Microsoft 365 can be more than just a place to stash emails and docs. With a little setup, it transforms into a productivity powerhouse, a security stronghold, and the ultimate collaboration space—minus the awkward Zoom overlaps. Ready to see how it can give your team an edge, no matter their tech know-how?
Essential Settings
These foundational settings make life easier and save time for anyone on your team, from interns to the C-suite.
- Outlook Email Management
- Focused Inbox—Less clutter, more action. Focused Inbox learns from your email habits and starts sorting messages into “Focused” (stuff you’ll actually read) and “Other” (the rest). It’s like having a digital bouncer for your inbox. Focused Inbox learns which messages are most important to you, moving high-priority emails to the ‘Focused’ tab over time. This means you spend less time sorting emails and more time on what matters. Find it under View > Show Focused Inbox to get started.
- Organize with Rules and Categories – Keep that inbox under control. Rules help you sort, flag, or even delete emails before you open them. For example, you can send all messages from “Your Least Favorite Client” straight to a special project folder—or, you know, wherever. Categories add visual flair by color-coding emails by topic or urgency. You can set rules up in the Settings > Mail > Rules menu in Outlook’s online interface.
- Sweep for Quick Cleanup – Inbox decluttering, done in one click. Select a recurring email from, say, a newsletter you love but can’t read daily, and hit “Sweep” to either delete or move every email from that sender. You’re one click away from a tidier inbox and a clearer mind.Think of it as achieving a state of Zen—a calm and clutter-free inbox in the midst of a busy day. “Sweep” is available for the web version of Outlook and may not yet be available for the desktop app.
- .Organize Teams Channels for Effective Collaboration
- Structure Teams Channels by Project or Department – Because nobody needs a maze. Setting up Teams channels by project or department helps keep conversations focused and easy to find. Use Pinned channels for projects that you visit frequently, so you can skip the scroll-through. And give it a regular cleanup—kind of like that junk drawer that only opens halfway.
- Manage Guest Access and Policies for Secure Collaboration – Keep external partners in the loop without giving away the farm. For those times you need to bring in a partner or client without handing over the keys to the kingdom, Teams lets you manage guest access. Just set up Teams Policies to control who gets to see what, so everyone stays on the same (secure) page. To prevent accidental sharing of internal meetings due to misconfigured guest permissions, carefully configure guest access settings in the Teams Admin Center and regularly review your Teams structure. This ensures that only intended participants can join your meetings and access your content.
- Help Users Manage Their Passwords
- Self-Service Password Reset – Let’s keep IT out of the password-reset loop. With Self-Service Password Reset, you empower your team to handle their own forgotten passwords. Less time on hold with IT, more time on the stuff that matters. Enable it in the Admin Center, and it’ll keep your team from waving the “Help!” flag every time they need a reset. To set this up initially, you might need help from your IT administrator.
- Strengthen Data Security with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- MFA – The deadbolt to your doorknob lock. Passwords are the front door lock, but MFA? That’s your deadbolt, adding an extra layer of security that actually works. Depending how your instance of M365 is deployed, you should be able to enable MFA in one of these ways:
- Admin Center > Settings > Org Settings > Security & Privacy
- Admin Center > Azure Active Directory > Security > MFA
- Admin center > Settings > Org Settings > Security & Privacy
- MFA – The deadbolt to your doorknob lock. Passwords are the front door lock, but MFA? That’s your deadbolt, adding an extra layer of security that actually works. Depending how your instance of M365 is deployed, you should be able to enable MFA in one of these ways:
MFA: Because Losing Your Phone Shouldn’t Mean Losing Your Mind
Note: Once you’ve set up MFA, encourage users to download the Microsoft Authenticator app on their phone for fast and secure access.
Safety Tip: To avoid a “locked-out-of-everything” disaster, users can set up a backup option—like printing out recovery codes or installing an Authenticator app on a backup device like an old but still functional tablet. That way, if your phone pulls an unscheduled dive into the canal in Round Lake Beach, you’re not stranded on the wrong side of your accounts.
Intermediate Settings for Growing Businesses
Got a bit of a team going? These features scale well and keep everyone organized and on task:
- Customize SharePoint Libraries for Secure File Access
- Manage Permissions for Team Libraries – Only share what you want shared. Setting permissions at levels like View, Edit, and Full Access keeps everyone focused on what’s relevant. For example, maybe only the HR team can edit the employee handbook, while the rest of the staff just views it—probably at home, as a non-prescription sleep aid. (Just don’t tell Ralph from HR, who mostly wrote it.)
- Use Metadata and Views for Quick Document Retrieval – Marie-Kondo-like organization, but without the whole life transformation. While Marie Kondo and I don’t exactly see eye-to-eye (that whole “life-changing” bit didn’t really stick), Metadata and Views might actually help. Tag files with metadata (e.g., project name, document type) so you can find them fast without fishing through 100 folders. Set up custom Views to show only what you need, like a marketing library that displays only current campaigns. It’s a little digital tidying up that actually works. There is documentation for SharePoint’s settings and metadata. It may not be as scintillating as the Employee Handbook, but it’s worth a read if you crave heroic levels of order in your life.
The granularity of the permissions in Team Libraries is pretty flexible – you can set permissions at the folder-, subfolder- and file-levels. This helps to manage access based on need.
- Use OneDrive’s Offline Access and Version Control
- Files On-Demand – Don’t clutter your hard drive if you don’t need to. Enable Files On-Demand in OneDrive settings to access cloud files only when you actually need them, saving precious local storage. Think of it as your “grab on the go” file option without dragging every single file along.
- Set a Version Control Policy – Keep track of changes without endless versions piling up. OneDrive’s version control feature lets you revert to previous versions, which is perfect if Ralph from HR gets a little delete-happy. Set a version retention policy to prevent storage overload while keeping essential file histories safe from Ralph’s uninvited attention. Also, set a history limit so you don’t end up gathering unnecessary file versions.
If you want to use the “Files On-Demand” feature, you will need a Windows 10 or later operating system. Since Windows 10 will be retiring soon, you’ve likely already upgraded to Windows 11 or plan to do so. If not, you should read this – Upgrade Windows 10 before it takes a dirt nap.
Advanced Settings for Larger Teams and Power Users
For when you’re ready to add some serious tech muscle to your Microsoft 365 setup.
- Automate Tasks and Visualize Data with Advanced Tools
- Power Automate – Make your Microsoft 365 work as hard as you do. Power Automate can handle repetitive tasks, from moving email attachments to SharePoint to setting daily reminders. Start with something small, like automating reminders for team check-ins, and build as you go. It’s your go-to for all the digital busywork that eats up your day. Power Automate workflows can integrate across Microsoft 365 apps, which reduces repetitive tasks across Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, and more.
- Power BI – Data visualization without the Excel headache. Power BI takes raw data and turns it into something you can actually use (and maybe even enjoy). Connect it with Excel for an easy start, or dive into advanced dashboards to track those KPIs. Because who doesn’t love a graph that makes sense? Neophytes to Power BI can ease into it by linking Power BI to Excel, and go on from there. Note that Power BI can easily expose sensitive data, so you will need to manage permissions and access carefully.
- Copilot – The right-hand AI assistant you didn’t know you needed. Copilot is here for premium users, like a virtual assistant who always knows what’s next on the agenda. It can summarize meetings, whip up content drafts, and analyze trends faster than you can say “Wait, we’re already done?” Just check your Microsoft 365 plan to see if you’ve got access – Copilot usually requires an additional license fee.
- Strengthen Access and Search with with Advanced Security Settings
- Conditional Access Policies – Create smart guardrails for data access. Conditional Access lets you set up access rules based on location, device, or user behavior—picture it like the velvet rope at a VIP event, where only the right people get in. Ideal for those high-level files you want locked down tight. Note: This feature is part of Azure AD Premium, so check your plan.
- Create Custom Bookmarks in Microsoft Search – Because every second saved adds up. Microsoft Search works across all 365 apps, so adding bookmarks to frequently accessed files or resources means less searching, more doing. Consider adding bookmarks for important docs—because nobody wants to hunt for that one folder all day.
- Organize Projects with Planner and Microsoft To-Do – Keep team tasks on track without micromanaging. Planner is perfect for tracking team projects, while To-Do helps with personal deadlines. Whether it’s a big product launch or just a running to-do list, these tools keep everyone on the same page without the need for a dozen check-ins.
- Maintain Permissions and Apply Sensitivity Labels
- Schedule Regular Permissions Reviews – Prevent “Oops, I didn’t mean to share that” moments. A quarterly or biannual permissions review keeps things secure by ensuring only authorized users have access. Go to Microsoft 365 Compliance Center > Audit and set alerts to track any access changes that might raise a red flag.
- Use Sensitivity Labels for Data Classification – Mark files as “CLASSIFIED” just like in sixth grade. Back in sixth grade, I was all about stenciling “TOP SECRET” on my notebooks. With Sensitivity Labels in Microsoft 365, I can do it again—only now, it’s actually useful. You can tag files as Public, Confidential, or Highly Confidential to keep them protected—especially from Ralph.
Getting Started: Meet Your Microsoft 365 Admin Center
If you’re new to the Admin Center, think of it as your control tower for Microsoft 365. This is where you’ll set up MFA, manage permissions, and generally keep everything running smoothly. Take a little time to get to know it, and you’ll find that even the more advanced features start to feel like second nature.
Microsoft 365 is a powerhouse waiting to be optimized. Are you ready to take your Microsoft 365 setup to the next level? Let our experts at NerdsToGo-Crystal Lake help you boost productivity and security with tailored Microsoft 365 solutions. Contact us today to start optimizing your Microsoft 365 environment for business success!
Food for thought.