Office 365 is a cloud technology software suite connecting teams and devices

What Office 365 Can Do for Your Workplace

The switch to cloud technology can be a significant decision as well as a drawn-out process for many companies. Although it may not be the best choice for every single business, its applications provide substantial benefit to many organisations, including in operational efficiency. Generally speaking, cloud technology is the remote presence of computer systems and information, available without active management. For most businesses, the use of cloud technology involves communication and transfer of information like client or project data. Office 365 (O365) is a leading provider of cloud computing technologies and has become popular around the world.

Office 365 Features

As a productivity tool, O365 provides users with a broad variety of features and web programs with which to complete their work. Microsoft provides different offerings to meet diverse users’ specific needs, including home, business, enterprise and education packages. The packages themselves contain various solutions. That is to say you can choose one that meets your needs and avoid paying for features you don’t need. Some of the more well known apps and services in the O365 suite include Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams.

Pros and Cons

Like any other technology solution, O365 comes with its own pros and cons. Some of the key points are as follows:

Pros Cons
Ability to work from anywhere Largely dependent on internet connection
Facilitation of collaboration Compatibility issues with other software
Sophisticated security Cloud storage can increase data vulnerability
Subscription technology Subscription technology

 

Although these points comprise only a brief rundown, it’s worth noting they have more to do with how the suite is used, rather than any intrinsic weakness. Needless to say, a tech-savvy business can make greater use of O365 than one that isn’t willing to explore it.

Data Loss and Protection

If your organisation is already using or considering O365, you certainly need to be aware of data loss and protection. In short, we often see businesses neglect a proper backup and recovery strategy, assuming their cloud technology is 100% secure (see our latest blog on business continuity/disaster recovery systems).

 

Common causes of data loss when using O365 include accidental or malicious deletion of data, cancellation or expiration of licenses and malware. Microsoft’s liability does not extend to cover any of their users’ mistakes. Specifically, they are responsible for cloud infrastructure, data replication, data privacy and security. Consequently, it is up to users to ensure they take charge of their own data, backups, recovery and internal and regulatory legal compliance. For more information, see this article from LinkedIn Pulse.

 

The selection of O365 is certainly popular in the way of cloud technologies. Its utility makes it an excellent choice with diverse applications, but as to be expected, there’s a lot more to know about its use. If you’re unsure whether or not Office 365 is a good choice for your office, get in touch with the team at Provide Technology.

me_admin
me_admin