What To Consider When Moving To Office 365

Every business, be it large or small, runs on Microsoft Office. However, after almost a decade, Windows 7 and Office 2010 end of support is coming soon in January and October 2020, respectively.
With such old technologies coming to an end, people are choosing to move to newer, more efficient technologies such as cloud computing.

Microsoft launched its latest cloud-based suite – MS Office 365 in 2011. Ever since then, Microsoft has continuously been adding and upgrading its features to enhance the user experience.
Office 365 is a complete package of applications and software on one common platform that runs on subscription-based payment. This Microsoft suite provides a variety of features and benefits that will help you boost your business productivity.

If you are planning to migrate to Office 365, there are a few aspects that you should think about in order to make an informed decision.

1. Choosing The Right Plan

Microsoft Office 365 comes in multiple plans and pricing for you to choose from. The three plans are – Home, Business, and Enterprise. Each of these plans has a different set of applications and features.
The primary difference between the plans is its user base. While the Home license is designed for individual users with basic requirements, the Business and the Enterprise licenses are suitable for startups, SMEs, and entrepreneurs and offer a larger set of features.
Before moving to Office 365, you must be well-informed about the plan that is more suitable for your business.
Recommended Reading:

• Office 365 Home vs Office 365 Business
• Office 365 Business vs Office 365 Enterprise

2. Challenges Of Cloud

Though the cloud offers a number of benefits, there are a few challenges you might face if you are migrating to the cloud for the first time.
Moving from on-premise to the cloud means that there will be a change in the working platform as well as changes in terms of cost, accessibility, security, and other aspects that we have discussed in the subsequent points.
Thus, you need to be well-planned so that you don’t take time adjusting with the new system.

3. Cost Of Office 365 License

Office 365 comes in subscription-based payment in which you can pay monthly or annually, depending on what you use.
There are 3 subscription plans, each of which comes in different pricing plans according to your needs.
The Home license comes with an annual subscription starting from $69.99/year, whereas the Business and the Enterprise plans start from $5/user/month and $8/user/month, respectively.
Make sure you choose the pricing plans according to the features required by your business, to optimize cost and efficiency.
Microsoft direct partners like Ace Cloud Hosting provides Office 365 license at a discounted price. Thus, you can consider purchasing Office 365 license from a Direct Partner.

4. Backup and Migration of Data

Moving to Office 365 means you will have to migrate all your existing content and files to the new environment so that you don’t have to work from scratch.
Thus, it is important for you to take a backup of all your existing documents, and then choose the right tools to migrate to the cloud. Microsoft and its partners provide migration support to help you with the transition process.
There are also a few things, such as templates, for which Office 365 does not offer support. Make sure you know what to do in such cases and do in-depth research of these things in order to choose the right tools and support to migrate the critical data to the Office 365 environment.

5. Security Features

The biggest concern of any organization is the security of their files and data. Each plan of Office 365 offers multiple security features to keep all your content safe.
The Home license does not have any in-built security features. But the Business and the Enterprise license offer many in-built security features such as – Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), Exchange Online Protection, and more.
Before moving to Office 365, make sure you have all the knowledge about the different levels of security offered by the different plans. You can then make an informed decision on depending on what level of security you need for your information on the cloud.
Moreover, cloud hosting providers offer additional security features to keep your data safe such as – IDS/IPS, access control, anti-malware, etc. An in-depth analysis would help you make the right choice.

6. Integration with Third-Party Applications

Office 365 suite provides a wide range of applications for all the business-related tasks. But you still may require other applications such as CRM, documentation applications, etc. to integrate with the office suite to carry out your office tasks.
Make sure you are aware of all the third-party applications you might require and check if it is compatible with the Office 365 license you decide to purchase.
Microsoft and its partners provide support to make this integration process smooth for you.

Final Note

Migrating to MS Office 365 is a wise decision. However, you must consider all of the things mentioned above to make your transition process smooth and to make the best use of the Office 365 suite.
In case you have any questions, please contact Microsoft certified professionals at +1-855-223-4887.