E-mail and Collaboration Services

The following administrative, management, and technical support for Microsoft 365 at Framingham State University are provided by the Information Technology Services (ITS) organization:

• Provisioning and managing Microsoft 365 licenses for eligible users within the University community, including faculty, staff, students, emeriti, annuitant faculty and staff, and sponsored accounts
• Providing technical assistance for the installation, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint, OneNote, Planner, and Forms
• Offering training and guidance on best practices for utilizing Microsoft 365 applications effectively and efficiently to enhance productivity and collaboration
• Ensuring data security and compliance by implementing and maintaining appropriate security measures, access controls, and privacy policies in line with University guidelines and industry standards
• Resolving incidents and issues related to Microsoft 365 applications in a timely and efficient manner through the University IT Service Desk and other support resources including Microsoft technical support
• Continuously evaluating and implementing improvements, updates, and enhancements to Microsoft 365 services based on user feedback, technological advancements, and evolving University needs

The Microsoft 365 applications and online service that are within the scope of this service offering include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Outlook: A comprehensive E-mail and calendaring tool, Outlook enables users to manage their messages, schedule meetings, and organize tasks with ease and efficiency.
• Bookings: Microsoft Bookings makes scheduling and managing appointments easy. It allows for users to schedule 1:1 or many:1 meetings, training, and office hours appointments and is a part of the Microsoft 365 suite.
• Word: Microsoft Word is a powerful word processing application that allows users to create, edit, and format documents with a wide range of features and capabilities.
• Excel: A robust spreadsheet application, Excel enables users to organize, analyze, and visualize data through its extensive functions, formulas, and charting tools.
• PowerPoint: PowerPoint is a presentation application designed to help users create dynamic and engaging multimedia presentations for various audiences.
• OneDrive: OneDrive offers secure cloud-based storage and file sharing, enabling users to access, edit, and collaborate on documents from any device with an internet connection.
• Teams: Microsoft Teams is a unified communication and collaboration platform that combines chat, video meetings, file storage, and application integration to facilitate teamwork and connectivity.
• SharePoint: A versatile platform for intranet sites, SharePoint enables users to build, manage, and share content, documents, and applications to improve team collaboration and communication.
• OneNote: OneNote is a digital notebook application that allows users to capture, organize, and share notes, images, and files across multiple devices.
• Planner: Microsoft Planner is a project management and task organization tool that enables teams to create plans, assign tasks, and collaborate on projects in a visual and intuitive way.
• Power Automate: Power Automate is an online tool to save valuable time and automate repetitive and mundane daily tasks. It helps you streamline, connect two applications, and set a flow to recurring tasks on schedule. It can send automatic reminders and move business data between systems on a schedule.
• Power BI: Top of FormPower BI is a robust business analytics tool that can provide extensive modeling, custom development, and real-time high-level analytics. As a Microsoft product, Power BI can connect to various Microsoft apps and solutions like Excel, Access, Azure, and others.

Other Microsoft 365 Apps

Framingham State University’s subscription includes access to a number of applications in addition to those listed above including (but not limited to); People (Contacts), Project, Visio, etc.

Microsoft 365 Add-ons

Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams have hundreds of add-ins and integrations available from third party providers. ITS reviews requests for third party add-ins and then makes them available for use contingent upon evaluation criteria that is used to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and systems.

• Faculty: All current faculty members are eligible to access and utilize the E-mail and Collaboration Services for their academic and administrative needs.
• Staff: All current University staff members can access and use the E-mail and Collaboration Services for their professional responsibilities and tasks.
• Students: All currently enrolled students at the University are granted access to the E-mail and Collaboration Services to support their academic and extracurricular activities.
• Emeriti and Annuitant Faculty and Staff: Retired faculty and staff with emeritus or annuitant status are eligible to access and use the E-mail and Collaboration Services, subject to the University's policy on retired personnel's access to IT resources.
• Sponsored Accounts: Guests, affiliates, or external collaborators sponsored by a University department or faculty member can access the E-mail and Collaboration Services with a temporary sponsored account, provided they comply with the University's policies and guidelines for sponsored accounts usage.

• Access to the full suite of Microsoft 365 applications licensed by the University
• Secure and reliable e-mail and calendaring services through Outlook
• Streamlined file sharing and storage via OneDrive
• Enhanced productivity with Microsoft Office applications
• Integrated collaboration tools such as Teams and SharePoint for improved communication and teamwork
• Centralized support and maintenance provided by the University's IT organization

To use the E-mail and Collaboration Services, users must have a valid University email address and login credentials. For first-time users, an initial setup may be required, which includes installing the necessary software applications and configuring user settings.  For instance, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is required in order to access Microsoft 365 applications and services.

Click on “Request Assistance” from this web page in order to provide us with some basic information about your unmet or anticipated need and then submit your request.

Internal documentation related to the E-mail and Collaboration Services, including user guides, best practices, and FAQs, can be found within the IT Services Knowledge Base within the University Services Hub. Additionally, users can access Microsoft's official support resources for comprehensive guides and tutorials on utilizing the Microsoft 365 applications.  All authorized users must comply with the University’s Acceptable Use Policy.  Other applicable policies and standards can either be found on the University Website or from within the myFramingham University Portal.

ITS is committed to providing prompt and efficient support for E-mail and Collaboration Services. Standard requests are typically fulfilled within 2 business days, while high-priority incidents are addressed within 4 hours. Please note that these timeframes may vary depending on the complexity of the request or incident and the availability of IT resources.  Microsoft 365 is a Software as a Service cloud-based offering.  As a result, some reported incidents of problems may or may not be within the ITS organization’s ability to resolve without the assistance of personnel at Microsoft.