It’s no secret that Microsoft 365 Apps for Business has been an essential collaboration tool for thousands of businesses across the globe – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The cloud-based platform plays a key role in the daily operations of large companies and small businesses alike, helping teams stay productive and in communication with each other, no matter where they are.

In a recent post, we provided a high-level overview of the platform’s features and capabilities. But today, we want to drill down a bit further to uncover how those features translate into tangible benefits for businesses.

If you’re evaluating SaaS productivity tools, here are benefits of Microsoft 365 for Business you should know.

1) Remote Work

First and foremost, Microsoft 365 for Business gives organizations all the necessary tools they need for remote work to flourish. As 2020 has shown, businesses must be ready for their employees to work from wherever they are. That means having access to business tools from remote locations.

In the new normal of a post-COVID-19 world, flexibility and adaptability will continue to be essential requirements for businesses to stay competitive. Microsoft 365 for Business is specifically designed to help businesses adapt.

The platform is cloud-based, which means everything is online and available to all who have access, regardless of where they’re located. As long as there’s an internet connection, workers can access their Excel spreadsheets, Word Documents, Outlook email and other files. Additionally, whenever a new spreadsheet or document is created, it’s saved and synced in real-time to the cloud, so others can access that same file instantly, even if they’re thousands of miles away.

2) Web and Mobile Capability

No matter what kind of devices your business uses, you can rest assured M365 Business Standard will run on anything. Whether your company provides specific devices, or employees use their own, they’ll still be able to use Microsoft. More than that, applications like Outlook, Word, Excel and OneNote can all run on the web. So you don’t have to worry about users needing to install software on personal machines that may not be compatible or secure. All they need is an Internet browser.

Employees will be able to access documents, their email and OneNote on the go from their home computer, laptop, iPhone or Android device. And again, users can work on the same document simultaneously, no matter the device used. In fact, you can have several team members going over a Word Document, making last-minute additions or edits from their phone.

3) Seamless Collaboration

Thanks to the cloud-based nature of Microsoft 365 for Business, employees have the perfect tools for collaboration. The suite includes Microsoft Teams, which allows for making video calls and hosting virtual meetings for up to 300 users. Employees can take advantage of the same tool for real-time chatting, so communication couldn’t be easier.

Through instant-messaging, the use of emails can be significantly decreased – teams can connect with each other for quick answers, instead of checking their inboxes. This makes day-to-day workflow faster and friendlier as employees can converse naturally, instantly. What’s more, employees can even chat on the go from their smartphone, so that critical communication can continue regardless of where team members are.

Companies can also take advantage of SharePoint for even further integration ability. SharePoint allows businesses to create specific team sites for information and document sharing. What’s more, Microsoft 365 for Business allows version control. This workflow is perfect for businesses who may need to take a step back to see an older version of a document.

4) Device Management

Depending on the plan chosen, businesses have access to control and management settings on each connected device. With intuitive controls and processes, security settings can be implemented and modified. Additionally, every device listed can have an Office app and Windows 10 updates installed automatically.

This device management frees up user and IT time by automating operations. Nothing will have to be manually updated, downloaded or installed. Thus, your business benefits from the time saved in trying to keep each device updated.

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