In the ever-evolving landscape of digital collaboration and document management, SharePoint has emerged as a powerful platform for organizations seeking to streamline their workflows and enhance productivity. However, with great power comes great responsibility, especially when it comes to SharePoint permissions. The ability to control access to sensitive information is paramount, but many organizations struggle to manage permissions effectively, leading to potential data breaches, compliance issues, and chaos in their SharePoint environments. In this blog post, we will delve into the critical importance of SharePoint Permissions Management and how it can be a game-changer for your organization. We’ll also explore the challenges associated with unrestrained sharing within SharePoint sites and how this can go unnoticed until it’s too late. Join us as we discuss a powerful tool that can provide SharePoint Site Owners and Site Collection Administrators with the confidence and control they need: DeliverPoint by Lightning Tools – your key to efficient SharePoint permissions management.
While most permission management tools in the SharePoint ecosystem often grant the power of governance to SharePoint Tenant Administrators, there’s a crucial distinction with DeliverPoint. This unique tool seamlessly integrates into SharePoint, and its capabilities surface when the current user possesses Full Control or the rights to manage permissions within the specific context. This granular approach empowers Site Owners and Site Collection Administrators, allowing them to exercise precise control over permissions. It’s a game-changer, especially when it comes to departmental sites, as these individuals typically have a deeper understanding of who should and shouldn’t have access to critical resources within their specific areas. In the world of SharePoint Permissions Management, DeliverPoint stands out as a versatile and user-centric solution that puts the power back into the hands of those who know their SharePoint environments best.
The screenshot below serves as a concrete illustration of the integration we discussed earlier. It demonstrates how a Site Owner can effortlessly generate a comprehensive permission report directly from within the site. This report not only reveals every user with permissions on the site but also provides a clear breakdown of how these permissions were granted, including instances where they were assigned through Active Directory Security Groups. This powerful feature empowers Site Owners with a deeper understanding of their site’s access control, enhancing their ability to manage permissions effectively.
In Document Libraries, users with Full Control can efficiently produce reports on multiple files and folders simultaneously. These reports encompass essential details such as direct permissions, permission inheritance, and sharing links. This feature simplifies access control management and provides a quick, comprehensive overview of permissions within the SharePoint environment. Notice in the below screenshot, when multiple folders are selected, the out-of-the-box ‘Manage Access’ link is not showing in the context menu, whereas the user can use DeliverPoint for SharePoint Permissions Management across the three selected folders.
In addition to the context-specific permission reporting and management features, users holding Site Collection Administrator rights can leverage DeliverPoint for centralized SharePoint Permissions Management. This means that DeliverPoint provides the flexibility to approach permissions management from both a high-level, site collection perspective and with granular detail within individual sites. So, organizations have the best of both worlds: they can maintain a broad, overarching view of permissions or delve deep into the specifics of a particular site’s access control, all through a single, user-friendly tool. Notice the treeview of the SharePoint tenant on the left side which can be expanded to list or library level. This provides the user the ability to select Site Collections, Sites, and Lists or Libraries as the scope for SharePoint Permission Reporting or SharePoint Permissions Management.
New features in version 4.3.0.0
In DeliverPoint’s upcoming version 4.3.0.0, we’re introducing some highly practical SharePoint Permissions Management features. One standout addition is the SharePoint Permissions Snapshot, which allows users to back up permissions for SharePoint Sites, Lists, Libraries, Folders, and Files, and the ability to restore them from these snapshots. Additionally, we’re introducing additional scheduled permission reports, enabling users to generate more reports on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. This feature is particularly valuable for managing large scopes, eliminating waiting time for in-browser report generation, and facilitating periodic auditing – all contributing to a more efficient and controlled SharePoint Permissions Management experience.
Our new SharePoint Permissions Snapshot feature allows users with Full Control to backup permissions reports for Sites, Lists, Libraries, Folders, and Documents. If the permissions are correctly configured, you can create a snapshot (backup) of these settings. This snapshot serves as a safeguard for the future. In case of any unwanted changes or deviations from the desired permissions, you can easily restore the snapshot to return the permissions to their intended state, making permission management more efficient and error-resistant.
Upon taking the snapshot, options are provided to name the snapshot, share the snapshot with other users who have full control, include subsites, lists, and items.
The Compare Permissions feature is a powerful tool that enables you to assess the changes between the snapshot and the current state of permissions in SharePoint. With this feature, you can easily identify any discrepancies or modifications that have occurred over time. This comparison gives you a clear and concise view of how the permissions have evolved.
By providing a side-by-side comparison of the snapshot and the current state, the Compare Permissions feature allows you to make an informed decision on whether to restore the permissions to their previous state or retain the current configuration. It offers a practical way to ensure that your SharePoint permissions align with your intended settings, offering greater control and accuracy in your permission management process.
DeliverPoint’s default mode for permission reports is real-time, ensuring that you get the most up-to-date information on your SharePoint permissions. However, over the past year, we’ve been offering users the ability to schedule ‘Discover Permissions’ or ‘Sharing Links’ reports, allowing for greater performance when operating DeliverPoint in large scale environments.
We’re excited to announce that we’ve expanded this scheduling feature to include additional report types, such as Unique Objects, Dead Accounts, Unlicensed Users, External Users, and Unique Permissions. This enhancement is particularly beneficial when dealing with large scopes, where real-time reports could be time-consuming to produce. Scheduled reports enable you to plan and automate the generation of these reports on a regular basis, ensuring that you always have the latest insights into your SharePoint permissions.
It’s important to note that to make use of this scheduling feature, some additional configuration within DeliverPoint is required.
The below example demonstrates scheduling an External Users Report. The report is generated and stored within a document library that you specify. The user can choose the frequency, as well as the specific time it will be produced.
Where is your Data Stored with DeliverPoint?
Unlike some permission management tools that may connect to your SharePoint tenant and process reports externally, DeliverPoint operates exclusively within the confines of your own Microsoft 365 tenant. This means that there is no external storage or processing of your data involved.
DeliverPoint runs as a SharePoint Framework Solution within your tenant, ensuring that all your data and sensitive information remain entirely within your control. This approach eliminates the risks associated with external data handling and provides an extra layer of security, giving you the peace of mind that your SharePoint environment’s confidentiality and integrity are maintained at all times. With DeliverPoint, your data security remains paramount, aligning with the highest standards of SharePoint permissions management.
Lightning Tools’ certifications for ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 signify their unwavering commitment to information security and product quality. ISO 27001 ensures robust data protection practices, instilling confidence in users that their information remains secure and well-guarded. Simultaneously, ISO 9001 guarantees consistent product and service quality, reducing operational disruptions and enhancing overall reliability. These certifications not only demonstrate compliance with international standards but also inspire trust, mitigate risks, and drive continuous improvement in their offerings. Users of tools like DeliverPoint can rest assured that they are working with a company dedicated to the highest standards of security and quality management.
DeliverPoint, a robust SharePoint Permissions Management tool, offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to empower organizations in accurately discovering, controlling, and monitoring permissions across their SharePoint and OneDrive environments.
- Accurate Discovery of Permissions: Facilitating Site Owners and Site Collection Administrators in precisely identifying and managing permissions within their SharePoint sites.
- Sharing Link Reporting: Comprehensive reporting on sharing links across multiple sites, lists, and libraries.
- Permissions Management: Efficiently handle personnel changes by copying, transferring, deleting, and granting permissions, ensuring seamless access control and bulk management.
- Object Permission Cloning: Simplify the process of replicating permissions for sites and lists, saving time and reducing errors in access setup.
- Permission Snapshots: Create and restore snapshots to safeguard permissions, providing a fallback in case of unwanted changes.
- Scheduled Permission Reporting: Set up automated reports on a schedule, streamlining large-scale permission management and enabling periodic auditing.
- Integration with Teams and SharePoint: Seamlessly integrate with Microsoft Teams and SharePoint, offering a cohesive experience for access control and reporting.
- OneDrive Permission Reporting: Extend reporting capabilities to OneDrive, enhancing oversight of permissions for individual users’ document repositories.
- Unique Permissions Analysis: Deliver insights into unique permissions based on specific users, allowing for precise assessment and management of access control.
Ready to take control of your SharePoint permissions with DeliverPoint? You can get started right away by downloading a trial, scheduling a demo, or joining our upcoming webinar. Choose the option that works best for you and begin your journey toward efficient permissions management today.
