Microsoft is one of, if not the, world’s largest software developer. One of the more increasingly popular solutions being adopted by businesses is the cloud-based Office 365. While popular, one problem many business owners face is selecting which of the many different versions to implement. To help, here is an overview of the most popular Office 365 options for businesses.

A brief look at Office 365

The easiest way to classify Office 365 is as a cloud-based version of Microsoft Office aimed at businesses. This subscription-based service offers businesses all the productivity software they need plus a solid platform for their communications. Think of Outlook combined with Lync (or Skype) and Office apps, all of which are accessible via your browser, or can be installed on your own servers.

Beyond this, there is a supporting layer called SharePoint that links all of these apps together, thereby giving you a central place to store all of your documents which can then be collaborated on using various Microsoft apps.

As noted above, Office 365 is subscription based. The business-oriented subscriptions are broken down into two main categories: Business and Enterprise subscriptions. Of course, there are other subscriptions for other categories like Education and Government, but we will focus this overview on the two main small to medium business categories.

Business subscriptions

There are three plans under the Business subscription category:

• Office 365 Business Essentials – Comes with online versions of Office apps (Office Web Apps), Lync for business, online storage through OneDrive and a corporate email address. This plan is ideal for businesses who don’t need full versions of Office apps. Plans cost USD 5 per user, per month on an annual commitment.
• Office 365 Business – For businesses who need installable versions of Office along with cloud-storage through OneDrive. It does not come with hosted email or business communication tools like Lync. If you already have hosted email, and are just looking for Office apps, then this could be a good plan for you. Plans cost USD 8.25 per user, per month on an annual commitment.
• Office 365 Business Premium – This subscription is for businesses who want the whole package. It combines all the elements of the above plans into a solution which is ideal for smaller businesses or even enterprises. If you are looking for a full solution, then this plan could be the best fit for your business. Plans cost USD 12.50 per user, per month on an annual commitment.

It is worth noting here that all three of these plans have a limit of 300 users per plan, giving you a maximum of 300 subscriptions.

Enterprise subscriptions

These subscriptions are aimed more at larger organizations, or businesses who need more control over Office 365 and access to features like Business Intelligence, Enterprise Management apps, and even business portals. As with the Business subscription category, there are three main plans in the Enterprise subscription category:

• Office 365 Enterprise E1 – Comes with online versions of Office apps (Office Web Apps), Lync for business, online storage through OneDrive, a corporate email address, and a corporate video portal. This plan is ideal for businesses who don’t need full versions of Office apps. Plans cost USD 8 per user, per month on an annual commitment.
• Office 365 Pro Plus – This plan is for businesses who need installable versions of Office along with more advanced apps like Access, and cloud-storage through OneDrive. It does not come with hosted email or business communication tools like Lync. If you already have hosted email, and are just looking for Office apps, then this could be a good plan for you. Plans cost USD 12 per user, per month on an annual commitment.
• Office 365 Enterprise E3 – This subscription is ideal for companies who want absolutely all Office 365 has to offer. This includes all of the above, plus advanced business intelligence tools, compliance protection, enterprise management, and more. If you are looking for a full solution, then this plan could be a good match for your business. Plans cost USD 20 per user, per month on an annual commitment.

Businesses who subscribe to Enterprise plans can sign up for an unlimited number of subscriptions.

Which plan is best for my business?

This is a tough question to answer outright. What we recommend is contacting us. As experts in all things Microsoft, we can work with you to not only help you pick the plan that is best for your business, but ensure it is installed correctly. This can help further reduce costs and increase productivity.

Contact us today to learn more about how Office 365 can enhance your business.

Published on 10th September 2014 by Jeanne DeWitt.