Ask Sympraxis Anything - June 2023

Is having employees complete their Microsoft 365 profiles the most effective method to enable a searchable “area of expertise” property in our employee directory?

There are multiple approaches to achieve this, and your decision should depend on your long-term goals and platform extension capabilities. The simplest solution is to utilize the existing “skills” and/or “you can ask me” sections in SharePoint User Profiles. To enhance this solution, you can map the values from the skills section to a refinable string managed property, enabling the use of PnP Modern Search for a user interface with filtering capabilities. Another option is to leverage Azure Active Directory (AD) to store skills and expertise values, which can be displayed by any application consuming Azure AD. Alternatively, you can consider using a third-party solution like LiveTiles Directory or developing a custom solution tailored to your specific needs.

When it comes to curating people search, are PnP Modern Search or Custom SPFx the only viable options? It appears that Microsoft Search does not allow for search curation, and there are indications that UPA may be deprecated

The answer is straightforward. Yes, we agree that PnP Modern Search or a custom solution using the SharePoint framework are the best options for curating people’s search. However, we are cautious about stating that the User Profile Application (UPA) is being deprecated. While it may happen eventually, we currently do not have a timeline for it.

Is there a way to apply JSON and command bar customizations to a document library or list when they are embedded as web parts on a Modern SPO site page?

We have not encountered any issues with this scenario. We have successfully utilized JSON and command bar customizations within document libraries or lists embedded as web parts on Modern SPO site pages and within Teams tabs. If you encounter any difficulties, please feel free to reach out to our team for assistance.

How do I determine which M365 ingress point my client is using?

Technically, Microsoft 365 does not refer to ingress but instead egress points, which serve as the entrance points or “front doors.” These points allow users to transition from their internet service provider’s network to Microsoft’s network. To check if/when this transition occurs, access the admin center and navigate to the “Health” section. Look for the network connectivity tab, where you can run a network connectivity test.

What is the best way to have multiple home experiences in Viva Connections?

To achieve multiple home experiences within Microsoft Viva Connections, you need to purchase a Viva license. With this license, you can create up to ten different home experiences that are tailored to specific audiences. However, if you don’t have a Viva suite license and don’t require audience targeting, you can still create multiple home experiences by creating personal apps in Teams and pinning them to different policies.

What are the ramifications of breaking inheritance in SharePoint online?

Whenever you use the “share” button in SharePoint, you effectively break inheritance. While this used to impact performance, it is less of an issue now as SharePoint has evolved. However, it is crucial to consider your information architecture when regularly breaking inheritance. Assess whether your current architecture provides the optimal starting point for permissions or if there are alternative setups that could be more effective and minimize the need for breaking inheritance.

We appreciate all the submissions and value your feedback! If you have any requests for future sessions or questions regarding the topics covered today, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to help you maximize the benefits of your Microsoft 365 solutions!

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