Microsoft 365 is a line of products and services that have been supporting businesses for many years now. Many of the products within have been around for several decades, in fact; while others have made a big splash in just a few short years. We spoke to a Microsoft-partnered organisation who have been providing managed IT services London businesses have relied on for over a decade. The company, called TechQuarters, discussed their view on Microsoft 365, and what they feel are the top products included.
Microsoft 365
For those that may not be aware, Microsoft 365 is the product name for Microsoft’s line of apps and services geared specifically towards small and medium sized businesses (there are some plans aimed at enterprises that are known as Office 365).
According to TechQuarters, M365 should provide a business with all the tools they need for all their daily work and ongoing processes. As an IT support company London based SMBs have been relying on for a long time, TechQuarters have seen how companies use Microsoft 365, and have concluded that the following products are either the most popular, or offer the most value int eh eyes of small businesses:
1.SharePoint
SharePoint is one of two cloud storage / file management products included in Microsoft 365, and is arguably the more versatile of the two. In fact, it is much more than simple cloud storage, and is actually a highly configurable collaborative platform for businesses, departments, and teams. In SharePoint, you have sites, which can be used for storing and managing shared files and other content; or else it can be used for sharing company news and other relevant information. SharePoint can also be used to build a company intranet.
2. OneDrive
The second of the two cloud storage products in Microsoft 365, and this one really is specialised for that purpose. OneDrive provides each account holder with their own cloud-based storage drive, on which one can create folders, upload/save files to, or create documents and other files directly within. It is basically a replacement for your computer’s local storage. Most Microsoft and Office 365 companies will attest that OneDrive is one of the most useful products, with regard to how it supports individual users.
3. Teams
Released just 6 years ago, Microsoft Teams has proven to be one of the most impactful products Microsoft have come out with in the last decade – especially as it has been heavily utilized in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Teams is a communication and collaboration platform that makes it easier for companies to support remote work, owing to the fact that it combines telephony, video conferencing, and instant messaging into a single interface, as well as supporting file storage and sharing, and other content collaboration features.
4. Windows
Probably the most well-known Microsoft product of all, Windows is perhaps the most successful computer operating system ever made. Having been through many iterations, currently two main versions are in use at the moment: Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Windows 10 has been around for more than 7 years now and will continue to be supported by Microsoft – with updates and patches – until October, 2025. During it’s life Windows 10 has proven to be an excellent OS for businesses and professional users, with many features that aid in productivity. Windows 11 is following suite, with a number of redesigns and upgrades aimed at providing a more intuitive experience for workers.
5. Outlook & Exchange
While technically, this is two products, not one, Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange go hand-in-hand with regards to their role within a business.
Outlook is an enterprise-grade email client – one of the most well-known in industry. Every user that is assigned an account with Microsoft 365 will get an Outlook email account as standard, and it has many great features. From seamless cross-platform syncing, to custom domain names, and superb calendaring, Outlook gives a business everything they expect and need from their email client. Microsoft Exchange is a business-class email server that enables encrypted email delivery, and many other great features.
