Configure Weather Web Part in SharePoint Online - How to Configure It Step by Step

Configure Weather Web Part in SharePoint Online Step by Step

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In this “Configure Weather Web Part in SharePoint Online” article, we will learn about what a weather web part is in SharePoint Online, how to configure the out of the box weather web part step-by-step, and how it works—and I will show you this in the demo part.

SharePoint Online is a powerful platform for collaboration and information sharing, offering a wide range of web parts to enhance the functionality and user experience of your SharePoint sites. One such web part that can add both utility and aesthetic appeal to your site is the Weather web part.

Configure Weather Web Part in SharePoint Online

Before getting into the actual demo, let’s first understand the web web part and how it works in SharePoint Online.

What is the  Weather Web Part?

The Weather web part in SharePoint Online is a simple yet valuable tool that allows you to display current weather information on your SharePoint site. This dynamic web part provides users with up-to-date weather forecasts for a specific location, ensuring that your team is well-informed about the weather conditions, whether they are planning outdoor activities, events, or just checking the forecast for the day.

Configuring the  Weather Web Part

Configuring the “Weather” web part in SharePoint Online is a straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set it up:

  • Edit Your SharePoint Page: Start by editing the SharePoint page where you want to add the “Weather” web part.
  • Insert Web Part: Click on the area of the page where you want to add the “Weather” web part, then click the “+ ” icon to insert a new web part.
  • Search for “Weather”: In the web part toolbox that appears on the right-hand side, type “Weather” in the search bar.
  • Add the “Weather” Web Part: Select the “Weather” web part from the results and click “Add.”
  • Configure Location: With the “Weather” web part added, you can configure the location for which you want to display the weather. Click on the web part, and in the right-hand panel, enter the location (e.g., a city or zip code).
  • Customize Display: You can customize the display settings, such as choosing between Celsius and Fahrenheit, and selecting the layout style that best fits your site.
  • Save and Publish: Once you’re satisfied with the configuration, click “Publish” to make the weather information visible on your SharePoint site.

Advantages of the Weather Web Part

Following are the advantages of the weather web part in SharePoint Online:

  • User Engagement: The “Weather” web part can enhance user engagement by providing real-time weather information that is relevant to your audience. It’s a handy tool for users to quickly check weather conditions without leaving the SharePoint site.
  • Event Planning: For organizations that host outdoor events or have remote teams, the “Weather” web part is a valuable addition. It helps in better event planning and keeping teams informed about weather-related changes.
  • Easy to Configure: Configuring the “Weather” web part is intuitive and can be done in a matter of minutes, even for users with minimal technical expertise.
  • Customization Options: You can customize the web part’s appearance to match your site’s design and style, ensuring a seamless integration with your SharePoint site.

Disadvantages of the Weather Web Part

While the “Weather” web part offers many advantages, it’s essential to consider potential drawbacks:

  • Limited Features: The web part’s functionality is somewhat basic. It provides only basic weather information, and it lacks advanced features like historical weather data or severe weather alerts.
  • Location Limitations: The  Weather web part relies on location-based data, which might not be suitable for sites with a global audience or teams spread across various locations.
  • Third-Party Dependency: The web part relies on external weather data sources, and if the chosen data source experiences issues or changes, it may affect the web part’s functionality.

The Weather web part in SharePoint Online is a handy tool for enhancing user engagement and aiding in event planning by providing up-to-date weather information directly on your SharePoint site. It’s easy to configure and offers customization options, making it a valuable addition for many organizations. However, it’s important to be aware of its limitations, including its basic features and potential dependency on third-party data sources. Carefully consider your organization’s specific needs and whether the “Weather” web part aligns with your goals for a more informative and engaging SharePoint site.

Read Also: Connected Web Parts in SharePoint Online

Demo: Weather Web Part SharePoint Online

In this demo, I will show you how to configure the weather web part in SharePoint Online page step by step:

Step: Create a modern site page to host the weather web part.

Click on the “gear” icon on your Communication or Team site, then click on the “Add a page” link menu.

Add a page in SharePoint Online modern site
Add a page in SharePoint Online modern site

Select the template as “Blank” from the “From Microsoft” tab.

Create page from Microsoft Templates in SharePoint Online communication site
Create page from Microsoft Templates in SharePoint Online communication site

Click on the “Create page” button.

Name the page and save it.

Rename the page in SharePoint Online modern site
Rename the page in SharePoint Online modern site

By now, we have completed the page creation process. Now let’s add the weather web part to this page.

Step: Add the weather web part to the page.

Click on the “Add a new web part in column one” + icon.

Add a new web part in SharePoint Online page
Add a new web part in SharePoint Online page

Type the text “Weather” to search the weather web part.

Search weather web part in SharePoint Online

Search weather web part in SharePoint Online

 

From the search results, click on the “Weather” web part. Then, we can see that the weather web part has been added to the page.

 

Add weather web part in SharePoint Online page
Add weather web part in SharePoint Online page

By now, we have learned how to add the weather web part to the SharePoint Online page. Now, let’s configure it.

Step: Configure the weather web part.

Once we add the web part, the very first thing we need to do is name the web part. Here I have given the name “Weather Report Webpart”, You can name something like this.

Weather Web Part SharePoint Online configuration
Weather Web Part SharePoint Online configuration

Then, click on the “Edit web part” icon to configure the weather web part. In the configuration part, we can only change the display temperature to either “Fahrenheit” or “Celsius”, We don’t have any other configuration that we can customize here. This is the limitation of the out-of-the-box web part in SharePoint Online.

Show current weather conditions on your page. Choose the units of temperature to display by default. Users can switch between Fahrenheit and Celsius for their personal views.

Note:

  • Here I have chosen the default selection, which is “Fahrenheit” .

Finally, add your location (you can just type a few characters of your location, and automatically the MSN service will list out the matching locations for your search). We can have many locations as per our needs.

In this demo, I have added four locations from the USA.

Weather Web Part in SharePoint Online Demo
Weather Web Part in SharePoint Online Demo

Once your location addition is completed, you can save the page or directly publish it for all other users on your web page. In the above weather web part demo, the data is coming dynamically from the MSN Weather service.

Summary: Weather Web Part SharePoint Online

Thus, in this article, we have learned about what a weather web part is in SharePoint Online and how to configure the weather web part step by step in SharePoint Online with the live demo. And also, we have learned how to create a modern page in SharePoint Online from the Microsoft page template gallery.

See Also: Power Platform Articles

You may also visit the Power Platform article hub, where you will see a bunch of articles focusing on Power Platform, like Power Automate, Power Apps, etc. All the articles are written with real-time project scenarios and troubleshooting techniques.

 

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