Microsoft 365 (previously Microsoft Office 365) is a comprehensive suite of productivity tools and cloud-based services. It includes applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, as well as cloud-based services like Exchange Online for email, SharePoint Online for collaboration, OneDrive for file storage, Teams for communication and collaboration, and more.
Microsoft 365 can help you achieve significant cost reductions while improving productivity, employee experience, and security by simplifying your IT solution stack with Microsoft.
- Eliminate complexities: save on licensing costs by over 60% per user by consolidating into Microsoft 365, compared to using multiple individual solutions.1
- Simplify management: reduce IT management expenses by up to 40%2 and device management time by as much as 25%1 by automating system updates.
- Protect employees: use a Zero Trust security model to help lower the chance of a data breach by up to 50%.3
Microsoft 365 features
Microsoft 365 offers a comprehensive solution that empowers organisations of all shapes and sizes and across all industries to collaborate effectively, operate efficiently, and adapt to change.
M365 offers various tools that help team members work together. SharePoint Online lets you store and share documents in one place, while Teams lets you talk and work on documents at the same time through chat, video calls, and document collaboration.
With M365, employees can access their documents, emails, and applications from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility allows for remote work, which can increase productivity and attract top talent regardless of geographical location.
M365 is scalable, meaning businesses can easily add or remove users and services as their needs change. Whether an organisation is growing rapidly or downsizing, Microsoft 365 can adjust to accommodate fluctuations in workforce size and requirements.
Microsoft invests heavily in security features to protect data within the M365 environment. This includes advanced threat protection, data loss prevention, and compliance tools to help organisations meet industry regulations and standards.
The integration of various tools within M365 streamlines workflows and reduces the time spent switching between different applications. For example, users can seamlessly transition from editing a document in Word to collaborating on it in Teams, enhancing overall productivity.
M365 includes tools like Power BI for data analysis and visualisation, enabling organisations to gain insights from their data and make informed decisions. This capability can drive innovation and competitive advantage.
Microsoft regularly updates and improves the features and security of M365, ensuring that organisations always have access to the latest tools and protections.
Copilot: the impact on productivity, creativity, and time
Microsoft conducted some research using a mix of surveys and experiments to learn how Copilot is changing work. Copilot is already helping people work faster and more creatively, and saving time. When asking early users, their key findings were:
- 70% said they were more productive
- 29% faster overall in a series of tasks (searching, writing, and summarising)
- Nearly 4x faster catching up on a missed meeting
- 77% said they didn’t want to give it up
Microsoft 365 FAQs
This depends on your subscription type, but from a business point of view, Microsoft 365 includes apps such as Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange.
Moving up levels gives access to apps such as Microsoft Defender, Clipchamp, Microsoft Loop, Microsoft Purview, Intune, and Entra ID.
Microsoft 365 is the new name for Office 365. It has all the Office apps you’re familiar with. Microsoft 365 helps you and your business do more with advanced Office apps, smart cloud services, and world-class security.
Microsoft 365 for business enables employees to access the people, information, and content they need to perform their tasks, from any device. Your Microsoft 365 for business subscription may offer different benefits depending on your plan, such as:
- The latest versions of apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Email and calendars using Outlook and Exchange
- Group chat, online meetings, and calling in Microsoft Teams
- 1TB of OneDrive storage
- Frequent updates and upgrades not available anywhere else