Back to Basics – What Office 365 and Cloud utilisation can do for You

Microsoft Office is a productivity tool that has been around since 1989. Today, 1.5 billion people are estimated to use the newest version of Microsoft Office; Office 365, and utilise the Cloud storage system. But what is Office 365? What does it include? And how does Cloud utilisation work for you? 

Office 365 is a mystery to some and at Appetite for Business we get that. In previous meetings, it has been highlighted that many still think Office 365 is just an email system. Some have no idea what is included in an Office 365 subscription. Teams and SharePoint are also prone to being mixed up or misunderstood. With so many products, it can be confusing and overwhelming. So, we thought we would take it back to basics to discuss exactly what Office 365 is.

What is included?

On the face of it, Office 365 includes your core Office applications such as: 

• Word 
• Excel 
• PowerPoint 
• OneNote  
• Outlook 

Depending on the plan chosen, it may include other applications such as: 

• Planner – Assign tasks and collaborate on projects.
• OneDrive – Store files and folders on the Cloud, making them accessible when you need them.
• Power BI – Visualize and share your data and insights.
• SharePoint – Organise your companies’ digital dashboard.
• PowerApps – Build mobile applications, even without coding expertise.
• Delve – Display your personal information, find and collaborate with colleagues. 
• Yammer – The Microsoft equivalent of Facebook, the “social media” for businesses.
• Microsoft Teams – Chat, share files and collaborate with colleagues. 
• Stream – Create and share professional video content. 

As well as different plans, there are also different packages that have varying licencing agreements for Office 365. These include packages such as personal, student, business, non-profit and educational. You can now also access Office 365 through a variety of different channels from online to mobile, making it easier for you to access your work on the go.

Increase productivity within the workplace

Microsoft Office is a staple tool that provides individuals with a means of creating and sharing materials for both business and personal use. However, Office 365 brings much more to the table than simple document editing and spreadsheet editing.  The core of Office 365 has not changed.  At its base it still equips businesses with the tools they need to manage data, create documents and communicate information. However, today Office 365 is an intelligent tool that increases productivity, communication and collaboration, adding efficiency to business processes.

Office 365 is a subscription-based model, built as a cloud application first and a desktop application second. As it is predominately subscription-based, most users spread the cost, pay monthly and gain instant access to their tailored package. Office 365 is constantly updating to ensure you are working on the newest software with the best features. With a premise-based model, you would have to purchase the newest version in order to release the newest updates and features. Working with Office 365 on the Cloud means that there is no disc or hardware needed to run applications. You would also not need to download or maintain software to run the cloud-based apps. Office 365 comes with email hosting and cloud storage space so that online folders and files can be stored securely and accessible even when not connected to the internet.

Connect with the Cloud

All of the apps and services within Office 365 connect with each other and the internet, allowing people to work together and collaborate on projects much more efficiently and effectively. There are a variety of communication channels such as team chat, file sharing, online meetings and co-authoring. Office 365 also includes cloud storage which allows employees to gain access to work projects wherever, whenever securely from any device. To find out more, check out our previous blog post on user adoption.

Office 365 enforces increased productivity within the workplace, making simple tasks such as finding important files, sharing projects, communicating with colleagues, analysing data, planning and coordinating straightforward and pain free.

Want to find out more about what Office 365 and cloud utilisation can do for your business?

Check out our previous post on moving to the Cloud or contact us at Appetite for Business and start your journey to the cloud today.

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