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Construction Project Management Software Solutions

How-To

Keep Your Construction Data Safe with Microsoft 365 Permissions – Part 3

How-To |

In part 1 of this three-part series on Microsoft 365 permissions, we discussed Microsoft 365 admin roles and application-specific permissions. In part 2, we covered Microsoft SharePoint permissions. In the final part of this series, we will focus on file-sharing permissions in Microsoft 365.  

With Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint applications, you can share individual files and folders directly with internal and external team members. The process is much more straightforward than the permissions management process in SharePoint, as discussed in part 2 of this series. Still, it is easy to overlook the underlying sharing features because of its perceived simplicity. Without understanding the extent and interdependences of sharing, determining who has what permissions and what level of permissions users have across all assets in your libraries, folders, and sites can be challenging. 

Recently, Microsoft has unified the sharing menu across Microsoft 365 applications, so the sharing user interface is consistent, making it easier for users.  

The New File-Sharing Feature in Microsoft 365

The new Microsoft 365 sharing menu packs a lot of functionality!  

Once you select a folder or file, you can click on share to bring up a modal window with the option to choose with whom you want to share the file. There is also an area to provide a message if you intend to email a link to the record. You can also copy and send the link manually via email or chat or paste it into a document.  

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A few features worth highlighting in the new share menu:

1. Sharing settings – If you click on the cog in the top right of the share menu, you will access the sharing. Depending on your SharePoint administrator’s permission management controls, you can select categories of people you can share the file with and the permission level you want to be associated with the file. You can even block the file from being downloaded.

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2. Permission Levels -  If you click the down arrow next to the “add a name, group, or email” field where you input who you want to share a file with, you will get the permission levels you can assign to the file.

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You will better understand permission levels if you refer to part 2 of this series of permission management articles. With regards to SharePoint, these levels correlate to:

    1. Can edit -  Contribute access.
    2. Can view – Read access
    3. Can review – This is new to those familiar with SharePoint permission levels. “Can review” allows you to add comments to a document, but you do not have edit control.

3. Manage Access – If you click on the avatars (people icons) in the bottom left, you will access the Manage Access settings.

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  • You can grant access/permission to the file from here if you click on the plus avatar in the top right of the screen.
  • Under the People tab, you change a person’s access/permission level.
  • The Groups tab displays the number and list of permission groups assigned. Links will display a link aligning with the access/permission levels given so you can easily copy the links.

There’s a lot of functionality in this small modal window, but make sure to investigate to know exactly who can do what with your files.

You might wonder how this aligns with SharePoint since it has its own permission management structure. From Part 2 of this series, we referred to breaking inheritance when you assign unique permissions on each asset (list or library) in SharePoint. When you share a document directly using the share menu, it breaks the inheritance behind the scenes in SharePoint. That’s an essential action in SharePoint that you need to be aware of because of the following:

  • If you add any new assets to the site, they will not automatically inherit the site permissions. You will have to add them manually.
  • It is not readily apparent that you are sharing your file at a glance. In SharePoint, you can see who can access the documents by editing the document library view and including the “shared with” column.

Sharing files in Microsoft 365 is relatively easy, but many considerations are needed to maintain the security of your data. We recommend using permission groups as much as possible and avoid assigning permissions to specific users. Also, it is a best practice to create a permissions matrix for each project that details permission groups, levels, members of each group, and the assets to which each group has access.

If you find permissions management complicated and need help getting things up and running or need help with Microsoft 365, you can reach out for a free one-hour consultation here.

Keeping it Simple: Cost Report Using Microsoft 365 Lists

How-To |

Many construction organizations have transitioned to Microsoft 365 but might not leverage all the applications included in their subscription. Microsoft Lists is an often overlooked application that can provide unique features for tracking project deliverables such as issues, asset management, action items, and even a simple cost report. Read on to learn how to build a simple cost report using Microsoft 365 Lists.

What is Microsoft 365 Lists?

Lists is a Microsoft 365 application that allows you to create a configurable data grid, with multiple views, that can be shareable with your team members. Lists is a modern application that stores its data behind the scenes in good old-fashioned SharePoint lists. Within Lists, you can view all the lists from all the SharePoint sites you can access. The benefit of having the separate Lists application is that users don’t have to go to every SharePoint site to create or find the needed list.

Let’s create a cost report!

Let’s create a simple cost report list to demonstrate how easy Lists is to use.

Navigate to the Lists app in Office.com, click New List, and select a Blank List.

You can name your list “CostReport” and add some basic theming.

Select where to save the list. You can save your list to an existing SharePoint site or My Lists, which is saved to a SharePoint site that is automatically created for you, and you can get to My List directly through OneDrive. For this exercise, select My Lists to save your data. Note: If you intend to extend the functionality of this simple cost report, I recommend choosing a SharePoint site to save your data instead of My Lists.

Create Columns

Once you create the list, you can begin creating columns. Note: The title field is automatically created. Consider using cost code/WBS name as the title.

For your cost report’s actual cost code field, you could create a column and name it CostCode. Select “choice” as the field type and add each corresponding WBS/cost code identifier choice.

For each financial column of your cost report, create currency columns:

To calculate fields such as budget or forecast variance, create calculated columns. Calculated columns are not readily apparent from within the Lists “create a column” menu. You have to select “see all column types” and click next, which then navigates you to a SharePoint list settings create column menu

From the SharePoint list settings “create column” menu, select calculated for the “type of information in this column” and select currency as the “data type returned from this formula.”

Formulas allow you to select columns that you have previously created in your list and add them to a calculated column. Here is a list of common formulas you can use for a calculated column.

You are going to want to create your variance columns using calculated fields.

Once you create all the columns you need to track your project costs, click New to add records for each row of your cost report.

From the SharePoint list settings “create column” menu, select calculated for the “type of information in this column” and select currency as the “data type returned from this formula.”

While every cost report for every project can be different, we created a simple cost report so you understand how it can be built and customized.

Sample of a simple cost report:

  • Title = WBS/code description text field
  • CostCode = choice field
  • Budget, commitment, spends, and forecast are currency fields
  • ForecastVariance and BudgetVariance are calculated columns
    • ForecastVariance = PreviousForecast-Forecast
    • BudgetVariance=Budget-Forecast

Going outside the box

If you are looking for something a bit more complex than a simple cost report using Lists, you could extend the functionality further by incorporating other Microsoft 365 applications into your solution. For example:

  • Integration from your financial systems for commitments and spends using Power Apps and Power Automate workflows.
  • Standardized WBS/cost codes across cost reports using SharePoint site columns for consistent reporting.
  • Build Power BI reports for slicing and dicing the cost report data.
  • Automatically save cost reports by period and compare variances between periods using Power Automate to copy the list and update the PreviousForecast column.

We hope this simple cost report exercise provides an easy way to spin up a straightforward tracking tool for your project. If you need help customizing Lists to your specific project needs or need help with Microsoft 365, you can contact us for a free consultation.

If you need a more robust solution for Microsoft 365, you can request a demo of Construction Viz, our enterprise construction management solution that can be deployed to your Microsoft 365 tenant.

Visualize Your Project Data with Microsoft Lists Calendar View (constructionviz.com)

How to get Microsoft 365 off the ground for your construction projects

How-To |

It can be an intimidating experience trying to manage your projects in Microsoft 365. There are so many different approaches and tools it can make your head spin trying to find the best for your needs. And it can be difficult, almost impossible, to find the right company to work with that has construction and Microsoft technology knowledge to do it.

We have found that figuring out where to start is the greatest challenge for construction organizations looking to embrace Microsoft 365 for their projects.

Common questions construction organizations have about Microsoft 365

Some typical Microsoft 365 questions we get from construction teams include:

  • How do I write requirements?
  • What’s the best way to manage data? Folders vs. metadata?
  • How can I manage my contractors’ permissions? What if I don’t want them to have access at all?
  • What are the best tools to create, manage, schedule, report, and archive my projects?
  • How can I minimize the number of emails that fill up my inbox?
  • What are some of the tools and processes to improve project communication?
  • How can I deliver a super simple solution for all levels of technical aptitude?

Solving the above questions requires years of experience developing and delivering solutions specifically for the construction industry.

Lydon Solutions is a turnkey Microsoft 365 solutions provider laser-focused on the construction industry, from developing detailed requirements to implementing easy-to-use solutions. For over 14 years, we have been delivering award-winning solutions that have made our clients more productive and have saved millions of dollars.

Let us help you take the first step to take control of your projects. You can request a one-hour consultation here.

We also have our own construction management platform, Construction Viz, that can be implemented out of the box or tailored specifically to your business. You can request a demo here.

Microsoft 365 resources for construction teams

Below are a few blog articles that will help you get started using Microsoft 365 to manage your construction projects.

The Great Metadata Convergence with Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive

How-To |

Microsoft is unifying metadata handling between Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Here is what you need to know.

What is metadata?

First, let’s start with a definition. Metadata is “data that provides information about other data.” In the case of SharePoint, metadata can include using the term store or adding unique columns to lists and libraries. The advantage of metadata over folders is that you gain more robust search and reporting capabilities.

What’s the issue with folders?

Organizing by folders is popular because it builds on the familiar. File folders are similar to how we store paper documents in file cabinets. Folders also mirror a standard shared drive. So, users find this approach intuitive and easy.

Metadata_1

One downside of folders is upkeep. Documents have to be moved from one folder to another to be re-classified. The organization scheme of several levels of folders can be confusing. Documents can get misfiled in incorrect or redundant folders over time.

Here’s an article that further explains the topic - 3 Ways to Organize Your Documents in SharePoint - Lydon Solutions

How does metadata currently work with Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint?

Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint are three applications in Microsoft 365 where you can effectively manage documents. Until recently, each application has its strengths and weaknesses regarding file organization:

  • The Teams application is great for collaborating and has a files tab in a channel where you can upload files into folders. However, you could not add metadata.
  • OneDrive has a local client that allows for working with files offline. It is also easy to use and navigate since it has an explorer-like view that we all know from a PC, but it also lacks metadata.
  • SharePoint is an enterprise content management system (ECMS) that provides the ultimate flexibility to use metadata and folders for lists and document libraries.

What has changed with metadata in Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint?

With this recent Microsoft 365 update, Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint can share metadata, not just folders. If I add columns in the files tab of a Teams channel, those columns will appear in SharePoint and OneDrive. If I add columns in the SharePoint Documents library, they will be available in Teams and OneDrive. At this point, you cannot add columns (metadata) in OneDrive, but you can view them. Also, you can now create views in Teams using metadata linked to SharePoint, keeping both systems in sync. Let’s get into why this update is important.

Teams adding columns to a files tab for a channel
SharePoint adding columns in the Documents library
OneDrive viewing columns from a Documents library

What’s the big deal with this metadata change?

Metadata is critical to organizing files more consistently. Until now, metadata was only useful in SharePoint since you couldn’t add or view it in Teams or OneDrive. This update keeps all three applications in sync with both folders and metadata when you use the Documents library. You are not restricted to just using folders!

Also, you don’t need to manually sync the Documents library across Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint for this to work; Microsoft does this for you automatically. If you check out one of our recent posts, Microsoft 365 OneDrive and Teams for Your Construction PMIS (lydonsolutions.com), you will see how Microsoft has done this behind the scenes.

Great news, but there is a catch

Unfortunately, you currently cannot see the metadata if you are using the mobile apps for SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive.

Also, this metadata feature is related to the SharePoint Documents library created when you create a new Team. To use other SharePoint libraries to manage metadata, you must manually link to that SharePoint site from Teams or OneDrive.

Take away

In summary, by making metadata available across Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint, Microsoft has brought all three applications closer together for document management with fewer trade-offs. So, deciding where you want to manage your project documents is not an either-or application decision. You could start in Teams and use SharePoint or OneDrive at a later date based on the use case without having to give up search and reporting.

Microsoft 365 is a powerful platform for managing all aspects of your business and operations. Due to its scale and breadth, it can be a little intimidating. You can reach out to Lydon solutions for a free one-hour consultation where we can help you on the right path for your organization.

Keep Your Team in the Loop with the Microsoft Teams Bulletins App

How-To |

It can be challenging notifying team members of upcoming events or keep them in the loop on project communication. Organizations using Microsoft 365 have many communication options, including email, Microsoft Teams chats, and even SharePoint pages. But which one is the easiest to use and most efficient communication tool?

The Bulletins app for Microsoft Teams is a relatively new app that can centralize this type of communication while keeping you in the Teams ecosystem. Read on to find out if the new Bulletins app for Microsoft Teams might be a good notification solution for your construction organization.

What is a Bulletins app for Microsoft Teams?

Microsoft has been releasing a bunch of free sample apps to inspire developers to adopt and extend the Power Platform ecosystem. These apps are usable out of the box or customizable to solve your unique needs.

Bulletin app in a Microsoft Teams channel

The Bulletin app is a notification-focused app that you can add to Teams chats or channels. Each bulletin can have a title, description, image, category, URL, and delivery date.

Notifications could occur from all project areas. The Bulletins app can be an excellent fit for construction teams since you can easily organize items by category, date, and featured status to make them easy to find. What's great about the Bulletin app is that it keeps these notifications centralized and easily manageable by Team. It's a one-stop shop for managing notifications.

How do I add the Bulletins app to Microsoft Teams?

If you frequently use Microsoft Teams as a communication and file storage platform, you have probably seen the option to add apps by clicking the three dots for "More added apps."

Clicking "more apps" from Microsoft Teams navigation
Installing the Bulletin app into a Microsoft Teams channel

To find out how to add the Bulletin app to your tenant, refer to this link: Bulletins sample app - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn.

Microsoft Teams adds two tabs when you install the Bulletin app: "Manage Bulletins" and "Bulletins." Here is a quick breakdown of how they work:

  • Manage Bulletins - The Manage Bulletins tab is where a designated communication lead would create bulletins. Once published, the bulletins can be seen in the Bulletin app by everyone that has access to it.

Adding a Bulletin via the Manage Bulletins tab

 

  • Bulletins - The Bulletins tab is where your team goes to see the latest bulletin. Bulletins can be bookmarked, sorted by category, and searched.
Bulletin home screen

How could I use Bulletins on my project?

A bulletin could have a variety of uses for a construction project. A few good examples of construction-specific bulletins with categories could be:

  • General -"Client will be onsite every Friday."
  • Systems - "System downtime from 1-2 PM."
  • H&S - "H&S training required for access to the exclusion zone."

You can also include bulletin details with a nice banner image and links to related information, such as a SharePoint site where you can provide more details.

The Bulletins app is cool, but…

Having a notification app is a great idea, and Microsoft has done all of the heavy lifting to make this app available for developers to extend it further. If you are not a developer or have a developer in-house that knows the Power Platform, there are a few limitations in the out-of-the-box app:

  • Cannot attach images. You can add URLs that can link to images but cannot embed images into the text field.
  • Isolated to a single team. You can install the Bulletins app for a team, and it will show on every channel for that team. However, you cannot install the Bulletins app across multiple teams.
  • Needs additional options. While Microsoft created this app to pique the developer community's interest, it would have been great if there were a few additional features. For example, configurable fields such as status, the ability to use the activity feed when a new notification gets added, and distribution groups.

In summary, the Bulletin app is an interesting approach to notifying team members. I recommend trying it, but I would caution implementing it if you do not have the IT support to modify the app for your specific use cases.

If you want to implement this Microsoft Teams app or any others from Microsoft and need IT support with the power platform or anything in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, Lydon Solutions is here to help. You can schedule a free one-hour consultation here.

Microsoft 365 OneDrive and Teams for Your Construction PMIS

How-To |

A recent Microsoft 365 roadmap feature (ID #88912) could allow you to manage construction projects using only two Microsoft 365 applications. Check out this article to find out more.

Microsoft Teams is the company’s communication platform and information hub, and Microsoft is integrating all of its applications into it to make the application a one-stop shop. OneDrive is Microsoft’s “file share” solution. OneDrive is more of a windows explorer in the cloud where you can save files into folders and even take files offline without an internet connection.

Microsoft’s 365 roadmap feature 88912- OneDrive: Easily navigate to all your Teams files from OneDrive provides a huge benefit to file storage, essentially connecting OneDrive to your Teams files which are in turn connected to SharePoint document libraries.

In OneDrive mobile, you can see Teams that you have access to under Libraries
In OneDrive mobile, you can see Teams that you have access to under Libraries
In OneDrive Online, you can see Teams you have access to under Quick access/Recent and More places.

This recent feature is special because Microsoft has seamlessly integrated OneDrive with SharePoint behind the scenes. Creating a new team in the Teams application adds an associated SharePoint site to store your Teams files by default. Think of SharePoint as your database for Teams. Before Microsoft implemented this new feature, you had to connect OneDrive to the Teams-specific document library in SharePoint manually.

With this new integration between Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive, you can forgo having to link OneDrive to a SharePoint document library manually; Microsoft does this automatically for you. This makes file storage locations consistent between Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.

Integration between Teams and OneDrive is excellent for construction projects

If you use Microsoft Office documents and PDFs as your primary data, you could deliver a project management information system (PMIS) by solely using only Teams and OneDrive:

  • You can use Teams to manage project team communication for office and field workers since Teams is available for desktop, online, and mobile.
  • Field workers could use the mobile OneDrive app if they need to go offline without an internet connection to view and add documents to the same Team locations that the rest of the teams use.
  • All your project files will reside in the same place in Teams and OneDrive (and SharePoint).

The above is a simple two-system solution that could get you up and running for your project in no time. Ultimately, you have one location for files which is a huge benefit for project teams.

From here, you could expand Teams to introduce forms, workflows, and reports using the Power Platform. You could also introduce SharePoint for more of an intranet-like experience and more document control.

While Microsoft 365 is an amazing platform for managing information for your projects, it can be a little overwhelming. Lydon Solutions is here to help. You can request a free one-hour consultation to get you on the right track.