Understanding Microsoft 365 Business Premium: A smart choice for your organisation
Posted on July 19, 2024 by Louise Howland
Balancing productivity and security is a major challenge for modern businesses. Microsoft 365 Business Premium is designed to meet these needs, offering a comprehensive solution that integrates productivity tools with advanced security features. But what exactly is Microsoft 365 Business Premium, and why should your organisation consider upgrading to it? Let’s break it down in simple terms.
What is Microsoft 365 Business Premium?
Microsoft 365 Business Premium is an all-in-one solution tailored for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It combines the familiar Office apps (like Word, Excel, and Outlook) with powerful cloud services and advanced security features. Essentially, it’s everything you need to run your business efficiently while keeping your data secure, no matter where your employees are working from.
Key Features of Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Comprehensive Productivity Tools:
- Access to the full suite of Office apps, both desktop and mobile versions.
- Real-time collaboration with Microsoft Teams, allowing your team to chat, meet, and work together seamlessly.
- 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user, making it easy to store and share documents.
- Enhanced Security:
- Microsoft Defender for Business: Provides enterprise-grade protection against cyber threats like ransomware and phishing.
- Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) Premium P1: Offers advanced identity and access management, including multi-factor authentication to ensure that only authorised users can access your business data.
- Azure Information Protection: Helps protect sensitive information through encryption and rights management, ensuring that your confidential data stays secure.
- Intune Device Management: Allows you to manage and secure both company-owned and personal devices, protecting your data even when accessed on mobile phones or tablets.
- Cost-Effective:
- At £18.10 per user/month (based on an annual commitment), Microsoft 365 Business Premium offers great value compared to purchasing separate security solutions and productivity tools.
Why Upgrade to Microsoft 365 Business Premium?
- Enhanced Security for Peace of Mind: Cybersecurity is a top concern for SMBs, with increasing threats like ransomware and phishing attacks. Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes advanced security features to protect your business data and devices. With Microsoft Defender for Business, you get robust endpoint protection, while Azure Information Protection safeguards your sensitive information. This multi-layered security approach helps prevent data breaches and cyber attacks, giving you peace of mind.
- Support for Remote and Hybrid Work: The modern workplace is no longer confined to a physical office. With employees working from various locations, it’s vital to have tools that support remote and hybrid work. Microsoft 365 Business Premium enables secure access to work apps and data from anywhere. Features like Microsoft Teams facilitate real-time collaboration, while OneDrive ensures that files are accessible and shareable from any device.
- Simplified IT Management: Managing IT infrastructure can be complex and time-consuming. Microsoft 365 Business Premium simplifies this with Intune, allowing you to easily manage and secure devices. Whether it’s enforcing security policies, remotely wiping data from lost or stolen devices, or ensuring that apps are updated, Intune makes IT management straightforward and efficient.
- Improved Productivity: With the full suite of Office apps and seamless integration of cloud services, your team can work more efficiently. Real-time collaboration tools reduce the time spent on back-and-forth emails and ensure that everyone is on the same page. The ability to work offline and access files from any device means that productivity is maintained, even when there are connectivity issues.
In our recent Microsoft 365 event we discussed how to get the most from your Microsoft investment and discussed Microsoft Business Premium.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium is more than just a productivity suite; it’s a comprehensive solution that addresses the key challenges faced by modern businesses. By upgrading to Microsoft 365 Business Premium, your organisation can benefit from enhanced security, support for remote work, simplified IT management, and improved productivity. It’s an investment that not only protects your business but also empowers your team to work smarter and more efficiently.
How can we help you?
We’d love to talk to you about your specific IT needs, and we’d be happy to offer a no obligation assessment of your current IT set up. Whether you are at a point of organisational change, unsure about security, or just want to sanity check your current IT arrangements, we’re here to help.