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In today's digital workplace, having access to accurate and up-to-date employee information is crucial for effective collaboration. Within Microsoft 365, employee directory details are seamlessly made available through a series of integrations between various services, primarily leveraging Entra ID (formerly known as Azure Active Directory) and SharePoint Online. In this blog post, we'll explore how these integrations work, how data is synced, and how it becomes accessible via search tools within Microsoft 365.
The Employee Directory (also sometimes referred to as People Directory) in Microsoft 365 is a centralized database that contains information about all employees within the organization. It includes details such as employee names, contact information, job titles, departments, and other relevant data.
This directory allows employees to easily search for and find their colleagues, fostering better communication and collaboration. By having a comprehensive Employee Directory, organizations can streamline internal processes and improve productivity.
Entra ID serves as the identity and access management service for Microsoft 365. It stores essential information about each employee, such as their name, job title, department, and contact details. This directory is the primary source of truth for all user-related data across Microsoft 365.
When an organization sets up Microsoft 365, user accounts are created in Entra ID. This can be done manually by an administrator, or it can be automated through a synchronization process from an on-premises Active Directory using Azure AD Connect. Entra ID ensures that all employee details are accurate and consistent across the entire Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
The synchronization between Entra ID and SharePoint User Profiles typically occurs every 24 hours, ensuring that any changes made in Entra ID are reflected in SharePoint Online without significant delays.
Once the user profile data is synced to SharePoint Online, it becomes accessible across Microsoft 365's various search tools:
Having accurate and readily available employee information significantly enhances collaboration within an organization. Whether it’s finding the right colleague for a project, understanding reporting lines, or simply getting in touch with someone, the integration between Entra ID and SharePoint Online ensures that all employees have the information they need at their fingertips.
The integration of Entra ID and SharePoint Online in Microsoft 365 provides a robust framework for managing and accessing employee directory details. Through automated synchronization and powerful search tools, users can effortlessly find and connect with colleagues, driving productivity and collaboration across the organization.
By understanding how these systems work together, administrators can ensure that employee information is always up-to-date and accessible, enabling a more connected and efficient workplace.
There are some limitations of the standard employee directory in Microsoft 365, however, that are also worth considering.