Microsoft Entra ID Guide for Business Administrators

Microsoft Entra ID is the identity platform behind Microsoft 365, Azure, and thousands of third-party SaaS apps. Formerly called Azure Active Directory, it is the control plane for who can sign in, from where, and to what.

Users, groups, and licences

• Create users in Entra ID (or sync from on-premises AD with Entra Connect).
• Use security groups for permissions and Microsoft 365 groups for collaboration.
• Assign licences at the group level to automate provisioning for new hires.

Single sign-on (SSO)

SSO lets staff use one corporate identity for Microsoft 365 and supported SaaS apps — fewer passwords, easier offboarding. Entra application gallery includes hundreds of pre-integrated apps; custom SAML apps need more setup.

Conditional Access policies

• Require MFA when signing in from outside South Africa or from unmanaged devices.
• Block legacy authentication protocols entirely.
• Require compliant devices (Intune) for access to sensitive SharePoint libraries.
• Start in report-only mode before enforcing — policies can lock out admins if misconfigured.

Hybrid identity

Many businesses keep on-premises Active Directory and sync to Entra ID. Password Hash Sync is simplest; Pass-through Authentication or Federation (AD FS) suit specific compliance needs. Plan for Entra Connect server updates and disaster recovery.

Monitoring and support

Review Entra sign-in logs and risky user reports weekly. Enable self-service password reset with MFA registration to reduce helpdesk load. FKS Computers manages Entra ID tenants for South African clients as part of managed IT and Microsoft 365 support.