It’s no surprise that Microsoft Office 365 saw a 21% increase in usage in 2020. By 2021 Microsoft 365 reached a market share of around 47.5% with Google’s Office Suite following close behind with 44.56% in the Office Productivity Software Market. The pandemic hit the in-office routine quite hard and the shift to working remotely required businesses to use programs that allowed anywhere access, improved collaboration, and heightened security. Many SMBs around the world – and 70% of Fortune 500 companies – trust Microsoft 365 not only because it offers all the right tools, but also because it allows you to curate the best plan for you and your business.
What is Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365) is a line of subscription services that can be purchased on a personal, business or enterprise level. It aims to help increase productivity with intelligent applications and offers high-level security for your important information. Microsoft 365 is accessed via the web, so a stable internet connection is required with the exception of Office Apps such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint which are fully installed on your computer. Although, if you are using OneDrive for collaboration purposes, a stable internet connection is required for your colleagues to see changes in real-time.
Consider Migrating to Microsoft 365
With so many businesses already using Microsoft 365, considering a migration doesn’t need to be as tall of a task as you’d expect. Yes, it’s going to take some time, but the benefits are delivered quickly, and it will empower your employees to increase productivity.
Some benefits included when migrating to Microsoft 365:
- Accessibility
- Heighten security and reliability
- Increased vollaboration and elevated productivity
- Budget-friendly
Accessibility
There isn’t much time throughout the day when we are not on our computers, tablets, phones or at least near them. We live in a constantly connected world and since the Covid-19 Pandemic forced businesses to work remotely, the need for anywhere access is now the new norm. With Microsoft 365, it’s easy to simply log in through a web browser to access your data files, email and more while on the go.
Security
With the ability to access your work anywhere and anytime, Microsoft understands that the security of your data is even more important nowadays. Microsoft 365 has its security backed by 4 main sectors protected by a robust security infrastructure:
Identity and Access Management
- Connections between people, apps and devices are secure with single sign-on
- Multifactor authentication
- Conditional access
- Stop attacks with built-in AI
- Detect malicious actions
- Offers cross-domain threat protection
- Data loss prevention: classify data based on the sensitivity
- Define and track activities on shared data
- Gain visibility and control of how files are being used
Security Management
- Control how your data travels
- Gain visibility and insight into your cloud apps and services
- Have access to sophisticated analytics
Collaboration and Productivity
One of the biggest issues faced by businesses during the pandemic is the ability to track the team’s productivity. With many businesses working remotely, it becomes difficult to just walk past a colleague and ask a question. With Microsoft 365, collaborative work does not have to be a thing of the past. Microsoft 365 offers many tools such as Microsoft Teams that allow colleagues to chat and meet virtually. OneDrive for secure shared storage of files and documents also allows two people to work on documents at the same time as if they are working together collaboratively at the office.
Microsoft Power BI is a robust reporting business intelligence tool that works to give you graphical and tabular information in a visual way that is drillable. To learn more about Power BI, watch the video below.
Cost Savings
If budget concerns you, a big benefit of migrating to Microsoft 365 is the ability to pick and choose the best plan that works for you. You only pay for what you use and it’s easy to add on additional apps or users, plus you don’t have to worry about updates. Microsoft continuously updates their features and functionality on a frequent basis.
Looking for help?
Migrating to Microsoft 365 as part of your digital transformation is fully supported by Blue Link. Blue Link is an all-in-one inventory management and accounting ERP system, but our services don’t end with ERP implementation. We strive to become your trusted technology advisor and as a Microsoft Gold Partner, we continue to guide our customers during the migration process ensuring that the switch to Microsoft 365 is as smooth as possible. We will also advise you on the best products for your business, help you with the migration of data and assist with adding and removing users and licenses. Don’t forget to ask about our discounted rates on Microsoft licenses.
