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Let Microsoft 365 Syntex AI Read and Organize Your Construction Images for You

Microsoft News |

Photos are heavily used on construction projects to document progress, identify defects, visualize site conditions, capture safety incidents, and even celebrate milestones. Hundreds, if not thousands, of images are taken throughout a project. Once taken, those images then need to be categorized and stored. What if you could drop off images and have Microsoft 365 Syntex read your images and categorize them for you? Read on to find out more.

What is Microsoft 365 Syntex?

Microsoft 365 Syntex is an AI solution that can find, organize, and classify documents in your SharePoint libraries, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive for Business, and Exchange. Rather than clicking and manually sorting through hundreds or thousands of files, Syntex extracts, analyzes, and categorizes the data for you. Syntex can be used in many different scenarios, such as:

  • Generating repetitive business documents like contracts.
  • Extracting data from business documents using models for searching and indexing.
  • Extracting printed or handwritten text using optical character recognition (OCR) for searching and indexing.
  • Image tagging, where AI scans images and provides image tags.

In a prior post, we covered Use AI to Manage Your Construction Projects with SharePoint Syntex, where we created several AI models and extracted data from PDF files. In this article, we walk through the new image tagging feature and how it could be used with construction images.

Syntex Image Tagging Set Up

To set up image tagging, you will need to set up your Azure subscription to link to Microsoft Syntex.

Once Syntex is set up, make sure to show the image tag column in the SharePoint document library you intend to use for dropping off images.

Using Syntex to tag images

When you drop off images in a SharePoint document library, Syntex image tagging will automatically run through all of your images using AI. You can set Syntex to run on new files only or new and updated files. It can take up to 24 hours for Syntex to provide image tags to the images.

Image Tags assigned to a construction image

There are currently 37 image tags that Microsoft uses to categorize and update the image tag column. You can also add your own tags. These image tags are great for searching and filtering since they are managed metadata that can be used across sites.

Search by Image Tag filters Documents

Wrap up

Microsoft 365 Syntex is a leading-edge solution that could save project teams a ton of time in categorizing and organizing project images in the future.

Currently, the number of image tags available for Syntex to assign is very small, so its value is limited without manually adding tags. The number of image tags may increase in the future and with new AI models, you may be able to train Syntex to perform a deeper analysis of the images and extract more relevant data, such as buildings being constructed or the type of equipment being used in the image.

For now, we recommend getting familiar with how it works and keeping an eye on this space. As Syntex AI improves and the image tags available expands, this new Syntex feature could significantly benefit your projects.

To learn more about utilizing Microsoft 365 to manage your projects or need general support, you can request a free one-hour consultation here. If you are looking for a turnkey construction project management system in Microsoft 365, click here.

Redefining Project Permissions with Sensitivity Labels in Microsoft 365

Microsoft News |

Sensitivity labels are an entirely new way to implement permission controls in Microsoft 365. They are more powerful and easier to administer than groups and SharePoint permissions. Will sensitivity labels ultimately be the future of permissions management in Microsoft 365? Read on to find out more.

Historical Microsoft 365 permissions overview

If you are familiar with Microsoft 365 permissions, you know how complicated administering permissions can be between external and internal users or even controlling permissions for different types of information.

If you use SharePoint to store your documents, you gain additional permission controls that you can apply by user or group by site, app, folder, list, library, or even record. And with SharePoint permission levels, you have an extensive range of options to fine-tune further what specific users can do once they gain access, such as read and edit.

Administering permissions from a content location-centric mindset (i.e., where the file is stored) can become tedious depending on the number of sites and applications in play. Also, while these types of permissions prevent access to the document in SharePoint, they do not prevent someone from getting a copy of a document from an email attachment or a chat and simply downloading it locally.

What if you could apply permissions based on a type of record or the type of person interacting with the data and ensure the permissions permeate through your entire Microsoft 365 tenant?

Introducing Sensitivity Labels

Now that we covered Microsoft 365 permissions, as we all know and love, you might wonder how sensitivity labels could improve on the foundation. Here are some of the features of sensitivity labels:

  • Persistence. Because the label is stored in metadata for files and emails, it stays with the content, no matter where it’s saved or stored. The unique label identification becomes the basis for applying and enforcing policies you configure, which apply online and offline.
  • Encryption. Emails and documents can be encrypted to prevent unauthorized people from accessing the data. You can even add expiration dates.
  • Watermarks. Sensitivity label watermarks can be automatically applied to documents and emails. You can configure the watermarks to display on the documents’ header, body, and footer.
  • Microsoft Office support. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, both on the desktop and on the web, support sensitivity labels. Sensitivity labels work on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Users can assign sensitivity labels directly to the file as they work on them, and that metadata is saved with the file throughout Microsoft 365. Even Power BI reports can recognize sensitivity labels.

Real-world construction examples

Scenario #1. You have confidential correspondence that only the project manager and the project controls lead should be able to see. You could create a sensitivity label called Confidential and only include PMs and PCM users. You can select the sensitivity label from right within your Outlook menu. Now that email will be restricted to only PMs and PCMs.

Applying a sensitivity label to an Outlook email.

Scenario #2. You want all internal correspondence documents in a SharePoint document library to not be shared externally. You can create an internal sensitivity label, grant access to all internal company users, and then set up a default sensitivity label on the entire document library. Now when every file gets dropped off, it is automatically restricted to internal company users.

Sensitivity menu from Microsoft Word.
Sensitivity labels applied in a SharePoint document library.

Scenario #3. You want to conduct regular vendor review meetings, but you only want to include the construction contract management (CCM) team and control any access to what is discussed and shared. You can create a sensitivity label called “vendor review” and include the CCMs. Then apply the sensitivity label from Outlook and Teams when you set up the meeting. The meeting settings can consist of:

  • Who can bypass the lobby.
  • Who can present.
  • Who can record.
  • Encryption for meeting video and audio.
  • Automatically record.
  • Video watermark for screen sharing and camera streams.
  • Prevent copy of meeting chat.
  • Prevent or allow copying chat contents to the clipboard.
Sensitivity label applied to a Teams meeting

Considerations

If you are interested in utilizing sensitivity labels, there are a couple of items to consider:

  1. Sensitivity labels only work with Microsoft Office documents. It is possible to use PDFs but refer to the latest documentation on how to set it up: Microsoft Purview Information Protection support in Acrobat (adobe.com)
  2. Sensitivity labels are created and managed in the Microsoft 365 Admin center, which very few users can access.

Overall, Sensitivity Labels are very powerful tools for managing who has access to your information. They provide a different permissions vector than traditional permissions management and are much more robust across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. You can use both models simultaneously since it is not an either-or decision. I suggest trying them out for confidential documents that should not be shared externally to see how you can incorporate them into your daily work process.

If you need any help with sensitivity labels, permissions, or Microsoft 365 in general, you can request a one-hour free consultation. You can request a demo here if you are looking for an enterprise construction management solution for Microsoft 365.

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.

Contractor Access Has Never Been Easier with Lydon Solutions’ Microsoft 365 Contractor Portal

Company News |

One of the most challenging issues many clients face is finding a secure and simple way to share project information with external contractors.

The issue becomes even more pressing with many construction organizations moving to Microsoft 365 and wanting to keep their information within their Microsoft 365 tenant. Read on to discover how the Lydon Solutions’ Contractor Portal solves this issue and more.

Contractor-Portal_1

The old ways of sharing project information with contractors

Organizations using Microsoft 365 have three ways to share project information with external contractors. Each method comes with pros and cons:

  1. Guest access – You could add guest users to your tenant and share Microsoft SharePoint sites and even Power Apps with contractors.
    • Pro – This method enables you to grant contractors access to SharePoint sites and other applications such as Power Apps.
    • Con – Setting up a guest user takes a few steps, which can be administratively cumbersome with large numbers of contractors.
  2. Share files and folders – You could share the records directly on a per folder or file basis with specific external contractors or even anonymous users.
    • Pro – Easy to share files and folders.
    • Con – Isolated to specific files or folders, not applications. This method becomes administratively cumbersome with many file locations.
  3. Licensing a user – You could provide Microsoft 365 user licenses for contractors.
    • Pro – Contractors can access just about anything based on their permissions.
    • Con – There is a monthly cost per user depending on the Microsoft 365 plan. Also, access management can be challenging if the proper permissions controls aren’t in place.

How Lydon Solutions’ Microsoft 365 Contractor Portal solves the problem

With the Lydon Solutions Microsoft 365 Contractor Portal, we have solved the access challenges for contractors while providing a means to securely receive and share information within your Microsoft 365 tenant.

Our new Contractor Portal reduces the administrative burden of adding new contractors by allowing them to self-register, including the option to register with their secure social accounts (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Yahoo, Google, and LiveID).

Contractor-Portal_2

If you need more control over registration, you can send invitations to specific contractors, ensuring only known entities have access. Two-factor authentication provides additional security if required.

The new Lydon Solutions’ Microsoft 365 Contractor Portal is your one-stop shop for managing external contractor access in your Microsoft 365 tenant, providing secure file sharing, and delivering Microsoft 365 Power Platform solutions such as RFIs, Submittals, Invoices, POs, and other contractor-related processes.

Contractor-Portal_3

Lydon Solutions has been delivering Microsoft-based IT solutions to the construction industry for over 14 years. To learn more about Lydon Solutions’ Contractor Portal or if you need help with your Microsoft 365 environment, you can request a free one-hour consultation request here. For a turnkey PMIS solution for Microsoft 365, check out Construction Viz here.

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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.

How AI-generated Images Like DALL-E2 Could Change Construction

Reviews |

As most of you know, AI is not only the buzzword of the day but is particularly interesting because it will also be a big part of Microsoft 365 and Bing. Being a Microsoft solutions provider for the construction industry, Lydon Solutions is always looking at future tech and how we can leverage new technology to deliver the best value to our clients. In this article, we’ll touch on how DALL-E works, where this could be valuable in construction, and some results from our own experiences with DALL-E2. Read on to find out more.

What is DALL-E2?

In late 2022, Microsoft announced it was integrating DALL-E2 into the new Microsoft 365 Designer application and Bing Image Creator Tool. While neither tool is available to test yet, OpenAI provides the DALL-E2 beta for trials. You can sign up here and try it out: DALL·E 2 (openai.com)

New Microsoft 365 Designer DALL-E2 AI image creator

It’s essential to be familiar with how DALL-E2 works to understand the types of results and potential applications. OpenAI, the same developers of ChatGPT, built DALL-E2. It uses natural language to generate digital images. OpenAI trained DALL-E2 to learn the relationship between images and the text used to describe them. It uses a process called “diffusion,” which starts with a pattern of random dots and gradually alters that pattern towards an image when it recognizes specific aspects of that image. DALL-E2 can generate original images from text prompts and expand or edit existing images.

Examples of DALL-E2’s capabilities

To show you how it works, we did a couple of queries where we typed the following sentences:

Example 1

Text prompt: “illustration of construction people in a meeting in an office with computers.”

Example 2

We then asked a client on a call to think of a completely random image they would want to see, and we typed it in as a prompt.

Text prompt: “Dog platter bananas at daycare.”

Crazy right?!?

These results are pretty impressive, but you can see that DALL-E struggles with photorealistic organic objects. In fact, human faces and bodies can look pretty creepy. We must remember this is only the second version so I can see this improving as time passes.

Ok, so how would I use this with construction?

It’s always fun to imagine how new technology could change an industry like construction. For starters, here are some of the many construction applications where this technology would be a benefit:

  • Design renderings. You could create renderings of a construction design using BIM images, locations, angles, lighting, etc. The complete process could take minutes instead of days.
  • Marketing and proposal images. Coming up with marketing designs from scratch can be a challenge. You could have custom material generated in seconds by entering a few descriptions.
  • Image editing. On any construction project, many images taken might require editing in a program like Photoshop. DALL-E2 could do this for you without you having to learn Photoshop.
  • Image comprehension. This one might be a bit of a stretch and would most likely require a ton of AI learning, but think about the ability to have photos of assets taken by a drone, like that of a transmission tower, and using this technology to understand everything in the image including any defects. If the system could analyze the image data and automatically collect and assimilate rework and repairs into a punch list report emailed to a project team, you could have a completely autonomous inspection solution. An automated AI system of this kind could revolutionize construction inspections entirely. Not a bad business idea 😊

In summary, DALL-E2 is a groundbreaking AI image technology that will make its way into your everyday workstream and will be available in Microsoft 365 soon. Now is probably the right time to discuss the pros and cons of using this technology within the construction community.

Lydon Solutions will continue doing its part to understand and share our knowledge of these new technologies affecting Microsoft 365. We hope these articles help you imagine what’s possible and how to use these technologies on your projects. If you need help with Microsoft 365 for your projects or a turnkey construction management solution like Construction Viz, you can reach out for a free one-hour consultation here.