Microsoft 365 is an all-in-one platform that helps teams of all sizes stay connected and productive. It offers a simplified user experience, collaboration capabilities, and cloud-based accessibility, making it easier for employees to work from anywhere with improved productivity and seamless communication. Microsoft 365 includes a suite of security and compliance tools to ensure a cohesive work environment and create the modern workplace.
In this blog, you will find:
🏪 Microsoft 365 for Small and Medium Businesses
👩⚕️ Microsoft 365 for Frontline Workers
🏢 Microsoft 365 for Enterprise Users
⏱ Achieve Optimal Efficiency with Your Business Applications
In this blog, we will explore how you can select Microsoft plans according to your business needs. You will also learn about the features and tools that Microsoft 365 offers and how to make the most of them.
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Complete Microsoft 365 License Guide for Your Organization
All You Need to Know about The New Windows 365 OS!: A Cheat Sheet
Office 365 Apps & Services: What They Are & When to Use Them
Microsoft 365 and its Plans
Microsoft 365 is the productivity cloud that combines best-in-class Office apps with powerful cloud services, device management, and advanced security. Microsoft 365 gives you the tools to empower teamwork, secure data, and simplify IT management with various features, including:
🏢 Office applications: Microsoft 365 includes a suite of Office applications, including the latest versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and more. These apps enable users to create, share and collaborate on documents in real time with colleagues and customers.
☁️ Cloud-Based Services: Microsoft 365 also provides cloud-based services such as Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business and Teams. These services offer a variety of features to help organizations collaborate more efficiently and increase productivity.
💻 Device Management: Microsoft 365 makes it easy to manage devices with the Microsoft Intune mobile device management service. This enables administrators to enroll devices, deploy applications, and configure settings across various devices.
🔒 Advanced Security: Microsoft 365 helps organizations protect their data with advanced security features, including Windows Hello, Microsoft Advanced Threat Protection, and Azure Information Protection.
Microsoft 365 Plans 🗒️
The Microsoft 365 plans range from Business Basic to Enterprise E5, and the plan that best meets your needs depends on the size of your organization. The different plans offer a range of features to suit any business, such as Office applications, cloud storage, enterprise-grade security and compliance tools, data protection, and analytics.
🏪 Small and Medium Businesses: up to 300 users
• Microsoft 365 Business Basic: includes Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Teams, and Office apps (including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard: includes all the features of Microsoft 365 Business Basic, plus security features like Advanced Threat Protection and Microsoft Identity Manager.
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes all the features of Microsoft 365 Business Basic and Standard, plus device management tools such as Intune and Windows Autopilot.
👩⚕️ Frontline Workers: up to 300 users
• Microsoft 365 F1: It includes all the features of Microsoft 365 Business Basic, plus shift management and task management tools such as StaffHub and Kaizala.
• Microsoft 365 F3: It includes all the features of Microsoft 365 F1, plus advanced security and compliance tools such as Advanced Threat Protection and Azure Information Protection.
🏢 Enterprise Plans: Unlimited Number of Users
• Microsoft 365 E3: includes all the features of Microsoft 365 Business Premium plus advanced security and compliance tools such as Advanced Threat Protection, Windows Hello for Business, and Azure Information Protection.
• Microsoft 365 E5: includes all the features of Microsoft 365 E3 plus compliance, analytics, and reporting tools such as Power BI Pro and Cloud App
Microsoft 365 for Small and Medium Businesses 🏪
Microsoft 365 offers a range of subscription plans and tools to suit different teams and work styles, and Microsoft 365 plans are available in four different tiers for small and medium organizations:
☑️ Microsoft 365 Apps for business: offers just a small subset of the Office apps
☑️ Microsoft 365 Business Basic: the entry-level subscription plan providing basic Office apps and cloud storage.
☑️ Microsoft 365 Business Standard: adds security features like Advanced Threat Protection and Microsoft Identity Manager.
☑️ Microsoft 365 Business Premium: includes all the features of the Standard plan plus device management tools such as Intune and Windows Autopilot
Each plan offers unique features and pricing, so evaluating your needs is essential before selecting the right strategy.
Office 365 E3 or Microsoft 365 Business Premium? ⚖️
One of the comparisons that many small and medium businesses make is to consider Office 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 business premium, so let’s compare the two here.
💰 Price: One of the reasons that many businesses make this comparison is that the price is reasonably close. It’s $30.60 CAD/user/month or $23 USD for O365 E3 and $28.20 CAD/user/month or $22 USD for Business Premium.
👨💻 Number of Users: Office 365 E3 can be used with unlimited users, whereas Microsoft 365 Business Premium is for businesses with up to 300 users.
📑 Features: Office 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 Business Premium include tools like Data Loss Protection, Exchange online archiving and Office365 message encryption. But there are additional tools provided to in Microsoft 365 Business Premium including:
• Microsoft Defender for Office 365 to block malicious attachments and links in emails,
• Azure Information Protection to help protect sensitive content and,
• Microsoft Intune to manage devices and apps from the cloud.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium also offers an end-of-support solution for Windows 7 and Office 2010.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium or Microsoft 365 E3?
The choice between Microsoft 365 Business Premium or E3 also depends on the size of your organization and the features you need.
💰 Price: The price per user for Microsoft 365 Business Premium is $28.20 CAD /user/month or $22 USD, while the cost per user for Microsoft 365 E3 is $47.00 CAD /user/month or $36.00 USD.
👩💻 Number of Users: Microsoft 365 Business Premium is a subscription plan available for businesses with up to 300 users, while the E3 plan can be used with unlimited users.
🏷️ Windows 10 edition:
☑️ Premium Windows 10 Business has cloud services and device management capabilities that complement Windows 10 Pro and enables the centralized management and security control like Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
Windows 10 Business also has premium Microsoft Defender features like Controlled Folder Access and Network Protection for web-based threats. It also includes Windows Autopilot, a service that streamlines the deployment of new Windows 10 PCs.
If you have devices licensed for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 Professional, Microsoft 365 Business Premium upgrades your devices to Windows 10 Pro, which is the prerequisite for deploying Windows 10 Business.
☑️ Windows 10 Enterprise E3 is a new offering that delivers, by subscription, exclusive features reserved for Windows 10 Enterprise edition. This offering is available through the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) channel via the Partner Center as an online service which is also how M365 E3 is purchased. Windows 10 Enterprise E3 provides a flexible, per-user subscription for small- and medium-sized organizations (from one to hundreds of users).
🖥️ On-premises server rights: Microsoft 365 E3 only includes on-premises server rights. If you have licenses for on-premises servers, you can continue to access them with a Microsoft 365 E3 license (also called Cal equivalence rights).
🧑🤝🧑 Shared Computer Activation: Both solutions let you deploy the Microsoft 365 apps to computers for multiple users to access. The most common shared computer activation scenario is deploying the applications to shared computers using remote desktop services or RDS.
💻 Azure Virtual Desktop: Both licenses include the AVD service. It is a Microsoft Azure-based system for virtualizing its Windows operating systems, securely providing virtualized desktops and applications in the cloud. It is aimed at enterprise customers rather than at individual users.
Microsoft 365 for Frontline Workers 👩⚕️
Front-line workers are people whose primary role is to work directly with customers or the general public, providing services, support, and selling products or workers involved in manufacturing and distributing products or services.
Microsoft designed several Microsoft 365 plans mainly aimed at these Frontline employees to allow them to easily access the services and applications they need to perform their daily tasks.
☑️ Microsoft 365 F1: It is designed to provide the specialized tools and services frontline workers need to be successful in their roles. It offers a comprehensive set of features, including Office apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook; cloud storage options; Microsoft Teams for collaboration and communication; and Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) for device management and security.
☑️ Microsoft 365 F3: Microsoft 365 for frontline workers is a more comprehensive plan that includes additional features such as Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Threat Protection, Windows Hello for Business and advanced security tools.
☑️ Office 365 F3: Office 365 F3 includes Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Teams, Office apps, EMS + Security and advanced security tools. It is designed for frontline workers who need the most up-to-date features to stay productive in their roles.
Microsoft 365 F1/F3: License Eligibility for Frontline Workers 👨🚒
Microsoft 365 Frontline Worker licenses may only be assigned to users who satisfy one or more of the following conditions:
• Uses a primary work device with a single screen smaller than 10.1 inches.
• Shares their primary work device with another qualifying Microsoft 365 or Office 365
• Frontline Worker licensed user during or across shifts.
Licensed Microsoft Frontline users must also use the device as their primary work device. Any software or services accessed from the shared device requires the device or users to be assigned a license that includes those software or services.
Windows Scenarios: Windows 10 Enterprise E3 is included in Microsoft 365 F3 👩🚒
There are different deployment options to choose according to your deployment conditions. With different deployment options available, customers can choose the best option that suits their needs. Let's check them one by one:
✔️Options 1 & 2. Install Windows 10 E3 locally or Run Virtual Machines (VMs), If
• a qualifying operating system is used
• this is available in your Enterprise Agreement (EA)
• this is available in your Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program
✔️Option 3. Use Azure Virtual Desktop service, If
• this is available in your Enterprise Agreement (EA)
• this is available in your Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program
✔️ Option 4. Run Virtual Machines (VMs) in a customer hosted Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), If
• a qualifying operating system is used
• this is available in your Enterprise Agreement (EA)
Microsoft 365 for Enterprise Users 🏢
For Enterprise users, Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 provide the most comprehensive set of features for enterprise-level organizations. They are designed for larger businesses that need the most up-to-date features to stay productive in their roles.
Microsoft 365 E5 adds incremental value to Microsoft 365 E3 across these solution areas.
Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 🙂
Microsoft 365 E3/E5 are tailored for larger businesses that need the most up-to-date features to stay productive in their roles. Microsoft 365 E3 is ideal for organizations that need basic security and productivity tools, while Microsoft 365 E5 provides more comprehensive security and collaboration capabilities.
🛡️ Security offerings include Azure Active Directory Premium Plan 2, Microsoft Cloud App Security, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender for Identity, and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2. These can be acquired as individual add-on licenses to Microsoft 365 E3 or as a security suite. There are licensing simplifications and cost advantages if you acquire the Microsoft 365 E5 security plan rather than the standalone licenses.
🎛️ Compliance offerings are often called mini suites since they are collections of licenses for individual services. These are Information Protection and Governance, Insider Risk Management and eDiscovery and Audit. Customers can choose to acquire a single one of these mini suites on top of their Microsoft 365 E3 license or purchase a fuller suite, which is a Microsoft 365 E5 compliance plan.
📞 Calling and Meetings: phone systems and audio & video conferencing are part of the Microsoft Teams experience.
📊 Analytic capability: Power BI allows organizations to gain deeper insights on their performance.
Achieve optimal Efficiency with Your Business Applications
Choosing the right business applications for your organization is the first step. Implementing them is another. Here are ways to achieve optimal efficiency while implementing the business applications you've chosen.
If you're interested in any of the following products, we can help answer your questions and let you know about available free trials. Get licensing details for:
• Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS)
Connect with us and get help with moving to the next level of productivity.
Content from: ProServeIT Academy 2022 Microsoft Licensing by Joy Fajardo
Edited by: Betty Quon & Hyun-Jin Im
