In the rush to embrace the next big thing (here’s looking at you, AI) we often forget about the nuts and bolts that keep everything safe and secure. If you’ve already deployed Microsoft 365 Copilot in your organisation, you might be nodding knowingly right now. Perhaps you’ve realised a little late in the game that your SharePoint governance is… a bit lacking. Or maybe you’re prepping for Copilot and want to make sure you avoid the common pitfalls.
Whichever camp you’re in, rest assured you’re in good company.
Let’s dive into why SharePoint governance matters in a Copilot world and what you can do to keep things in order (or restore it if Copilot has already taken a free rein in your ungoverned SharePoint).
How Copilot works with SharePoint
Microsoft 365 Copilot works by tapping into Microsoft Graph to generate responses based on your organisation’s data. We’re talking about everything from documents in SharePoint and OneDrive, to emails, calendars, chats, meetings, and more. Copilot uses this data along with context – like the meetings you’re attending or recent email exchanges – to give users smart, context-rich responses.
That’s all well and good until you realise Copilot will happily serve up any organisational data a user has permission to (at least) view. If your SharePoint permissions aren’t properly managed, Copilot could share data a little too liberally. This is where good SharePoint governance is critical. It ensures that only the right people can see (and surface) the right information, keeping your responses relevant, compliant, and aligned with your security policies.
How to prep for an upcoming Copilot deployment
If Copilot is still on your to-do list, there’s plenty of advice from Microsoft on what to consider before you let Copilot loose in your environment. In essence, Microsoft advises that:
- Permissions are your best friend: A well-thought-out permissions structure in SharePoint ensures that only authorised users can access certain data.
- Metadata is magical: Organising content with appropriate metadata and sensitivity labels not only improves searchability but ensures the data Copilot pulls is more accurate while keeping sensitive information safe.
- Keep things tidy: Well-structured content improves discoverability and accuracy of Copilot results, while removing or archiving outdated content reduces clutter and lets Copilot focus on relevant, up-to-date information.
With these practices, you’re setting yourself up for smoother Copilot interactions and minimising surprises in what it might find and share.
How to retrofit good governance if Copilot is already up and running
If you’ve already let the genie out of the bottle, fear not. Microsoft has released SharePoint Advanced Management to help you regain control and monitor and manage your SharePoint environment more effectively.
SharePoint Advanced Management includes tools to:
- Analyse content exposure: Review who has access to what and identify overexposed documents or sites.
- Audit and alert: Track access patterns to spot unusual behaviour, whether accidental or intentional.
- Control security: Manage advanced security settings, like conditional access and sensitivity labels, to further protect your data.
This toolkit is a lifeline if you need to bring SharePoint governance up to par post-Copilot deployment. With Advanced Management, you can ensure data surfaces responsibly and that your SharePoint isn’t an accidental free-for-all.
Cloud Essentials: your SharePoint whisperers
Whether you’re just starting with Copilot or tidying up post-launch, we’re here to help. At Cloud Essentials, we’ve got decades of experience migrating content to the cloud and managing SharePoint environments. We’ll work with you to create a governance model tailored to your needs, covering everything from permissions and compliance to backup and archiving.
Think of us as the tidy-up crew for your AI-powered SharePoint setup. A tidy SharePoint is a happy Copilot, after all. And when your house is in order, you can confidently embrace the AI wave without fear of unintended data leaks.
Ready to dive in? Setting up or cleaning up, we’ve got your back – get in touch.