SharePoint admins share free tools to audit site permissions
A Reddit thread in r/sharepoint compiles practical resources for checking permissions across sites and lists. Key tools include Microsoft's built-in effective permissions checker, which shows user access at item level, and PnP PowerShell's Get-PnPPermissions command for recursive reports on broken inheritance. Admins also recommend AvePoint's free audit tool for quick scans, plus Purview reports for E5 licence holders and Netwrix for hybrid environments. These address common issues like overprovisioned access lingering after staff leave.
Admins previously relied on manual spot-checks or risky assumptions about permissions, leaving ex-employees and guests with unintended access in sprawled sites. Community tools now enable full audits without scripting expertise or premium licences, revealing hidden risks across hundreds of sites in hours. This baseline prevents compliance surprises as external sharing complaints mount and New SharePoint demands cleaner structures.
Analysis
This list cuts through the paralysis of perfect governance—start with AvePoint's free tool on your top 20 sites showing external users in the admin centre. Run the audit today, revoke the obvious junk access, and schedule it monthly to slash those 'I still see old files' tickets before they bury you.
Citation
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