Office 2016 is the traditional office product, where you pay once and get a version of office you can install and use for as long as you want. Office 365 is a subscription-based service, where you get the latest iteration of office for as long as you keep your membership. You also get OneDrive cloud storage, and can choose additional users. Office 365 Business allows you to add up to 300 users. If you have more than 300 people in your business, you can look into plans such as Office Enterprise that allow you to add an unlimited amount of users.
We’re all familiar with the usual office applications, like Word or Excel. With Office 365, you can get all that, plus cloud-based services like Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Sharepoint, depending on your subscription level. If you’re looking for more specific application features, like a way to handle booking or automate workflows, Microsoft’s enterprise level software doesn’t disappoint. Take a look here to see if their software is right for you.
With a traditional Office product, you get a specific version of Office that you can load to a limited number of devices. With Office 365, you get the latest version of Office (if it’s been updated), as well as patches and security updates. IF Microsoft decides to add any features during your subscription, you’d get access to that as well. Additionally, Microsoft’s cloud-based services work best with an Office 365 subscription, so if you’re looking to increase your efficiency and collaboration, Office 365 is probably best. With a paid subscription, you also get access to Microsoft’s support services, so you have someone to turn to if you run into any issues.
You’ll definitely need internet access to set up and install your Office 365 account. Once you’ve done that, you don’t necessarily have to be connected to the internet, unless you want to take advantage of Office 365’s cloud-based productivity services. These services includes email, video conferencing, offsite file storage, and much more!
Setting up an Office 365 account can be simple to do if you’re starting from scratch, but if you have any existing files or emails that you want migrated to your new account, we recommend speaking to an IT professional.
Installing an Office 365 account on a brand new system is easy to do, and all it takes is an internet connection to get started. It’s a lot easier to use than the old way of needing a disk every time you wanted to install a new copy on a device! As far as maintenance goes, Microsoft is able to handle patches and upgrades, and will send them out periodically to their user base.
There are a few scenarios where it would be wise to contact an IT professional about setting up an Office 365 account. A common scenario we deal with is when business owners have been using a free third-party business service (like Google Apps) and eventually want the enterprise level support of Office 365. Migrating all that data seamlessly can be a headache if you don’t know exactly what to do.
Another common situation is when two companies merge, or one company acquires another. It’s possible that each company used Office 365 to manage their workflow, but how do you integrate all that disparate data into one? At ETech 7, we have plenty of experience in mergers and acquisitions, and can help your business make a smooth transition into its next stage.
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