Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office 365 has all the apps that help you reach your business or educational goals. Learn more about the features and benefits of Microsoft 365 that will help you achieve those goals efficiently.
This guide will also help those who have never used Microsoft Office understand how Microsoft 365 can help them in their business or educational pursuits.
What is Microsoft 365 Used For?
Microsoft Office has moved from the hard drive to the cloud using Microsoft 365. This move allows you to access and share files and apps with anyone anywhere in the world. With Microsoft 365 you do not have to purchase software and licensing for every device. In addition, access to advanced security features, device management and an abundance of storage space in one location provides a more secure and efficient method of accessing and sharing.
In addition to the security and efficiency of cloud storage, communication with others is possible with the ability for group chats and online meetings while using Microsoft 365.
Microsoft Office 365 Features
Some of these features and benefits will be familiar to experienced users of these apps. However, storing, accessing, and sharing files produced on Word, Excel, or PowerPoint will be more efficient using cloud-based storage with up to 1 TB of online storage per user. Here is how each feature of Microsoft 365 plays a part in a more efficient and secure file-sharing method and communication abilities.
OneDrive
This form of storage is familiar to Microsoft 365. OneDrive has been an integral part of Microsoft Office since 2007, so it’s no wonder it is part of the Microsoft 365 package.
Whether you have a business, school, or personal OneDrive account, you can store and protect your files produced using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, access them on any device, wherever you may be. You can share folders with others and give them the ability to edit files. The changes are synced with the shared folder, so everyone will be kept up-to-date.
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and now ClipChamp
Microsoft Word is a popular word-processing app that can produce documents and forms for business purposes or research papers for school. Microsoft Excel helps organize, format, and calculate data with formulas within a spreadsheet system, while PowerPoint helps organize thoughts to present in a slideshow presentation.
And finally, to round out the efficiency of using Microsoft 365, a video editor called ClipChamp has been added to the package. In addition to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, more people are using video as a part of their business marketing plans or educational projects.
Before Microsoft 365, you would have to purchase these apps through downloads, which would take up space on your local drive. Then, you would have to enter license keys on every device you want to use the apps. Now, you can access Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and ClipChamp from any device on one cloud-based location.
Microsoft Defender
With Microsoft 365, you get advanced security and peace of mind with Microsoft Defender 365. Three different plans are available depending on the level of security you need. Exchange Online Protection, Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, and Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 all have advanced security capabilities such as:
- Data loss prevention to protect sensitive business data
- Threat Intelligence
- Device management allows the deletion of data if a device is lost or stolen.
- Extra protection against advanced threats hidden in emails or attachments
All three plans have investigative and responsive action attributes, too, but upgrading to the upper-tier plans increases the level of security needed.
Outlook
Another piece of the Microsoft 365 package is Microsoft Outlook, where you can access and send emails on any device, wherever you might be. Outlook allows you to manage and share your calendar to schedule meetings more efficiently.
Microsoft Teams
With students, teachers, employees, and managers hardly in one location, you need a collaboration tool to facilitate communication.
For example, teachers should be able to teach students who are not in a classroom. Students should be able to study sessions or work on projects with other students. Managers need to have meetings with remote employees. Microsoft Teams comes in handy.
This video conferencing collaboration can facilitate meetings with people worldwide with chat and voice call functions. In addition, you can produce and share documents instantly using Word, Excel, or PowerPoint while communicating. You can attach documents while you are using the chat function as well.
Microsoft 365 Benefits
So now that the features of Microsoft 365 are understood let’s look at the benefits that these features offer to businesses, students, and families.
Benefits of Microsoft 365 for Business
One of the most significant benefits of Microsoft 365 for businesses is employees or teams do not have to be at one location to collaborate or perform workflows. Collaboration or workflow performance can be accomplished among personnel almost instantaneously while accessing Microsoft 365 through an internet connection.
In addition, the cloud server that allows documents, spreadsheets, slideshows, and videos to be easily shared and edited among team members helps when team members are traveling, working remotely, or located in another part of the country or world.
Other benefits of Microsoft 365 for businesses include:
- Instantaneous team collaboration increases productivity exponentially
- Advanced security features prevent the loss of sensitive data
- Multiple flexible plans are available to select from to be tailored to your business needs
Benefits of Microsoft 365 for Students
The educational process can be enhanced for students and teachers alike while using Microsoft 365. Time lost if students or teachers cannot make it to the classroom will be eliminated with the implementation of Office 365. Students can share completed homework or papers with their teachers, while the teachers can grade them, all without having to be in the same classroom.
Teachers can conduct education via Microsoft Teams on snow days or during flu outbreaks. In addition, students can collaborate with others using Microsoft 365 when working on projects or in study groups.
Benefits of Microsoft 365 Family
The Microsoft 365 Family plan, formerly known as Office 365, is available to share between one to six people. The users can be inside or outside of your family group. However, the benefits of sharing this plan help keep family members safe, including children.
For example, a benefit to the Microsoft 365 family plan is that you can monitor the online habits of children or teens to see what websites they visit, what apps they use, or what games they play. Microsoft 365 Family can email this information to you weekly or view information on the Family Safety app.
Other benefits of the Microsoft 365 family package that you can choose to activate on the Family Safety app are:
- Screen time limits settings
- Content filters
- Monitor recent purchases and manage spending habits
- Locate family members
- Safety driving monitoring
Microsoft 365 Disadvantages
Microsoft Office 365 has many benefits to businesses, students, and families, but being aware of the disadvantages can help you make changes to enjoy the full advantages of Microsoft 365.
- A poor or nonexistent internet connection or regular downtime of the internet connection will hinder access to updated files. However, if you know an internet connection won’t be available, you can download files, work as usual, and upload them later.
- Some plans allow you to control your data using your security features if Microsoft 365 security features conflict with your workflow policies. For example, importing a certain kind of file may be necessary. However, if Microsoft 365 security features prevent that from happening, select a plan that allows you to control your data.
- If you have old or outdated systems and devices, this can prevent you from taking advantage of everything that Microsoft 365 offers. In addition, because Microsoft 365 is continually updated, the systems or devices you have may only be partially compatible or not compatible with Microsoft 365, preventing you from using all the available features.
- And what if everybody you need to collaborate with does not subscribe to Microsoft 365? Third-party users can view and edit documents by using the Office Online tool.
Working in the Office, at Home, or Anywhere with Microsoft 365
The features and benefits of Microsoft 365 anticipate every business’s needs, regardless of size or industry. The features and capabilities of Microsoft 365 can make workflows much more efficient, fitting work days into work hours.
Microsoft 365 can also make educational pursuits more creative and less time-consuming for students. And families will enjoy the safety and security of the Microsoft 365 family package. For more information about Microsoft 365, contact us to set up a call to talk with an expert.
