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Microsoft News

The end of an era with Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013

Microsoft News |

Microsoft recently announced the end of SharePoint 2013 Enterprise Server support. The announcement brought up some nostalgia in terms of how far SharePoint has come and our appreciation for such an influential and innovative product.

Before SharePoint 2013: The start for Lydon Solutions

We started our company developing and hosting construction solutions first on SharePoint 2007 and then quickly switching to 2010 before moving our first client to production. As a new company trying to survive in the highly competitive technology sector, we encountered many challenges. I remember those late and sleepless nights. At that time, we used out-of-the-box tools like InfoPath 2007 for forms and SharePoint Designer 2010 for workflows and supplemented where possible with third-party apps. Also, we used a SharePoint hosting company where we “rented” dedicated servers. We knew we had a good idea using SharePoint for managing construction projects, and through trial and error, we willed the technology to work. It was an exciting time.

SharePoint 2010 Landing Page
SharePoint 2010 Landing Page

Success with SharePoint 2013

Fast forward a few years. Microsoft announces SharePoint 2013 and their new cloud platform Microsoft Azure. We had a decision to make: do we continue with 2010, which we were just getting familiar with, and stay with an external hosting company or make the jump to SharePoint 2013 and do our own hosting in Azure? We decided on the latter, spinning up our own data center in Azure and delivering solutions using InfoPath 2013, Designer 2013, third-party apps, and JavaScript. We now owned the entire value chain, which allowed us to provide turnkey solutions for our clients.

SharePoint 2013 was ahead of its time with the ability to configure and customize the product for any industry. It was widely adopted across the world as the leading enterprise content management solution. Everyone had it, but not everyone knew how to use it. There were no guideposts, no how-to manuals. Through trial and error, you earned your stars and stripes. There were so many interconnected switches and considerations that It was like being a mechanic working on a formula one sports car. With SharePoint 2013 and a little JavaScript, we felt empowered to build any solution we could envision. We delivered our solutions to multi-billion-dollar projects and programs for the next seven years. It was a fantastic time. At the end of 2021, we decommissioned our last instance of SharePoint 2013.

SharePoint 2013 Landing Page
SharePoint 2013 Landing Page

Gone but not forgotten

Change is in the DNA of a technology company. Technology comes and goes, and you are always chasing after what you think the future will be. For Lydon Solutions, SharePoint has always been there. While we have since moved to Microsoft 365 SharePoint Online, I will always look back with great fondness and appreciation for what SharePoint 2013 gave us.

2015 AACE Conference demo of SharePoint 2013 solution
2015 AACE Conference demo of SharePoint 2013 solution

Thank you, Microsoft.

Microsoft 365 Loop will change your work day. Are you ready?

Microsoft News |

You might be wondering what Microsoft 365 Loop is. Microsoft Loop is a little difficult to define, so let’s use a typical office work scenario. You start your work day by opening Outlook to check your email and Teams so that you can chat with your coworkers. Next, you select a file to work on, such as updating your cost report in Excel, finishing a PowerPoint presentation for senior management, or maybe creating a status report in Word.

All of the above files reside in separate applications with their own file extensions. Wouldn’t it be easier if you started your day in a freeform workspace where you could include all of those applications, and more, without needing to go anywhere else?

Microsoft Loop is the one ring to rule them all. Loop organizes your work into workspaces like books. A workspace could be a project or re-occurring meeting like a monthly status update. The app further divides Workspaces into pages (like pages within the book).

Where Loop gets interesting is the ability to turn parts of the pages into shareable components, letting you share your workspaces, pages, and components with others to get their real-time feedback. Suddenly your work day is organized like a diary with real-time interactions without the need to switch applications.

How is Microsoft Loop different than One Note?

In theory, Loop could be the next evolution of One Note. Loop adds live integrations with Office and the ability to create shareable components.

Is there something similar to Microsoft Loop on the market?

Yes, there is a software product called Notion:

"Notion is a single space where you can think, write, and plan. Capture thoughts, manage projects, or even run an entire company — and do it exactly the way you want."

The difference between Notion and Loop is the ability to integrate with the rest of the Microsoft 365 suite.

Where does Microsoft Loop save data?

You would think Loop would save data in the Dataverse, but it actually saves to SharePoint. Here’s an article explaining the details - The SharePoint storage platform supports the Loop app - Components, pages, and workspaces (microsoft.com). This is great news for our Construction Viz product which deploys to SharePoint Lists and Libraries. I can see a day where we embed Loop components into Construction Viz, potentially even bi-directionally.😊

Microsoft Loop sounds great. When can I use it?

As of March 2023, Loop is still in preview and a little underwhelming since it only integrates with Outlook for the web and Teams. Still, Microsoft has done the heavy lifting, and you can see the potential of this cross-application tool.

We’ll monitor Microsoft Loop and provide updates on how construction project teams can use it in their daily workflows. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter in the footer below not to miss future updates about Loop and other technologies essential for the construction industry.

You can also schedule a no-obligation consultation to learn more about using Microsoft 365 to manage your construction projects.

How to use Microsoft Teams Updates for Construction

Microsoft News |

Microsoft has released a new Teams app called Updates. The Updates app allows you to create update requests for your teams or individuals and allow recipients to submit their response for review.

The Updates app is an interesting approach to issuing and receiving status requests for your team members from within Teams. If you want quick status updates in a questionnaire-type format, the Updates app might be a great tool to consider. Read on to find out more.

Setting up the Updates app for Microsoft Teams

Here is a quick walkthrough on setting up the Updates app.

Requirements to get started
Before you begin, you will need to have the following in place:

  • A Microsoft Dataverse If you don't have permission to create one yourself, you will need to request this from your IT team or tenant admin.
  • A Power Automate, Microsoft 365 E/M, or Dynamics license.
  • A license for Microsoft Forms.
  • An administration role in the environment.

Adding the Updates app
To add the Updates app, click on the three dots in the lefthand navigation area of Teams (it says "More added apps" when you hover) and search for Updates. You can then pin the app so you can quickly get to it in the future.

You can also create or assign an Update from within a chat by clicking the three dots (Messaging Extensions) and then searching for and selecting the Updates app.

Configuring the app
When creating an Update, you have several options. You can use an existing template, such as a weekly update or a facility inspection, or select "Start from Blank" to create a template.

If you "Start from Blank," there are three settings you can adjust:

  • Basic settings – This is where you can name the template and enable it.
  • Form design – This is where you create the questionnaire. If you are familiar with Microsoft Forms, you will see that it's pretty much the same interface with the same options.
  • Workflow settings – This is where you create the workflow of who will respond to the Update (submitters), who will be able to review responses (viewers), and what frequency the flow will run.

Submitting an update
Once an Updates template is created and saved, based on the due date of your flow, team members will receive a notification under their activity feed in Teams. Submitters can then respond in mobile and desktop versions of Teams which is handy for front-line workers.

Reviewing responses
If someone assigns you as a viewer in the update, you will have access to an Updates dashboard that provides the status of any updates you have scheduled, issued, or received. You can review all of the responses from the viewers as they arrive and view the entire series of responses in one view.

Where is this data being saved?
The Updates app stores all its data in Microsoft's Dataverse in Microsoft 365. The Dataverse has many benefits, such as deep integration with Microsoft's cloud services (Azure, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365) and access to many connectors in Power Automate and Azure Logic Apps. Also, since Updates uses Forms to build questionnaires, all your Updates forms will show in Microsoft Forms in a read-only view.

Our overall takeaway on using the Updates app for construction

The Updates app has potential as a one-off status update solution for Microsoft Teams.

The questionnaire or survey will need to be simple and only require a one-step workflow for it to be viable for something like a construction daily progress report. If you are not collecting a lot of data from your submitters and are heavily ingrained in using Teams to manage projects, I recommend checking it out.

For more complex scenarios, you may be better off looking at a combination of Power Apps and Power Automate to give you flexibility for your form and workflow logic.

The Good

  • Prebuilt templates are available, and you can create your own.
  • You can add the Updates app to Teams chats.
  • The Updates app has a simple but effective workflow to collect responses and even schedule reoccurring requests.
  • The app's dashboard provides an easy way to manage responses.

The Bad

  • It's an app specifically for status updates which makes it a one-off tool in Teams.
  • It uses Microsoft Forms which is somewhat limited in functionality; if it were possible to connect to Power Apps, you would have much more options to build out forms.
  • The Updates app offers limited configuration options, such as creating custom views, exporting to Excel, and printing to Power BI.
  • Users cannot edit their responses after submission.
  • No customization capability.

Learn how to use Microsoft 365 to manage your construction projects

If you need help setting up Microsoft 365 to manage your construction projects, you can check out this three-part blog article series or contact us directly for a free consultation.

What does Windows 365 Cloud PC mean for construction? – Part 2

Microsoft News |

Our previous blog article looked at Microsoft's recent Windows 365 Cloud PC offering. I even suggested your current physical PC might be the last you will need to buy. Now it is time to consider what Windows 365 Cloud PC might specifically mean for the construction industry.

In our last article, we talked about the features of Windows 365 Cloud PC. In short, Windows 365 Cloud PC lets you securely stream your Windows experience—including your personalized apps, content, and settings—from the Microsoft cloud to any device. Like every other business, how construction companies respond to Windows 365 Cloud PC comes down to time and money. Below are the pros and cons to consider.

Windows 365 Cloud PC advantages for construction companies

The Windows 365 Cloud PC could save construction organizations considerable costs and dramatically improve efficiency in many ways.

Bring your own device (BYOD). Adopting Cloud PC will lower costs as organizations no longer need to buy hardware for their employees, reducing capital expenditure programs and refresh schemes as the service becomes an operational cost. The new model could be organizations providing employees with a set IT allowance which will help improve company cash flow.

IT support reductions. Organizations would not need as much technical support, significantly reducing IT headcount and the headaches of troubleshooting one-off PC issues.

Remote access. Employees can access their PC and applications from any device, anywhere. This level of flexibility is critical for construction team members who need access both in the office and field using various form factor devices.

cloud pc for construction

Always secure. The Cloud PC is always secure with the latest updates removing the risks inherent in having physical PCs "out in the wild." Always-up-to-date Cloud PCs take the burden off team members having to make sure their device is up to date on patches and updates.

Standard PC builds. Cloud PCs with standardized builds can be released quickly, ensuring no software issues between team members. Organizations can push a common set of always-up-to-date applications to users, removing any issues with versions and compatibility. A Cloud PC can also help prevent users from installing unapproved software

Real-time onboarding and offboarding – Organizations could onboard a person in minutes without having to ship a new PC with a custom build. If the person leaves the organization, the Windows 365 Cloud PC can be disabled in seconds, and the license reclaimed or eliminated. Since construction teams are dynamic and can include third-party contractors, team members can hit the ground running on day one.

Disadvantages of Windows 365 Cloud PC construction companies should consider

Windows 365 Cloud PC probably sounds excellent so far. What's the catch? There are a few potential downsides that construction organizations should consider before deploying Cloud PC technology.

It's a subscription service. While the starting costs are relatively low, they will grow just like your cable bill. And there are different subscription levels based on the PC RAM and storage, potentially making it less attractive to those using high processing applications like BIM, CAD, and other graphics demanding applications.

Offline access. Offline access is not currently available, and at a minimum, you must have an internet connection capable of at least streaming a video to use Windows 365. Future iterations of the Cloud PC will likely look to include this capability. However, the performance of a Cloud PC probably is not going to be to the level you would expect of a version of Windows installed on your local computer.

The mercy of Microsoft. Updates, fixes, and patches are now in the hands of Microsoft, which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your experience with their support.

Ownership. You no longer own the assets. If you don't pay your Microsoft bill, you lose your access.

The Windows 365 Cloud PC will be a game-changer across every industry. The Cloud PC could revolutionize data accessibility for construction both in the office and the field. As subscription services have become the standard business model for all services these days, the Cloud PC seems like the next inevitable step.

Do more with Microsoft 365 and Windows 365

Microsoft provides a robust lineup of powerful productivity tools that go way beyond Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Lydon Solutions can help your organization get the most out of Microsoft 365 and Windows 365 by optimizing them for construction teams. Contact us for a free consultation to learn how Lydon Solutions can help your organization better use Microsoft 365 and Windows 365 for construction project management.

What does Windows 365 Cloud PC mean for construction? – Part 1

Microsoft News |

Windows 365 Cloud PC is a new Windows-as-a-service subscription model from Microsoft. Your current PC could be the last one you need to buy based on our initial assessment.

The days of IT installing and managing software on local servers in your own data center are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Cloud computing is now the de facto standard for hosting servers and applications because it offers many more benefits, such as always up-to-date security, flexible storage, and worldwide 24x7 availability, all without needing your own IT support team to keep the servers running and patched.

Across every industry, Microsoft and Azure are changing how businesses access their information. Microsoft has been leading cloud computing for the enterprise with Microsoft 365 and their Azure cloud platform. With the availability of high-speed internet and the promise of wireless 5G networks, the time is perfect for delivering an all-in-one solution across the enterprise.

So what is the Windows 365 Cloud PC?

You may remember the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) trend from a few years back. And I am sure that you are familiar with accessing your organization's internal systems from a remote PC via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), where you can access a virtual Windows PC or apps via your company's VPN. Well, VDI never really got any traction, mainly because it was a bear to set up, configure and support. And virtual PCs also require a lot of hardware, time, and effort to maintain.

cloud pc
cloud pc 2
cloud pc 3

Windows 365 aims to simplify all of this. Your Microsoft 365 admin allocates you a license and provisions a Cloud PC. You can then log in at Windows365.com and enter your Microsoft 365 login credentials (the same you use to access SharePoint, Teams, etc.), and, presto, you are accessing the latest version of Windows. You now have access to all your applications and virtual storage that is your C: drive in the cloud.

What makes Windows 365 Cloud PC so unique?

If you think about your current PC, it's a physical plastic box with a graphics card, processor, hard drive, etc., designed to run applications, store data, and connect to the internet. You need to have that PC to access those applications and your data. With a Windows Cloud PC, you need an internet connection and input devices like a mouse and keyboard. You no longer require that plastic box. The cloud version of Windows does all of the heavy lifting.

Suppose your IT wants a little more control and integration with local resources. In that case, you can set up an RDP connection using the URL provided in Windows365.com to your personal Cloud PC, again allowing access from almost any device.

cloud pc 4

What does this mean to PC makers and business IT organizations?

If this service takes off, it will change the definition of what a PC needs to be. This shift could have a massive impact on traditional PC manufacturers since the plastic box could be as simple as a cell phone or internet TV.

On the other hand, it will mean more flexibility, efficiency, and possibly cost-saving for organizations and their IT departments across every business.

  • Hardware savings: Organizations would no longer need to provide devices to their employees. If you have your own internet-connected devices, you can access your Cloud PC anywhere. This flexibility makes bring your own device (BYOD) programs more viable.
  • IT support savings: For IT departments, all of the hassle of dealing with PC-specific configuration issues, software conflicts, patches, and updates go away. Depending on end-user needs, IT teams can centrally manage one or more instances of Windows for the entire company. As long as employees can access the internet, they are all set.

Sounds great, but how much does Windows 365 Cloud PC cost?

As always, it all comes down to cost. There are two areas of costs to consider:

  1. The Windows Cloud PC subscription model – The current pricing has three tiers, with the most common level being $41/user/month for 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage. Suppose you consider the average lifespan of a PC to be around three years and the initial capital cost of a PC to be approximately $1,500. In that case, the breakeven is about three years, which is in line with a typical hardware refresh.
  2. IT department/support savings – This is where the actual savings come into play. Larger organizations would see the most significant benefit by reducing their IT department. Users would also spend much less time troubleshooting IT issues.

Next time, we'll look at what Windows 365 Cloud PC will mean for construction organizations.

Need help adopting Microsoft technologies for your company?

Microsoft provides a robust lineup of powerful productivity tools that go way beyond Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Lydon Solutions can help your organization get the most out of Microsoft 365 and Windows 365 by optimizing them for construction teams. Contact us for a free consultation to learn how Lydon Solutions can help your organization better use Microsoft 365 and Windows 365 for construction project management.

Microsoft 365 Stream for your Construction Videos

Microsoft News |

On most construction projects, there are a ton of videos from safety training to daily construction progress. Unfortunately, these videos typically reside on local computers or shared drives, making sharing extremely cumbersome via email due to the files' size. Microsoft Stream to the rescue!

Microsoft Stream is a video-sharing service for Microsoft 365 that was released in 2017. Stream allows you to save video files, add metadata, assign permissions, and share the videos with team members.

Videos uploaded from different Microsoft 365 services like Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint are all available in Stream based on permissions. So, you no longer have to hunt for a video's save location to access it, and you only need to have one version of it in your Microsoft 365 tenant because you can manage all of your videos from within Stream.

Microsoft-Stream_1

Stream also lets you share videos across other Microsoft 365 services such as Teams, Yammer, SharePoint Online, OneNote, PowerPoint, Sway, and Outlook. There is even a Stream web part available for SharePoint Online that you can easily add to any page to display your videos. Lastly, Stream allows you to embed Microsoft Forms into your videos for conducting attendee surveys and questionnaires, which is helpful for online training videos.

If you are interested in Stream, it comes with most Microsoft 365 subscriptions. While there are many great features and services in Microsoft 365 for your construction projects, the challenge is always delivering turnkey solutions specific to your organization. Lydon Solutions can help. You can request a free consultation here.