Many businesses often juggle multiple software providers and over time, the number of platforms can become overwhelming, especially if they do not integrate well. This can lead to missed emails and appointments due to calendars not synchronising, accidental file overwrites or working on outdated file versions. Such issues can cause inefficiency and frustration among staff. Fortunately, Microsoft 365 for Business offers a comprehensive software ecosystem that centralises many business activities.
Is there anyone who hasn’t heard of Microsoft 365 (M365) these days? M365 continues to lead the way for businesses, helping them stay competitive in today’s fast-paced environment and adapt to modern work practices. As we’ve seen over the past few years, remote and hybrid work has become the standard, therefore businesses need to embrace new working methods that emphasise flexibility, collaboration and productivity.
Typically set up by a Business IT provider, M365 offers several powerful benefits for small and medium-sized businesses:
- Connectivity: With M365, all your files and applications are interconnected and sync instantly. This means your emails, calendar, and business files communicate seamlessly across devices (phones, tablets, desktops, printers, etc.) and users, allowing simultaneous work and ensuring nothing is missed.
- Access: Everything is stored centrally on Microsoft’s Cloud and accessed via various applications. This means your staff can access their email, calendar, and all business files from any device, anywhere, and at any time, if they have an internet connection and a web browser.
- Productivity: With everything connected and accessible to everyone, multiple people can work on the same file simultaneously with instant syncing. This reduces time spent on administrative tasks and allows staff to focus more on their work.
- Collaboration: Platforms like Teams enable your staff to easily chat, share files, and organise virtual meetings, enhancing collaboration on tasks and projects. This improves productivity and the ability to work in both physical and remote environments.
- Scalability: M365 can easily scale with your business. When a new employee is hired, an additional ‘seat’ is purchased, giving them access to the same suite of features and applications as everyone else.
- Security: M365 ensures your business stays secure, embraces modern work practices, and provides security solutions like Conditional Access, Data Loss Prevention, and Advanced Threat Protection. These features not only safeguard your data but also builds crucial trust between clients and partners.
M365 offers significant benefits in terms of connectivity, access, productivity, collaboration, scalability, and security, all through a suite of applications available to you and your staff.
In this ever changing and evolving IT landscape, there will always be new products and features released, so we’d like to introduce you to some of our current favourites!
Bookings
M365’s Bookings feature, affectionately known as “Book With Me” is an absolute game-changer for personal scheduling. Integrated within Outlook, it allows users to create a personalised booking page where others can easily schedule meetings. This feature syncs with your Outlook calendar, ensuring that your availability is always up to date. You can customise meeting types, durations, and even set specific time slots for different types of appointments.
Whether you’re scheduling one on one consultations, meetings or phone appointments, Bookings simplifies the process, reducing the amount of time wasted going back and forth to find a suitable time. Just be mindful that Bookings isn’t available as a standalone app. Outlook Web App or Outlook on the web must be enabled to use Bookings.
Why not try it today? If you have any of the following M365 licenses, you’ll have access to this fantastic feature!
- Office 365: A3, A5, E1, E3, E5, F1, F3, G1, G3, and G5.
- Microsoft 365: A3, A5, E1, E3, E5, F1, F3, Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, Teams Essentials, Teams Premium.
Discover more about Bookings here.
Copilot
Microsoft Copilot* is your everyday AI companion, designed to enhance productivity, spark creativity, and simplify information better with an intuitive chat experience. Copilot can help you draft emails, create documents, summarise information from the web, brainstorm ideas, generate content, answer questions, provide support and even engage in meaningful conversations.
To purchase and use Microsoft CoPilot, you will first need any of the following M365 licenses:
- Office 365: E1, E3, E5.
- Microsoft 365: E3, E5, F1, F3, Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, Teams Essentials, Teams Premium.
Learn more about Copilot.
*AI-generated content may be incorrect; always check sources.
Nonprofit Pricing
M365 offers special pricing and grants for nonprofit organisations, which we think is an amazing initiative, making it easier for them to access powerful productivity tools. Eligible nonprofits can benefit from discounted rates on various M365 plans. For instance, the M365 Business Premium plan is currently available for free for up to ten users, with additional users at a discounted rate. These plans include essential apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams, along with advanced security features to protect sensitive data. This initiative helps nonprofits reduce costs while enhancing their operational efficiency and collaboration.
Find out today if you’re eligible for Microsoft 365 Nonprofit plans and pricing today!
No Teams
In response to customer feedback and regulatory changes, Microsoft now offers versions of its M365 and Office 365 suites without Microsoft Teams. This unbundling allows organisations to choose whether they want to include Teams in their subscription. The “No Teams” versions are available at a lower price point, making them an attractive option for businesses that prefer using other collaboration tools or have specific compliance requirements. This flexibility ensures that organisations can tailor their M365 experience to better suit their needs.
This move also aligns with regulatory changes, particularly in the European Economic Area (EEA), where Microsoft had to offer unbundled versions of its productivity suites. By offering these options globally, Microsoft ensures that organisations can tailor their M365 experience to better suit their needs, whether they require advanced collaboration features of prefer a more streamlined, cost-effective solutions.
If you’re considering migrating to Microsoft 365 from your current systems, contact the team at Concord IT to discuss your options. The sooner you switch to this platform, the more you will benefit in terms of productivity! You are most welcome to reach out to us for a free initial consultation to discuss your business needs and requirements. You can also call us on (03) 7036 2470 or email hello@concordit.com.au.