11 Reasons to Switch to Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 provides the tools your office needs to run smoothly, efficiently and productively. These applications are customisable, easy to use and intelligent. Office 365 (now Microsoft 365) enables your business to streamline administrative tasks and processes so that everyone in your organisation stays on the same page.

With the rebranding of Office 365 to Microsoft 365, many people are considering making the switch. However, drastic changes — such as moving to different work tools — can feel daunting, especially for companies.

This article looks at the benefits of moving to the new Microsoft 365 and shows why it is worth switching, even if you are already using another suite. Here are the top 11 reasons why you and your business should use Microsoft’s market-leading productivity suite.

What Is Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365, formerly known as Office 365, is a subscription-based suite of applications that can boost your productivity in every way imaginable. It is a perfect combination of applications for personal and business users.

What sets Microsoft 365 apart from its competitors is its extremely accessible workflow. With location-independent access, you can reach files in the cloud and keep changes in sync across all your devices while sharing them with your team.

Collaboration is better than ever. Work with your colleagues by updating documents in real time, with in-app chat and feedback. Microsoft 365 keeps the team together, even remotely.

All Microsoft 365 apps are integrated with each other, further enhancing the seamless workflow. What you start in one app, you can easily transfer to another to use a different set of tools.

Microsoft 365 aims to meet the unique needs of individuals and businesses with powerful services and applications that help you achieve your goals. If you are weighing up the options, our comparison of Office 2021 vs Microsoft 365 is well worth a read.
Here are the 11 most important reasons for using Microsoft 365.

Reasons for Using Microsoft 365

The following section highlights the extensive features and services of Microsoft 365 so you can see clearly why it is beneficial for you or your business to adopt this suite.

1. Seamless Workflow and Integration

Microsoft 365 is undoubtedly the first choice for individuals and companies who value integration. Once you have started a project, you can work with the same file across different applications in the suite. This expands your arsenal of available functions. For example, if you create a document in Word, you can still insert an organisation chart from Excel.

In addition to integrating across the suite, Microsoft 365 also lets you use add-ons and third-party content. Choose from hundreds of thousands of templates, elements, fonts and more.

2. User-Friendly Interface

From the moment you download and install Microsoft 365, the user interface is easy to understand, even for beginners. With the clean, modern design and the ‘ribbon’ toolbar interface, all tools are organised and recognisable. You can customise your experience with the many available settings, accessibility tools and help documents.

Microsoft 365 delivers applications in a consistent way, so each piece of software feels familiar right out of the box. Similar interfaces make learning a new application easier than ever.

3. Collaborate and Communicate

Ever wanted to make a quick correction or suggestion while looking at a colleague’s work, but found it too cumbersome to explain? The collaboration and communication tools in the Microsoft 365 suite make it easy to get things done as a team.

You can see in real time who is editing parts of a document, leave editing suggestions and comments, and even chat within the application with all participants. Changes can be completely undone, while comments remain visible even after the discussion has ended.

4. Access from Anywhere

With Microsoft 365, you never have to wonder where you saved a file. With cloud-based storage, you can save projects to OneDrive, making it easy to share and sync files across multiple devices. Access your files from anywhere in the world and make edits that are saved instantly, as long as you have a working internet connection.

5. Guaranteed Uptime

Microsoft 365 offers enterprise-grade reliability. You get access to disaster recovery tools, multiple data centres and automatic failover for a guaranteed uptime of 99.9%. Share documents whenever you need to without worrying about service availability.

6. Safe Environment

Microsoft 365 is more secure than most competing suites. Security features help protect both individuals and businesses from attacks and unforeseen events. Outlook, for example, has strong email encryption, while other apps let you set strict limits on who can view and edit your documents. All Microsoft 365 data is stored in the cloud to prevent data loss.

7. New Features and Bug Fixes

Following the rebrand from Office 365 to Microsoft 365, the suite has received additional tools to further improve its range of functions. It will continue to be updated with new features over time, so it is worth investing sooner rather than later.

8. Multiplatform

Ever wanted to work on the same file from your laptop at home, your work computer and your mobile phone? Now you can. Most Microsoft 365 apps work on platforms ranging from Windows to iOS devices. Combined with cloud-based storage, this is a powerful feature that gives you the ability to work remotely and connect with other people across different platforms.

9. Many Applications

Standard Microsoft 365 subscribers get many apps as part of their package; Premium subscribers have access to even more.

Depending on your subscription, your Microsoft 365 may include:

• Excel – An intuitive spreadsheet with numerous applications and automatic functions.
• Publisher – Create professional-looking documents.
• Exchange – An email and calendar server.
• Teams – Groups, chat, audio and video meetings and more.
• Word – The leading word processor with numerous templates and highly customisable features.
• Planner – An all-in-one task organiser that simplifies tasks and breaks them into manageable sections.
• OneNote – A tool for note-taking and collaboration.
• Outlook – An email client and personal organiser with Zoom/Teams meeting integrations.
• PowerPoint – Slide presentations made easy.
• SharePoint – Share documents with groups or the whole organisation.

Microsoft 365 offers features for many devices, including tablets (Android and iPads), Macs, PCs, iPhones and Android phones.

Higher-value editions also include the following services:

• Exchange
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft Intune
• Microsoft Azure Information Protection

For a balanced view, take a look at our article on Microsoft 365 advantages and disadvantages.

10. Affordable

Microsoft 365 is available in different editions and at different price points. All editions require a subscription, with some being more affordable than others depending on your needs. With Microsoft 365 Personal, you get access to apps and services at a competitive price — browse our online shop for the latest offers.

11. Free and Immediate Updates

If you have opted for a subscription, you no longer have to spend a penny on updates. All Microsoft 365 apps are kept up to date with automatic updates, so you can take advantage of the latest features and security enhancements at no extra cost.

Conclusion

The evolution from Office 365 to Microsoft 365 is exciting for many users, with a long list of improvements and new features. We hope this article has helped you decide whether the suite is right for you or your business.

Do You Have Any Questions?

Our support team is here to help around the clock. You can always find out more about Microsoft Office 365 licences on our website.

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Best regards,
The Licendi Team