Microsoft 365

Overview

Microsoft 365 is available to school staff, local authority and regional education consortia Hwb users, governors, supply teachers and learners as part of the Hwb additional services.

Accessing Microsoft 365

Hwb users have 2 options for accessing Microsoft 365.

Via Hwb:

• Log in to Hwb.
• Click on the Microsoft 365 tile.
• Select the Microsoft 365 application you wish to use.

Via Microsoft 365:

• Go to the Microsoft 365 website.
• Enter your Hwb username, click Next.
• Enter your Hwb password, click Sign In.
• Select the Microsoft 365 application you wish to use.

Teams

Teams is Microsoft’s collaboration software. It allows you to bring conversations, content, assignments, and apps together in one place. 

You can use Teams to:

• build collaborative classrooms
• connect in professional learning communities
• manage staff departments with colleagues

Microsoft Teams brings Microsoft 365 for Education into a single digital hub. You can use Microsoft Teams to live-stream lessons and for video conferencing.

If you intend to use Teams with learners please read our guidance on Live-streaming safeguarding principles and practice for education practitioners.

Creating pre-populated Microsoft class team in the User Management Portal

School staff or Hwb administrators can create a Microsoft Class Team for timetabled classes in a school’s MIS.

1. Log in to Hwb and go to User Management.
2. Click Administration: View Groups.
3. Use the Filters to display the required class by selecting the year, group type, teacher or academic year. Hwb administrators will see all classes in the school. Teachers will only see their own classes.
4. Click on a class to display information for that group. This will include an overview and a list of all learners in that group.
5. Click Add Microsoft Class Team + to create the Microsoft Class Team.

It can take up to 3 hours for your Microsoft Team class to be created with the correct and fully populated staff and learner accounts. Once the Team has been created, other teachers can be added as joint owners in the Teams app.

What to consider before using a Microsoft class team

As with every virtual online learning space, you must always add another education practitioner for safeguarding purposes.

It is important that the Team owner takes responsibility for adding and removing other staff members as appropriate.

Adding owners to a pre-populated Microsoft Class Team in the User Management Portal

Hwb administrators have the option to add themselves as joint owners of a pre-populated Microsoft Class Team.

1. Log in to Hwb and go to User Management.
2. Click Administration: View Groups.
3. Use the Filters to display the required class by selecting the year, group type, teacher or academic year. Hwb administrators will see all classes in the school. Teachers will only see their own classes.
4. Click on a class to display information for that group. This will include an overview and a list of all learners in that group.
5. Click Manage Microsoft Class Team.
6. Click Add as Owner, then OK.

The owner of a team can also add other teachers as joint owners in the Teams app.

Restoring or re-creating a deleted pre-populated Microsoft Class Team in the User Management Portal

Hwb administrators can restore a deleted Microsoft Class Team from the User Management Portal if it was deleted in the last 30 days. This will restore the team exactly as it was before it was deleted, including files, documents, assignments, membership and name.

How to restore a Class Team teams deleted in the last 30 days

1. Log in to Hwb and go to User Management.
2. Click Administration: View Groups.
3. Use the Filters to display the required class by selecting the year, group type, teacher or academic year (Hwb administrators will see all classes in the school however, teachers will only see their own classes).
4. Click on a class to display information for that group. This will include an overview and a list of all learners in that group.
5. Click Manage Microsoft Class Team.
6. Click Restore, then OK.

Restoring a Team can take up to 48 hours. 

Re-creating teams deleted over 30 days ago

If a Team was deleted over 30 days ago, then it cannot be restored. It must be re-created using the same process as the initial creation.

Re-creating a Team will build the Team from scratch. Any files, documents, assignments or changes to membership or name cannot be recovered.

Restoring a pre-populated Microsoft Class Team from a previous academic year

All Teams created via the User Management Portal are automatically archived at the end of the academic year. Hwb administrators and staff are able to restore their archived Teams, from a previous academic year, by following the simple steps below.

1. Login to Hwb and go to User Management.
2. Click Administration: View Groups.
3. Use the Filters to display the required class by selecting the year, group type, teacher or academic year. Hwb Administrators will see all classes in the school, but teachers will only see their own classes).
4. Click on a class to display information for that group. This will include an overview and a list of all learners in that group.
5. Click Restore Microsoft Team.

The restored Team will appear in the Hidden Teams section.

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Select Teams from the menu on the left hand side of the screen.
3. Expand Your Teams (click the downward arrow).
4. Click on the Hidden Teams section.
5. Any restored Team will no longer be linked to the schools MIS.

Although restoration is often much quicker, during busier times it can take up to an hour before you are able to see the Team again.

Further support with Teams

• Free educators courses are available at Microsoft learn Educator centre
• "You Can!" quick tip videos (Youtube)
•  Microsoft Teams for Education video playlist (YouTube)
•  Microsoft Teams help & learning (Microsoft support)
• Live lessons (Hwb)
• Using chat within Microsoft Teams (Microsoft)
• Using Class Insights in Microsoft Teams (Microsoft)
• Using OneNote Class Notebook in Microsoft Teams (Microsoft)

Reflect (part of Teams)

This check-in app allows learners to share and be heard. Reflect can help broaden learners' emotional vocabulary and deepen empathy for their peers. It can also provide feedback to practitioners for a healthy classroom community.

Reflect allow learners express their feelings in an engaging and playful way. It supports social and emotional learning.  It can complement your whole school approach to learner well-being.

You can find information on how to use Reflect in Teams on the Microsoft Support website.

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat

Overview

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is an AI chat service available from Microsoft, designed to help users work smarter and faster.

To comply with data protection and compliance policies Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is not available to learners attempting to access using the Hwb account, as the service is only available to over 18s.

How to access Microsoft Copilot Chat

There are 2 ways to access Microsoft Copilot Chat:

Web Browser 

Hwb practitioners can access Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat via a web browser.

The web version of Copilot Chat can be used without logging in (unauthenticated). If you use the web version without logging in, you will not benefit from the additional protections provided through Hwb.

Schools can also consider reviewing the Web filtering controls to block access to the web version of Microsoft CoPilot Chat.

Copilot Chat app

Hwb practitioners can access Copilot Chat App from your Hwb M365 app launcher. You need to be signed into the Office home page with your Hwb account. Click on the Copilot button on the left hand navigation. A screen ‘unlock Copilot chat in Microsoft 365 Apps' will pop up, click ‘Add Copilot’. 

Benefits of using Microsoft Copilot Chat with a Hwb account

Security and Compliance

Hwb accounts have stricter security and compliance measures.

Data Integration

Hwb accounts integrate with organisational data, while personal accounts (not logged in with a Hwb account) focus on individual data.

Enterprise data protection

Users authenticated into Microsoft Copilot Chat using their Hwb account will benefit from enhanced protections and controls. The Microsoft Enterprise Data Protection controls and commitments that apply to customer data are detailed in their Data Protection Addendum and their Product Terms. 

This is the same layer of protection that also applies when using other Microsoft 365 applications through Hwb, such as Outlook (emails) and OneDrive.

How to check that Enterprise Data Protection is applied

Microsoft Copilot Chat makes it clear that Enterprise Data Protection is applied by featuring a green shield along the top of the user interface next to the New Chat button.

Differences between authenticated and unauthenticated users

You can find out about the standard features of Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat on the Microsoft website.

Accessing Copilot through Hwb means you can use extra features, including:

Data handling

• Prompts and responses are stored for compliance scenarios.
• Prompts and responses stay within the Microsoft 365 service boundary.
• Processor service. Data Protection and Product Terms apply.
• Support for GDPR, and ISO/IEC 27018.

Access control and policies

• Prompts and responses are logged and available for audit.
• Prompts and responses are available for eDiscovery.

Advertising

• Ads are not displayed.

Summary of Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat via Hwb

Available to

Education practitioners only. Copilot is currently only available to users aged 18 and over.

Data accessed

Limited to the data provided in the prompt and publicly available information.

Data flow

Prompts and responses are not used to train the underlying large language models (LLMs). Copilot does not have access to organisational data.

Data storage

No data is stored outside of the interaction session.

Data separation

Copilot respects the permissions and access controls set within Microsoft 365.

Privacy and security

Microsoft 365 Copilot adheres to privacy and security commitments, including UK GDPR.

Further information

For more information users can refer to the Microsoft 365 Copilot documentation and Copilot Training. These resources provide in-depth information and are regularly updated by Microsoft to reflect the latest features and security measures.

• Frequently asked questions about Copilot Chat | Microsoft Learn.
• Why aren’t minors allowed to use the latest Copilot?
• Microsoft 365 Copilot documentation | Microsoft Learn.
• Copilot - Training | Microsoft Learn.
• Transparency Note for Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft Learn.
• Enterprise data protection for prompts and responses.

Bookings

You can find support on using Bookings on the Microsoft Support website.

Outlook

You can find information on how to use Outlook on the Microsoft Support Website.

Outlook settings on Hwb

There are 3 e-mail tenancy options for learners, which can now be applied at a school year group level by the Hwb administrator through the User Management Portal.

Open tenant

This setting allows learners to send and receive e-mails from all e-mail accounts (inside and outside the Hwb tenancy, such as world-wide). ‘Open Tenant’ is the default setting for all secondary Schools

Hwb closed tenant

Learners may only send and receive e-mails from other @hwbcymru.net users (such as in school, school to school, across local authorities and across Wales) ‘Hwb Closed Tenant’ is the default setting for all non-secondary schools.

School closed tenant

Once this is applied, learners in your school will only be able to send and receive e-mails from other @hwbcymru.net users in their school.

How to apply tenancy options on Hwb

Hwb Administrators can apply any one of these tenancy options for each individual year group. This will only affect learner accounts.  Staff accounts will always be set to an open e-mail tenant.

1. Log in to Hwb and go to User Management.
2. Click Administration: Learner email settings.
3. Select the button for each year group next to the tenancy option you would like to apply for that year group.
4. Click Update Tenant.

The change will take effect within the next 24 hours.

Requests to prevent specific learners sending any e-mails will be dealt with by the Hwb Service Desk on a case by case basis.

• Email: support@hwbcymru.net
• Telephone: 03000 25 25 25

Recovering deleted items

When you delete an email message, contact, calendar item, or task, it's moved to the Deleted Items folder. 

1. Log in to Hwb and navigate to the Outlook application in Microsoft 365.
2. Click on Deleted Items (in the left hand panel). All deleted items are listed.
3. To restore an email message, do one of the following:

• to restore a message to your inbox: right-click the message: Move: Inbox
• to restore a message to a different folder: right-click the message:  Move: Move to a different folder: choose a folder location: Move

To restore other types of items:

• restore a Contact: right-click on it: Move to Contacts
• restore a Calendar event: right-click on it: Move to Calendar
• restore a Task: right-click on it: Move to Tasks

Shared mailboxes

A shared mailbox allows a group of users to view and send e-mail from a common mailbox. A shared mailbox doesn't have a username and password, so users cannot log in to it directly. A user must sign in to their own mailbox and then open the shared mailbox using Send As permissions. In schools, a Hwb administrator is able to create shared mailboxes.

Shared mailboxes can be created with the format: DfESnumber_mailboxname@hwbcymru.net. For example: 6661234_ office@hwbcymru.net

1. Log in to Hwb and click on User Management.
2. Click Administration: View Shared Mailboxes. If there are existing shared mailboxes, they will be listed here.
3. Click Add Shared Mailbox and the following message will appear:
   “A shared mailbox allows a group of users to view and send e-mail from a common mailbox. A shared mailbox doesn't have a username and password, so users cannot log on to it directly. A user must sign in to his or her own mailbox and then open the shared mailbox using Send As permissions”.
4. In the Mailbox Name field, enter the name you would like to give this mailbox. Click Add +.

The e-mail address will appear as DfESnumber_mailboxname@hwbcymru.net. For example: 6661234_office@hwbcymru.net

Once you have created a shared mailbox, you will need to give relevant users in your school access to this mailbox.

• Click Manage Access: Add User to Mailbox.
• Search for relevant users by username and add them one at a time.

Shared mailbox users can be school staff or local authority staff with Hwb administrator or Administrator privileges for that school.

Adding the shared mailbox to desktop Outlook client

1. Launch the Outlook app.
2. Click File: Account Settings: New.
3.  Add the shared mailbox name in the e-mail field example@example.com
4. When you are asked to sign in, choose sign in with different account.
5. Sign in with your Hwb username and password, for example bloggsj@hwbcymru.net
6. Click Ok.
7. Restart Outlook.

Domain name masking

Domain name masking enables schools to purchase a domain name of their choice (for example villageprimaryschool.cymru) and use this to mask their @hwbcymru.net e-mails.

For example, bloggsj@hwbcymru.net would be masked as bloggsj@villageprimaryschool.cymru.

There are 4 domain name masking options available to schools for staff accounts and shared mailboxes:

1. hwbusername@yourschooldomain, for example: BloggsJ@schooldomain.cymru
2. firstname.lastname@yourschooldomain, for example: Joe.Bloggs@schooldomain.cymru
3. Firstnameinitial.lastname@yourschooldomain, for example: J.Bloggs@schooldomain.cymru
4. Shared mailboxes only, domain name masking will only be applied to shared mailboxes created via the User Management Portal.

There is no option to add domain name masking to learner accounts.

How to apply for domain name masking

Contact the Hwb Service Desk by emailing support@hwbcymru.net or calling 03000 25 25 25.

• If you haven’t yet purchased a domain, the Service Desk will refer you to your local authority IT support, who will assist you with purchasing a domain.
• Once you have purchased the domain, the Service Desk will work with your local authority IT support to apply this domain to your school’s @hwbcymru.net e-mails.
• If you have already purchased a domain, the Service Desk will advise you on the necessary changes that will need to be made to your MX Records. These changes can either be made by a Network Manager in your school or by the local authority.

Mail Distribution Lists

A mail distribution list can be used to send emails to a group of people without having to enter each recipient’s individual address in the email ‘To’ list.

Examples of distribution lists

• Headteacher could email all of the staff in a school.
• Head of year could email all year 9 pupils in a school.
• Hwb administrator could email all the administrators in a school.
• Local authority representative could email all governors in the authority.

School Hwb administrators and admins can create mail distribution lists in the user management portal. The administrators can:

• create a mail distribution list (from a pre-defined list)
• manage who owns the mail distribution list
• manage the list of users who are approved to send emails to the mail distribution list
• remove the mail distribution list

Careful consideration should be given to who has permission to send emails to each mail distribution list, as the number of recipients could be large.

The Owner or 'Approved Senders' can be any school staff or local authority staff with Hwb administrator privileges for that school.

Types of mail distribution lists that can be created 

School administrators: distribution list options

School Hwb administrators can create the following mail distribution lists.

If the school has a custom domain name, then this will replace @hwbcymru.net and the School ID prefix will not be used.

Local authoritity administrators: distribution list options

Local authority admins can create the following mail distribution lists:

Creating and managing distribution lists

How to create a mail distribution list

1. Login to Hwb and go to User Management.
2. Select View Mail Distribution Lists from the administration drop-down.
3. Click blue Add Mail Distribution List button.
4. Select the required List Type from the drop-down
5. Change the Owner to the required Hwb User (NB default will be the requestor’s user id).
6. Click Add List.
7. Check the details and click Confirm (or go back).

The status of the request is shown on the next screen (Pending). It can take up to 24 hours for the mail distribution list to be available for use.

How to manage owners and approved senders for a mail distribution list

The owner of a distribution list will automatically be added to the list of approved senders.

1. Login to Hwb and go to User Management.
2. Select View Mail Distribution Lists from the administration drop-down.
3. Click Manage next to the appropriate mail distribution list.

Remove an approved sender

•  Click the red x next to the user name, click OK.

Add an approved sender

• Click Add, input full or partial username in the search box.
• Click Search, double click username from search results.

Change owner

• Click Change.
• Input full or partial username in the search box, click Search.
• Double click username from search results.
• click Update, then OK.

The status of the request is shown on the next screen (Pending Update).

It can take up to 24 hours for the provisioning service to pick this request up and for the mail distribution list to be amended.

How to add an external approved sender for a mail distribution list

This functionality is only available to local authority wide distribution lists.

1. Login to Hwb and go to User Management.
2. Select View Mail Distribution Lists from the administration drop-down.
3. Click Manage next to the appropriate Mail Distribution List
4. To add an external approved sender, check the external sender box.
5. Input the full email address of the external sender in the box provided and press enter.
6. Repeat the above step to add more approved external senders.
7. Click Update, then OK.

The status of the request is shown on the next screen (Pending Update). It can take up to 24 hours for the provisioning service to pick this request up and for the mail distribution list to be amended.

Sending an email to distribution lists

How to send an email to a mail distribution list which allows recipients to reply to the sender.

This method will allow recipients of the email to reply back to your email address but will block them from replying to the whole mail distribution list.This is useful if you want feedback or a response from recipients or the distribution list is small.

1. Click New Message (or New Email from Desktop).
2. Type the full Mail Distribution List email address in to the 'Bcc’ panel (or search for the Mail Distribution List in your contacts / address list).
3. Type your message and click Send.

For all mail distribution lists it is recommended to use the ‘Bcc’ panel instead of the ‘To’ panel. This prevents the recipients from being able to see the full list of recipients.

How to send an email to a Mail Distribution List which prevents recipients from replying to the sender

This method uses “send on behalf” of the mail distribution list functionality. This will block recipients of the email from replying back to your email address and will block them from replying to the whole mail distribution list.

This is useful for large distribution lists as multiple responses to your personal Hwb email account can be frustrating.

1. Click New Message (or New Email from Desktop).
2. Web Outlook: click the 3 dots “…” on the email tool bar next to Discard.
3. Select Show From (the From panel should appear above To panel).
4. Click From, and select Other email addresses.
5. Type the full Mail Distribution List email address in to the ‘From’ panel (or search for the Mail Distribution List in your contacts / address list).
6. Type the full Mail Distribution List email address in to the ‘Bcc’ panel (or search for the Mail Distribution List in your contacts / address list).
7. Type your message and click Send.

For all mail distribution lists it is recommended to use the ‘Bcc’ panel instead of the ‘To’ panel. This prevents the recipients from being able to see the full list of recipients.

Products and apps support

You can get more information on using Microsoft tools and products on the Microsoft website.

Apps and extensions available on the Hwb Microsoft 365 tenancy

Microsoft 3rd party web applications

Applications (or ‘web-apps’) run inside your browser with a dedicated user interface and lots of user interaction. Examples include:

• games
• photo editors
• video players such as Flipgrid

Sign in is currently not available for most applications.

However, applications like FlipGrid have been whitelisted across the Hwb tenant, meaning that users can log in with their Hwb username and password.

Access to 3rd party web applications can be requested on a per user, school or LA basis through the Hwb Service Desk.

• Email: support@hwbcymru.net
• Telephone: 03000 25 25 25

Microsoft 365 add-ins

Users are not able to install or manage add-ins from the Microsoft 365 store on the Hwb tenant.

Outlook add-ins

Microsoft Outlook add-ins help you speed up the way you access information on the web. For example, the Bing Maps add-in becomes available in an e-mail that contains an address. You can use it to check the online map for that location right from your e-mail.

Add-ins are available to install on a per user basis in Outlook:

• users can install read write apps and mailbox permission apps on their individual mailbox
• users can install and manage Microsoft 365 store add-ins for their own use
• users can install and manage custom built add-ins for their own use

Microsoft store

Users can’t sign in to the Microsoft store with their Hwb username and password.

Installing Microsoft Outlook add-ins

Install an add-in      

1. Log in to Hwb and navigate to the Outlook application in Microsoft 365.
2. Click the Settings ‘cog’ (in the top right hand corner of the browser).
3. Click Manage add-ins.
4. Browse the add-ins in the list or search for a particular add-in by typing into the Search add-ins box.
5. Once you have chosen an add-in, click on the blue Add button.

Remove an add-in 

1. Log in to Hwb and navigate to the Outlook application in Microsoft 365.
2. Click the Settings ‘cog’ (in the top right hand corner of the browser).
3. Click Manage add-ins.
4. Click My add-ins (from the options down the left hand side of the window).
5. Click the … (3 dots) on the appropriate add-in: click Remove.

Microsoft 365 apps language settings

How to set the language for Microsoft Windows and Microsoft 365 apps on your device.

This control is delegated to the local authority or whoever manages your device. Please contact your IT support at the school or local authority for assistance.

Users managing their own Microsoft 365 apps on their devices can follow these steps to change the language settings.

To change Microsoft 365 language to Welsh, you need to install the Language Accessory Pack for Microsoft 365 from the Microsoft site. 

School timetable sync

How to  synchronise your timetable from your school’s MIS (SIMS) data to your users’ (staff and learners) Hwb Outlook calendar or Hwb Google calendar

Your Hwb administrator can enable this through the User Management Portal. 

Once enabled, this will apply to all MIS staff and learners in your school. Timetable events from your MIS (SIMS) data will be synced for a rolling period of 6 weeks for staff and 3 weeks for learners.

These events will be updated every time the provisioning service runs for your school.

Hwb administrators in secondary schools can enable this for your school, they will need to follow these steps to enable.

1. Login to to Hwb, go to User Management.
2. Select Timetable Sync in the Administration dropdown.
3. Select to Sync timetable events to Hwb Outlook Calendar or Hwb Google Calendar.
4. Select Welsh or English for the preferred language of event details for your school.
5. Click Enable Sync.

Once set, the timetable will sync events into your staff and learners’ personal Hwb calendars, the next time the provisioning client runs for your school.

Please note once configured, you should contact Support@hwbcymru.net if you need to change any of these settings.

Further support

For further support please contact the Hwb Service Desk.

• Email: support@hwbcymru.net
• Telephone: 03000 25 25 25