Office 365
Office 365 has so many different features that at times it’s hard to keep track.
In fact, with so many to choose from, you are bound to miss some key pieces.
No worries though, as we’ve compiled the best unique features here, so you can get the most out of your Office 365 license.
In fact, you just may find that the software and tools you are purchasing elsewhere can be found right in Office 365.
We’ve taken a closer look at some hidden gems for you, here they are in no particular order.
Microsoft Power BI
Analytics seems to be the latest buzz word and for good reason. From sports to business and everything in between, the ability to analyze large segments of data has been a game changer. The ability to do so in real time without having to outsource it to a third party allows you to own the game.
With Microsoft Power BI, the intelligence you gather could make a huge difference on your bottom line. The drag and drop functionality allows you to be able to go from raw data to actual visual insights and views within minutes.
You can share internally with your team or externally with other key individuals. When a decision needs to be made, you’ll have the data and information you need to make the most informed decision.
Microsoft Flow
Example of the power of Microsoft Flow
What if you had someone that told you immediately when a specific person emailed you? Or what if you could instantly add someone and thank them when they mentioned you on twitter? That would be a huge time saver. If only someone created that…wait, they did.
Microsoft Flow allows you to connect the apps that you like to use, and allow them to “flow” and trigger other apps so that you can save more time. You can even monitor and manage flows directly from your phone. It’s the personal assistant you’ve always wanted that helps you do more and work less.
Microsoft Project
Project management software and tools can get costly, but they are a necessity. Whether you oversee a project or portfolio, take advantage of Microsoft Project as it is already a part of the Office 365 package.
Select one of the many customisable templates to get started, use features you are already familiar with like Gantt charts and easily pull up customisable timelines to see where you are for each area of your project.
Reporting is done in real time, so whether it’s a team member or stakeholder that needs an update, you can rest assured that you’ll always have up to date information to share.
Microsoft Teams
Are you finding it harder and harder to get on the same page with your team? There’s only so much that emails, text messages and phone calls can do. After a while, you will have to meet, to ensure that you are all moving in the right direction. Enter Microsoft Teams.
You can collaborate on files with apps already built in to Office 365 like Word and Excel, and ensure you are on the same page with functions such as group chat, online conferencing, calling capabilities and setting up online meetings. Regardless of whether you host a team of just a few people, several hundred or even thousands, Microsoft Teams will help bring your group a higher level of efficiency.
Microsoft StaffHub
If you have staff to manage, whether internally, externally or even overseas, there’s a lot that can affect the relationship between manager and employee. With StaffHub, not only can you keep up with schedules and changes, but you can also foster a sense of community.
Schedules and tasks can be managed within StaffHub, while individual users can have their own space to learn from each other, share their experiences and ideas and can have conversations beyond normal email. You can also post training material and resources so your staff will never feel unequipped.
Microsoft Visio
Ever needed to create a diagram or flowchart and found standalone products and software too challenging? Now with Microsoft Visio, you can create and visually share diagrams, charts and flowcharts. From floor plans to organisational charts, you’ll find the templates you need under the familiar Microsoft umbrella.
One of the key features of Microsoft Visio is the ability to work on diagrams and charts with others at the same time. No longer will you need to go back and make edits and changes and start all over again, now multiple team members can add, delete and edit as needed to get the most comprehensive document for your team.
Office Delve
Imagine if you could just access the documents you needed from someone else’s drive, like a budget sheet or template? The normal course of action would be to request it and wait on the reply email (with or without) the document. Now, with Office Delve, you can get access to the documents from those in your network.
Easily click on someone in your network under “people,” then access the documents that you have been granted permission to see. That’s it. Collaboration gets taken to another level with Delve and you’ll get to choose which documents you wish to share and those you wish to keep private.
Microsoft Planner
If you need an easy to use, visual platform to organise your team and plan out tasks, then you may want to check out Microsoft Planner. It easily integrates with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Groups, so that the connection is seamless. Each plan that you create has a board attached to it, with tasks being organised into buckets.
You can then move them based on their status, so you will always know who is assigned what task and where they are in the delivery phase.
Microsoft PowerApps
Last but not least we come to PowerApps. While the previous features on this list have offered a robust offering of tools to help your business, project or agency run more effectively, you may require something more. Instead of paying a developer to create an app suited to your needs, you can now do it yourself – no coding skills necessary.
PowerApps helps you to build out and use custom apps that access your data and works across your mobile devices and the web. You’ll no longer have to find the right app for your needs – now you can build it yourself.
We hope you found this list useful and informative.
Have Any Questions?
If you’d like to learn more about which plans of Office 365 offers the features we covered on this list, or just want to learn more, then contact us today.
We can also help you decide which plan is right for your business, as well as assisting you with deployment and support with the specific applications you require.
