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Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 is the umbrella term given for Microsoft’s cloud subscription service that provides organisations with a range of services and applications, such as the Office Suite.

What is Microsoft 365? 

Formerly Office 365, Microsoft 365 is the umbrella term used for Microsoft’s cloud subscription solutions that provide organisations with a range of services and applications, such as the Office suite of desktop products. 

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Microsoft packages

There are three tiers: Business Basic, Business Standard and Business Premium.

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Microsoft 365 Business Basic  

Business Basic is the cheapest Microsoft 365 package on offer. Microsoft 365 Business Basic is well suited to organisations that offer flexible and remote working, where their teams need access to remote working solutions that allow collaboration and improve productivity.  

Microsoft 365 Business Basic includes Microsoft Teams, Office online and cloud storage. With a 50GB mailbox and 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage provided per user and instant messaging.

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Microsoft 365 Business Standard 

Microsoft 365 Business Standard is very similar to the basic package whereby it offers hosted email and apps, Teams, SharePoint and data management, however, it also allows users to download apps from the Office suite and store them locally, so they can be accessed and used offline.  

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Microsoft 365 Business Premium  

Just like the standard plan, Business Premium provides Exchange, OneDrive, Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint and other critical business apps. It expands to allow your teams to work smarter and safer with advanced mobility, device management and security features.  

What’s the difference between packages? 

As you move up through the tiers, the major differences between Microsoft 365 packages comes in the form of pricing, the availability of desktop applications, and security features. The basic plan only offers web-based apps, whereas standard and premium allow users to install Office apps on their local machines.  

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Benefits of Microsoft 365 

Whatever functionality you need for the size of your business, Microsoft 365 offers a whole host of benefits which increase depending on the package you choose:  

  • Remote working – because your critical services are hosted in the cloud (which is accessed via the Internet), your staff will be able to work securely from home, the office, or on the go.
     
  • Easy budgeting & scalability – a monthly subscription-based service means that your organisation pays a fixed monthly fee per user, making budgeting easier. It also allows for licenses to be added or removed in line with business growth, adding flexibility and scalability.
     
  • Increased Productivity – the use of Teams, with its increased accessibility for files and apps, allows for staff to communicate, and edit documents together in real-time, increasing productivity.
     
  • Data security – 365 stores your data securely in the cloud, preventing unauthorised access and data making recovery easier in the event of corruption or loss.
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Why partner with Sharp? 

At Sharp, we understand that a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective, that’s why we’ll work with you to understand your business and its unique goals. As part of the Microsoft Partner Network, we have access to the best pricing on some of the most popular hardware and IT software platforms. 

We currently have 3 of the 6 new Microsoft Partner Designations - Data & AI, Infrastructure, and Modern Work - and are not too far off receiving our 4th for Business Apps. Microsoft introduced their new Partner Designations after retiring their former Gold & Silver partner competencies,  in which we had 12 Gold and Silver out of a possible 18 in operational areas such as applications, infrastructure, data security, and cloud solutions, so you can rest assured that your IT is in good hands. 

With many years’ experience under our belt servicing our clients’ IT needs, Sharp are well-placed to migrate your systems to Microsoft 365 with little disruption and will work with your teams so that they have a thorough understanding of your new solution. 

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Accreditations

Microsoft Solutions Partner Accreditation - Modern Work

Microsoft Solutions Partner Accreditation - Infrastructure Azure

Microsoft Solutions Partner Accreditation - Data and AI Azure