Ultimate Guide to SharePoint Advanced Management: Features, Benefits, and Implementation

Microsoft SharePoint Advanced Management, an add-on for Microsoft 365, offers robust features designed to enhance governance, security, and management capabilities for SharePoint and OneDrive. This comprehensive guide explores its key features, benefits, licensing details, and how organizations can leverage it effectively.

Table of Contents

Introduction to SharePoint Advanced Management

SharePoint Advanced Management is tailored for organizations looking to elevate their SharePoint and OneDrive environments with advanced security, governance, and collaboration capabilities. It empowers SharePoint administrators and site owners to implement stringent access policies, manage content lifecycle, and enforce compliance across their digital workplace.

Key Features of SharePoint Advanced Management

1. Enhanced Access Policies

Advanced Access Policies: Secure content collaboration by restricting SharePoint site access to specific Microsoft 365 groups or security groups.
OneDrive Content Access Restrictions: Limit access to shared content in OneDrive to designated security groups, enhancing data security and compliance.

2. Data Governance and Compliance

Data Access Governance Reports: Identify overshared or sensitive content across SharePoint sites, enabling proactive security measures and compliance enforcement.
Conditional Access Policies: Enforce strict access conditions using Microsoft Entra authentication context for SharePoint sites and OneDrive.

3. Advanced Content Lifecycle Management

Block Download Policy: Prevent file downloads from SharePoint sites or OneDrive, ensuring browser-only access to sensitive information.
Site Lifecycle Management: Automate detection of inactive SharePoint sites with notifications to site owners for proactive management.

4. Administrative Tools

Change History Reports: Track and review changes to SharePoint site properties, facilitating audit trails and accountability.
Site Lifecycle Policies: Configure policies to manage site activation and deactivation based on organizational needs.

Benefits of Using SharePoint Advanced Management

Enhanced Security: Implement granular access controls and block download policies to protect sensitive information.
Compliance: Meet regulatory requirements with data governance reports and conditional access policies.
Efficiency: Automate site lifecycle management and streamline administrative tasks with change history reports.

Licensing and Availability

SharePoint Advanced Management is available as a per-user add-on, requiring licenses for each user accessing the advanced features. It is compatible with SharePoint K, P1, or P2 plans within Microsoft 365 suites or standalone licenses. Commercial, public sector, education, charity, and specific governmental organizations can procure SharePoint Advanced Management.

Implementation of sharepoint advanced management

To effectively implement SharePoint Advanced Management within your organization, follow these key steps and considerations:

1. Assessment and Planning

Assess Current Needs: Evaluate your organization’s current SharePoint and OneDrive governance, security, and collaboration requirements.
Identify Gaps: Determine where existing policies and tools may fall short in meeting security and governance goals.
Define Objectives: Clearly outline what you aim to achieve with SharePoint Advanced Management, such as enhanced data protection or streamlined collaboration.

2. Feature Utilization

Advanced Access Policies: Implement policies to restrict SharePoint site and OneDrive access based on Microsoft 365 groups or security groups. This ensures only authorized users can access sensitive content.
Data Access Governance: Use reports to identify overshared or sensitive content and apply appropriate security policies to mitigate risks.
Conditional Access Policies: Enforce stricter access conditions for SharePoint sites and OneDrive using Microsoft Entra authentication context or sensitivity labels.
Lifecycle Management: Set up policies to detect and manage inactive sites automatically, ensuring your SharePoint environment remains organized and compliant.

3. Configuration and Setup

Admin Center Configuration: Navigate to the SharePoint admin center to configure settings related to access policies, data governance reports, and site lifecycle management.
Policy Creation: Create and configure access policies, block download policies, and site lifecycle policies according to your organization’s security and compliance requirements.
User Training: Educate SharePoint administrators, site owners, and end-users on new policies, features, and changes to ensure smooth adoption and compliance.

4. Monitoring and Optimization

Regular Monitoring: Monitor SharePoint site properties and access logs to track changes, audit access patterns, and ensure compliance with established policies.
Optimization: Continuously optimize policies and configurations based on feedback, security audits, and evolving organizational needs.
Feedback Loop: Establish a feedback loop with stakeholders to gather insights, address concerns, and make informed adjustments to improve implementation effectiveness.

5. Governance and Compliance

Policy Enforcement: Enforce governance policies consistently across all SharePoint sites and OneDrive accounts to maintain data integrity and security.
Compliance Checks: Conduct regular compliance checks and audits to verify adherence to internal policies, industry regulations, and legal requirements.
Documentation: Maintain thorough documentation of configurations, policies, and changes made to ensure transparency and accountability.

6. Training and Support

User Education: Provide ongoing training sessions and resources for SharePoint users to familiarize them with new features, policies, and best practices.
Technical Support: Offer dedicated support channels for SharePoint administrators and users to troubleshoot issues, answer queries, and provide guidance on using advanced management features effectively.

By following these implementation steps, organizations can leverage SharePoint Advanced Management to enhance security, governance, and collaboration capabilities within their Microsoft 365 environment effectively.

How to Purchase SharePoint Advanced Management

Organizations can purchase SharePoint Advanced Management through the Microsoft 365 admin center, Cloud Solution Providers (CSPs), or volume licensing channels. For detailed pricing and procurement options, it’s recommended to consult with Microsoft account managers or authorized resellers.

FAQs related to SharePoint Advanced Management

What is SharePoint Advanced Management?
- SharePoint Advanced Management is a Microsoft 365 add-on that enhances governance, security, and collaboration capabilities for SharePoint and OneDrive.
Who can benefit from SharePoint Advanced Management?
- SharePoint Advanced Management is beneficial for organizations using Microsoft 365 looking to secure and govern their SharePoint and OneDrive environments more effectively.
What features does SharePoint Advanced Management offer?
- It offers advanced access policies, data access governance reports, conditional access policies, lifecycle management for site content, and more.
How can SharePoint Advanced Management help in secure collaboration?
- It allows administrators to restrict access to SharePoint sites and OneDrive content based on security group memberships, enforce block download policies, and manage site lifecycle policies.
What are the licensing requirements for SharePoint Advanced Management?
- SharePoint Advanced Management requires a per-user license for each user in the organization, licensed for SharePoint K, P1, or P2 via standalone or Microsoft 365 suite.
How do you set up and manage site lifecycle policies with SharePoint Advanced Management?
- You can set up inactive site policies to detect and manage inactive sites automatically, including sending notifications to site owners for confirmation.
Can SharePoint Advanced Management track changes to site properties?
- Yes, administrators can review recent changes to SharePoint site properties using the change history reports feature, which logs changes made within the last 180 days.
Where can organizations purchase SharePoint Advanced Management?
- It can be purchased through the Microsoft 365 admin center, Cloud Solution Provider (CSP), or volume licensing enrollment. Contacting a Microsoft account manager is recommended for further details.

Conclusion

Microsoft SharePoint Premium – SharePoint Advanced Management provides essential tools for organizations aiming to enhance governance, security, and management of their SharePoint and OneDrive environments. By leveraging its advanced features like access policies, compliance tools, and administrative capabilities, businesses can foster secure collaboration and streamline operations within their digital workplaces.

For organizations seeking comprehensive SharePoint management solutions, SharePoint Advanced Management offers a robust framework to safeguard data, enforce policies, and optimize productivity across teams.