Add services to buildings

You can customize the Explore tab of the Microsoft Places app to help end-users discover services and amenities available in different buildings. You can include web links and apps. For example, if a building has a cafeteria that offers online ordering, you can list the cafeteria and include a link to its website, or a link to a food ordering app.

Here's how services (both links and apps) appear in the Places app:

Screenshot showing a page of available services, including parking, tech support, dining, and facility request.

Web links open in another browser tab, while apps open in the same host. Apps are more powerful because you can use existing Teams apps or build your own.

Prerequisites

  • Use the latest version of PowerShell 7 and follow additional management prerequisites described here.
  • If you plan to add an app as a service, it must be configured to work in Teams and Outlook. See detailed instructions at the end of this article.

Adding services to a building

  1. Use Get-PlaceV3 to look up the building's identity (PlaceId parameter). See Get-PlaceV3 for details.
  2. Use Set-PlaceV3 to associate the service with the building by using the ResourceLinks parameter as described in the examples. See Set-PlaceV3 for details.

Important

The entire ResourceLinks set is replaced on update. To add or remove a service, include any existing values that you want to keep.

Use the following syntax to add a single web link to a building:

PowerShell

Set-PlaceV3 -Identity <PlaceId> -ResourceLinks @{name="Tech Support"; Value="https://www.contoso.sharepoint.com/TechSupport"; type="URL"}

Add your first app

Your app must be a Teams app that is installed and deployed in your tenant. See How to prepare your app for detailed instructions.

You also need the app's name and AppId. You can find the AppId in the Teams Admin Center:

  1. Select Teams apps > Manage apps.
  2. Select the app.
  3. Find the AppId in the About tab under app details.

Use the following syntax to add a single app to a building:

PowerShell

Set-PlaceV3 -Identity <PlaceId> -ResourceLinks @{name="<Application Name>"; Value="<AppId>"; type="MetaosApp"}

Add more services to a building

This script shows how to add another web link to an existing ResourceLinks array:

PowerShell

$ResourceLinks = (Get-PlaceV3 <PlaceId>).ResourceLinks

$ResourceLinks.Add(@{
    name="Tech Support"
    Value="https://www.contoso.sharepoint.com/TechSupport"
    type="URL"
})

Set-PlaceV3 -Identity <PlaceId> -ResourceLinks $ResourceLinks

Verify

After you've added links and apps to a building, open the Explore tab of the Microsoft Places app and navigate to the building to verify that the services appear in the correct location.

How to prepare your app

Any Teams app can be added to the Places Explore page, but the app must be installed in Teams and deployed in Microsoft 365 by the tenant administrator. Both steps are required.

Install the app in Teams

  1. Go to the Teams Admin Center.
  2. Select Teams apps > Setup Policies.
  3. In the Manage Policies tab, select the Global (Org-wide default) policy, or select a different policy if you want to install the app for a subset of users.
  4. In the Installed apps section, select + Add apps.
  5. Type the app name in the search field, select Select, and then select Add.
  6. Select Save and confirm the change.
  7. Launch Microsoft Teams, select ... in the navigation bar, and verify that the app is accessible.

Deploy the app in Microsoft 365

  1. Go to the Microsoft Admin Center.
  2. Select Show all > Settings > Integrated apps.
  3. Open the Available apps tab, search for the app, and select it.
  4. In the app overview flyout, select Deploy app.
  5. Verify that Host products includes Microsoft 365, Outlook, and Teams. If not, the app can't be used as a service in Microsoft Places. Contact the app developer for assistance.
  6. Select Next, then assign the app to the Entire organization or to specific users or groups.
  7. Select Next, then Accept permissions.
  8. In the popup window, sign in and select Accept to provide consent.
  9. Select Next, then Finish deployment.
  10. Select Done to close the deployment wizard.
  11. Verify that the app appears on the Integrated apps page.

Additional resources:

More details are available in these articles:

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