We primarily use 365 for financial functions, like invoices, PODs, purchase orders, and customer contracts.
General Manager at MPU Solutions
Easy to use but integration could be more seamless
Pros and Cons
- "Another nice thing is that Microsoft has infrastructure within our borders. From a GDPR point of view, our data needs to reside within South Africa's borders, and they've got data centers here. That helps because our government has stringent regulations that say the data we can't store data in the cloud outside of our borders."
- "365 Business' workflow should be better integrated into our current ERP systems. We are running two different ERP systems that are integrated, so it would make sense in the future to have those systems integrated into a content management workflow system."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
At this stage, we're getting the most value out of Exchange, Teams, OneDrive, and some portions of SharePoint. Another nice thing is that Microsoft has infrastructure within our borders. From a GDPR point of view, our data needs to reside within South Africa's borders, and they've got data centers here. That helps because our government has stringent regulations that say the data we can't store data in the cloud outside of our borders.
What needs improvement?
365 Business' workflow should be better integrated into our current ERP systems. We are running two different ERP systems that are integrated, so it would make sense in the future to have those systems integrated into a content management workflow system. As it is, 365 is extremely open for integration, but it could be more seamless. Also, from an administrative point of view, it's a bit scattered. A more centralized user environment would be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
We only started rolling 365 Business out in May last year from the local exchange and migrating everything to it. Due to the pandemic, it just made sense. So, I think most other companies did the same thing. In the beginning, my company was primarily interested in the email aspects of 365, but I showed them the potential of SharePoint as well. I gave them a demonstration, and now they're more using OneDrive than SharePoint itself.
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft 365 Business
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft 365 Business. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have no complaints about 365's stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
365 Business is easy to scale based on my experience. But it also depends on which portion—which modules— you want to scale. Adding normal users on Exchange is fairly straightforward. But when it comes to databases, scaling up can become quite complex.
How are customer service and support?
I would say that Microsoft's support is fairly good. I would rate it about six out 10.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of 365 is relatively straightforward. However, because we have about 120 employees, total deployment takes two or three days, including migrating historical email data. But, we were able to handle it all ourselves. And from a maintenance point of view, it's reasonably stable. It's just typical user issues, like password resets. We don't have any problems with space or anything at this stage.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of 365 Business is highly competitive, especially if you compare it to standalone document and content management systems. Obviously, that excludes Exchange and all of that. But if you compare it to other similar products—which you can't really compare it to—I think it's very competitive.
What other advice do I have?
I rate 365 Business seven out of 10. I would definitely recommend it. It's easy to use from a user's point of view. It's easy to set up and add users.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PMO at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Intuitive, easy to use, and simple to setup
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup is easy to implement and deploy."
- "There are a lot of modules, for example, between Teams and SharePoint, that could be more transparent."
What is our primary use case?
I use a variety of different applications within the solution. For example, I use Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint.
What is most valuable?
The solution is really very easy to use. You don't need any real training to know how to use it. It's intuitive and what you don't know, you can search everything yourself.
If you have a little bit of experience in older versions, you can easily catch up. The user interface is great.
The initial setup is easy to implement and deploy.
The pricing seems to be reasonable.
What needs improvement?
There are a lot of modules, for example, between Teams and SharePoint, that could be more transparent. Many users aren't too sure of the difference between many Microsoft tools or how to use them together.
While the many tools on offer come as one package, the manager who deployed everything doesn't really know the differences or how to use each individual app correctly. This requires an internet search for demos that can lay out how best to use, for example, Sharepoint, or Teams.
There needs to be more documentation to make the usage clear. We need more transparency on things like in which conditions we can use Teams and how we can connect that app with Sharepoint, and things like that.
It's difficult, sometimes, when we deal with other teams or organizations that aren't using Microsoft Teams. When they don't have the same systems, it makes it difficult to communicate with everyone.
For how long have I used the solution?
I started using the solution six years ago. I've used it for a while. That said, my most recent company, deployed the solution two years ago.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have about 9,000 users on the solution currently.
How are customer service and technical support?
I cannot speak to how helpful or responsive Microsoft technical support is. I don't deal with them directly. We have support within our company that is dedicated to problem-solving. When we have any problems, we have communication lines within our company. I don't know how they communicate with Microsoft when they need to.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We didn't previously use a different solution. We've always used Microsoft.
How was the initial setup?
The solution is pretty easy to install. We have an operations team that can handle it. My understanding is that the actual implementation and deployment did not take very long at all.
What about the implementation team?
We were able to handle it via our own internal teams. We didn't need an integrator or consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I can't speak to the exact cost of the solution, however, the pricing seems to be fine.
What other advice do I have?
We're customers and end-users.
I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten.
I would recommend the solution to other users and organizations. We've been pretty happy with its capabilities.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft 365 Business
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft 365 Business. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
ICT Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Good performance, user-friendly, and suitable for every organization
Pros and Cons
- "It is easy to use and user-friendly. Its performance is also good."
- "Their support could be improved. They should pick the right people who are capable of resolving technical issues."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for many things such as productivity, collaboration, document management system, and apps development. They have a suite of applications.
What is most valuable?
It is easy to use and user-friendly. Its performance is also good.
What needs improvement?
Their support should be improved. They should pick the right people who are capable of resolving technical issues.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. In my company, we have up to 60 user accounts.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their support should be improved. They should have people who understand what you want and are capable of resolving the issues.
How was the initial setup?
The installation depends on the person who is deploying. You must have the required skills. If you don't have, you should leverage people who have the required skill. It is not a Microsoft issue. They provide the tools and documentation for the installation.
It doesn't take much time. You get the domain name ready and prepare for the subscription or the plan that you want. Microsoft will activate it quickly for you.
What about the implementation team?
We did it ourselves.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is basically software as a service. So, you pay for the software subscription. The price is based on the plan you choose. You can also leverage the help of cloud service providers.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others. It is good and suitable for every organization. You have a complete suite that enables you to automate your business processes and be productive.
I would rate Microsoft 365 Business a 10 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Investment Analyst at a venture capital & private equity firm with 11-50 employees
Stable, easy to access, and easy to use
Pros and Cons
- "The solution has been quite stable."
- "Occasionally, it does go down, however, for the most part, it's fine."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for access to Outlook and One Drive.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable aspect is that it is one the cloud and we can access it from there, which allows us access from anywhere.
The solution has been quite stable.
The solution has been very easy to use overall.
What needs improvement?
We haven't really had any issues with the solution.
Occasionally, it does go down, however, for the most part, it's fine.
The process should be a bit more seamless.
For how long have I used the solution?
In general, I've been using the solution for ten years or so.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is fine, although we have lost connectivity in the past. We just have to restart it and find that it is pretty easy to restart everything.
How are customer service and technical support?
I haven't dealt with technical support in the past. I cannot speak to how helpful or responsive they would be.
However, if I run into any issues, I will often go to Google or the Microsoft website. I find it's pretty easy to find answers to the questions I have online, and therefore do not really need technical support.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We do need to pay a licensing fee, however, I'm unsure as to what the exact cost is or if the fees are paid monthly or annually.
What other advice do I have?
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. If the process was a bit more seamless, I'd give it a perfect score. However, for the most part, I'm happy with the capabilities.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Group Leader Workplace at a insurance company with 10,001+ employees
Easy to scale, with excellent technical support and good stability
Pros and Cons
- "With Power BI and Power Applications you can do a lot of our automation within IT. It makes everything much quicker."
- "The initial setup is slightly complex."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for cooperation between employees and core team operations. It's the most important use case for us.
We use it for data exchange and data storage under One Drive, for example.
What is most valuable?
The automation capabilities on offer are very good. With Power BI and Power Applications you can do a lot of our automation within IT. It makes everything much quicker.
The product allows for a good overview of our data.
The stability has been very good so far.
As a software as a service model, it is very easy to scale as required.
Technical support is quite helpful and very responsive.
What needs improvement?
The cost could be a bit better.
Policy integration could be improved in the current infrastructure and the current applications.
The initial setup is slightly complex.
There could be better integration capabilities. This could be simplified. There are lots of applications that could potentially be integrated if only the capabilities were there to do so.
In general, we don't feel that there are any missing features per se. They do have a very good offering of applications.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for about three or so years. It's been a while at this point.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution has been very stable. We haven't had issues with bugs or glitches. I haven't found that it crashes or freezes. It's pretty reliable in terms of its performance.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have about 8,000 users on the solution currently. It has been easy to scale for us. We haven't had any problems in that regard. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so with relative ease. It's a software as a service model, which makes it easy to scale up or down.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support has been very good. They are very skillful people, and they really do try to help when you have queries. We've been very happy with the level of services we receive. They are very responsive.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was pretty complex. There were a lot of interfaces to have a look at, and a lot of people were involved. Each had its own ideas as to how to best handle things. To bring everyone together and focused on one point was a challenge.
The deployment process took about a year.
The maintenance isn't too bad. There are just regular checkups needed here or there. It's not intensive.
What about the implementation team?
We had assistance from the vendor. They were very helpful in terms of deploying the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is average, however, every product is expensive. We'd like it to be less, of course.
There aren't operational costs over and above the licensing, however, there are a few costs here and there that are extra - such as implementation costs and some special requirement costs.
What other advice do I have?
We are just a customer and an end-user. We don't have a business relationship with Microsoft.
We use universal updates. The solution is typically on the latest version. The cloud deployment is constantly automatically updated.
I would advise potential new users to prepare carefully on the business side. It's not just the technical implementation. It's how it will be used for business. There needs to be a plan in place. The most challenging part is simply making the business as a whole - including end-users - comfortable with the product.
I would rate the solution at an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Forensic Technology Manager at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Cloud-based, feature-rich, and stable
Pros and Cons
- "I like the ease of use."
- "They need more tutorial training about using the advanced features."
What is our primary use case?
This solution is used for business. You can type letters and spreadsheets, you also use it for emails using Outlook.
What is most valuable?
I like the ease of use.
It's very stable and feature-rich. I can't see that it needs a lot of development.
What needs improvement?
They need more tutorial training about using the advanced features. It would be helpful.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft 365 Business for six months.
We are using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is an area that I have not explored, but it seems to be scalable.
We have between 100 and 200 users who are using this solution.
We plan to continue using this solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have not contacted technical support. We have not needed technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We had not used any other solution previously.
How was the initial setup?
There is no installation, it's on the cloud.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The license is billed on a yearly basis.
I am not aware of the cost, but it is definitely not cheap.
What other advice do I have?
It's come a long way in terms of evolution.
I would rate Microsoft 365 Business an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Account Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Easy to integrate, problem-free, and widely used across companies
Pros and Cons
- "The integration with all of the combinations of tools has been problem-free so far."
- "The solution could be a bit more mobile-friendly."
What is most valuable?
The integration has been easy. The integration with all of the combinations of tools has been problem-free so far.
It's a pretty ubiquitous product. Most companies use it for many tasks within their organization.
What needs improvement?
The solution could be a bit more mobile-friendly. It's easier to use on a desktop or laptop. It's a bit different on the phone.
The applications could be more user-friendly for end-users - and this is especially true for the mobile version as everyone is doing everything on their phone these days. If there's something urgent, if you're on a vacation or something, you have to send an emergent presentation, an important proposal, something like that, you tend to use your phone. That's why they have to improve the licensing regarding mobile apps.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've used the solution since the company started, which is 2014. It's been seven or so years now.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have about 100 users on the solution. We're still a small to mid-size organization.
We use it across all departments, including marketing, HR, and finance. The C-level sales department also uses it a lot. We have a technical team and the pre-sales team as our job functions or our scope involves implementation for customers. We provide and implement new solutions, et cetera.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also are a Microsoft partner. We started with Microsoft 365 first. We didn't use Gmail or any other solutions for security reasons. We've been using Microsoft 365 since the beginning.
What other advice do I have?
We are users and we are also Microsoft partners. We're resellers.
I'm not sure which version we're using at the moment. Our technical team would track that level of detail. Likely, it's the latest update. It depends on our work rotation. We have to do the batching and we have to download all the new batches for security reasons as we have infrastructure and architecture that concerns our customers. That's why we're used to updating all of our applications and handling batching from the security layers. We use a cloud deployment.
For most companies, it's the core of their business. That's why I would rate it at a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Board Member at Iota Bilgi Teknolojileri A.Åž.
User-friendly, scalable, stable, and simple to set up
Pros and Cons
- "It's easy to use."
- "The price could always be better. I live in Turkey, our economy is not very good."
What is our primary use case?
I use Microsoft 365 Business for office products.
What is most valuable?
I like Microsoft 365 Business it's very good.
It's easy to use.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft 365 Business for a few years.
We are using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft 365 Business is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Microsoft 365 Business is a scalable product.
We have two users in our organization who are using this solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have not contacted technical support. We have never needed it.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I am familiar with OpenOffice, but it has compatibility issues with files. We prefer Microsoft Office products
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy to install Microsoft 365 Business.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price could always be better. I live in Turkey, our economy is not very good.
Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis.
What other advice do I have?
Yes, I would recommend this solution to others who are interested in using it.
I would rate Microsoft 365 Business a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Updated: November 2024
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