Buy an LMS when reliable learning records, support, accessibility and standard features matter more than a unique workflow. Build only when the organisation has a genuinely distinctive requirement, an accountable product owner and the budget to operate the system after launch. A Teams tab by itself is not a reason to build.
Start with the record, not the interface
Write down the evidence the organisation must retain:
- who was assigned an activity;
- which version they completed;
- attempts, scores and approvals;
- expiry or renewal dates;
- corrected or revoked records;
- exports required by managers, auditors or another system.
Then describe the learner's Teams journey. Is Teams only the entry point, or must assignments, notifications, meetings and content all work there?
This prevents a common mistake: building an attractive Teams tab before deciding which system owns the truth.
Option 1: Buy a Teams-connected LMS
Buying is usually the lower-risk route when your needs are recognisable and repeatable.
Check:
- Microsoft Entra ID single sign-on and user lifecycle;
- current Teams desktop, web and mobile support;
- accessibility evidence;
- packaged-content standards and your actual content samples;
- reporting, audit history and data export;
- supplier security documentation and subprocessors;
- support, recovery and product-exit terms;
- the complete licence model, including administrators and external learners.
Run a proof of concept with real scenarios. Do not award points for a feature that exists but cannot be used by your policy, licence or client.
Option 2: Build on Microsoft 365 and Power Platform
A custom build can fit a narrow internal process using Teams, SharePoint, Power Apps, Power Automate and Dataverse. It can also become a long-lived product that somebody must secure, test and support.
Before choosing this route, name:
- the product owner;
- the data owner;
- the environment and deployment strategy;
- the Power Platform licensing owner;
- the support rota and service boundary;
- accessibility and security reviewers;
- the release, backup and recovery process;
- the person who takes over when the original maker leaves.
Dataverse for Teams may suit an app attached to one team. Full Dataverse is more appropriate when you need independent environments, richer security, APIs, plug-ins or model-driven apps. Confirm the current licensing position before promising a low-cost build.
Option 3: Connect an existing LMS to Microsoft 365
Sometimes the best answer is neither a new purchase nor a new platform. Keep the current LMS as the learning-record system and improve access through Entra SSO, Teams links or supported integrations.
Microsoft documents Learning Tools Interoperability integrations for certain education scenarios. A general Teams tab is a different mechanism. It needs HTTPS, allowed domains and an authentication flow that works in the Teams client.
Treat sign-in, embedding, notifications and data exchange as separate workstreams.
A decision scorecard
Score each option against the same evidence:
| Question | Buy | Build | Integrate existing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meets the required record model | |||
| Works on required Teams clients | |||
| Fits identity and access policy | |||
| Has an accountable service owner | |||
| Can be recovered and supported | |||
| Exports usable records on exit | |||
| Total cost is understood |
Use evidence from a sandbox, supplier documentation and a security review. Avoid invented precision in cost scoring. A custom build's maintenance cost is uncertain until the solution and service expectations are defined.
Failure and recovery questions
Ask what happens when Entra sign-in fails, a Teams tab refuses to load, an assignment is wrong, a completion is disputed or the supplier service is unavailable.
For a build, rehearse restoring configuration and correcting a record. For a purchased service, inspect the contracted recovery and export route. For both, keep a tested route outside Teams so administrators are not locked out by the integration surface.
What this proves
The scorecard proves only that the options were compared against your stated requirements and current evidence. It does not guarantee adoption, compliance, future compatibility or a final cost. Record the assumptions and recheck them before contract signature or production release.
For practical governance across Teams, SharePoint and connected services, join the SharePoint & Teams Admins Space.