Yo, fellow tech enthusiasts! It's me, your average student blogger, fresh off completing the "Manage Users and Groups [Guided]" lab from Skillsoft. This 45-minute intermediate-level session had me creating users, setting up a security group, and messing with licenses in Microsoft 365. I just wrapped it up and figured I'd document the whole process while it's still fresh – like a play-by-play of what I did, complete with my thoughts along the way. The outcomes? I created Microsoft 365 user accounts, set up a Microsoft 365 security group, and removed a user's license. If you're gearing up for this lab, this might help you out. I kept notes ias I went, throwing in screenshots for proof and clarity. Let's dive into how I handled each part!

Quick Recap: Why I Documented It This Way

I always jot down labs like this to solidify what I learned – it's like my personal cheat sheet for future reference. Kept it casual with my reactions and emojis. Screenshots were key; I snapped them live to capture the exact moments.

Step 1: Creating the User Accounts

The lab started by telling me to create three users using the provided table. I copied the details to my clipboard and jumped into the Microsoft 365 admin center. I handled them one at a time to avoid mix-ups. Here's exactly how I did each one.

  • User 1: Abbi Skinner

    • At the homepage of the admin portal of Microsoft 365 page there's option for "add user" under "Your Organization" and in "Users" section (also we can use the sidebar and choose Users > Active users > Add user).

    • Entered First name: Abbi; Last name: Skinner, Username: Abbi.Skinner (with the lab's domain).
    • Deselected "Automatically create a password" and manually typed InitialPwd:5182989, also deselected "Require this user to change their password when they first sign in." (As per labs instructions)
    • Checked the Microsoft Entra Suite license box to assign the available license to the user.


    • Clicked Next and there were some optional settings to configure as the lab doesn't require them, so I skipped that.
    • It went smoothly – no errors, felt good to start off right.

There were another two users I created using the same method named Amy Rusko and Ann Beebe.

Overall, for Step 1: Smooth sailing, but in a real-life production environment double-check the passwords and usernames – these are easy mistakes. This section felt like building my team from scratch!

Step 2: Setting Up the Security Group

Next, the lab had me create a security group with specific details from the table.

  • What I did: Navigated to Groups (in the sidebar) > Active groups > Add a Security group (under security groups). 
  • In setup the basics section filled in the name and description.
  • Set Amy as owner by clicking on the IT group name (not the checkbox) then "Add group owners".
  • Then selecting Amy from the users list and add.
  • Now for the other two users, to add them in members go to Members section (Inside the "IT" group) and "Add group members" and add them by finding their names.

Now the owners and members will show up in their respected section.


My thoughts: Groups are clutch for permissions – no more one-by-one edits. Adding members was easy, and it was fun seeing the group come together. Experimented a bit post-creation to check out the edit options.

Step 3: Removing a User's License

Final task: Remove the Microsoft Entra Suite license from Ann Beebe.

  • How it played out: Back to Users > Active users, selected Ann Beebe, went to Licenses and apps, unchecked the Microsoft Entra Suite box, and saved changes.
  • My take: Quick and painless, but it made me think about real-world scenarios like employee offboarding. Confirmed it worked by checking her profile again – license gone!

I noted: "Took 2 mins – easiest part but verify to avoid errors."

Post-Lab Wrap-Up: Reflections and Wins

Nailed it in 38 minutes (under the 45-min limit – high five to me!). Outcomes checked: Users created, group set up, license removed. What I learned? The admin center's navigation is key; practice makes perfect. If I redo, I'll time each step better.

But let's get real – this was a safe lab environment, so no big risks. In a production setup, though? Things could go sideways fast. For user creation: You might accidentally create duplicate accounts if usernames overlap, leading to confusion or security issues. Or assigning the wrong license could rack up unnecessary costs since licenses aren't free. Groups-wise: Adding the wrong members might grant unintended access to sensitive resources, like shared files or apps – hello, data breach potential! And removing licenses: If you yank one from an active user without warning, they could lose access mid-work, causing downtime or lost productivity. Plus, in real orgs, compliance regs (like GDPR) mean you have to handle user data carefully to avoid legal headaches.

To avoid messes: Always double-check details before saving – use a checklist for names, passwords, and assignments. Test in a sandbox tenant first if possible. For groups, review permissions tied to them beforehand. Communicate with users before license changes and monitor audit logs after any action to catch errors early. Enable multi-factor auth on admin accounts to prevent unauthorized tweaks. And backup configs regularly – better safe than sorry!

That’s it for the Manage Users and Groups lab! It was a great hands-on experience with Office 365 — creating users, forming security groups, and assigning licenses gave me a solid foundation to manage identities in the cloud.

Next up, I’ll be diving into the next lab in my Microsoft 365 journey, where I’ll explore another critical piece of cloud administration. Stay tuned — things are about to get even more interesting!