This chapter covers Microsoft Viva, the employee experience platform (EXP) that integrates learning, insights, knowledge, and communications into Microsoft 365. Viva is a relatively new topic on the MS-900 exam (roughly 5-8% of questions), focusing on its four core modules—Viva Connections, Viva Insights, Viva Learning, and Viva Topics—and their licensing requirements. You will learn exactly what each module does, how they interact with existing Microsoft 365 services like Teams and SharePoint, and the specific licensing needed (Viva Suite or individual SKUs). This knowledge is essential for answering scenario-based questions about improving employee engagement and productivity.
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Imagine a large corporate office building with separate departments on different floors. Each department has its own bulletin board (SharePoint), its own water cooler conversations (Teams), its own training room (LMS), and its own HR office (HR system). Employees waste time walking between floors, missing announcements, and duplicating efforts. Now, the company builds a central 'Employee Hub' on the ground floor. This hub has a digital kiosk that pulls key announcements from all bulletin boards into one screen, a 'who's who' directory showing everyone's role and availability, a 'learning lounge' with recommended courses from the training room, and a 'wellness corner' with HR updates. The hub doesn't replace any department—it integrates their existing information into a single, personalized experience. When an employee enters, the kiosk shows only the announcements relevant to their role and location. If they missed a meeting, the hub offers a recording. If they feel stressed, the hub suggests a wellness module. Microsoft Viva is exactly this hub for Microsoft 365: it integrates data from Viva Connections (the kiosk), Viva Insights (personal productivity analytics), Viva Learning (training), and Viva Topics (knowledge discovery) into the Microsoft 365 apps employees already use, like Teams and SharePoint. It doesn't replace any existing service; it layers an experience platform on top.
What is Microsoft Viva?
Microsoft Viva is an employee experience platform (EXP) built into Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams. Launched in February 2021, Viva aims to address four key areas of employee experience: connection, insight, learning, and knowledge. Unlike a single application, Viva is a suite of modules that leverage existing Microsoft 365 capabilities (SharePoint, Teams, Exchange, Azure Active Directory) and integrate with third-party HR, learning, and wellbeing systems.
The Four Core Modules
#### 1. Viva Connections
Viva Connections is a curated employee experience portal that appears as a customizable app in Microsoft Teams. It combines company news, resources, and tasks into a single dashboard. The dashboard is powered by SharePoint (for news and links), Yammer (for communities), and Stream (for videos). Administrators use the SharePoint home site to configure the dashboard's layout and content. Viva Connections also includes a 'Resources' tab that can link to HR portals, benefits, and IT support. The 'Feed' shows personalized content from the organization's SharePoint news and Yammer communities.
Key Components: Dashboard, Feed, Resources, and Top Tasks.
Licensing: Included in Microsoft 365 F1, F3, E1, E3, E5, and Office 365 E1, E3, E5. However, premium features (e.g., advanced analytics) require Viva Suite or Viva Connections add-on.
How it works: Viva Connections uses the SharePoint home site as its content source. The dashboard is a set of cards that link to SharePoint pages, lists, or external URLs. The Feed aggregates news from the home site and Yammer communities the user follows. The Resources tab is a curated set of links managed by the SharePoint site owner.
#### 2. Viva Insights
Viva Insights provides personal and organizational productivity insights using data from Microsoft 365 (email, calendar, Teams calls/chats). It has two main components:
Personal Insights: Available to all Microsoft 365 users with a Viva Insights subscription (or as part of Viva Suite). Users see a dashboard in Teams or the web app showing metrics like 'focus time', 'meeting hours', 'response time', and 'network size'. It also offers suggestions (e.g., 'Schedule focus time', 'Mute chat notifications after hours').
Organizational Insights: Available only with Viva Insights advanced features (requires Viva Suite or Viva Insights add-on). Managers and analysts can view aggregate trends like 'meeting overload', 'after-hours collaboration', and 'manager 1:1 time'. Data is de-identified and aggregated to protect privacy.
Data Sources: Exchange Online (email metadata), Teams (call/chat metadata), and Calendar (meeting data). Data is processed in the Microsoft 365 compliance boundary.
Privacy: Personal insights are visible only to the individual user. Organizational insights use de-identified aggregates with a minimum group size of 10 (default) to prevent re-identification.
Default Values: Focus time defaults to 2 hours per day, but users can adjust. The 'do not disturb' automatic setting during focus time is enabled by default.
#### 3. Viva Learning
Viva Learning is a centralized learning hub in Microsoft Teams that aggregates content from LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft Learn, third-party learning management systems (LMS) like SAP SuccessFactors, Cornerstone OnDemand, and custom content uploaded to SharePoint. It allows employees to discover, assign, and complete training without leaving Teams.
- Key Features: - Home: Personalized learning recommendations based on the user's role, interests, and prior learning. - Browse: Search and filter by provider, topic, or skill. - My Learning: Tracks in-progress and completed courses. - Admin: Managers can assign mandatory training to teams. - Content Sources: LinkedIn Learning (requires separate subscription), Microsoft Learn (free), third-party LMS (via API connectors), and custom content (SharePoint folders). - Licensing: Basic features (browse and consume from Microsoft Learn) are included in Microsoft 365 F1, F3, E1, E3, E5. Premium features (LinkedIn Learning integration, custom content, assignment) require Viva Suite or Viva Learning add-on.
#### 4. Viva Topics
Viva Topics uses AI to automatically organize knowledge across the organization. It creates topic pages (like mini-wikis) from SharePoint content, OneNote, and other sources. Topics are identified using AI that analyzes content for subject matter, people, and resources. For example, if many documents mention 'Project Phoenix', Viva Topics can create a topic page that summarizes the project, lists key documents, and identifies subject matter experts.
- Key Components: - Topic Center: A SharePoint site that hosts all topic pages. - Topic Cards: Inline cards that appear when users hover over a topic mention in SharePoint or Teams. - AI Suggestions: The AI suggests topics and content; human curators can edit, publish, or remove them. - Licensing: Requires Viva Suite or Viva Topics add-on. It is not included in any base Microsoft 365 SKU. - How it works: The AI crawls SharePoint, OneDrive, and other content sources. It identifies 'topic candidates' based on frequency, context, and co-occurrence of terms. A topic page is generated with an AI-generated description, pinned documents, and suggested people. A curator (knowledge manager) can approve or refine the topic. Once published, topic cards appear in search results and on hover.
Licensing and SKUs
Viva modules are available as individual add-ons or as the full Viva Suite. The exam tests your ability to identify which license includes which features.
Viva Suite: Includes all four core modules (Connections, Insights, Learning, Topics) plus premium features. Requires Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 as a base.
Individual Add-ons: Each module can be licensed separately (e.g., Viva Connections add-on, Viva Insights add-on, etc.).
Included Features: Basic Viva Connections (without premium analytics) is included in E1/E3/E5/F1/F3. Basic Viva Insights (personal insights) is included in E3/E5 but requires a subscription for advanced organizational insights. Basic Viva Learning (Microsoft Learn only) is included in E3/E5.
Integration with Microsoft 365
Viva is deeply integrated with Teams, SharePoint, and Yammer. Viva Connections appears as a Teams app. Viva Insights is available as a Teams app and a web dashboard. Viva Learning is a Teams app. Viva Topics integrates with SharePoint and Teams (topic cards appear on hover). Additionally, Viva modules can be extended via Graph API for custom integrations.
Configuration and Administration
Viva is configured through the Microsoft 365 admin center and SharePoint admin center. For example:
Viva Connections: Set the SharePoint home site via SharePoint admin center. Then add the Viva Connections app to Teams via Teams admin center.
Viva Insights: Enable via the Microsoft 365 admin center under 'Settings > Org settings > Viva Insights'.
Viva Learning: Configure content sources via the Microsoft 365 admin center under 'Settings > Org settings > Viva Learning'.
Viva Topics: Enable via Microsoft 365 admin center under 'Setup > Topics'.
Exam-Relevant Details
Viva is NOT a replacement for Teams or SharePoint; it enhances them.
Viva Connections requires a SharePoint home site.
Viva Insights personal data is visible only to the user; organizational data is de-identified.
Viva Learning can integrate with LinkedIn Learning but requires a separate LinkedIn Learning license.
Viva Topics uses AI to auto-generate topic pages; human curation is optional but recommended.
The Viva Suite license is required for full functionality across all modules.
Common Misconfigurations
Missing SharePoint home site: Viva Connections will not load without a designated home site.
Insufficient permissions: Users need at least 'Read' access to the SharePoint home site to see Viva Connections.
Data not appearing in Insights: Organizational insights require a minimum of 10 users in a group; otherwise, data is suppressed for privacy.
Topics not showing: AI takes up to 2 weeks to generate initial topics after enabling Viva Topics.
Summary of Key Numbers
Minimum group size for organizational insights: 10 users.
Default focus time duration: 2 hours.
AI topic generation initial delay: up to 2 weeks.
Viva Suite license cost: approximately $12/user/month (as of 2025, but subject to change; not tested for exact price but the fact that it's an add-on).
Enable Viva Connections
First, ensure you have a SharePoint communication site designated as the home site. This is done in the SharePoint admin center under 'Home site'. If no home site exists, create one. Then, in the Teams admin center, go to 'Teams apps > Manage apps', search for 'Viva Connections', and allow it for your organization. Finally, pin the app to the Teams app bar for users. Users will see the Viva Connections tab in Teams, which loads the dashboard from the home site.
Configure Viva Insights
Viva Insights is enabled by default for most Microsoft 365 tenants, but advanced organizational insights require a premium license. In the Microsoft 365 admin center, go to 'Settings > Org settings > Viva Insights'. From there, you can manage privacy settings, such as minimum group size (default 10) and whether to include calendar data. Personal insights are automatically available to licensed users via the Viva Insights app in Teams or the web dashboard.
Set up Viva Learning
To configure Viva Learning, go to the Microsoft 365 admin center under 'Settings > Org settings > Viva Learning'. Here, you can add content sources: Microsoft Learn (free), LinkedIn Learning (requires subscription), or third-party LMS via API. You can also upload custom content by specifying a SharePoint folder. Once configured, users access Viva Learning via the Teams app. Managers can assign courses to their teams.
Deploy Viva Topics
Viva Topics requires a premium license (Viva Suite or Topics add-on). In the Microsoft 365 admin center, go to 'Setup > Topics'. Enable topic discovery and select content sources (SharePoint, OneDrive, etc.). The AI will start crawling; it may take up to 2 weeks for the first topics to appear. After that, assign knowledge managers who can curate topics. Users see topic cards when hovering over terms in SharePoint and Teams.
Manage Viva licenses
Licensing for Viva is per-user. In the Microsoft 365 admin center, under 'Billing > Licenses', assign the appropriate Viva Suite or individual module licenses to users. Without the correct license, users may see limited features (e.g., only personal insights, no organizational data). Ensure base Microsoft 365 SKU (E3 or E5) is assigned before adding Viva licenses. The Viva Suite license includes all four modules.
Enterprise Scenario 1: Improving Employee Onboarding
A large financial services company with 20,000 employees uses Viva Connections to create a personalized onboarding dashboard. New hires see a 'New Employee' card with links to HR policies, a 'Getting Started' checklist, and a Yammer community for new hires. The dashboard also shows upcoming training from Viva Learning (mandatory compliance courses) and a 'Meet Your Team' card powered by SharePoint. The onboarding team uses Viva Insights to track whether new hires are experiencing meeting overload (more than 20 hours of meetings per week) and adjusts the onboarding schedule. This reduces time-to-productivity by 30%. Potential pitfalls: if the SharePoint home site is not set correctly, the dashboard fails to load. Also, if Viva Learning content sources are not configured, the training card shows no content.
Enterprise Scenario 2: Knowledge Management in a Consulting Firm
A global consulting firm with 5,000 employees uses Viva Topics to organize project knowledge. The AI automatically creates topic pages for major clients and projects, pulling from SharePoint document libraries and OneNote. When a consultant starts a new project, they search in Teams and see a topic page with key documents, subject matter experts, and previous deliverables. This reduces duplicate work and accelerates project ramp-up. The firm also uses Viva Insights to identify collaboration patterns—such as after-hours emailing—and encourages better work-life balance. Challenges: Viva Topics requires careful curation; without a knowledge manager, topic pages may contain incorrect or outdated information. Also, the AI may miss topics if content is not well-tagged.
Scenario 3: Retail Chain Employee Engagement
A retail chain with 50,000 frontline workers uses Viva Connections on their mobile devices (via the Teams mobile app). The dashboard shows store-specific news, shift schedules, and a 'Wellness' card linking to mental health resources. Viva Learning provides micro-learning modules on product knowledge and customer service. Viva Insights helps store managers see team collaboration patterns (e.g., how often they use Teams chat) and identify burnout risks. The rollout involves configuring Viva Connections for each store's SharePoint site. Common issues: frontline workers may not have a company email or Teams license; Viva requires a Microsoft 365 F1 or F3 license. Additionally, mobile access requires the Teams app to be installed and configured correctly.
The MS-900 exam tests Viva under objective 2.1 'Describe the productivity solutions of Microsoft 365', specifically the employee experience platform. Expect 2-3 questions on Viva, often scenario-based. Key areas:
Viva Connections: Know that it requires a SharePoint home site. Wrong answer trap: 'Viva Connections replaces SharePoint' or 'Viva Connections is a standalone app'. Reality: It is a Teams app that surfaces SharePoint content.
Viva Insights: Understand personal vs. organizational insights. Personal insights are available to all licensed users; organizational insights require premium licensing. Wrong answer: 'Viva Insights shows everyone's data to managers' – it is de-identified and aggregated.
Viva Learning: Know that basic features (Microsoft Learn only) are included in E3/E5; LinkedIn Learning requires a separate subscription. Wrong answer: 'Viva Learning replaces LinkedIn Learning' – it integrates with it.
Viva Topics: Requires Viva Suite or Topics add-on. Wrong answer: 'Viva Topics is included in E5' – it is not, only Viva Suite includes it.
Licensing: The exam loves to ask which modules require additional licensing. Remember: Viva Suite is an add-on to E3/E5. Individual modules can be added separately. Basic Connections and Insights are included in E1/E3/E5 (with limitations).
Common wrong answers: - 'Viva is a part of Windows 11' – no, it's a Microsoft 365 service. - 'Viva Insights uses email content (body)' – no, it uses metadata only. - 'Viva Learning is free with all Microsoft 365 plans' – only basic features are free. - 'Viva Topics automatically publishes all topic pages' – they require human approval.
Edge cases: Viva Connections requires the Teams app to be installed; it does not work standalone. Viva Insights organizational data may be suppressed if the group size is less than 10. Viva Topics may take up to 2 weeks to generate initial topics.
To eliminate wrong answers, focus on the underlying mechanism: Viva is an integration layer, not a replacement. It uses existing Microsoft 365 services. Licensing is per-user and add-on.
Numbers to memorize: Minimum group size for Insights = 10. Default focus time = 2 hours. Initial topic generation delay = up to 2 weeks.
Viva is an employee experience platform (EXP) integrated into Microsoft 365 and Teams.
Four core modules: Viva Connections, Viva Insights, Viva Learning, Viva Topics.
Viva Connections requires a SharePoint home site and appears as a Teams app.
Viva Insights personal data is private; organizational insights are de-identified with a minimum group size of 10.
Viva Learning basic features (Microsoft Learn) are included in E3/E5; LinkedIn Learning requires separate license.
Viva Topics uses AI to generate topic pages; human curation is required for publishing.
Viva Suite license is an add-on to E3/E5; individual modules can be licensed separately.
Viva does not replace any existing Microsoft 365 service; it enhances them.
Wrong answer trap: Viva is not a Windows feature or standalone app.
Exam may ask: 'Which module improves knowledge discovery?' Answer: Viva Topics.
These come up on the exam all the time. Here's how to tell them apart.
Viva Suite
Includes all four core modules: Connections, Insights, Learning, Topics.
Requires Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 base license.
Costs approximately $12/user/month (subject to change).
Simplifies licensing management with a single SKU.
Includes premium features for all modules (e.g., advanced analytics, custom content).
Individual Viva Modules
Each module licensed separately (e.g., Viva Connections add-on).
Can be added to any Microsoft 365 SKU (F1, F3, E1, E3, E5).
Cost varies per module; typically $2-4/user/month each.
Allows picking only needed modules, potentially lower cost.
Some modules have basic features included in base SKUs (e.g., personal Insights, basic Connections).
Mistake
Viva is a separate application that replaces Teams and SharePoint.
Correct
Viva is a suite of modules that integrate into existing Microsoft 365 apps like Teams and SharePoint. It does not replace them; it enhances the user experience by surfacing relevant content and insights within those apps.
Mistake
Viva Insights shows managers detailed data about individual employees.
Correct
Viva Insights personal data is visible only to the individual user. Organizational insights use de-identified, aggregated data with a minimum group size of 10 to prevent identifying individuals. Managers see trends, not individual behavior.
Mistake
Viva Learning includes all LinkedIn Learning courses for free.
Correct
Viva Learning integrates with LinkedIn Learning but requires a separate LinkedIn Learning license. Only Microsoft Learn content is included with basic Viva Learning features.
Mistake
Viva Topics automatically publishes all AI-generated topics without human review.
Correct
Viva Topics AI suggests topic pages, but they remain in draft status until a human curator reviews and publishes them. Organizations can choose to auto-publish, but the default requires approval.
Mistake
Viva Connections is available without a SharePoint home site.
Correct
Viva Connections requires a SharePoint communication site designated as the home site. Without it, the dashboard cannot load. The home site is configured in the SharePoint admin center.
Reveal each answer, then mark whether you got it right. Score 60%+ to unlock the next chapter.
Microsoft Viva is an employee experience platform (EXP) that integrates four modules—Connections, Insights, Learning, and Topics—into Microsoft 365 and Teams. It helps organizations improve employee engagement, productivity, learning, and knowledge discovery. Viva is not a standalone product but a suite that leverages existing Microsoft 365 services. For the MS-900 exam, remember that Viva is a relatively new addition and is tested under objective 2.1.
Viva modules are available as add-ons to Microsoft 365 SKUs. Basic features of Viva Connections (without premium analytics) and Viva Insights (personal insights) are included in many SKUs like E1, E3, E5, F1, F3. However, premium features and full functionality require the Viva Suite license (which includes all modules) or individual module add-ons. Viva Topics and Viva Learning premium features require a Viva Suite or respective add-on license. The base Microsoft 365 license must be E3 or E5 for Viva Suite.
Viva Insights has two levels: personal insights and organizational insights. Personal insights are visible only to the individual user. Organizational insights use de-identified, aggregated data with a minimum group size of 10 to prevent re-identification. Data comes from metadata (email, calendar, Teams) not content. Administrators can configure privacy settings, such as excluding weekend data or setting a higher minimum group size.
Viva Connections is designed as a Teams app, so it requires Microsoft Teams to be installed. However, it can also be accessed via a web browser through the SharePoint home site. The full experience (dashboard, feed, resources) is best in Teams. Without Teams, users may not see the Viva Connections app. For frontline workers, the Teams mobile app is the primary access point.
Viva Learning supports Microsoft Learn (free), LinkedIn Learning (requires separate subscription), and third-party learning management systems (LMS) like SAP SuccessFactors, Cornerstone OnDemand, and others via API connectors. It also supports custom content uploaded to SharePoint folders. Administrators configure these sources in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
After enabling Viva Topics, the AI crawls content and may take up to two weeks to generate the first set of topic suggestions. The time depends on the volume of content and the complexity of the organization. Topics are initially in draft status and require human curation to be published. The exam may test this delay as a potential troubleshooting point.
No, Viva is not included in any base Microsoft 365 SKU. E5 includes some features like advanced compliance and security, but Viva requires an additional license. Basic Viva Connections and personal Viva Insights are included, but premium features and other modules (Learning, Topics) require add-ons or the Viva Suite license. The exam often asks which licenses are needed for Viva.
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