Microsoft 365 review
Most people will be familiar with Microsoft's productivity software, Microsoft 365's flagship suite. It includes household names like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as lesser-known products like Outlook, OneNote, and OneDrive.
For many years, it was the standard of productivity software, which is still there today. However, there are also many changes in the Microsoft 365 universe.
Over the past year, Microsoft has deepened its commitment to the subscription-based pricing model and has phased out many of its standalone products. This is because the Microsoft 365 is designed to act as an ecosystem rather than a repository of individual applications. Properly combined, the Microsoft 365 provides a wide, all-in-one digital workspace with business, communications, cloud storage, backup and syncing and productivity applications.
In this in-depth article, we explore all aspects of the suite's flagship platform and discuss why investing in Microsoft 365 can be worthwhile for your business.
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| Microsoft 365 review |
Plan and price
The price of the Microsoft 365 is straightforward, and there are several options for business. Suitable for four small and medium-sized organizations, two focused on large enterprises and three designed for first-line employees. All plans, including monthly or annual payments, are purchased on a subscription basis.
Small and medium-sized businesses can choose between four plans: Basic, Standard, Premium and Apps. With each of these plans, each user gets 1TB of OneDrive storage space.
Basic costs $ 5 per user / month and online versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, including OneDrive and Team. It's not really a Microsoft 365 subscription because it doesn't include desktop or mobile apps, but it may suit some companies.
The standard cost is $ 12.50 per user / month, and includes all Microsoft 365 desktop and mobile apps, including Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, OneDrive, OneNote and Team.
The premium price is $ 20 user / month and offers all the apps including Standard Plus Advanced Cyber Threat protection and admin control. It is ideal for handling sensitive customer or financial data.
The app is priced at $ 8.25 user / month and business friendly which discusses the Microsoft 365 apps discussed in this article without the more advanced collaborative and cloud-based features.
For enterprises, there are two options: E3 and E5.
E3 plan costs $ 32 user / month. These include the Microsoft 365 app, unlimited oneDrive storage, plus cyber auditing, data protection and identity and access management functionality that are not included in Microsoft's business plan.
The E5 plan is the company's most expensive, coming in at $ 57 users / month. For this significant price, you will have access to everything that Microsoft has to offer. This is part of the E3 plan and includes more advanced and comprehensive account management solutions, usage analysis and threat protection. It is only suitable for large organizations with hundreds of employees.
If you want a Microsoft 365 subscription for your first-line employees, there are options.
The Microsoft 365 F3 plan costs just 10 10 per user/month
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is probably the most well-known of the Microsoft 365 platforms and the specific word processing app for many.
In 2020, Word is still one of the best apps for writing, no matter the genre. It comes with a wide range of features (and sometimes irresistible), a wide range of templates and the performance and reliability that should be expected in a Microsoft product. In short, if you want to write or edit a text-based document, you can't do it in Microsoft Word.
The platform comes with best-in-class collaboration and review features, making it ideal for team-based use within the organization, especially when used with the rest of OneDrive and the Microsoft 365 suite. Multiple individual document co-authors can access previous versions of a file, track changes, and provide collaborative real-time feedback. OneDrive makes it easy to send links to colleagues that assign appropriate levels of permissions within a Word document.
Another strength of Word is its sharing and exporting features. Users can export a variety of file documents, including Open Document Text (.odt), Portable Document Format (PDF), and Microsoft Word Format (.docx). Each of these formats is widely supported and means you rarely, if ever, have compatibility issues. This sets Word apart from competitors like Apple Page, which suffers endlessly from compatibility issues.
While we can't just list all the fantastic features of Word, some of our favorites include built-in speech-to-text, automatic translation, and immersive reader mode. The addition of 3D graphics is another feature that sets Microsoft Word apart from the rest of its competitors.
Although the platform has some annotations and drawing capabilities, the term works best for text-based projects. If you want to express your creative side, you want to check out Microsoft One Note.
The Microsoft Word app is available on most platforms, including Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS and iPadOS. While it works best on desktops and iPads, its mobile apps are useful for making last-minute changes to documents while running or writing down important ideas.
Microsoft OneNote
OneNote is Microsoft's note-taking app and is designed with both students and professionals in mind. While it looks great on paper and boasts an impressive range of features, it has struggled to gain popularity on other platforms like Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Still, OneNote has found a home among students and academics. We think it’s a great note-taking platform and less leveraged in business and organizational contexts.
OneNote's biggest strength is that it enables you to organize your notes extensively. The main classes at the top level are known as notebooks. In the notebook, you will find sections and then individual pages. We've used several note-taking apps and believe that OneNote is the best way to keep your thoughts and ideas accurate.
Another strength is that you can access your files when you need them, because full integration with Microsoft OneDrive means your notes, sketches and brainstorms are available on all your devices through the power of cloud sync technology. And with software on iOS, MacOS, iPadOS, Windows and Android, we're sure there will be no problem accessing your files. There is also a web app for taking notes on the go.
Most likely, you'll need to share your notes with colleagues or clients, and fortunately, OneNote makes this easy. It is possible to invite other users to view and edit a notebook, even if they do not have their own Microsoft 365 subscription. It is also possible to export specific pages in PDF format, which is ideal for attaching notes to emails in Microsoft Outlook.
OneNote's user interface is also impressive and feature-rich. It enables users to write and highlight text, free-hand sketches, images, graphs, stickers, equations and even add audio clips to their notes. These features, including many we have no place to mention, make OneNote 2020 one of the most powerful note takers available in 2020.
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel. The name alone fills many with excitement and scares others. However, we don't think anyone should be intimidated by Excel. It's easier to use than you might think and more powerful than you can imagine. In just a few hours of training, you will be confident enough to create and gain advanced spreadsheets on the platform. With Microsoft Excel, you can work with 17 billion cells in a single spreadsheet. That compares to just 5 million with Google Sheets. This kind of raw computing capability means that even large companies with extensive databases can rely on Excel for hard work.
Another strength of Excel is its extensive list of functions, which now number more than 450. These enable users to manipulate and visualize data in innovative ways to provide their data rich insights. Experienced users can design and implement their own macro functions using VBA code. Like all Microsoft 365 apps, compatibility is not an issue. Apps are available on almost all operating systems and users can export their spreadsheets in three formats: Microsoft (.xlsx), Open Document Spreadsheet (.ods), and Portable Document Format (.pdf). Excel documents can also be opened on other platforms like Google Drive.
Although this is not all good news. Although Microsoft has added co-authors in recent years, this area is still a distinct weakness of the platform. To collaborate in real-time, all users need is a Microsoft 365 subscription and the latest version of Excel. This prevents employees from working with outsiders in your organization. However, when co-composition is possible, it is reliable, responsive and incredibly useful.
Microsoft OneDrive
Cloud storage has exploded in popularity in recent years, and OneDrive is Microsoft's entry into this highly competitive market. It is one of the best cloud storage platforms for both customers and businesses. The platform is not only a safe place to store the information and documents you need, its interfaces are simple and easy to use. Thumbnails are displayed for a wide range of file formats, while intelligent AI search functionality makes it easy to find what you're looking for.
However, what really sets OneDrive apart is its complete integration with all the other Microsoft 365 apps. This deep integration makes the Microsoft 365K an ecosystem of digital productivity, rather than a bundle of personal applications. First, OneDrive is secure. All files are encrypted, both in transit and at rest. This alone makes the platform more secure than many competitors and means that anyone who steals or interrupts your data will get nothing but unpredictable text.
However, Microsoft goes further. Personal Vault is a subfolder that provides end-to-end encryption for your most sensitive files. So no one, not even Microsoft, can decrypt or access this data. Administrators can strengthen their employees' accounts by implementing two-factor authentication and periodic password changes.
This advanced security architecture means that both large and small businesses can trust OneDrive with their most-needed documents and files.
Second, OneDrive is easy to access and use. Apps are available on most devices and work reliably. A responsive and well-designed web app is also available, which is one of the most impressive cloud storage web apps we have analyzed.
Finally, the platform works with all other Microsoft 365 apps. This enables the default save location and users to collaborate with colleagues in real-time. Changes made to other devices will be displayed on your device at the same time. This means that OneDrive is more than just a cloud storage platform, it is also a cloud-syncing platform.
When we're talking about collaboration, let's talk about shared files and folders. OneDrive enables users to share both files and folders using custom links. These shared files and folders will then appear in a dedicated folder found on the users' OneDrive home screen. So if you are an organization where team-based work is essential, Microsoft 365 would be ideal.
Microsoft PowerPoint
For more than two decades, PowerPoint has helped everyone from elementary school children to Fortune 500 executives design compelling and engaging presentations. We still think it's the best platform for creating presentations, and we'll tell you why.
PowerPoint provides a number of tools to provide inspiration. The widest range of the most obvious Microsoft templates, which is free for Microsoft 365 customers. Employees can also use presentation coaching tools, which will provide advice and feedback on your speed and type of presentation.
Another powerful feature (also available in Microsoft Word) is the ability to insert and manipulate 3D images. 3D files can be rotated, flipped, or tilted to maximize their utility in a presentation. This sets PowerPoint apart from most of its competitors.
Like other Microsoft 365 apps, users can collaborate and provide real-time feedback. OneDrive integration makes it ideal for designing and managing presentations in a business context.
However, there is a limitation: collaboration with PowerPoint is only possible with web apps, not desktop or mobile versions of the software. This is a fairly significant limitation, and is disappointing considering how well the platform works in all other categories.
Microsoft Teams
Teams are new additions to the Microsoft family, but arguably the most important. In short, teams combine audio and video conferencing (think Skype) with workplace communication (think slack). It is a central destination for coordination and communication, which is integral to business efficiency because we are increasingly working from a distance.
Like OneDrive, Teams is designed as an adhesive that integrates all the other applications and features of the Microsoft 365 suite. It uses cloud technology to help employees work collaboratively in real-time across different platforms.
The Microsoft team's video conferencing features are impressive, enabling employees to organize and manage one-on-one conversations or company-wide meetings. It is even possible to organize webinars and information sessions with 10,000 participants. In the call, participants enjoy the functionality of screen sharing and call recording, live captions, background blur technology and chat.
Communication channels enable users to sit down and communicate in groups dedicated to a variety of topics, such as a team-based project, company-wide announcement, or office Christmas party, in addition to video conferencing. It keeps messages thematic and enables employees to split their communication.
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is a staple of Microsoft Suite and has helped users organize their emails for decades. While it's not as popular as Google's Gmail or Apple's Mail, we think it's a great email client, especially if you already use other Microsoft 365 apps.
Spam and malware blockers are included, although this is standard with most email clients. Businesses can also use group inboxes, which enable multiple employees to send and receive emails from one email address.
However, one feature that we particularly like is the classification of emails into folders: Focused Inbox and other inboxes. Centralized Inbox collects messages that the platform's algorithm believes are particularly important or urgent, making it easier for employees to quickly reply to the most important emails.
And of course, Outlook is designed to integrate seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 apps from front to back. So if you're after an intuitive, integrated and responsive email client, Microsoft 365 is one of our top recommendations.
Support
When it comes to customer support, Microsoft is one of the best in the business. Even with consumer planning, the company always responds quickly and is diligent in problem solving. When we communicate with the company through its online chat window, we get our questions answered and answered in just four minutes.
Although some apps enable users to access the app directly, we recommend visiting the Microsoft Support website. This extensive library of guides, video tutorials and community forums contains answers to almost all potential problems. This is the best online support center we've visited for this software category, and there's a significant amount of business-specific advice and support.
Businesses can communicate with Microsoft via phone and online chat, with more premium plans offering significantly more timely and responsive services. Microsoft's knowledgeable technologists and cybersecurity experts are also calling in as part of the advanced cyberthreat detection service offered in the premium plan.
Conclusion
So you have it, a comprehensive guide to Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 OneDrive combines feature-rich document creation and productivity applications such as Word, One Note, PowerPoint and Excel with the capabilities of cloud technology. And we can’t forget the Microsoft team, the universal digital communication platform that ensures your employees work as efficiently as possible. We have also highlighted the various subscription options available for businesses. There is a plan for all companies, be it a small team of five, a multi-position team of 50, or a large-scale enterprise with hundreds or even thousands of employees.
Welcome to our blog “CYBER SUGGEST“. Debmalya Datta is a professional Blogger, Developer, Social Media Influencer, Digital Marketer and Entrepreneur. He loves doing work which makes him happy, that’s why he choose Blogging and Educate people. You will love exploring educational stuff on our blog. Live your dreams as much as you can. Be a SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTER
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