406552 – SharePoint: Using Data Access Governance to understand the tenant’s current permission landscape

Product:

Copilot, Microsoft 365 Apps, SharePoint

Platform:

Online, Web, World tenant

Status:

Launched

Change type:

Links:

Details:

SharePoint admins can now use Data Access Governance (DAG) to understand their tenant's current permission landscape and make better decisions regarding applications based on permissions such as Copilot. DAG now provides a report that will reflect the latest state of permissions in the entire tenant and return sites that have a greater count of permissioned users than the SharePoint admin specified number. This count considers users accessing sites via site membership and users accessing via unique permissions, as well and acts like a potential threshold for oversharing. Along with the permissioned user count, the report also provides information on the number of existing sharing links (Anyone and People-in-your-org) in those sites and enables SharePoint admins to identify potential root causes for oversharing. You can find more details about this report at the link below.

Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
General Availability

Created:
2024-08-02

updated:
2025-05-13

Docu to Check

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MS workload name

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More Info URL

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Direct effects for Operations**

- Direct Impact on IT Operations
- Increased monitoring and management of permissions across SharePoint sites
- Role Impacted: SharePoint Administrators
- Dependency: Integration with existing permission management tools and processes
- Potential need for additional training or resources to interpret and act on DAG reports
- Role Impacted: IT Training Coordinators
- Dependency: Availability of training materials and sessions for SharePoint admins

- Direct Impact on IT Services
- Changes in user access levels may require updates to existing workflows and applications that rely on SharePoint permissions
- Role Impacted: Application Developers
- Dependency: Interoperability with other Microsoft 365 services (e.g., Teams, OneDrive)
- Increased likelihood of user support requests related to permission changes and access issues
- Role Impacted: IT Helpdesk Staff
- Dependency: Helpdesk ticketing system and user support documentation

- Direct Impact on IT Users
- Users may experience changes in access to SharePoint sites, leading to potential disruptions in their workflows
- Role Impacted: End Users (Employees)
- Dependency: User training on new permission structures and access protocols
- Enhanced visibility into permissions may lead to user concerns about data privacy and sharing practices
- Role Impacted: Compliance Officers
- Dependency: Organizational policies on data governance and compliance

For further details on the Data Access Governance report and its implications, refer to the official Microsoft documentation: [DAG Report on Permissions](https://aka.ms/DAGReportOnPermissions).

Opportunities**

- Enhance Permission Management and Oversharing Prevention
- Utilize the Data Access Governance (DAG) report to identify sites with excessive permissions and sharing links.
- Implement stricter permission policies based on insights from the DAG report to minimize oversharing risks.
- Roles benefiting: SharePoint Administrators, Compliance Officers, Data Governance Teams.
- Reference: [Microsoft DAG Report on Permissions](https://aka.ms/DAGReportOnPermissions)

- Improve User Experience through Targeted Training and Awareness
- Analyze the DAG report to identify areas where users may be confused about permissions and sharing practices.
- Develop targeted training sessions or materials to educate users on proper sharing practices and the implications of oversharing.
- Roles benefiting: End Users, IT Training Teams, SharePoint Administrators.
- Reference: [Microsoft SharePoint Training Resources](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint)

- Optimize Application Usage and Licensing Costs
- Leverage insights from the DAG report to assess which applications (like Copilot) are being used effectively and which may be underutilized.
- Consider consolidating or eliminating licenses for applications that are not aligned with user needs or are leading to oversharing.
- Roles benefiting: IT Operations, Licensing Managers, Financial Officers.
- Reference: [Microsoft 365 Licensing Overview](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/pricing)

Potentional Risks**

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Data Protection**

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Hypothetical Work Council Statement**

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DPIA Draft**

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