Microsoft 365 (M365 suite) is a subscription service that looks to improves the integration, security, productivity and collaboration performance of business. The Microsoft 365 apps for business offer a powerful turnkey solution for smaller businesses who want a more integrated and secure way of using Windows 10 and Office 365.

Improving your business operations with Microsoft 365

What is a M365 subscription
Why choose M365 for your business
How M365 boosts collaboration & productivity
How to maximise your M365 experience

This article will outline the product, and the returns M365 can offer in terms of collaboration and productivity for a business. It also quickly touches on how small businesses can maximise the return on their Microsoft 365 business subscription.

What is a Microsoft 365 subscription

M365 is a cloud-based service suite that offers familiar Microsoft products like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, with high performance collaboration apps such as Sharepoint, OneDrive and Teams, either online or on-premises via a subscription plan. There are a variety of M365 subscription plans available for business. For a full review of plans and plan features, click here.

Why choose M365 suite for your business

Collaboration and communication are vital for today’s business, and productivity is the lifeblood of the enterprise. Microsoft 365 provides the tools necessary to bring collaboration and communication--and by extension, productivity--to every individual in a business, remotely based or in-office. We have seen a significant shift in how people are working in the past two years. The existing Office 365 products have not been able to comprehensively address a number of issues that these changes have raised. The IT infrastructure must optimise collaboration and communication in a fragmented work environment. From a data security perspective, it is also vital that regular security updates can be easily and regularly applied throughout the business network.

Key reasons to use Microsoft Office software – M365

Sharing and securing resources Create, share and work on the same document seamlessly with your co-workers. All your devices on your M365 account will be using the latest, most secure versions of Office 365, protecting business-critical documents and data on any managed device. Microsoft ecosystem There is no need to switch between softwares or platforms. M365 provides a shared inbox, calendar, notebooks or file repositories across all your office apps and devices. You will experience seamless online and offline access with file sync and sharing on OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online, as well as enabled calendaring and audio- and videoconferencing on Microsoft Exchange technologies, Outlook and Skype for Business. Secure, current and easy to maintain Ensure your business data is secure with proactive protection against downtime. M365 systems regularly upgraded to ensure high performance and to protect your files from security vulnerabilities.

How Microsoft 365 boosts collaboration & productivity in your office

1. Remote access Now more than ever, organisations need to let their employees work from any location without sacrificing the productivity they gain when in the office. This was true before the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s even more essential now. M365 Business makes this remote work possible with its cloud-based Office 365 suite and other tools. 2. Video conferencing Microsoft 365 Business includes access to the video conferencing platform Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Teams helps boost productivity as it facilitates collaboration on projects with team members, wherever they are located. 3. Email and calendar M365’s Outlook and Exchange empower you and your team to access email and connect, regardless of your location or device. Team members can always stay connected. 4. Chat Chat and instant messaging enable teams to communicate quickly and casually, allowing them to get fast updates about projects and share critical content. 5. File storage and sharing The importance of seamless file-sharing cannot be understated. Team members need to know they are working with the most recently updated versions and need to share documents within the team and with key external stakeholders. If you are worried about employees feeling left out while working remotely, pick up some tips from our article on how to engage your employees both remotely and working in the office.

How to maximise your Microsoft online 365 experience

Consider introducing the office 365 apps in a planned and measured manner with appropriate introduction and training. This ensures you get the very best results from the software and enables your team to realise its full potential. Without training and procedural guidelines, users may at times develop their own ways of using the products and sharing information between applications and co-workers. These habits can be challenging to change and may result in lower work productivity. If you have any questions about how M365 and how its suite of office 365 apps can boost your business, call 1300 638 734, or we can have someone contact you.

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