Platform Module
Governance for Your Entire Microsoft 365 Platform—Transparent, Secure, and Cost-Effective
With the module Platform from SmartGovernance365 , you can gain clarity on who can access which content, which external users have access, and where sharing links pose security or compliance risks—all while keeping track of Exchange, the Power Platform, Azure, your licenses, and Copilot usage.
Based on proven audit and governance technology and innobit’s implementation expertise, you’ll receive structured analyses, a clear basis for action, and targeted governance functions—from the initial health check to automated review processes.
Are these challenges familiar to you?
Access permissions and policies in Microsoft 365 often become confusing as the system grows. We see these situations time and again in our projects:
Uncontrolled Permissions
Teams, Sites, and OneDrive shares are growing every day—no one knows for sure who has access to what.
External Access Without an Overview
Guest accounts and access links are created quickly in everyday use, but are rarely checked or removed.
Established Exchange Structures
Abandoned mailboxes, outdated distribution lists, and unmonitored forwarding rules accumulate over the years.
Shadow IT in the Power Platform
Apps and flows from the business units are running in production—without an inventory, clear owners, or cost control.
Rising licensing and storage costs
Unused licenses, incorrectly assigned plans, and growing storage are driving up costs—often without anyone noticing.
Copilot Without a Solid Foundation
AI Exposes Oversharing: Without proper governance, confidential content suddenly appears in Copilot's responses.
What the SmartGovernance365 Platform Does for You
Permissions in Microsoft 365 often grow unchecked: Teams, SharePoint sites, external users, and share links are created quickly in day-to-day operations but are rarely reviewed systematically. This creates risks for security, compliance, and traceability.
The Module Platform helps you make these risks visible and manageable. It combines evaluation, governance, and review processes into a structured performance model.
The module deliberately goes beyond SharePoint and Teams: Exchange, the Power Platform, Entra ID, and Azure—as well as your licensing and storage costs and the use of Copilot—are all part of platform governance, because uncontrolled growth follows the same dynamics across all services.
This module helps you answer the following questions:
- Who has access to which workspaces, sites, and content today?
- Which external users are active in our tenant?
- What approval links are there, and which of them are critical?
- Where are there anomalies, outdated access points, or unnecessary risks?
- How can permissions, services, and costs be managed more effectively?
Our Services at a Glance
The overview shows how the six topic areas are addressed in the three steps—from the initial assessment through prioritization to sustainably governed operations.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Permissions and Approval Inventory for Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive
Anonymous, outdated, and over-privileged access requests are evaluated and prioritized
Recurring Access Reviews and Rule-Based Cleanup of Critical Permissions
Inventory of Mailboxes, Shared Mailboxes, and Distribution Lists
Inactive mailboxes, forwarding rules, and delegations analyzed
Data cleansing and archiving rules, ongoing monitoring
App registrations, enterprise applications, and roles recorded
Privileged access, inactive accounts, and unused permissions assessed
Guest Lifecycle: From Invitation to Deactivation
Inventory of Power Apps, Flows, and Environments
Break down owners, connectors, data flows, and costs transparently
Owner Assignment, Environment Policies, and Orphaned App Cleanup
License and Storage Quotas by Service, Site, Team, and Mailbox
Unused and Mismanaged Licenses, Cost Drivers, and Quick Wins
Continuous monitoring with thresholds instead of a one-time analysis
Copilot Readiness Check: Oversharing and Sensitive Content Before the Rollout
Copilot Usage, Licenses, and Adoption Evaluated
Rules for agents and AI-powered workflows, ongoing reviews
Six Key Areas for Platform Governance
The Platform module takes a holistic view of your tenant. Depending on your current situation and desired outcome, we’ll delve deeper into the areas that offer the greatest impact for you:
- Permissions & Sharing: Who has access to what—both internally and externally, including all sharing links.
- Exchange & Communication: Mailboxes, distribution lists, and forwarding rules—transparent and organized.
- Entra ID & Azure: Keep app registrations, privileged roles, and guest lifecycles under control.
- Power Platform: Apps, Flows, and Environments Inventoried—Shadow IT Becomes Manageable.
- Licenses, Storage, and Costs: Identify cost drivers and monitor them continuously.
- Copilot & AI Governance: Preparing the Platform for the Secure Use of AI.
Permissions, External Access, and Sharing Links
The core of the module: complete transparency regarding who can access what in your tenant. Structured reports show permissions across Teams, SharePoint sites, and OneDrive—including all external users and share links.
Typical Reports & Functions
- Permissions Overview Across Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive
- List of all external users and their access rights
- Analysis of all sharing links—including anonymous and organization-wide links
- Identification of obsolete, orphaned, or overprivileged accesses
- Recurring Access Reviews with the Responsible Parties
- Rule-Based Cleanup of Critical Approvals
Benefits for You
- A clear answer to the question, “Who has access to what?”
- Controlled external collaboration instead of flying blind
- Reduced Risk from Anonymous and Outdated Links
- A Solid Foundation for Audits and Certifications
Exchange & Communication
Platform governance doesn't stop at documents: Mailboxes, distribution lists, and rules also accumulate over the years—and are rarely cleaned up systematically.
Typical Reports & Functions
- Inventory of Mailboxes, Shared Mailboxes, and Distribution Lists
- Identifying Inactive or Orphaned Mailboxes
- Evaluation of Forwarding Rules and Delegations
- Transparency Regarding Mailbox Sizes and Archive Usage
Benefits for You
- Clear, transparent communication structures
- Fewer Security Risks from Uncontrolled Forwarding
- Direct Basis for License and Storage Optimization
Entra ID & Azure
Identities, roles, and app registrations determine what is possible in your tenant—and without proper governance, they often go unmonitored for years.
Typical Reports & Functions
- Overview of App Registrations and Enterprise Applications, Including Permissions
- Analysis of Privileged Roles and Administrative Access
- Lifecycle for Guest Accounts: From Invitation to Deactivation
- Transparency Regarding Inactive Accounts and Unused Accesses
Benefits for You
- A Controlled App Environment Instead of Unnoticed Permanent Permissions
- Clean guest lifecycle across the entire tenant
- Reduced attack surface of your environment
Power Platform & Automation
Power Apps, Flows, and bots are created within business units—quickly, usefully, and often without anyone keeping track of them. Governance transforms shadow IT into a manageable channel for innovation.
Typical Reports & Functions
- Complete inventory of Power Apps, Flows, and environments
- Transparency regarding owners, connectors used, and data flows
- Identifying orphaned or faulty apps and flows
- Analysis of Premium Licenses and Usage Costs
Benefits for You
- Shadow IT Is Becoming Visible and Manageable
- Business-critical apps are assigned clear responsibilities
- Cost Control for Premium Features and Usage-Based Models
Licenses, Storage, and Costs
Microsoft 365 costs are creeping up: unused licenses, incorrectly assigned plans, and ever-increasing storage add up year after year.
Typical Reports & Functions
- Analysis of Unused and Incorrectly Assigned Licenses
- Transparency regarding storage usage by site, team, and mailbox
- Cost Reports for Stakeholders and Purchasing
- Continuous monitoring with thresholds instead of a one-time analysis
Benefits for You
- Experience has shown that there is significant potential for savings on licensing and storage costs
- Reliable figures for budget and contract negotiations
- Cost awareness as an integral part of operations
Copilot & AI Governance
Copilot highlights governance gaps: Information that has been shared too broadly suddenly appears in AI responses. Anyone who wants to use AI productively needs a clean platform.
Typical Reports & Functions
- Copilot Readiness Check: Identify Oversharing and Sensitive Content Before Rollout
- Transparency Regarding Copilot Usage and Licenses
- Governance for Agents and AI-Powered Workflows
- Adoption Metrics for an Effective Rollout
Benefits for You
- Secure use of Copilot without unintended data leaks
- AI Investments That Deliver Measurable Results
- Clear Rules for Agents from the Start
A Clear Path to Greater Control Over Your Platform
The SmartGovernance365 Platform is designed to establish transparency not as a one-time effort, but as an ongoing process.
1. Health Check & Inventory
We connect the audit technology to your tenant and create a complete inventory of all relevant services.
2. Evaluation & Prioritization
Structured reports highlight risks, anomalies, and quick wins—providing a clear basis for action for IT and management.
3. Establishing Governance
Policies, review processes, and automation ensure that transparency does not remain a one-time project.
The easiest way to get started: the Platform Health Check
Would you like to know where your environment stands today? With the Platform Health Check, you’ll quickly receive a comprehensive assessment: an inventory of your platform, the most significant risks and issues, and specific recommendations for next steps.
We'll discuss the results together—presented in a way that's easy to understand for both IT professionals and decision-makers. Afterward, you can decide which topics you'd like to explore in more depth.
The Health Check is also a useful way to prepare for a planned Copilot rollout or an upcoming audit.
Our Customized Solution
SmartTenant365
The Platform Health Check is based on SmartTenant365, our comprehensive Microsoft 365 tenant health check. We analyze your tenant’s configuration, identities, domains, licenses, and security settings, document the results in a transparent manner, and discuss the recommendations with you.
This will give you a solid assessment of your current level, after which you can decide which topics within the Platform module you’d like to explore in greater depth.
What the Platform module ultimately achieves
Individual analyses lead to a business that can be managed effectively over the long term.
Full Transparency
A centralized view of permissions, access, services, and costs—instead of scattered admin centers.
Security & Compliance
Risks become apparent, reviews become routine, and audits lose their intimidating edge.
Keeping Costs Under Control
License and storage costs are monitored on an ongoing basis rather than estimated annually.
Ready for Copilot & AI
A well-governed platform is essential for the safe use of AI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About the Collaboration Module
From prerequisites to regions to taking over existing workspaces—an overview of the key points.
What is the Platform Health Check, and how quickly are the results available?
The Health Check combines proven audit technology with your tenant and quickly provides an inventory, including a risk overview. We’ll review the results together and determine specific next steps.
Which Microsoft 365 services are being analyzed?
In addition to SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive, this includes Exchange, Entra ID, the Power Platform, as well as licenses, storage, and Copilot usage. The specific scope depends on your target scenario.
Do we need additional software on our devices for this?
No. The analysis is performed using cloud-based technology that is connected to your tenant via defined permissions. We’ll assist you with the setup and permission structure.
What happens next after the analysis?
Depending on the need for action, we establish review processes, guidelines, and automations—and, if necessary, combine this module with the Collaboration and Content Governance modules.
Your contact person
Contact Sven Differt, Lead Architect, directly
