What are the Benefits Upgrading from Office 365 to Microsoft 365?
Office 365 is the most popular cloud platform in the world and has over 180 million monthly active users. While it may have taken a while for this cloud-based version of Microsoft’s Office suite to become the “go to” option for most offices, it’s now fully embraced.
And just when you get comfortable with one of their products, Microsoft throws you a curveball thanks to their efforts to keep their users ahead when it comes to the workflows of the future.
In this case that curveball is in the form of a package upgrade to Office 365 called Microsoft 365.
If it sounds a little confusing at first, that’s natural. Many people have used Microsoft and Office 365 interchangeably. This new subscription level that was introduced in July of 2017 draws a clear distinction between the two and offers application packaging that can save businesses money.
How is Microsoft 365 Different from Office 365?
Many people wonder if Microsoft 365 is a completely different application than Office 365, but that’s not the case at all. It’s a bundling of Office 365 with additional programs to offer a cost savings overall.
Microsoft 365 Includes:
- Office 365 Business Premium
- Windows 10 Pro
- Microsoft Intune (mobile device manager)
- Additional Security Features
Is an upgrade going to be a good deal for your company?
It depends upon your needs and whether your company would benefit from a mobile device management program. We’ll take a look at the pricing and features of Microsoft 365 next.
Is Microsoft 365 a Good Value for Me?
First, let’s go through some pricing comparisons to help you understand the value of Microsoft 365, then we’ll go into some of the additional features and applications that come with the package.
If you’re subscribing to Office 365 Business Premium, the annual commitment price is $12.50/user/month.
Microsoft 365 is $20.00/user/month for an annual commitment. So that’s an additional $7.50/user/month… is what you get worth it?
The two main programs that come in the bundle with Office 365 are Windows 10 and Intune.
The cost of a one-time purchase of Windows 10 Pro is $199.99, so if you did not already have it installed on all your computers and were trying to upgrade before the EOL of Windows 7, then it could be a smart move to upgrade to Microsoft 365 and avoid paying $200 each per computer all at once.
But if you already have Windows 10, then the benefit would be more along the lines of being able to always have the most updated version, similar to how it works with Office 365.
When it comes to Intune… how much are you saving by bundling?
Microsoft Intune starts at $6/user/month for their lowest priced versions, but the Enterprise Mobility + Security E3 is $8.74/user/month, and the capabilities in Microsoft 365 do include additional security.
So, if you’re realizing a need to manage all those employee mobile devices that are accessing your data, Microsoft 365 is a good value that will give you the ability to increase your overall network security.
Microsoft 365 Additional Features
Now let’s get into those additional features beyond Office 365 and Windows 10 to see what they would mean for you if you upgrade.
Mobile Device Management
It’s no secret that the workload trend in offices is less desktop and more mobile. That means all those mobile devices that have access to your company applications need to be managed as diligently as your computers. But many companies find this difficult, especially if they’re using a BYOD (bring your own device) policy.
Intune for mobile device management gives you the ability to manage devices, even if they’re employee-owned, as far as how they connect and hold your data.
The program allows you to:
- Enforce security policies across all devices (iOS, Android, and Windows PCs)
- Automatically deploy applications
- Remotely wipe company data from lost or stolen devices
- Restrict the copying or saving of company data to unauthorized apps
- Monitor mobile access by device to company data
Additional Security Features
Another feature of Microsoft 365 includes security enhancements that go beyond what you have with Office 365. If you’re been struggling with virus infections or files being shared that shouldn’t be, these will be particularly helpful for you.
The Microsoft 365 additional security features include:
- Pre-breach threat resistance in Windows 10 with Windows Defender Exploit Guard
- Ability to enforce malware protection throughout your Windows 10 devices
- Unlimited cloud archive capability with long-term preservation policies
- Information Rights Management that gives you the ability to set “Do Not Copy” and “Do Not Forward” restrictions
Let’s Discuss Your Best Microsoft Options
Our team at C Solutions are experts when it comes to all things in the Microsoft world. We can help you look at all your options for Office 365 and Microsoft 365 and help you choose the one that’s the best match for your needs.
Schedule your free Microsoft consultation today by calling 407-536-8381 or contacting us online.