Microsoft Syntex (formerly called SharePoint Syntex) is continuously updated with interesting new features. The name change stems from the fact that Syntex is more than just a document classification tool. It is now a full suite of features including content assembly and eSignatures. Check out the full Microsoft Syntex functionality here.
With several new features announced at Microsoft Ignite 2022 a few weeks ago, our team took this opportunity to further investigate the Microsoft Syntex Assessment tool.
The purpose of this assessment tool is to determine where exactly in your SharePoint environment you can take advantage of Syntex models to perform autoclassification of documents and automatic metadata tagging. Being able to classify documents in SharePoint will allow you to manage their lifecycle from cradle to grave.
If your team doesn’t have Microsoft Syntex and is thinking about how useful Syntex can be, running this assessment and providing the report can be great ammo to convince your board to invest in the technology. As an added benefit, the assessment tool provides a very useful overview of your information architecture in SharePoint. In the past, you would have to write PowerShell scripts to generate where content types and site columns are used. Now, the Microsoft Syntex Assessment tool provides visual Power BI reports for this data, saving you time and money.
Here is a quick step-by-step on how to run the assessment:
- Download the Microsoft 365 Assessment tool from here.
- Ensure your Azure AD application is set up properly as this is required for the assessment tool to run.
- Start an assessment
- Generate a Power BI report by using the ‘report’ action.
Find the full instructions and FAQs for running the assessment here.
After running the assessment tool, several Power BI reports are generated:
- Libraries with custom columns: Identifies libraries where Syntex can populate columns. Libraries with the most columns are great candidates for the Syntex model to have automatic tags.
- Column Usage: Identifies patterns of columns usage. Columns used commonly across many libraries are great candidates for the Syntex model to have automatic tags.
- Libraries with custom Content Types: Identifies libraries using custom content types. Libraries with multiple content types can take advantage of Syntex models by automatically classifying a document and selecting the right content type.
- Content Type Usage: Identifies patterns of content type usage. If you’ve developed a Syntex model for a content type, it might be possible to use the same model for other libraries associated with the same content type.
- Libraries with retention labels: Identifies libraries where retention labels are used. Syntex models can also apply labels to documents that are classified. This report provides a listing of libraries where we can use a model to apply a label instead.
- Library Size: This report indicates which libraries have the most documents and folders. If a large library has hundreds of folders, could a Syntex model be used to introduce metadata and have it tagged automatically instead? This would improve the searchability of these documents and reduce the need for folders.
- Library modernization status: identifies libraries which may need to be modernized. Classic libraries cannot take advantage of Syntex models, so it is better to convert these libraries to a modern experience as quickly as possible.
- Prebuilt model candidates: Identifies libraries where names of content types suggest a prebuilt model could be applied. Microsoft provides two prebuilt models, Invoice and Receipt (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/contentunderstanding/prebuilt-overview) and plans to release more in the future.
- Syntex model usage: Once you are up and running with Syntex Models, this report shows how many Syntex Models have been published and how many documents have been classified with models in the last 30 days, therefore demonstrating how valuable Microsoft Syntex has been with automatically classifying and tagging your documents.
This assessment tool is a vital part of the pre-planning process for Microsoft Syntex implementation. It provides crucial insights into what models you should create and where you should apply them. If your team is not yet ready to invest in Microsoft Syntex, you can use this tool to generate an overview of your information architecture.
“AI is great but it’s better with a proper information architecture and this assessment tool provides organizations with a quick snapshot of their information architecture” – Dan Taillefer, Product Manager, HELUX.
If you have run the assessment tool and generated a Power BI report on your information architecture, the next step is to get a copy of THEMIS IA – an intuitive web-based software that manages and streamlines your information architecture lifecycle. THEMIS IA allows you to design your IA from scratch or modify on-the-fly and publish directly to SharePoint Online.
If you need to migrate files into SharePoint Online, reach out to our team and explore THEMIS ICE.
Author: Cham Tanh, CTO of HELUX
