Taking Control: Exciting Governance Features Coming to SharePoint Agents

Heads up, SharePoint fans! If you’ve been keeping an eye on the evolution of SharePoint Agents, you’ll be stoked to hear about some serious upgrades coming down the pipeline. The recent Microsoft Tech Community “Ask Microsoft Anything” (AMA) session highlighted some much-needed governance features. Let me tell you, they’re designed to give IT admins a lot more control and peace of mind.

Think of SharePoint Agents as your helpful sidekicks within the platform, automating tasks and streamlining workflows. But with any powerful tool comes the need for sensible controls. Right now, it’s a bit of an “all or nothing” situation in terms of access. But that’s about to change, and for the better!

Here’s a breakdown of the cool governance features Microsoft is cooking up:

1. Sharpening Access Control: Getting Granular with User Groups

Right now, it’s a bit like a single light switch for the whole house – everyone in your organization can use SharePoint Agents, or nobody can. Limiting, right? Well, Microsoft is listening! Soon, you’ll have the power to handpick which teams or departments can tap into the magic of SharePoint Agents. This means you can tailor access based on roles and responsibilities, keeping things organized and secure. Think of it as giving the keys only to the drivers who need them!

2. Environment-Specific Governance: No More Default Dictation

You’ll appreciate this if your organization uses different Power Platform environments (like for development, testing, and production). Currently, SharePoint Agents are pretty much stuck in the “default” environment. This can create headaches for larger organizations with decentralized operations. The good news? Microsoft is bringing governance controls specifically for different environments! Imagine directing agent functionality to the right place, keeping things neat across your various setups. Finally, more flexibility for how you work!

3. Data Sensitivity Gets Smarter: Finer Control Over What Agents See

SharePoint Agents already respect your existing data sensitivity labels – that’s a good start. But Microsoft is cranking things up a notch! They plan to give you even more precise control over what data these agents can access and process. This is all about tightening security and making sure you’re meeting those all-important data privacy rules. Think of it as giving your agents clearer instructions on what’s off-limits, ensuring sensitive information stays protected.

4. Enhanced Auditing and Monitoring: Keeping a Closer Eye on Things

Currently, you have basic tools to see what your SharePoint Agents are up to. But soon, you’ll be getting a much more detailed view! Microsoft is planning to beef up the auditing and monitoring capabilities. Imagine generating in-depth reports on how agents are being used, who’s accessing what, and spotting potential security hiccups early on. This is all about transparency and accountability, giving you the insights you need to stay in control.

5. Customizable Content Discovery: Fine-Tuning What Agents Can Touch

The “Restricted Content Discovery” feature already lets you block agents from certain sites, folders, or libraries. That’s helpful, but Microsoft wants to make it even better! They’re planning to add more filters and settings, allowing you to really drill down and specify exactly what content agents can (and can’t) access. This means you can tailor the rules to fit your specific business needs, ensuring agents are focusing on the right information.

6. Governance Templates and Best Practices: Your Guide to Success

Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed by all these new controls? Don’t worry, Microsoft has your back! They plan to release governance templates and best practice guides for SharePoint Agents. Think of it as a helping hand guiding you through setting up a governance framework that aligns with industry standards and your company’s policies. This will make implementing these new features much smoother.

7. Role-Based Prompts and Suggestions: Tailoring the Agent Experience

This one’s pretty cool! Imagine SharePoint Agents offering prompts and suggestions specific to your role within the organization. This means the guidance you receive will be more relevant and appropriate, respecting the governance policies in place. It’s about making the agent experience more innovative and more personalized.

The Bottom Line:

These upcoming governance features indicate that Microsoft is serious about making SharePoint Agents a secure and manageable tool for organizations of all sizes. They’re listening to feedback and building the controls necessary to ensure these powerful agents can be deployed effectively and responsibly. This is a big win for IT admins and anyone looking to leverage the power of SharePoint Agents within a well-governed environment. Keep an eye out for these updates – they will make a real difference!

Talk to us at HanseVision about your requirements and demands around M365 Governance!