SharePoint SPFx Apps: Lightning Tools Showcase

Introduction: Why this matters

Modern SharePoint in Microsoft 365 delivers strong out-of-the-box capabilities, but many organizations still need targeted solutions for governance, usability, and information discovery. In Microsoft’s latest Partner Showcase episode, Vesa Juvonen is joined by Brett Lonsdale (Founder/CEO, Lightning Tools) to demonstrate how Lightning Tools builds on SharePoint Framework (SPFx) to deliver business-ready extensions that fit naturally into Microsoft 365 authentication, security, and administration models.

With increasing focus on Copilot and AI readiness, improving content quality, access hygiene, and discoverability is no longer optional—tools that help clarify “who can see what” and reduce sprawl directly impact compliance and risk.

What’s new / highlighted in the showcase

The episode focuses on four SPFx-based products that address common operational gaps:

DeliverPoint (permissions management)

• Provides visibility into SharePoint permissions and who has access to what.
• Helps site owners and administrators identify over-sharing and reduce unintended exposure.
• Particularly relevant for AI readiness, where Copilot can surface content users already have access to—making permissions governance critical.

Lightning Forms (modern forms for SharePoint lists)

• A no-code/low-code form designer that creates dynamic, polished list forms.
• Improves user experience and data capture consistency without custom development.
• Can reduce reliance on bespoke form solutions and accelerate adoption of standardized processes.

Social Squared (discussion boards for Teams and SharePoint)

• Adds structured discussion-board capabilities for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Supports communities and Q&A-style engagement beyond basic chat, while remaining integrated with Microsoft 365 collaboration surfaces.

Lightning Conductor (content rollup web part)

• Aggregates and visualizes content across SharePoint and Microsoft 365.
• Helps users find relevant updates and content without manually navigating multiple sites.
• Useful for intranet scenarios where surfacing “what’s happening” across departments is a priority.

Impact on IT administrators and end users

For IT admins, the key takeaway is alignment: Lightning Tools builds natively on SPFx, leveraging integrated authentication and Microsoft 365 security controls. That typically simplifies identity integration and supports consistent governance compared to disconnected third-party platforms.

For end users, these solutions aim to reduce friction—better forms, clearer discovery, and more structured collaboration. For site owners, DeliverPoint-style visibility can help distribute governance without requiring admin intervention for every permissions question.

Action items / next steps

1. Review permissions hygiene as part of Copilot/AI readiness: Validate oversharing risks and ensure site owners understand access models.
2. Assess form modernization needs: Identify business processes still relying on legacy or custom forms and evaluate no-code improvements.
3. Improve findability: Consider whether rollups or intranet aggregation would reduce time spent searching across sites.
4. Engage with the partner ecosystem: If you have a SharePoint solution to share, Microsoft invites partners to apply for the showcase via https://aka.ms/sharepoint/partner/showcase.