In Microsoft Azure, I was registered the only user of the account.

The I have converted my account form external user to internal user.

How could I convert the account back to external user?

Thank you very much. 

​In Microsoft Azure, I was registered the only user of the account.The I have converted my account form external user to internal user.How could I convert the account back to external user?Thank you very much.    Read More

​

By 2025, the price of solar panels is expected to continue dropping due to advancements in technology and increased production efficiency. Analysts predict that the cost per watt could fall to between $0.20 and $0.30, making solar energy more accessible for both residential and commercial use. This reduction in price will further accelerate the global transition to renewable energy sources.

​By 2025, the price of solar panels is expected to continue dropping due to advancements in technology and increased production efficiency. Analysts predict that the cost per watt could fall to between $0.20 and $0.30, making solar energy more accessible for both residential and commercial use. This reduction in price will further accelerate the global transition to renewable energy sources.  Read More

​

1. Introduction

Managing the costs associated with running virtual machines (VMs) in Azure can be challenging, especially when VMs are left running during non-business hours. One effective solution is to schedule automatic shutdowns using Azure tags. In this blog, we’ll walk you through a PowerShell script that uses an Azure tag to define and enforce VM shutdown schedules.

2. Prerequisites

Before you get started, ensure you have the following:

An active Azure subscription.
Appropriate permissions to manage VMs and read tag information.
Basic knowledge of PowerShell scripting.

3. Script Overview

The script manages the power state of Azure virtual machines based on a specified tag and its value, which defines the schedule. For example, a tag named “AutoShutdownSchedule” with a value of “10PM -> 6AM” will shut down the VM at 10 PM and start it at 6 AM.

4. Detailed Script Breakdown

Parameters and Initial Setup

The script accepts three parameters:

TagName: The name of the tag to look for on virtual machines.
ManagementGroupId: The ID of the Azure management group to operate on.
Simulate: If set to $true, the script will only simulate the actions without making any changes.

param (
[parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
[string]$TagName,

[parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
[string]$ManagementGroupId,

[parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
[bool]$Simulate = $false
)

Function: Get-SubscriptionsUnderManagementGroup

This function retrieves all subscription IDs under a specified Azure management group.

function Get-SubscriptionsUnderManagementGroup {
param (
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
[string]$ManagementGroupId
)

# Array to store subscription IDs
$subscriptionIds = @()

# Get the management group hierarchy
$managementGroup = Get-AzManagementGroup -GroupId $ManagementGroupId -Expand

if ($managementGroup -and $managementGroup.Children) {
# Loop through each child in the management group
foreach ($child in $managementGroup.Children) {
if ($child.Type -eq “Microsoft.Management/managementGroups”) {
# Recursively get subscriptions from child management groups
$childManagementGroupId = $child.Name
$subscriptionIds += Get-SubscriptionsUnderManagementGroup -ManagementGroupId $childManagementGroupId
} elseif ($child.Type -match “/subscriptions”) {
# Extract subscription ID
$subscriptionId = [regex]::Match($child.Name, “([a-f0-9-]{36})”).Value
if ($subscriptionId) {
$subscriptionIds += $subscriptionId
}
}
}
}

return $subscriptionIds
}

Function: CheckScheduleEntry

This function checks if the current time falls within a specified time range.

function CheckScheduleEntry ([string]$TimeRange) {
$rangeStart, $rangeEnd, $parsedDay = $null
$currentTime = (Get-Date).ToUniversalTime().AddHours(2)
$midnight = $currentTime.AddDays(1).Date

try {
if ($TimeRange -like “*->*”) {
$timeRangeComponents = $TimeRange -split “->” | ForEach-Object { $_.Trim() }
if ($timeRangeComponents.Count -eq 2) {
$rangeStart = Get-Date $timeRangeComponents[0]
$rangeEnd = Get-Date $timeRangeComponents[1]

if ($rangeStart -gt $rangeEnd) {
if ($currentTime -ge $rangeStart -and $currentTime -lt $midnight) {
$rangeEnd = $rangeEnd.AddDays(1)
}
else {
$rangeStart = $rangeStart.AddDays(-1)
}
}
}
else {
Write-Output “`WARNING: Invalid time range format. Expects valid .Net DateTime-formatted start time and end time separated by ‘->'”
}
}
else {
if ([System.DayOfWeek].GetEnumValues() -contains $TimeRange) {
if ($TimeRange -eq (Get-Date).DayOfWeek) {
$parsedDay = Get-Date “00:00”
}
}
else {
$parsedDay = Get-Date $TimeRange
}

if ($parsedDay -ne $null) {
$rangeStart = $parsedDay
$rangeEnd = $parsedDay.AddHours(23).AddMinutes(59).AddSeconds(59)
}
}
}
catch {
Write-Output “`WARNING: Exception encountered while parsing time range. Details: $($_.Exception.Message). Check the syntax of entry, e.g. ‘<StartTime> -> <EndTime>’, or days/dates like ‘Sunday’ and ‘December 25′”
return $false
}

if ($currentTime -ge $rangeStart -and $currentTime -le $rangeEnd) {
return $true
}
else {
return $false
}
}

Function: AssertVirtualMachinePowerState

This function ensures that a VM is in the desired power state (running or stopped) based on the schedule.

function AssertVirtualMachinePowerState {
param (
[Object]$VirtualMachine,
[string]$DesiredState,
[bool]$Simulate
)

$resourceManagerVM = Get-AzVM -ResourceGroupName $VirtualMachine.ResourceGroupName -Name $VirtualMachine.Name -Status
$currentStatus = $resourceManagerVM.Statuses | Where-Object { $_.Code -like “PowerState*” }
$currentStatus = $currentStatus.Code -replace “PowerState/”, “”

if ($DesiredState -eq “Started” -and $currentStatus -notmatch “running”) {
if ($Simulate) {
Write-Output “[$($VirtualMachine.Name)]: SIMULATION — Would have started VM. (No action taken)”
}
else {
Write-Output “[$($VirtualMachine.Name)]: Starting VM”
$resourceManagerVM | Start-AzVM
}
}
elseif ($DesiredState -eq “StoppedDeallocated” -and $currentStatus -ne “deallocated”) {
if ($Simulate) {
Write-Output “[$($VirtualMachine.Name)]: SIMULATION — Would have stopped VM. (No action taken)”
}
else {
Write-Output “[$($VirtualMachine.Name)]: Stopping VM”
$resourceManagerVM | Stop-AzVM -Force
}
}
else {
Write-Output “[$($VirtualMachine.Name)]: Current power state [$currentStatus] is correct.”
}
}

The script iterates through all VMs in the specified subscriptions, checks their tags, and enforces the power state according to the schedule. Below is the outline of what it does

try {
# Main script logic
}
catch {
$errorMessage = $_.Exception.Message
throw “Unexpected exception: $errorMessage”
}
finally {
Write-Output “Script finished (Duration: $((“{0:hh:mm:ss}” -f ((Get-Date).ToUniversalTime() – $currentTime))))”
}

5. Usage Example

To run the script, use the following command:

.StartStopVMsBasedOnTag.ps1 -TagName “AutoShutdownSchedule” -ManagementGroupId “MngEnv” -Simulate $true

I will be running the example in Local PowerShell, but the PowerShell could be run from anywhere including Automation Accounts. 

5.1 We tag our virtual machine accordingly

5.2 We look at our PowerShell code after being signed in to Azure and we run our command

5.3 We used the “-Simulate $true” flag which shows us what would have happened. If we want to run this in production, we can simulate first and when we are happy with our testing we can stop simulating by switching the “-Simulate $false”

6. Conclusion

Automating VM shutdown schedules using Azure tags helps optimize resource usage and reduce costs. By following this guide, you can implement a similar solution in your Azure environment. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below. You can find a copy of this code in my GitHub Repo –> RallTheory/StartStopVMs/StartStopVMsBasedOnTag.ps1 at main · WernerRall147/RallTheory (github.com)

Disclaimer

The sample scripts are not supported under any Microsoft standard support program or service. The sample scripts or Power BI Dashboards are provided AS IS without warranty of any kind. Microsoft further disclaims all implied warranties including, without limitation, any implied warranties of merchantability or of fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk arising out of the use or performance of the sample scripts and documentation remains with you. In no event shall Microsoft, its authors, or anyone else involved in the creation, production, or delivery of the scripts or Power BI Dashboards be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use the sample scripts or documentation, even if Microsoft has been advised of the possibility of such damages. This blog post was written with the help of generative AI. 

​Microsoft Tech Community – Latest Blogs –Read More 

Hello,

For some reason I am unable to get Palestine to display in a map chart.  I have tried turning it into a geography datatype as well as attempting multiple names (State of Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Occupied Palestinian Territory, etc), but it will not display on the map (its region instead says “plot data” when hovered over on a map).  I have gotten “Gaza” to work, but this only displays the region of Gaza and “West Bank” has no success.  Is there a way to display either both Palestinian Territories together or a way to display the West Bank (as I have already managed to display the Gaza Strip using “Gaza”)?  

Also, I am using Excel 365 for Mac—there seem to be some differences in application type.

Thanks!

​Hello, For some reason I am unable to get Palestine to display in a map chart.  I have tried turning it into a geography datatype as well as attempting multiple names (State of Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Occupied Palestinian Territory, etc), but it will not display on the map (its region instead says “plot data” when hovered over on a map).  I have gotten “Gaza” to work, but this only displays the region of Gaza and “West Bank” has no success.  Is there a way to display either both Palestinian Territories together or a way to display the West Bank (as I have already managed to display the Gaza Strip using “Gaza”)?  Also, I am using Excel 365 for Mac—there seem to be some differences in application type.Thanks!  Read More

​

Hello, I’m having a problem that I can’t solve, yesterday my stock input and output system that I made worked well but the input and output columns collapsed and I don’t understand why, I always advance and save, it’s like having a check point, maybe when I go back to a previous save point I get the same error.

​Hello, I’m having a problem that I can’t solve, yesterday my stock input and output system that I made worked well but the input and output columns collapsed and I don’t understand why, I always advance and save, it’s like having a check point, maybe when I go back to a previous save point I get the same error.  Read More

​

Greetings, we continue our series of posts this week that show how you can get help from copilot with the chat helper. Today we will show how you can use it to learn how to use PivotTables. We’ll show this by asking Copilot in Excel the following question:

 Can you tell me the basics for creating a PivotTable?

Based on the question, Copilot in Excel returns a step-by-step guide for how to create a PivotTable in Excel:

Picture of Copilot in Excel pane showing the above prompt with a step-by-step guide for creating a PivotTable.

“Certainly! Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a PivotTable in Excel:

Select Your Data: Click on any cell within the range of data you want to use for your PivotTable. Make sure your data has column headings and no blank rows or columns.
Insert PivotTable: Go to the Ribbon, click on the “Insert” tab, and then click on “PivotTable”. Excel will automatically select the data for the PivotTable or you can select the range manually.
Choose Where to Place the PivotTable: In the dialog box that appears, you can choose to place the PivotTable in a new worksheet or in an existing worksheet. Select your preference and click “OK”.
Arrange Fields: Drag and drop the fields from your data (listed in the PivotTable Field List) into one of the four areas:

Filters: To apply filters that affect the entire PivotTable.
Columns: To show data horizontally across the top of the PivotTable.
Rows: To display data vertically on the side of the PivotTable.
Values: To aggregate data (sum, count, average, etc.) in the body of the PivotTable.

Customize Your PivotTable: You can further customize your PivotTable by sorting, filtering, and formatting the data. You can also change the summary function and refresh the data if the source data changes.
Refresh PivotTable: If the source data changes, you can update the PivotTable by right-clicking anywhere in the PivotTable and selecting “Refresh”.

Remember to check that your data is well-organized, with no empty rows or columns, and that each column has a unique header. This will ensure that your PivotTable works correctly.”

The response is a good overview. If you want to go a bit deeper and get more detail, you could use the following prompt:

Can you give me a more detailed example?

Copilot in Excel returns more information, using a sales data set as an example and shows how a PivotTable may layout the data:

Picture of Copilot in Excel pane showing the above prompt with a detailed example for creating a PivotTable.

“Certainly! Let’s say you have a sales dataset with the following columns: Date, Product, Region, Salesperson, and Sales. Here’s how you would create a PivotTable to analyze total sales by product and region:

Select Your Data: Click on any cell within your dataset. Ensure that each column has a unique header and there are no blank rows or columns in your range.
Insert PivotTable: Go to the “Insert” tab on the Ribbon and click on “PivotTable”. Excel will select the data for the PivotTable or you can adjust the range if needed.
Choose PivotTable Location: In the Create PivotTable dialog box, choose to place the PivotTable in a new worksheet or an existing worksheet. Click “OK”.
Arrange Fields: In the PivotTable Field List, drag and drop the Product field to the Rows area, the Region field to the Columns area, and the Sales field to the Values area. This will create a matrix with products listed down the rows, regions across the columns, and the sum of sales in the body of the PivotTable.
Customize Your PivotTable: You can sort the products or regions, apply filters, or change the summary function from sum to count, average, etc., by using the dropdown menus in the PivotTable.
Refresh PivotTable: If your source data changes, right-click anywhere in the PivotTable and select “Refresh” to update the data.

Here’s an example of what the PivotTable could look like:

        | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 3 | Grand Total

—————————————————–

Product A | $5,000   | $7,000   | $4,000   | $16,000

Product B | $3,000   | $8,000   | $2,000   | $13,000

Product C | $6,000   | $2,000   | $3,000   | $11,000

—————————————————–

Grand Total | $14,000  | $17,000  | $9,000   | $40,000

This PivotTable shows the total sales for each product in each region, as well as the grand totals for each product and each region.”

Over the coming weeks I will be sharing more examples of what you can do with Copilot in Excel.

Thanks for reading,

Microsoft Excel Team

*Disclaimer: If you try these types of prompts and they do not work as expected, it is most likely due to our gradual feature rollout process. Please try again in a few weeks.

​Greetings, we continue our series of posts this week that show how you can get help from copilot with the chat helper. Today we will show how you can use it to learn how to use PivotTables. We’ll show this by asking Copilot in Excel the following question:
 Can you tell me the basics for creating a PivotTable?
Based on the question, Copilot in Excel returns a step-by-step guide for how to create a PivotTable in Excel:
Picture of Copilot in Excel pane showing the above prompt with a step-by-step guide for creating a PivotTable.
 
“Certainly! Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a PivotTable in Excel:

Select Your Data: Click on any cell within the range of data you want to use for your PivotTable. Make sure your data has column headings and no blank rows or columns.
Insert PivotTable: Go to the Ribbon, click on the “Insert” tab, and then click on “PivotTable”. Excel will automatically select the data for the PivotTable or you can select the range manually.
Choose Where to Place the PivotTable: In the dialog box that appears, you can choose to place the PivotTable in a new worksheet or in an existing worksheet. Select your preference and click “OK”.
Arrange Fields: Drag and drop the fields from your data (listed in the PivotTable Field List) into one of the four areas:

Filters: To apply filters that affect the entire PivotTable.
Columns: To show data horizontally across the top of the PivotTable.
Rows: To display data vertically on the side of the PivotTable.
Values: To aggregate data (sum, count, average, etc.) in the body of the PivotTable.

Customize Your PivotTable: You can further customize your PivotTable by sorting, filtering, and formatting the data. You can also change the summary function and refresh the data if the source data changes.
Refresh PivotTable: If the source data changes, you can update the PivotTable by right-clicking anywhere in the PivotTable and selecting “Refresh”.

Remember to check that your data is well-organized, with no empty rows or columns, and that each column has a unique header. This will ensure that your PivotTable works correctly.”
 
The response is a good overview. If you want to go a bit deeper and get more detail, you could use the following prompt:
Can you give me a more detailed example?
 
Copilot in Excel returns more information, using a sales data set as an example and shows how a PivotTable may layout the data:
Picture of Copilot in Excel pane showing the above prompt with a detailed example for creating a PivotTable.
 
“Certainly! Let’s say you have a sales dataset with the following columns: Date, Product, Region, Salesperson, and Sales. Here’s how you would create a PivotTable to analyze total sales by product and region:

Select Your Data: Click on any cell within your dataset. Ensure that each column has a unique header and there are no blank rows or columns in your range.
Insert PivotTable: Go to the “Insert” tab on the Ribbon and click on “PivotTable”. Excel will select the data for the PivotTable or you can adjust the range if needed.
Choose PivotTable Location: In the Create PivotTable dialog box, choose to place the PivotTable in a new worksheet or an existing worksheet. Click “OK”.
Arrange Fields: In the PivotTable Field List, drag and drop the Product field to the Rows area, the Region field to the Columns area, and the Sales field to the Values area. This will create a matrix with products listed down the rows, regions across the columns, and the sum of sales in the body of the PivotTable.
Customize Your PivotTable: You can sort the products or regions, apply filters, or change the summary function from sum to count, average, etc., by using the dropdown menus in the PivotTable.
Refresh PivotTable: If your source data changes, right-click anywhere in the PivotTable and select “Refresh” to update the data.

Here’s an example of what the PivotTable could look like:
        | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 3 | Grand Total
—————————————————–
Product A | $5,000   | $7,000   | $4,000   | $16,000
Product B | $3,000   | $8,000   | $2,000   | $13,000
Product C | $6,000   | $2,000   | $3,000   | $11,000
—————————————————–
Grand Total | $14,000  | $17,000  | $9,000   | $40,000
This PivotTable shows the total sales for each product in each region, as well as the grand totals for each product and each region.”
 
Over the coming weeks I will be sharing more examples of what you can do with Copilot in Excel.
 
Thanks for reading,
Microsoft Excel Team
 
*Disclaimer: If you try these types of prompts and they do not work as expected, it is most likely due to our gradual feature rollout process. Please try again in a few weeks.  Read More

​

In this blog series dedicated to Microsoft’s technical articles, we’ll highlight our MVPs’ favorite article along with their personal insights.

Kevin McDonnell, M365 MVP, United Kingdom

Copilot Learning Hub | Microsoft Learn

“One of the challenges of Copilot is to realise that there is more than just one. Dona Sarkar has pulled together a huge range of guests to help explain so many of the different areas in the Copilot Learning Hub, with experts across Microsoft and the community for all things Copilot”

Kevin TRELOHAN, M365 MVP, France

Copilot for Microsoft 365 – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn

“If you want to learn how copilot for Microsoft 365 works it’s real good page to Pin in your bookmark because you’ve here all links and information to have an overview in each App like Word, Excel, etc…”

*Relevant Event: August 29 – [GAIC-fr] Copilot M365 pour les débutants | LinkedIn

Masayuki Mokudai (もくだいさん), M365 MVP, Japan

Learn Collection: How to Build cloud flows for Microsoft 365 users (365ユーザー向け、クラウドフローの作り方) | Microsoft Learn

“Microsoft Learn offers a wealth of content on Power Automate, but some features are not available to Power Automate Basic users with only a Microsoft 365 license. Therefore, we have created training content that compiles only the necessary information for Microsoft 365 users.”

(In Japanese: Microsoft LearnにはPower Automate に関する豊富なコンテンツがありますが、Microsoft 365ライセンスのみを持つPower Automate Basicユーザーには利用できない機能も含まれています。そこで、Microsoft 365ユーザー向けに必要な情報だけをまとめたトレーニングコンテンツを作成しました。)

*Relevant Blog: Microsoft Learn: ラーニングモジュールで学ぶ365ユーザー向けキャンバスアプリ＆フロー開発 – もくだいさんのOffice365至高のレシピ (mokudai.jp)

Laurent Carlier, M365 MVP, France

Summary of governance, lifecycle, and compliance capabilities for Loop experiences | Microsoft Learn

“Microsoft Loop is undoubtedly one of the tools I’m pushing for internally, but also with my customers, to streamline collaboration and be more active in the project phases. Since its arrival in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, Loop has come a long way in terms of security, compliance, features, etc. These topics regularly come up in discussions with my customers, which is why I regularly refer to this documentation to understand everything before deploying the Loop application.”

*Relevant Blog: INFOGRAPHICS & ARTICLES | Teams2simple

​Microsoft Tech Community – Latest Blogs –Read More