Managing organization-wide (Org-wide) app settings in Microsoft Teams is a critical component of the MS-700 (Managing Microsoft Teams) exam. These settings greatly impact the user experience and the overall security of your Teams setup.
As an IT administrator, you are responsible for understanding and implementing the right set of app-level permissions and settings that can best align with your organization’s goals.
Understanding Org-wide app settings
Org-wide app settings include permissions and settings that apply to all the Teams in your organization. Some of these settings involve permission policies and app setup policies which define what apps are installed by default for users, and the order in which they appear in the app bar in Teams.
Managing App Permissions
As an administrator, you can manage app permissions from the Teams admin center. In the Teams apps section, you can control what apps are available to Teams users. Here are a few examples:
Global Org-wide settings
You can manage global org-wide settings to control the Apps which can be available for Teams users across the organization. In the “Manage Apps” section, you can choose to block or allow specific Apps.
Third-party apps
You might want to take specific actions on third-party apps for a variety of reasons. In the Teams admin center, you can choose which third-party apps are allowed or those that need to be blocked.
Custom Apps
In the org-wide settings, you can decide whether you allow uploading of custom apps. It’s useful when your organization has built a custom Teams app especially for internal use.
App Setup Policies
App setup policies help you customize Teams to highlight the apps that are important for users in your organization. Listed below are different ways you can manage app setup policies:
Setting up a new policy
You can setup a new policy in Teams admin center. Simply go to Teams apps, then app setup policies, and select Add.
Assigning policy to users
Policies created can be assigned to users based on their roles. For example, a policy created for interns can be assigned to all users in that role.
Pinning Apps
Apps can be pinned to the Teams app bar, giving users easy access to the tools they use every day. You just have to edit the policy, then select the Add apps option.
Org-wide settings best practices
Managing org-wide app settings effectively is crucial for maintaining productivity and security. Here are some best practices to follow.
- Regularly review the apps available to your organization. It’s important to keep an eye on which third-party apps are allowed and which are blocked.
- Set up app setup policies based on user roles. Different users have different needs. By categorizing users into roles, you can ensure each group only has access to the apps they need.
- Pin important applications. Pinning essential apps ensures that users can easily access them. Regularly review and update these to ensure they reflect the tools that your team uses most.
Wrap Up
Org-wide app settings are an essential part of managing Microsoft Teams. Being knowledgeable in this area will not only help you pass the MS-700 exam, but also ensure your organization is making the most of Teams. Just remember to follow the best practices and use permissions and setup policies to customize the Teams experience to best fit your organization’s needs.
Practice Test
True or False: You can set up org-wide app settings for all Microsoft Teams in your organization using Microsoft 365 admin center?
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Microsoft 365 admin center provides a centralized location where you can manage app settings for all the teams in your organization.
Which of the following options are available when managing Org-wide app settings in Microsoft Teams? (Choose all that apply)
- a) Set up Teams
- b) Manage apps
- c) Set up meetings
- d) Manage Teams
Answer: a, b
Explanation: “Set up Teams” and “Manage apps” are settings that are managed at an org-wide level.
True or False: You can prevent the installation of a certain Microsoft Teams app for your entire organization?
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Using Org-wide app settings, administrators can decide to prevent specific apps from being installed throughout the organization.
Which of the following does the Manage apps page allow you to do? (Single select)
- a) Install individual apps for users.
- b) See all available and installed apps.
- c) Manage Teams settings only.
- d) Change the interface setup of Teams.
Answer: b
Explanation: The “Manage apps” page enables you to view all the available as well as already installed apps.
True or False: Admins can set up third-party apps to be automatically installed for new users under Org-wide settings.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Admins can choose to have select third-party apps installed automatically for all new users within the organization’s settings.
Microsoft Teams allows admins to manage the following org-wide settings, except:
- a) Teams upgrade settings
- b) Teams update settings
- c) App permission policies
- d) App setup policies
Answer: b
Explanation: Teams update settings are not managed at the org-wide level in Microsoft Teams.
True or False: Admins can manage guest access settings for the entire organization in Microsoft Teams.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Microsoft Teams gives admins the ability to manage guest access settings at an organization-wide level.
What can be done under the Teams app permission policy? (Single select)
- a) Control what apps are available in Teams.
- b) Control who can create teams.
- c) Control the update frequency of Teams.
- d) Control the Teams interface.
Answer: a
Explanation: Teams app permission policy allows admins to control what apps are available within Microsoft Teams.
True or False: App setup policies in Microsoft Teams determine which apps are installed by default for users in the organization.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: App setup policies in Microsoft Teams allow admins to set which apps are automatically installed for users.
Organizational-wide Meeting settings in Microsoft Teams do Not include:
- a) Meeting policies
- b) Meeting add-ins
- c) Live events policies
- d) Controlled meetings
Answer: d
Explanation: Controlled meetings is not a valid type of organizational-wide Meeting settings in Microsoft Teams. The settings encompass Meeting policies, add-ins, and Live events policies.
Interview Questions
What is the primary purpose of org-wide app settings in Microsoft Teams?
Org-wide app settings provide administrators the ability to manage what apps are available across an organization within Microsoft Teams. They can control the visibility and permissions of apps at a granular level.
How can you control External apps within Microsoft Teams?
You can control External Apps in Microsoft Teams through the Teams admin center by navigating to “Manage Apps” under the org-wide settings. You can decide which third-party apps to allow or disallow in your tenant as well as set up custom app permission policies.
Can you block individual apps for your entire organization in Microsoft Teams?
Yes. The org-wide settings in Teams allows administrators to block certain apps for everyone in the organization by navigating to Teams apps > Manage Apps in the Teams admin center.
In Microsoft Teams, is it possible to publish an app so that it’s available for the entire organization?
Yes. In the Teams admin center, you can submit an app to the Teams app catalog. Once approved, users in your organization can view and install it.
What is the role of the Teams app permission policy in managing org-wide app settings?
Teams app permission policy helps control what apps are available to Microsoft Teams users in your organization. The policy defines who in your organization can interact with a app and who cannot.
Can you manage policies for Microsoft Teams on a per-user basis?
Yes. Microsoft Teams allows administrators to create custom policies and assign them on a per-user basis, providing greater control over the app settings across different users in the organization.
Are org-wide app settings managed only through the Teams admin center?
The Teams admin center is one way to manage org-wide app settings, but it can also be done through PowerShell for more automated and large-scale deployments.
How can an admin manage app setup policies in Microsoft Teams?
App setup policies in Microsoft Teams can be managed by administrators in the Teams Admin center. Navigate to Teams apps > Setup policies to determine which apps should be pinned to Teams by default.
In Microsoft Teams, what do the App setup policies control?
The App setup policies control the pre-installation of certain apps for users in an organization. This allows for required apps to be automatically pinned on the Teams app bar when a user logs in.
Can an admin dictate the order of apps that appear in the app bar in Microsoft Teams?
Yes, the Teams App Setup Policy allows the admin to not only determine what apps appear by default, but also the order in which they appear in the app bar.
Is it possible to customize and control the built-in apps of Microsoft Teams?
Yes, Teams built-in apps such as Teams bot can be customized through app policies and the admin can control whether they are enabled or disabled.
Can an admin manage org-wide settings in Microsoft Teams without affecting the user’s ability to add personal apps?
Yes, an administrator can manage org-wide app settings to allow or disallow certain apps at an organizational level, while still allowing users to add personal apps to their own view of Teams.
In what ways can a Teams administrator limit third-party apps?
A Teams administrator can limit third-party apps by blocking all third-party apps, allowing only specific third-party apps, or allowing all but blocking specific third-party apps.
Can you block all third-party apps in Microsoft Teams?
Yes, you can block all third-party apps in Teams apps > Permission policies > Global (Org-wide default) policy, then set the Third-party apps toggle to Block.
How can you change the order of pre-installed apps?
The order of pre-installed apps can be changed in Teams apps > Setup policies. Select the policy you want to edit, and on the Add apps page, use the arrows to change the order of the apps.