Benefits of Office 365

Top 13 Business Benefits of Office 365

Are you looking to streamline common business operations while simultaneously increasing productivity? The answer is easier than you might expect. When you implement Office 365 in your workplace, you’ll provide your employees with the tools they need to succeed.

What is Office 365?

Office 365 is a software series that includes a variety of Microsoft services. A subscription-based model, this highly efficient and effective program includes essential cloud-based services designed for business operations, such as Skype and SharePoint. Best of all, all of the applications included in Office 365 are updated on a regular basis at no extra charge to the user.

The most recent suite of services from Microsoft combines the best of what the previous OneDrive and SharePoint Online have to offer for enterprises. As a highly effective and intuitive communication system, Office 365 is leading the charge in innovative software programs designed to effectively and efficiently improve your business operation.

Here are just a few benefits that Office 365 offers to business owners.

Office 365 Works Well with Other Programs

Regardless of the size of your business, time is a precious commodity. Migrating new software and integrating it with existing tools can prove to be both frustrating and time-consuming. However, when it comes to implementation, Office 365 was designed to work effortlessly with other Office Programs. Instead of spending your time figuring out how to get all of your various programs to work together, you can now spend your time on other important endeavours.

Office 365 was designed to seamlessly work with other Office programs, to include Office Outlook, Publisher, PowerPoint, and Excel. In addition to providing features your employees are used to working with, this innovative software enhances your existing programs -taking them to the next level. For example, with Office 365 you can monitor whether or not someone else is editing a document, match documents, and check files in your document library in real time.

24/7 Access

Perhaps one of the main appeals to Office 365 is its adaptability. Office 365 can be used any time of day, anywhere, regardless of your location. As long as you have internet access, Office 365 allows employees to access their files, emails, personal calendar, and contacts from any smart device – any where in the world. Compatible devices include Android phones, iPhones, PCs, Mac computers, and even Blackberry. Essentially, if it can connect to the internet, you can use it to connect to your Office 365 suite.

Employees like flexibility, as it provides a better work life balance. Office 365 grants users access to edit their documents and respond to important emails on the go. Compatible with whichever web browser you prefer, this innovative program empowers employees with the tools they need to remain connected to their work even when they are not physically in the office. Essentially, with Office 365, you can take care of critical tasks in real time, from any location in the world.

Communicate and Collaborate Internally and Externally

Communication is essential to organisational success. Given the climate of today’s digital world, it’s daunting to know all of your data is hanging out somewhere in cyberspace. In fact, hackers can wreak havoc on your organisation if they gain access to important emails and company data. Office 365 has built-in security and continuous compliance so small businesses rest assured knowing their information is safe and protected.

With Office 365, you always know where your data is and who has access to it. Additionally, this software suite allows you to create a protected email portal. Secured with an encrypted password, you can rest assured knowing all of your emails are safe from prying eyes.

We like to think of Office 365 as a secure online storage solution for sensitive files. Office 365 provides a single location where you can send instant messages internally to co-workers but also externally to clients. Furthermore, you can also invite clients and employees to online meetings. During these meetings, Office 365 allows you to collectively view important files and take control of a desktop remotely regardless of your location.

User Friendly

Microsoft has decades of experience providing scalable solutions to users across the globe. Streamlined for even the most novice user, Office 365 was designed with the user experience in mind. Simple and straightforward to apply, users are not required to learn how to use any other complicated system or jargon to enjoy the benefits of the program. In fact, with a few simple steps, businesses can create a trial account in as little as a few minutes.

Office 365 was designed to improve efficiency. The suites mailbox contains 50 gigabytes of storage, which allows users to send large attachments without delay or lag. Additionally, the program includes 25 megabytes of storage for contacts, messages, and even online meetings. More storage equates to faster upload speeds.

Enhanced Email Features

Office 365 offers users access to the best and latest Outlook features. Some user favourites include:

Boomerang – If you use your email to compile and keep track of lists, Boomerang was designed for you! Boomerang allows users to take control of when they send and receive emails. Additionally, the program moves emails to a separate folder for storage and it pops them back into the inbox as soon as you need them. This feature allows users to schedule emails and send important notifications.
Manage Time Zones – Managing meetings with clients and colleagues who are in different time zones can prove challenging, if not impossible. With Office 365, you can plan when an event will start and when it will end across different regions and time zones. This feature also allows users to add different time zones to the calendar for multiple team members and clients to see.
Refined Inbox – The inbox feature of Office 365 is designed to prioritise emails it determines are the most appropriate or relevant based within a user profile. Those emails are stored in a single folder, while the remaining emails are kept in a separate folder. Additionally, this feature also de-clutters the inbox based on the relevant content and emails it contains.

Ideal for Novice and Proficient Users Alike

As mentioned before, Office 365 was designed to be user friendly. This easy to use program does not require advanced tech knowledge or awareness of complex jargon to understand, comprehend, or implement the suite. Additionally, it can be installed and set up quite easily. This means less time trying to figure out how to work the program and more time focusing on completing core business tasks.

Organisations can also assign administrative control to personnel who are skilled and experienced in managing the backend operations and access credentials can be changed easily. In other words, with Office 365, businesses will have complete control over who is able to access the system and which accounts are set up.

99.9% Backup Guarantee

As the go-to software for business owners, Office 365 was made to be efficient and reliable. As such, it’s powered by the same Microsoft products that have streamlined business operations for decades – regardless of the size of an organisation.

Office 365 includes organisational grade backup features that secure critical data to prevent it from being lost or stolen. Microsoft ensures this through a number of data centres that offer 24/7 backup with the added financial backing of a service level agreement (SLA).

Pay-as-You-Go

With pay-as-you-go licensing, your business can turn on or off your Microsoft licensing depending on the number of users that require Office 365. Additionally, Microsoft provides added flexibility for users by allowing them to activate the licensing on up to five different computers, per user, at a single time.

For example, when your organisation adds a user as an Office Professional Plus subscriber, they can activate the software on their workstation at work, their laptop, their home computer, and their home laptop, and their iPad or smart phone. Additionally, if they purchase a new computer, they will find a user prompt where they can update the computers that Office is activated on. Essentially, Office 365 allows account holders to pay for and use the services they need on multiple devices across their organisation.

Add a Professional Flair

In implementing Microsoft’s advanced suite of services found in Office 365, you will be placing your best foot forward. This elegant and innovative platform shows your clients your business leverages the advantages of innovative technology to better serve their needs. With an easy-to-use, collaborative, email and messaging system, you’ll help your business stand out against the competition.

Office 365 provides your business with a personalised domain name. A personalised domain name helps to build your brand and solidify you place within your market. Additionally, Office 365 also comes with a range of design tools. These design tools help set your brand apart from the rest via a customised website. Best of all, these customisations can be completed in minutes.

Robust Security

Contrary to popular belief and despite its supposedly abstract nature, cloud is very secure. By using Microsoft Office 365, you can improve the integrity of your cloud-based data. When you implement this program into your daily operations, Microsoft makes on the responsibility of protecting your data. Not to mention, when you store all of your data on the cloud using this office suite, you’ll end up saving money.

That’s right, when you deploy Office 365 you won’t have to spend money on extra hardware for server rooms or hire new employees to create a backup. Microsoft will handle all of these daily data nuisances! Thanks to Office 365, your IT personnel can focus their attention on helping your employees make the most of the software and tools they need for their job.

Office 365 includes a number of built-in security features, to include the following:

Encrypted Email – You can rest assured your emails and anything you send via email is safe and secure from prying eyes. Microsoft’s encrypted emails ensure no one except the intended recipient is able to receive and view an email.
Preventing data loss – Sensitive data can be monitored, detected, and determined under the data protection policy that Microsoft offers.
Manage mobile devices – If you have Office 365, you can control it using any smart device to safeguard confidential data. Essentially, when you have access to user credentials, you can delete any data remotely. This feature is particular handy in the event someone loses their device.
Threat analytics – With the Office 365 in your corner, you can remain one step ahead of online threats and suspicious network behaviour. Microsoft’s threat analytics examine systems and detect any out of the ordinary behaviour by scanning emails for viruses, as well as malicious links and dangerous attachments. Once the program detects a dangerous anomaly, it will block the threat and prevent it from infecting the entire network.

Gain Access to the Latest Programs

Gone are the days when users have to pay a fee for every Microsoft update. With Office 365, your enterprise will gain instant access to the latest programs and features without paying a cent! In addition to free upgrades, users no longer have to log onto every device to uninstall out dated versions of the program to make room for the latest updates.

Work with what you are familiar with

Microsoft’s developers have earned a reputation for creating programs users can effortlessly implement. Office 365 has been fitted with user favourites. As such, updates do not require users abandon the tools they are used to using.

In other words, your IT manager won’t have to train users on how to use the software as new updates released. Microsoft’s seamless integration and migration saves time and helps to improve productivity and streamline daily organisational operations.

Get Mix and Match Plans

Perhaps one of the best aspects of Office 365 is its concept of ‘mix and match’ subscription plan options. As a leader in cloud-based technologies, Microsoft recognised the need for bespoke suite packages capable of catering to individual organisational needs. Depending on the size and scope of your company, various businesses require specific cloud-based services. Similarly, not every user in your company requires or needs the same tools on a daily basis. Office 365 allows you to tweak tailor your subscriptions services based on your organisational and individual user needs.

While most cloud-based suites offer at least 3 plans for users, this Office suite boasts an impressive 7 options where users can pay for what they need and use. These various subscription options are designed to cater to specific business needs, regardless of the size or scope of their organisational operations. Additionally, the pay-as-you-go payment options allow your company to change your subscription services based on your current organisational needs. For example, if your Human Resources department doesn’t require a program that another department might need, you can just tweak your various user packages to fit departmental needs.