ShareGate releases next-gen Microsoft 365 governance program

Montreal-based software firm Workleap Technologies has introduced an updated version of ShareGate Protect, its solution for managing Microsoft 365 governance.

The next generation of the platform brings multiple governance functions together in one place, aiming to help information technology (IT) teams address risks to compliance and data security as companies adopt AI tools such as Microsoft's orchestration engine Copilot.

Unified oversight within the program

According to Workleap, the new ShareGate Protect platform will provide a single dashboard that covers Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Groups and OneDrive. The platform is designed to reduce the reliance on multiple reports and tools for monitoring security settings and permissions across a company's Microsoft 365 environment.

ShareGate Protect enables IT administrators to identify issues such as oversharing, misconfigured guest access and inactive workspaces. The company states that this helps technical teams prioritise key risks and take prompt action without switching between different solutions.

Data protection concerns

As businesses accelerate the use of AI and features like Microsoft Copilot, ShareGate highlighted findings from its own research showing that 82 per cent of organisations have adopted the model in some capacity.

Sharegate compiled the report with a mix of hard data from 650 IT professionals. The report also found that many IT administrators remain concerned about data quality and access control in this new context. Additionally, 36 per cent of survey respondents reported a lack of expertise in AI governance.

"Governance has gotten too complicated with fragmented tools, constant policy changes, and growing AI and security demands," said Benjamin Niaulin, Vice President of Product at ShareGate.

ShareGate says its goal is to simplify the control and management of Microsoft 365 environments as businesses grow and adopt new technologies.

"IT teams shouldn't have to choose between speed and security. ShareGate Protect cuts through the noise, surfacing what matters most so teams can act fast, stay secure, and keep Microsoft 365 Copilot-ready, all without the complexity," said Niaulin.

Governance and remediation

ShareGate Protect introduces in-context remediation, allowing IT teams to address problems without scripts or switching software. The solution's smart insight recommendations provide administrators with contextual guidance, aiming to improve the speed and accuracy of issue resolution.

The platform offers a custom reporting engine and pre-built templates to demonstrate compliance and track individualised governance progress. ShareGate also outlined plans to introduce benchmarking and trendline features in future product updates, giving users greater visibility into their security posture over time.

Upcoming capabilities for AI-powered risk recommendations are in development. These are intended to make governance a continuous and proactive process, aiming to give IT teams more warning before security or compliance issues emerge.

While the program has launched for current ShareGate customers, it will see a general release on November 25th.