pages, ensuring that only relevant staff have access to sensitive information. Two Six Project Example: The Two Six Project used SharePoint pages to organize content for both public-facing and admin-only audiences. For example, each program site included a visitor-facing page with forms and calendars, while admins had access to a private portal with restricted news and document libraries. This structure ensured that sensitive content was only visible to authorized users, while still maintaining a clean and intuitive experience for students and guests. Conclusion: What You’ve Learned So Far In this first part of our SharePoint intranet series, you learned how nonprofits can: Use Hub Sites to unify navigation and branding across departments Leverage Pages and Nested Pages to organize internal content clearly and securely These features are foundational for building a connected, efficient intranet environment that supports collaboration and information-sharing at scale. What’s Next in Part 2? In Part 2, we’ll dive into: Communication Sites for organization-wide announcements Lists & Libraries to manage internal workflows Power Platform Integrations for automation and customization Interested in Learning More? Check out the links below Create a hub site in SharePoint Add pages to a SharePoint site Nested navigation in SharePoint Online SharePoint permissions overviewEnhancing Nonprofit Collaboration with SharePoint (Part 2)
Welcome back to our series on SharePoint for nonprofits! In Part 1, we explored how hub sites and nested pages help nonprofits build a centralized, structured intranet that supports internal communication and content organization. In this post, we’ll look at more SharePoint tools that help your team stay informed, manage data efficiently, and automate internal processes—ultimately improving collaboration across your entire nonprofit. Communication Sites: Keeping Your Organization Informed Communication sites in SharePoint serve as internal news hubs, ensuring that employees, volunteers, and board members stay informed. Key Features of Communication Sites: Company Announcements: Share news, updates, and newsletters with the entire organization. Event Calendars: Provide visibility into upcoming meetings, fundraising events, and training sessions. Resource Libraries: Store essential documents such as grant templates, donor reports, and legal policies in an easily accessible format. Mobile Accessibility: Team members can stay connected from anywhere with SharePoint’s mobile-friendly experience SharePoint Lists and Libraries: More Than Just Storage Beyond document management, SharePoint Lists and Libraries function as powerful databases that help nonprofits track critical information such as donor records, volunteer registrations, and grant applications. Key Benefits: Customizable Views: Sort and filter data based on specific needs. Integration with Power Automate: Automate workflows such as volunteer onboarding or approval processes. Version Control: Keep track of document changes and prevent data loss. 💡 Example: Use a SharePoint list to track grant applications with custom columns for deadline, status, and reviewer. Combine it with Power Automate to notify reviewers when new applications are submitted. Customizing SharePoint with Power Platform For nonprofits looking to further enhance SharePoint’s capabilities, integrating with Microsoft Power Platform provides automation and customization options. Power Automate: Automate processes like approval workflows and email notifications. Power Apps: Create custom apps to manage program applications or volunteer registrations. Power BI: Generate reports from SharePoint data to gain insights into fundraising or program impact. Real-World Example: Hampton HR Ticketing System One nonprofit, Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute, implemented a SharePoint-based HR ticketing system to streamline employee requests such as benefits inquiries, payroll issues, and policy clarifications. Using a custom-built Power App connected to a SharePoint list, employees could submit tickets through a user-friendly interface. HR staff managed these tickets via the SharePoint List - utilizing custom views, drop downs, and shareable links per case entry for collaboration across the HR team. The Power App-SharePoint Customization has the ability to run automated workflows powered by Power Automate for notifications and escalations. The system was also designed to integrate with Power BI, enabling the HR team to generate real-time reports on ticket trends, resolution times, and team performance—all without leaving the Microsoft ecosystem Explore the Blog Series for a Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Power App from a SharePoint List Conclusion: Bringing It All Together With the right tools in place, SharePoint can be a nonprofit’s digital backbone—supporting everything from document sharing to cross-team collaboration and real-time reporting. By implementing: Hub sites for unified structure Communication sites for internal news Lists & libraries for managing operations Power Platform tools for automation and insight ...your nonprofit can drive transparency, save time, and stay mission-focused. 🔗 Check Out These Links to Learn More Introduction to SharePoint Communication Sites Lists in Microsoft 365 Power Automate for SharePoint Build Power Apps with SharePoint Data Visualize SharePoint Data with Power BI
