💡 Our Technical Review in summary
Summary
- Microsoft is introducing a new administrative feature in Viva Engage that allows administrators to export a snapshot of current tenant- and network-level configuration settings into a human-readable CSV file.
- The update also enhances the existing “network data export” by adding visibility into users in view-only mode and identifying corporate communicators who have been granted advanced moderation permissions.
- This feature is designed to assist organizations in meeting regulatory compliance, auditing requirements, and configuration portability.
- Rollout is scheduled to begin in late January 2026 and reach completion by mid-February 2026.
Impact
- Administrative Accessibility: Global, Engage, and Verified Admins can now capture point-in-time snapshots of their Engage configuration without manual documentation.
- Compliance and Auditing: The CSV export provides a clear audit trail of settings, which is essential for internal reviews or regulatory requests.
- Enhanced Visibility: The inclusion of “view-only” status and “advanced moderation” permissions in the network data export improves the ability to track specialized user roles and restrictions across the platform.
- Scope Limitations: It is important to note that this export does not include community-level settings, Microsoft 365 Group-specific configurations, or Engage settings managed outside the Engage Admin Center (such as those in the Teams or Microsoft 365 Admin Centers).
Action Required
- Locate the Tool: Once the feature is live, navigate to the Engage Admin Center > Governance & Compliance > Data Management to access the export options.
- Update Internal Documentation: Update your organization’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) for compliance audits to include this new configuration export capability.
- Verify Permissions: Ensure that relevant staff who require these exports have the appropriate roles assigned (Global Admin, Engage Admin, or Verified Admin).
- No Immediate Configuration: No proactive technical changes are required to enable this feature; it will appear automatically during the rollout window.
Microsoft Official Update
Service: N/A
Category: stayInformed
Severity: normal
[Introduction]
We’re introducing a new admin settings export in Viva Engage, helping organizations meet regulatory requirements by making key admin configuration data easily accessible and portable. Additionally, the network data export file has also been updated to include visibility into users placed in view-only mode in Engage and corporate communicators assigned the advanced moderation permission.
[When this will happen:]
General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out late January 2026 and expect to complete by mid-February 2026.
[How this affects your organization:]
Who is affected:
Global Admins, Engage Admins, and Verified Admins.
What’s new:
- Admins can now export a snapshot of Viva Engage admin settings directly from the Engage Admin Center.
- The export provides a point-in-time, human-readable (.csv) file capturing current configuration of all in-scope admin settings.
- The network data export file now includes visibility into users placed in view-only mode and corporate communicators assigned the advanced moderation permission.
How it works:
- Where to find it: Engage Admin Center → Governance & Compliance → Data Management
- Export format: CSV containing setting names and their current configured values
What’s included
- Tenant- and network-level admin configuration settings based on tenant licensing for Engage Admins, Verified Admins, Network Admins, and Corporate Communicators.
What’s not included
- Community-level or Microsoft 365 Group–specific settings
- Engage settings managed in the Teams Admin Center or Microsoft 365 Admin Center
Who can access the export
- Global Administrator
- Engage Administrator
- Verified Administrator
[What you can do to prepare:]
Engage admins, Global admins, and Verified admins can pull an export of admin settings when the feature becomes available.- No additional preparation is required.
Learn more: Export and manage Viva Engage data (will be updated before rollout)
[Compliance considerations:]
No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.
