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As a business leader, it’s your responsibility to find ways to help your organization move in a forward direction. As such, it’s important to consider the tools that are available to your employees which enable them to help your organization achieve its goals. This is where providing access to services available through an Office 365 plan can come in handy.
Office 365 is the name Microsoft affords to a package of cloud-hosted tools, services, and software that is available via web and mobile access for a monthly subscription. Sure, many of the plans include the company’s line of products that people typically equate with Microsoft Office — Word, Powerpoint, Excel, etc. However, it’s more than that; the right Office 365 plan can serve as a comprehensive business solution that helps you to streamline your day-to-day operations and make processes more efficient.
As a certified Microsoft Cloud Essentials partner and a Microsoft VAR Champ, we’re excited to share with you the benefits of what the benefits are of integrating Office 365 into your organization’s IT infrastructure.
But, why should you care about Office 365 business solutions? What can you expect concerning Office 365 plans and pricing? And, what options does each Office 365 plan offer?
Benefits of Using an Office 365 Plan for Your Organization
No matter whether you are a distributor, a certified public accountant (CPA), or work in another Los Angeles area industry, there are many tasks and functions that Microsoft Office 365 can simplify to make your job easier and free up time for you to focus on mission essential tasks.
Some of the reasons why organizations should opt to use Office 365 business solutions include:
- Access your information from anywhere with an internet connection. Because Office 365 business solutions are hosted within the cloud, it means that your applications and files are accessible from virtually anywhere with an internet connection on any connected devices.
- Guaranteed uptime to keep your productivity & collaboration going. As a user of Office 365, you’ll have access to your information from any device, any time, and any place with a financially-backed 99.9% uptime guarantee from Microsoft.
- Access to one of the world’s leading email services. Office 365 email services are used by businesses and organizations of all sizes worldwide. It is an invaluable resource, and Microsoft is quick to respond to any email security threats when they arise.
- Access to the most up-to-date software. Because Office 365 is a cloud-based solution, it means that your organization will always be using the “latest and greatest” software with the newest tools and features — without having to pay for new versions when they are released.
- Secure and reliable software. A significant benefit of using Office 365 is that it is always using the most recent version. It also means that it has up-to-date on security patching and updates. Protecting your system against cyber threats helps you to mitigate security vulnerabilities and ensure that there are no security-related impediments to your operation that can result in costly downtime and stolen information.
- Solutions that fit your budget. Because Office 365 business solutions are offered in a cloud subscription model that charges a monthly recurring rate, it means that it can easily fit within your operating expense (OpEx) budget. No longer will you have to deal with planning for the significant costs of large capital expenses (CapEx).
Types of Office 365 Plans and Their Subscription Costs
If you’re looking to integrate Office 365 business solutions into your organization’s operations, there are multiple Office 365 plan options to choose from. Some plans are tailored to the needs of small businesses, educational institutions, government institutions, nonprofits, home, and firstline workers.
There are three types of plans that are available for businesses and other organizations:
- Small Business Solutions
- Enterprise Solutions
- Nonprofit Solutions
Office 365 Small Business Solutions
Office 365 Small Business solutions — which include Office 365 Business Essentials, Office 365 Business Premium, and Microsoft 365 Business — vary in monthly cost from $5 per user to upwards of $20 per user depending on the Office 365 plans and pricing level you choose. All three plans include seven features, but each higher-level plan offers two additional features over the previous plan. Only the Microsoft 365 Business plan provides advanced security protection and device management.
Office 365 Business Enterprise Solutions
The Enterprise Solutions offer a variety of Office 365 plans and pricing to meet your organization’s budget. These plans, which include Office 365 ProPlus, Office 365 Enterprise E1, Office 365 Enterprise E3, and Office 365 Enterprise E5, have monthly costs ranging from $8 to $35 per user. Enterprise E1 is the least expensive Office 365 plan and does not include office applications. The Enterprise E5, on the other hand, costs the most but includes the most features, office applications, and services.
Office 365 Nonprofit Solutions
Microsoft shows its heart for charity by allowing qualified nonprofits to receive an upgrade to new advanced features at a steep discount, or by donating its Office 365 Nonprofit plan as a donation. This is part of its selection of Nonprofit Office 365 plans.
Its Office 365 Nonprofit Business Premium plan, which is available at a monthly rate of $3 per user, is available to small and midsize nonprofits that need access to cloud storage and file sharing, its Office suite of desktop applications, and web conferencing capabilities.
For large nonprofits, they can either receive a donation of its Office 365 Nonprofit 31 plan or have the option of paying a monthly rate of $4.50 per user for its Office 365 Nonprofit E3 plan or $15 per user for its Nonprofit 35 plan.
To summarize, in addition to offering a wide host of advantages concerning functionality and features, Office 365 plans also offer a wide range of prices and options that can meet your organization’s budget.
If you’re ready to take your business communications and collaboration capabilities to the next level, FPA’s team is here to help. Contact us today if you have any questions or would like to learn more about how our Office 365 services.
What are some of the most important features of an Office 365 plan for your organization? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below, or send me an email if you’d like to continue this discussion one-on-one.
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