Lydon Solutions

Construction Project Management Software Solutions

Construction Software

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.

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.

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.

What Value Does Microsoft 365 Bring to an Organization? (According to ChatGPT)

Reviews |

Microsoft 365 has a lot of value to offer both individuals and businesses. Some of the key benefits of using the suite include:

  • Increased Productivity: The tools within Microsoft 365, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, are designed to help users be more efficient and productive in their daily tasks. The ability to collaborate and share files in real-time with OneDrive and SharePoint make teamwork and document management effortless.
  • Flexibility and Accessibility: Microsoft 365 allows you to access your documents and files from anywhere, at any time, using any device. This makes it an ideal solution for remote work, as well as for businesses with employees in different locations.
  • Security and Compliance: Microsoft 365 includes built-in security features to protect your data, as well as compliance with industry standards. You can trust that your data is protected and can be compliant with regulations and standards.
  • Cost-effective: Subscribing to Microsoft 365 can be more cost-effective than purchasing individual licenses for each of the applications in the suite. Microsoft 365 subscription also include updates and upgrades to the software automatically, you will always have access to the latest features and tools
  • Better Communication and Collaboration: The communication and collaboration features of Microsoft Teams and SharePoint make it easier for teams to stay connected, share information, and work together on projects. This improves productivity and can help teams to work more efficiently.
  • Improved Data Management: With the use of SharePoint and OneDrive, it is easy to organize and manage files, shared content, and team sites. It also makes it easy to find and share files, track changes and maintain version history.

Overall, Microsoft 365 is an essential tool for anyone looking to increase productivity, stay organized, and improve collaboration. It offers a comprehensive set of features that can help businesses and individuals to be more efficient, effective, and secure. It's subscription-based pricing makes it accessible to small and large businesses alike.

— Post was written by ChatGPT