Limitations of the standard Employee Directory in Microsoft 365

Limitations of the standard Employee Directory in Microsoft 365.

This blogs covers:

• Delay in Synchronization 
• Limited Custom Attribute Searchability
• Search Scope and Filtering 
• Inconsistent Search Experiences Across Microsoft 365 
• Complexity in Managing Large Volumes of Data 
• Dependency on Accurate Profile Data   

While the integration of Entra ID and SharePoint Online provides a robust employee directory within Microsoft 365, there are some limitations from an end-user perspective, particularly related to search functionality. These limitations can affect how users find and interact with employee information. In this blog, we take a closer look at some of these limitations and challenges across employee directories in Microsoft 365.

1) Delay in Synchronization 

1. Issue: The synchronization process between Entra ID and SharePoint User Profiles typically runs on a 24-hour cycle. This means that any changes made to user details in Entra ID, such as name changes, role updates, or department transfers, may not reflect immediately in SharePoint or Microsoft 365 search results. 
2. Impact: Users searching for colleagues who have recently joined, changed roles, or updated their contact details might encounter outdated or incorrect information, leading to confusion or delays in finding the right person. 
   
   

2) Limited Custom Attribute Searchability 

1. Issue: While standard attributes like name, email, and department are indexed and searchable by default, custom attributes from Entra ID may not be easily searchable unless explicitly configured. 
2. Impact: If an organization relies heavily on custom attributes (e.g., employee ID, secondary contact numbers, specific skills), these may not appear in search results unless additional configuration is done. This can limit the effectiveness of searches for users looking for colleagues based on these criteria. 
   
   

3) Search Scope and Filtering 

1. Issue: The search experience in SharePoint and other Microsoft 365 applications can sometimes be limited in scope. For example, users may struggle to filter results based on specific criteria (like location or expertise) if the search interface does not provide adequate filtering options. 
2. Impact: Users may find it difficult to narrow down search results, especially in large organizations with many employees. This can lead to frustration and inefficiency, as users have to sift through a broader set of results to find the specific person they need.  
   
   

4) Inconsistent Search Experiences Across Microsoft 365 

1. Issue: Search experiences can vary across different Microsoft 365 applications. For example, searching for a colleague in Teams might yield different results or present information differently compared to searching in SharePoint. 
2. Impact: This inconsistency can confuse end users, especially when trying to find specific details or when they are unfamiliar with the nuances of search in different Microsoft 365 apps. Users may need to perform multiple searches in different apps to find the information they need, which is time-consuming. 
   
   

5) Complexity in Managing Large Volumes of Data 

1. Issue: In very large organizations, search results can return an overwhelming number of hits, especially for common names or roles. The default search ranking algorithms may not always prioritize the most relevant results based on user needs. 
2. Impact: Users may struggle to find the right person among many similar profiles, leading to inefficiencies. Without advanced search capabilities or improved ranking logic, the search experience can become cumbersome in large organizations. 
   
   

6) Dependency on Accurate Profile Data  

1. Issue: The effectiveness of search is heavily dependent on the accuracy and completeness of the user profiles in Entra ID and SharePoint. If user profiles are incomplete, outdated, or incorrectly configured, search results will reflect these inaccuracies. 
2. Impact: Users may encounter incorrect or missing information when searching for colleagues, which can lead to miscommunications or challenges in finding the right expertise within the organization. 

Conclusion on Limitations of the standard employee directory in Microsoft 365

While Microsoft 365 offers powerful tools for searching employee information, these limitations can affect the user experience, particularly in large or complex organizations. To understand how you can overcome these limitations and provide a superior search experience for you users, follow these best practices on how to create a powerful expertise directory.