365 Explained

Don’t worry if you don’t know your IaC from your elbow, neither did Ben or Zach when they started recording! Thankfully, Elliott Woodruff, Principal Architect at Synextra, was onboard to help make sense of it all for us!

In this episode, we explore:

• What Infrastructure as Code actually means in Azure and M365
• The differences between Bicep, ARM, and Terraform (and when to use each)
• Real-world use cases, risks, and a few horror stories
• How IaC can help standardise tenant setups and improve security
• Why AI and Copilot might soon be writing your deployment scripts

Whether you're IaC-curious or already knee-deep in Terraform state files, this one’s packed with practical insights, honest takes, and a few cautionary tales.

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Join us on LinkedIn, we'd love to hear what you thought & any requests for future topics!

In this episode, Ben and Zach explore what it’s really like to use M365 Copilot in practice. They break down how it compares to Copilot Chat, where it fits into daily workflows, and what you actually get for your $30 per month.

They cover:

• The difference between M365 Copilot and Copilot Chat
• Licensing, data protection, and value for money
• How Copilot works across Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook, and Loop
• Tips for better prompts by being clear about your goal, context, and expectations
• New features like Memory and Custom Instructions
• The rise of Agents and how to build your own with Copilot Studio
• Integrations with tools like Jira and Confluence
• A look at Notebooks and Pages for more persistent, project-based Copilot use

It’s a grounded, honest take on what Copilot can and can’t do today, with a few wishlist items thrown in for good measure.

Whether you're testing Copilot now or just trying to make sense of the hype, this episode gives you a practical lens on where it fits in the M365 ecosystem.

In this episode, Ben and Zach dive into the world of Microsoft Teams Voice Apps: the unsung heroes behind call routing, Auto Attendants, and Call Queues.

Whether you're new to Teams Phone or knee-deep in deployment, this episode breaks down:

• What Voice Apps are and where they fit in the Teams Phone ecosystem
• How Auto Attendants and Call Queues work (and when to use each)
• The role of Resource Accounts and how licensing works (spoiler: it’s not as scary as it sounds)
• Real-world examples like IT support lines, sales queues, and holiday routing
• Tips for managing greetings, voice menus, and directory search
• What’s possible with Teams Premium (and what’s not)

Expect practical guidance, a few laughs, and plenty of “oh, that’s why!” moments.

🎧 Tune in to learn how to build smarter call flows and make Teams Phone work harder for your users.

Zach and Ben are back, and this time we’re diving into one of my favourite new Copilot features: Copilot Notebooks. If you’ve been wondering: • What are Copilot Notebooks, really? • How are they different from Loop or OneNote? • Can they actually help with real-world work? • Why can’t I share them yet? (Yes, we go there…) Then this episode is for you

Welcome to first exciting episode of 365 Explained! In this episode, we dive deep into Microsoft Loop, the innovative new tool designed to enhance collaboration and productivity. Join us as we explore the features, benefits, and real-world applications of Microsoft Loop. Don't miss out on this comprehensive guide to one of the most promising tools in the Microsoft ecosystem. Tune in, subscribe, and let's get looping!