From 2020, Office 365 has been known as Microsoft 365. This is more than a rename, it’s a cloud-based, advanced productivity and security suite. All your familiar Office apps are combined with the latest business tools (including Teams), a Windows 10 license per user and leading Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) features. Microsoft 365 is not a one size fits all solution. There are several different license types, with further security and compliance add-ons available.
With everything leaning towards the cloud, and with Windows 365 set for release at the end of 2021, we’ve put together a quick article on some of the key benefits of going Microsoft 365.
Work from Anywhere
An obvious one these days, but the cloud-based nature of the Microsoft 365 apps means you can access them from anywhere, on any device. This brings flexibility in many different ways, including business continuity, collaboration and recruitment.
Each user can install the apps across multiple devices, accessing data from a smartphone, tablet or laptop. This enables employees to work however they work best. Not every app has to be installed onto the same device either. The employee can choose the apps they find most useful depending on device type. These devices also don’t have to be company owned (depending on company policy), so licenses can cross between personal and corporate.
Best In Class Security
As your data is in Microsoft’s cloud, the responsibility for this ultimately belongs to them. They take this incredibly seriously, as you can imagine, with sophisticated security measures. This makes the Microsoft cloud a very safe environment.
You do of course have some responsibility for security. You should create strong passwords, use multi-factor authentication (MFA) and have enforced security policies. You also have the responsibility for your data backup. Microsoft protect the service and have a data loss prevention policy, advanced threat analytics and their own protection against spam and malware. They don’t keep a backup. Find out more about Backup for Microsoft 365.
If you take your own security seriously, your data held in Teams and Sharepoint will be very secure.
Work Together with Ease
Microsoft 365 makes working together simple. It’s built with the principles of teamwork and collaboration firmly front of mind.
Teams and Sharepoint are the key collaboration hubs, with permissions granted on an individual basis. Drop the old habits of working across many different versions; work together in real-time on Word, Powerpoint and Excel files. You’ll not only remove version confusion, you’ll also reduce your storage requirements.
Monthly Subscription Model
All Microsoft 365 plans are monthly subscription models. You pick the level you need for your business type. The plans are charged per user and can scale up or down with your business. There are no upfront costs from Microsoft, but you may choose to pay a managed service provider such as M-Tech for professional setup.
Subscriptions models are becoming more popular in the business world as they help significantly with cash flow. There’s no need to find a large payment up front and budgeting is very straightforward.
Always Up to Date
Always being up to date is one of the major benefits of cloud software. Microsoft won’t interrupt your flow to do an update, instead you can plan a schedule that suits you. Regular updates are an essential branch of cyber security. They provide critical bug fixes and security patches. New software releases also bring new features to your users, a further added benefit.
It’s Time to Go Microsoft 365
Going 365 makes sense for many businesses on the Microsoft path. It’s also very easy to either adopt from scratch, or make the switch from an alternative solution, such as Google.
We’re Microsoft Silver Partners and are happy to talk you through the options available. Let’s see what’s best for your environment.