Making Microsoft 365 easier to manage after an IT handover

Understand the environment before changing it

When we took over support for this healthcare organisation in early 2020, the handover information did not give us a clear enough picture of its systems or how they were managed. We needed to establish that picture ourselves before deciding what to change.

With access to Microsoft 365, we assessed the existing setup and found gaps in device management, email protection and the consistency of settings across computers. These became the starting point for the work.

Bring devices and email under consistent management

We brought devices into Azure Active Directory, now called Microsoft Entra ID, and enrolled them in Intune. Configuration profiles and compliance policies gave us a more consistent way to apply settings and assess whether devices met the agreed requirements.

We also managed Windows updates and improved the Microsoft Defender protection already in use. For email, the work included SPF, DKIM and DMARC configuration, alongside tighter spam policies.

Microsoft Secure Score helped us identify recommendations and track progress across the environment. It was one input to the review, alongside the organisation’s day-to-day needs.

Keep support working as people moved away from the office

The work continued through the COVID period, when the organisation needed to support people working remotely. Having devices under management made it easier for us to see where problems were occurring and access systems to provide support.

Arviteni observed fewer recurring problems for end users as the setup became more consistent. Tighter email filtering and managed updates addressed issues that had previously required more attention.

Make a replacement laptop less of a disruption

Some of the most useful changes were straightforward. Browser favourites were supplied through configuration profiles, reducing manual setup. OneDrive was configured automatically so files in the configured folders could sync and be available when someone moved to another device.

That reduced reliance on recovering those files manually from an old laptop. It did not mean every file, application or part of a Windows profile was backed up; the benefit came from having the relevant folders configured in advance.

Windows Autopilot was introduced later in the work to make device provisioning more consistent. Together, these changes made it easier to get people working again when a laptop needed replacing.

The checks behind the improvement

For this organisation, the work connected security settings with everyday support. The following areas formed the practical checklist; another environment would need its own assessment and priorities.

• Establish what is in place: assess the environment and identify gaps in the handover information.
• Bring devices under management: check directory joining, Intune enrolment, configuration profiles and compliance policies.
• Review device protection: manage updates and check the Microsoft Defender configuration.
• Review email controls: configure SPF, DKIM and DMARC, and tighten spam policies.
• Reduce repeated setup work: supply useful defaults and configure OneDrive for the folders people need across devices.
• Keep reviewing: use Secure Score recommendations and support experience to identify further improvements.

Fewer interruptions, clearer support

The result was an environment that was easier to support remotely, with more consistent device settings and fewer everyday problems reported by the delivery team. New and replacement computers required less manual preparation, and synced files were easier to make available again.

The lasting improvement came from making these arrangements part of normal management: keeping devices configured, maintaining protection and using what support revealed to guide the next changes.