🏢 Monitoring and Optimizing Microsoft 365 SharePoint Sites for Efficiency and Governance

 

📌 Introduction

As organizations increasingly rely on Microsoft 365 for collaboration and content management, SharePoint Online has become a central hub for storing documents, managing projects, and enabling teamwork. However, over time, the proliferation of sites and subsites can lead to inefficiencies, storage bloat, and governance challenges. Identifying inactive or underutilized sites is essential for maintaining a healthy digital workspace.

This article outlines a practical approach to auditing SharePoint Online environments, retrieving comprehensive site data, and presenting actionable insights to leadership.

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🔍 Why Monitor SharePoint Site Activity?

1. Optimize Storage Costs: Unused sites consume valuable storage, which can lead to additional licensing costs.
2. Improve Performance: Reducing clutter enhances search performance and user experience.
3. Strengthen Governance: Identifying orphaned or outdated sites helps enforce compliance and security policies.
4. Support Decision-Making: Data-driven insights empower IT and business leaders to make informed decisions about site lifecycle management.

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🛠️ How to Retrieve Site Data

Using PowerShell and Microsoft Graph API, IT administrators can extract detailed information about:

• Site Collections and Subsites
• Last Modified Dates
• Storage Usage
• Site Owners
• Activity Metrics

A sample PowerShell script can automate this process, exporting the data into a CSV file for further analysis.

Here’s a PowerShell code snippet that retrieves comprehensive details of all SharePoint Online site collections and their subsites, including usage statistics and last modified dates. This is ideal for identifying inactive or underutilized sites:

# Connect to SharePoint Online Admin Center

Connect-SPOService -Url "https://yourtenant-admin.sharepoint.com"

# Get all site collections

$sites = Get-SPOSite -Limit All

# Prepare array to store site data

$siteData = @()

foreach ($site in $sites) {

    $siteUrl = $site.Url

    $lastModified = $site.LastContentModifiedDate

    $storageUsage = $site.StorageUsageCurrent

    $owner = $site.Owner

    # Connect to each site using PnP PowerShell

    Connect-PnPOnline -Url $siteUrl -Interactive

    # Get subsites

    $subsites = Get-PnPSubWeb -Recurse

    foreach ($subsite in $subsites) {

        $siteData += [PSCustomObject]@{

            SiteCollection = $siteUrl

            Subsite        = $subsite.Url

            Title          = $subsite.Title

            LastModified   = $subsite.LastItemModifiedDate

            StorageUsageMB = $storageUsage

            Owner          = $owner

        }

    }

    # Add root site info

    $siteData += [PSCustomObject]@{

        SiteCollection = $siteUrl

        Subsite        = $siteUrl

        Title          = $site.Title

        LastModified   = $lastModified

        StorageUsageMB = $storageUsage

        Owner          = $owner

    }

}

# Export to CSV

$siteData | Export-Csv -Path "M365_Site_Report.csv" -NoTypeInformation

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📊 Visualizing the Data

Once the data is collected, it can be transformed into a compelling report or dashboard using tools like:

• Power BI: Create interactive dashboards with filters for site activity, storage usage, and ownership.
• Excel: Use pivot tables and conditional formatting to highlight inactive or high-usage sites.

Key visuals might include:

• Bar Charts: Top 10 sites by storage usage
• Heat Maps: Sites not modified in the last 6–12 months
• Pie Charts: Distribution of active vs inactive sites

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✅ Recommendations for IT Teams

• Establish Site Lifecycle Policies: Define rules for archiving or deleting inactive sites.
• Automate Regular Audits: Schedule scripts to run monthly or quarterly.
• Engage Site Owners: Notify owners of inactivity and provide options for cleanup or archiving.
• Integrate with Governance Tools: Use Microsoft Purview or third-party tools for enhanced compliance tracking.

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📈 Conclusion

Proactive monitoring of SharePoint Online sites is not just a technical necessity—it’s a strategic imperative. By leveraging automation and visualization, IT teams can provide leadership with the insights needed to streamline operations, reduce costs, and maintain a secure and efficient digital workplace.

🧹 Clean Up SharePoint Online File Versions - 3 different variations

 Versioning in SharePoint Online is a powerful feature that allows teams to maintain historical copies of documents. However, over time, these versions can accumulate and consume significant storage space—especially in document libraries with frequent updates.

This article provides a step-by-step PowerShell script using the SharePointPnPPowerShellOnline module to clean up old versions of files in a specific folder within a document library—retaining only the latest 5 versions of each file.

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🔧 Why This Is Useful

• Storage Optimization: SharePoint libraries with thousands of old file versions can significantly inflate site storage.

• Performance: Reducing version history helps improve performance in large libraries.

• Targeted Cleanup: Instead of affecting the entire document library, you can limit cleanup to a specific folder.

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🛠️ Prerequisites

• Install the PnP PowerShell module:

Install-Module -Name SharePointPnPPowerShellOnline -Force

• SharePoint Online site URL and access permissions to the library/folder.

• PowerShell with administrative rights.

📜 Script Overview

This script:

1. Connects to the SharePoint Online site.

2. Targets a specific folder in a document library.

3. Retrieves all files in that folder (recursively).

4. Keeps only the latest 5 versions of each file and deletes the rest.

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🔍 PowerShell Script

# Install and Import the Module (if not already done)

Install-Module -Name SharePointPnPPowerShellOnline -Force

Import-Module SharePointPnPPowerShellOnline

# Variables

$SiteURL = "https://gks.sharepoint.com/sites/yoursite"

$ListName = "TestVersionsDocLib"

$FolderServerRelativeUrl = "/sites/yoursite/TestVersionsDocLib/TargetFolder"  # Change as needed

# Connect to SharePoint

Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -UseWebLogin  # Use -Interactive if using modern auth

# Get PnP Context

$Ctx = Get-PnPContext

# Get all files in the specified folder recursively

$ListItems = Get-PnPListItem -List $ListName -PageSize 2000 -Query "<View Scope='RecursiveAll'><Query><Where><BeginsWith><FieldRef Name='FileRef'/><Value Type='Text'>$FolderServerRelativeUrl</Value></BeginsWith></Where></Query></View>" | Where { $_.FileSystemObjectType -eq "File" }

foreach ($Item in $ListItems) {

    $File = $Item.File

    $Versions = $File.Versions

    $Ctx.Load($File)

    $Ctx.Load($Versions)

    $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

    Write-Host "Scanning File: $($File.Name) with $($Versions.Count) versions"

    if ($Versions.Count -gt 5) {

        # Keep latest 5, delete the rest

        $VersionsToDelete = $Versions | Sort-Object -Property Created -Descending | Select-Object -Skip 5

        foreach ($version in $VersionsToDelete) {

            $version.DeleteObject()

        }

        $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

        Write-Host "Deleted $($VersionsToDelete.Count) older versions of the file: $($File.Name)"

    }

}

📁 Example Folder Path

If your document library is called TestVersionsDocLib and the target folder is Invoices/2025, the relative URL should be:

/sites/yoursite/TestVersionsDocLib/Invoices/2025

✅ Output

The script will:

• Display each file being scanned.

• Show how many versions were found.

• Confirm deletion of versions beyond the latest 5.

⚠️ Important Considerations

• This script only affects a specific folder—not the whole document library.

• Always test in a development or QA site before using in production.

• Deleting versions is irreversible—ensure you retain what’s necessary.

$SiteURL = "https://tc.sharepoint.com/teams/GK/ms"
$FolderSiteRelativeUrl = "Shared Documents/TargetTest"
 Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -UseWebLogin
 # Test folder access
$Folder = Get-PnPFolder -Url $FolderSiteRelativeUrl
Write-Host "Folder found: $($Folder.Name)"
# Get files
$Files = Get-PnPFolderItem -FolderSiteRelativeUrl $FolderSiteRelativeUrl -ItemType File -Recursive
Write-Host "Found $($Files.Count) files in the folder"

You can test if the folder exists using this:

Get-PnPFolder -FolderSiteRelativeUrl "Shared Documents"
Get-PnPFolder -FolderSiteRelativeUrl "Shared Documents/4. Projects - WIP"
Get-PnPFolder -FolderSiteRelativeUrl "Shared Documents/4. Projects - WIP/FY'24"

 Get-PnPFolder -FolderSiteRelativeUrl "Shared%20Documents%2F04%2E%20Projects%20%2D%20WIP"

Get-PnPFolder -FolderSiteRelativeUrl "Shared%20Documents%2F04%2E%20Projects%20%2D%20WIP%2FFY%2724%2FFY%2724%20%2D%20Cancellation%20Reason%20%26%20Subreason"

 This helps isolate where the path is breaking.

#PS_Script_for Recursive Folder and Subfolders Tested

$SiteURL = "https://tc.sharepoint.com/teams/gks/SE"

$FolderSiteRelativeUrl = "Shared Documents/04. Projects - WIP/FY'24"

# Connect to SharePoint site

Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -UseWebLogin

# Verify folder exists

try {

    $Folder = Get-PnPFolder -Url $FolderSiteRelativeUrl

    Write-Host "Folder found: $($Folder.Name)"

} catch {

    Write-Host "Error: Folder not found at '$FolderSiteRelativeUrl'"

    exit

}

# Get all files recursively

$Files = Get-PnPFolderItem -FolderSiteRelativeUrl $FolderSiteRelativeUrl -ItemType File -Recursive

Write-Host "Found $($Files.Count) files in the folder and subfolders."

foreach ($File in $Files) {

    try {

        $FileRef = $File.ServerRelativeUrl

        $FileItem = Get-PnPFile -Url $FileRef -AsListItem

        $Ctx = Get-PnPContext

        $SPFile = $FileItem.File

        $Versions = $SPFile.Versions

        # Load file and versions

        $Ctx.Load($SPFile)

        $Ctx.Load($Versions)

        $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

        Write-Host "`nScanning File: $($SPFile.Name) - Total Versions: $($Versions.Count)"

        if ($Versions.Count -gt 2) {

            # Sort by created date (descending), skip latest 2

            $VersionsToDelete = $Versions | Sort-Object -Property Created -Descending | Select-Object -Skip 2

            foreach ($Version in $VersionsToDelete) {

                Write-Host "Deleting Version: ID=$($Version.ID), Created=$($Version.Created)"

                $Version.DeleteObject()

            }

            # Commit deletion

            $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

            Write-Host "Deleted $($VersionsToDelete.Count) older versions of: $($SPFile.Name)"

        } else {

            Write-Host "Skipping: Less than or equal to 3 versions present."

        }

    } catch {

        Write-Host "Error processing file '$($File.ServerRelativeUrl)': $_"

    }

}

PS_Script_ to delete the file versions on Entire Doc Library Tested

$SiteURL = "https://tc.sharepoint.com/sites/CSG_GKS_SPOsite"

$ListName="TestVersionsDocLib"

Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -UseWebLogin

#Get the Context

$Ctx= Get-PnPContext

#Get All Items from the List - Exclude 'Folder' List Items

$ListItems = Get-PnPListItem -List $ListName | Where {$_.FileSystemObjectType -eq "File"}

ForEach ($Item in $ListItems)

{

    #Get File Versions

    $File = $Item.File

    $Versions= $File.Versions

    $Ctx.Load($File)

    $Ctx.Load($Versions)

    $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

    Write-host  "Scanning File:"$File.Name

     

    If($Versions.Count -gt0)

    {

        #Delete all versions

        $Versions.DeleteAll()

        $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

        Write-Host  "Deleted All Previous Versions of the File:"$File.Name

    }

}

PS_Script_ to delete file versions on Specific Folder in doc library Tested

$SiteURL = "https://{tenant}.sharepoint.com/teams/gks/SE"

$FolderSiteRelativeUrl = "Shared Documents/04. Projects - WIP/FY'24/FY'23 - Competitor Information"

Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -UseWebLogin

# Test folder access

$Folder = Get-PnPFolder -Url $FolderSiteRelativeUrl

Write-Host "Folder found: $($Folder.Name)"

 

# Get files

$Files = Get-PnPFolderItem -FolderSiteRelativeUrl $FolderSiteRelativeUrl -ItemType File -Recursive

Write-Host "Found $($Files.Count) files in the folder"

 

 

foreach ($File in $Files) {

    $FileRef = $File.ServerRelativeUrl

    $FileItem = Get-PnPFile -Url $FileRef -AsListItem

    $Ctx = Get-PnPContext

    $SPFile = $FileItem.File

    $Versions = $SPFile.Versions

 

    $Ctx.Load($SPFile)

    $Ctx.Load($Versions)

    $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

 

    Write-Host "Scanning File: $($SPFile.Name) with $($Versions.Count) versions"

 

    if ($Versions.Count -gt 2) {

        # Sort by Created date descending and skip the latest 3

        $VersionsToDelete = $Versions | Sort-Object -Property Created -Descending | Select-Object -Skip 2

 

        foreach ($Version in $VersionsToDelete) {

            $Version.DeleteObject()

        }

 

        $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

        Write-Host "Deleted $($VersionsToDelete.Count) older versions of the file: $($SPFile.Name)"

    }

}

📝 Final Thoughts

Keeping version history under control is a best practice for maintaining a clean and efficient SharePoint environment. Automating this process with PowerShell ensures consistency and saves valuable administrator time.

If you need to scale this to multiple folders or automate it on a schedule, consider integrating it into an Azure Automation Runbook or a task scheduler.

Python Flask project into a distributable .exe file using PyInstaller

🧩 How to Convert a Complete Flask Project into a Distributable .exe File Using PyInstaller

Flask is a popular Python web framework, but distributing a Flask app to non-technical users or across an organization can be a challenge—especially when you want to avoid complex setups or Python dependencies. Fortunately, PyInstaller lets you turn your Flask app into a single Windows .exe file that can be executed without installing Python or managing virtual environments.

🚀 To convert a complete Flask project into a distributable .exe file using PyInstaller, follow the steps outlined below:

✅ 1. Prepare Your Flask Project

Make sure your Flask app has an entry point, typically something like app.py or run.py with a structure like:

from flask import Flask

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/')

def home():

    return "Hello, Flask!"

if __name__ == "__main__":

    app.run()

✅ 2. Install PyInstaller

pip install pyinstaller

✅ 3. Use the PyInstaller Command

Run the following command in your project directory to generate a standalone executable that includes all dependencies:

pyinstaller --onefile --windowed --add-data "templates;templates" --add-data "static;static" app.py

Replace app.py with the main entry-point file of your Flask app.

🔍 Explanation of Flags

--onefile: Package everything into a single .exe file.

--windowed: Hides the console window (optional; good for GUI apps).

--add-data: Includes folders like templates and static.

Format: "source;destination" (use : instead of ; on macOS/Linux).

✅ 4. Output Location

After running the command, your .exe will be in the dist/ folder:

dist/

└── app.exe

✅ 5. Distribute Within the Company

You can share the dist/run.exe file directly. Ensure:

Target machines have the required firewall permissions (Flask runs a local server).

If the app uses a browser interface, it should auto-open or include instructions to visit http://127.0.0.1:5000.

💡 Optional: Auto-Open Browser on Run

In your app.py, add:

import webbrowser from threading import Timer

def open_browser():

    webbrowser.open("http://127.0.0.1:5000")

if __name__ == "__main__":

    Timer(1, open_browser).start()

    app.run()

🎯 Conclusion

Packaging your Flask application into a .exe file using PyInstaller is a powerful way to simplify deployment and make your app more accessible to end users. With just a few commands and a clear structure, you can create and share production-ready desktop versions of your web applications within your company—no Python installation required.

PowerShell script to delete file versions from the specified SharePoint document library

Managing file versions in SharePoint Online is essential to maintain storage hygiene and performance, especially when versioning is enabled for document libraries. Over time, older versions of files can accumulate and consume significant storage space. This PowerShell script demonstrates how to connect to a SharePoint Online site and delete all previous versions of files from a specified document library.

 ✅ Prerequisites

• PnP PowerShell Module installed (Install-Module -Name "PnP.PowerShell")
• Permissions to access the SharePoint Online site and document library
• SharePoint versioning must be enabled for the document library

📝 Script Overview

$SiteURL = "https://{domain}.sharepoint.com/sites/GKS_Demosite"

$ListName="TestVersionsDocLib"

Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -UseWebLogin

#Get the Context

$Ctx= Get-PnPContext

#Get All Items from the List - Exclude 'Folder' List Items

$ListItems = Get-PnPListItem -List $ListName | Where {$_.FileSystemObjectType -eq "File"}

ForEach ($Item in $ListItems)

{

    #Get File Versions

    $File = $Item.File

    $Versions= $File.Versions

    $Ctx.Load($File)

    $Ctx.Load($Versions)

    $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

    Write-host  "Scanning File:"$File.Name

     

    If($Versions.Count -gt0)

    {

        #Delete all versions

        $Versions.DeleteAll()

        $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

        Write-Host  "Deleted All Previous Versions of the File:"$File.Name

    }

}

📝 What the Script Does

1. Connects to the specified SharePoint Online site using PnP PowerShell.
2. Retrieves all file items from the specified document library (excluding folders).
3. Loads each file’s version history.
4. Deletes all previous versions for each file, keeping only the latest one.

⚠️ Important Notes

• This script permanently deletes all previous versions. Make sure this is what you intend before running it.
• Test the script in a non-production environment first.
• You may want to add logging or backups depending on your organization’s governance policies.

🧠 Use Cases

• Reclaiming storage space in libraries with heavy versioning.
• Maintaining SharePoint Online quota limits.
• Cleaning up outdated versions during migration or audits.

How to Delete Previous Versions in a SharePoint Document Library Using PowerShell

Managing document versions in SharePoint is crucial for maintaining an organized and efficient workspace. Over time, document libraries can accumulate numerous versions, consuming storage space and complicating file management. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to delete previous versions in a SharePoint document library using PowerShell.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• Access to the SharePoint site and document library.
• PowerShell installed on your machine.
• Necessary permissions to execute scripts and manage SharePoint libraries.

Step 1: Install the PnP PowerShell Module

The PnP PowerShell module is essential for interacting with SharePoint Online. Install the module using the following command:

Install-Module -Name PnP.PowerShell

If you are using PowerShell 7 or later, you might need to install it specifically for that version:

Install-Module -Name PnP.PowerShell -Scope CurrentUser

Step 2: Import the PnP PowerShell Module

After installing the module, import it into your session:

Import-Module PnP.PowerShell

Step 3: Connect to SharePoint Online

Use the Connect-PnPOnline cmdlet to connect to your SharePoint site. Replace the placeholders with your actual SharePoint site URL and credentials:

Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yoursharepointsite.sharepoint.com" -Credentials (Get-Credential)

You will be prompted to enter your credentials.

Step 4: Delete Previous Versions in a Document Library

Once connected, you can use the following script to delete previous versions in a specified document library. Replace "YourLibraryName" with the actual name of your document library:

$library = "YourLibraryName"

$files = Get-PnPListItem -List $library

foreach ($file in $files) {

    Remove-PnPFileVersion -List $library -Identity $file.Id -AllVersions

}

This script retrieves all items in the specified document library and deletes all previous versions of each file.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter errors such as CommandNotFoundException, ensure the PnP PowerShell module is installed correctly and imported into your session. Verify the installation with:

Get-Module -ListAvailable -Name PnP.PowerShell

Ensure you are using the latest version of PowerShell by checking your version:

$PSVersionTable.PSVersion

Restarting PowerShell after installing a module can also resolve recognition issues.

Alternative Solutions

If PowerShell isn't your preferred method, consider these alternatives:

• Power Automate: Create a custom flow to automatically delete older versions based on specific criteria.
• Manual Deletion: Use the SharePoint interface to manually delete versions via the Version History option.
• SharePoint Trim Versions Feature: Utilize SharePoint's built-in feature to trim versions based on age or count limits.

By following these steps, you can efficiently manage document versions in your SharePoint libraries, ensuring a streamlined and organized workspace.

USING POWER AUTOMATE

Implementing the deletion of previous versions in a SharePoint document library using Power Automate can help automate and streamline the process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to create a Power Automate flow for this task:

Step-by-Step Guide to Create a Power Automate Flow

1. Create a New Flow

1. Go to Power Automate.
2. Click on Create and select Instant cloud flow.
3. Name your flow and choose the trigger Manually trigger a flow. Click Create.

2. Get Files from the Document Library

1. Add a new action Get files (properties only).
2. Configure the action:
   • Site Address: Select your SharePoint site.
   • Library Name: Select your document library.

3. Loop Through Each File

1. Add an Apply to each action.
2. Set the value from the Get files (properties only) action as the output to loop through each file.

4. Get File Versions

1. Inside the Apply to each action, add a Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action.
2. Configure the action:
   • Site Address: Select your SharePoint site.
   • Method: GET
   • Uri: _api/web/lists/getbytitle('YourLibraryName')/items(@{items('Apply_to_each')?['ID']})/versions
3. This action retrieves all versions of each file.

5. Delete Previous Versions

1. Add another Apply to each action inside the first one to loop through each version.
2. Set the value from the Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action as the output.
3. Add a Condition to check if the version is not the current version.
   • Expression: @not(equals(items('Apply_to_each_2')?['IsCurrentVersion'], true))
4. In the If yes branch, add a Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action to delete the version.
   • Site Address: Select your SharePoint site.
   • Method: DELETE
   • Uri: _api/web/lists/getbytitle('YourLibraryName')/items(@{items('Apply_to_each')?['ID']})/versions(@{items('Apply_to_each_2')?['ID']})

Summary

This flow will loop through each file in the specified document library, retrieve all versions, and delete all previous versions while keeping the current version intact. This automation helps maintain a clean and efficient document library without manual intervention.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out! 😊