Microsoft 365 Is Finally Here! What to Expect

Are you a business owner who’s unhappy that you’ll have to purchase a new version of Office 365 along with Windows 10? There’s good news! A combination of the two — Microsoft 365 — is here!  

Business owners celebrate! Your complaints have been heard!

Microsoft has finally released Microsoft 365: the merging of Office 365 productivity apps and services along with Windows 10.

Microsoft partner and Irvine IT services professional Laith Pahlawan from Orange Crew shares why Orange and LA County organizations must consider Microsoft 365.

Why Was Microsoft 365 Created?

For 10 years, Windows 7 has dominated the operating system landscape for small and midsized businesses. Most of these businesses and millions of individuals and large corporations worldwide have exclusively used Windows 7 as their core operating system. But on January 14, 2020, Microsoft will be ending its support of Windows 7.

What does this mean?

It means that unless you don’t care about your company’s security, you’ll need to be switching over to Windows 10. This new operating system, of course, will need to be purchased.

Ultimately, millions of business owners were upset that, in addition to purchasing the new operating system Windows 10, they would have to purchase a brand-new version of Office 365 in addition.

How Did Microsoft Respond to Complaints Over Windows 7 and the Mandatory Purchase of New Office 365 Software?

Lo and behold, Microsoft listened to the complaints of business owners who were upset and decided to create a new solution: Microsoft 365.

What Is Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 was first released in July of 2017. The software is an update to Office 365, and it also includes Windows 10 and Enterprise Mobility + Security. It is still subscription-based, but the all-in-one bundle of Microsoft 365 is less expensive than having to purchase Office 365 and Windows 10 separately.

Those who will be best suited to purchase and use Microsoft 365 include small and midsized businesses.

The platform for Microsoft 365 is cloud-based. It includes all of the most commonly known Office features: Excel, Word, OneDrive, and PowerPoint. But it also offers other features and applications that are particularly useful for small and midsized businesses and their productivity. It’s everything you need in one place.

What Are the Two Plans Available for Microsoft 365?

Businesses can choose from Microsoft 365 Business or Microsoft 365 Enterprise. Both have their advantages, however, smaller companies will want to stick with Microsoft 365 Business while larger companies and corporations should go with Microsoft 365 Enterprise.

How Can You Get Started With Microsoft 365?

The best way to get started with Microsoft 365 in your business is to speak with a managed service provider about this large transition. The biggest transition will be from Windows 7 to Windows 10, but you will also need to adapt to the new platform for all of your Office needs, including Word, Excel, OneDrive, And more.

Having an experienced managed IT service provider on your side will make the transition smoother for you and your employees, ultimately helping you to reap the most benefits from this new suite of productivity apps and features.