Tag Archives: Office 365

OneDrive

Difference between save to This PC and Browse

Leave a comment

While saving files we see these two options: This PC and Browse. What is the difference?

If it is a local file, Save or Save As – there is no difference. It opens the standard file save dialog showing local PC files.

If this is a OneDrive, SharePoint or Teams file, there is a difference. For saving these files for the first time, we choose OneDrive or Sites (Teams). Therefore, the Browse and This PC does not come into picture.

However, when you are saving a copy of such files, there is a difference. Note that for online files, there is NO Save As option, it is a Save a Copy option.

If you choose This PC, it will still show the standard File Save dialog showing the default folder (typically Documents).

image

But if you choose Browse, it browses the current file save location – which is OneDrive or Teams or SharePoint.

image

Office 365

WhatsApp vs Kaizala

3 Comments

WhatsApp is simple, convenient and popular. Due to this, it is used for official work as well. Whether you like it or not, you have to accept it. Attempts to control it fail miserably. That is where Kaizala comes in. It provides all the convenience of WhatsApp plus all the security and governance you need for managing official work and data. It is a no brainer. But still, let us see WhatsApp vs Kaizala comparison from a business collaboration point of view.

image
Reading time 6 min

Continue reading WhatsApp vs Kaizala →

Office 365

Password-less login in Office 365

Leave a comment

Just using a login id and password is dangerous. For best protection we must use two factor login – password + OTP. But this is inconvenient and irritating. Now we have a new option – Password-less login – for Office 365. This is secure as well as convenient. See how easy it is and ask your IT team to enable it for you. (5 min reading time)

Password-less login

This requires you to download Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile and configure it once. You must enable the Phone Sign-In option.

Once this is done, you do NOT need to type in your password at all during login. Here are the steps.

  1. Go to the login page Office.com and click Sign In
  2. Enter the login name and click Next
  3. Now, instead of asking for your password, it will just display a number

    Password-less login screen showing a 2 digit number

  4. At the same time, you will receive a notification on your mobile. This notification shows three numbers.

    Passwor-less login notification on mobile phone

  5. Choose the correct number from the mobile notification and choose Approve
  6. If the phone was locked at the time of receiving this notification, you will have to enter unlock code or use fingerprint or face sign-in
  7. That’s it. Now your login is done … without entering the password.

What happens if there is no internet connection

For the Password-less login to work, the Microsoft Authenticator app requires internet connection  on the mobile. If there is no internet connection, you can click on the Use your password instead option.

In this case, you can type the password as usual. You will NOT receive a notification on mobile. But the Microsoft Authenticator app will still show the code for your account. Type that code and the login will work. The codes are automatically generated every 30 seconds. This does not require an internet connection on your mobile.

Ask IT to enable Password-less login

This is an Azure AD feature. Ask  your IT team to refer to this article for details. It is just a single PowerShell command as of now (Dec 2018). Soon it will be available as an option in Azure AD portal user interface as well.

Office 365

Enable Office 365 MFA and be safe

Leave a comment

Quick guide for Office 365 MFA. Includes admin and user tasks in brief.

Admin: Enable Office 365 MFA

  1. Go to Admin Portal 
  2. Users – Select the user
  3. Office 365 MFA option in User properties
  4. Select user(s) again and click the Enable button
  5. That’s it. Now it is the user’s turn to take the next steps

User: Enable Office 365 MFA – first time only

  1. You must go to a browser – incognito / InPrivate / private mode
  2. Go to https://portal.office.com
  3. Login as usual.
  4. Click Next in the Additional Information dialog
  5. Now there are many options and this can be a confusing step
  6. Open the dropdown choose Mobile App and Choose Receive Notifications for verification option

    Choosing the Mobile App autentication option

  7. Click the Set Up option. After some processing, it will show a QR code
  8. Now it is time to download and install the Microsoft Authenticator App on mobile (Android and iOS)
  9. Open the app and from the top right menu, choose Add Account – Work or School Account
  10. Scan the QR code
  11. Now it will register the account on the mobile and you will see a 6 digit code which keeps changing every 30 seconds (does not require internet connection)

    Mobile account registered showing authentication code

  12. Now click Next on the browser side.
  13. You will now receive an notification on the mobile phone.
    Choose the Approve option.

    image

  14. Now the MFA is configured.
    Please note, the displayed 6 digit number is NOT REQUIRED to be entered anywhere. This is because, we are using the Receive Notification for Verification option.
  15. In the next step, it will ask another number for verification in case you lose your mobile. Add a different number here.  Click Next.

Special password for Outlook and Skype for Business

Outlook client and Skype FB does not support MFA. Your regular account password will stop working as soon as MFA is configured. Outlook will keep asking for your password and your regular password will not work. Now you have to use a special password.

That is the one shown to you in the next dialog as Step 4. Copy that password and use the same password it for Outlook and SFB. Use one password for laptop and one for desktop / mobile, etc.

If you use any ActiveSync client on mobile, that will also require a password. Technically you can use this password, but it is better to create another one.

How to do that? Go to Portal.Office.com, click on your photo, go to My account – Security – You will see a Create App Passwords option. Create a new one from there and use it.

User: Regular Office 365 MFA login

Now onwards, MFA is enabled. Now login using two steps

Step 1: Login using UID PWD as usual.

Step 2: Immediately, you will receive the Approval notification on mobile.

Congratulations

Chances of your account being hacked reduced by 99% now.

Share this with everyone you love and make their digital lives also safer.

Lock picture

Office 365

Store files in Office 365 – Best Practices

1 Comment

(Reading time 3 min ) This article provides concise instructions on where to store files when you have Office 365 E3 or above in your organization. There are multiple places and apps within Office 365 where files can be stored. But there is no clarity about which file goes where.  Here is a simple guide for everyone.

where to store files poster

Continue reading Store files in Office 365 – Best Practices →

Teams

What is Microsoft Teams

Leave a comment

May be you already know this. But still, read for just 2 minutes more to clarify your thoughts.  Teams is an app which streamlines teamwork. That is the obvious definition. But this is an incomplete description.

Coordinating with multiple persons is Teamwork. Agreed. But there are a plethora of apps available to collaborate with others. What is special about Teams?

Teams is an app which helps you work with all types of Technologies. So it is not just teamwork with other people, it is with multiple technologies as well.

Continue reading What is Microsoft Teams →

Teams

Microsoft Teams Conversation common mistake

Leave a comment

Microsoft Teams is a convenient way of working with colleagues without cluttering mailboxes. You post a conversation inside the Teams app and others can reply to it.

The common mistake is that instead of replying to your question, people start a new discussion. Here is how you prevent the mistake. Click on the Reply button.

Teams - How to reply

Learn more about Microsoft Teams – Knowledge Pack.

Teams

Missing messages in Teams? Follow the channels.

Leave a comment

Notification icon animation - showing the number bouncing to attract attention. If you are trying to use Microsoft Teams, you will face this practical problem. The problem is that all your team members must notice the messages that are posted in the Teams app. Nothing is visible in the Inbox. This may lead to missed messages and delayed responses.  Start noticing the notification!

 

Three steps

Continue reading Missing messages in Teams? Follow the channels. →