Microsoft 365 is the environment many small and medium-sized businesses use for email, documents, meetings and day-to-day collaboration. It can also provide the identity, device-management and security capabilities behind those applications.
The service delivers most value when licences, settings and support are designed around how people actually work rather than treated as a collection of separate products.
What Microsoft 365 includes
The exact services depend on the licence, but a business plan can include:
- business email and calendars through Exchange Online;
- Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook;
- Microsoft Teams for meetings, chat and collaboration;
- OneDrive and SharePoint for cloud file storage and shared work;
- Microsoft Entra ID for accounts and access;
- Microsoft Intune for device and application management; and
- Microsoft Defender security capabilities.
Business Basic, Standard or Premium?
Microsoft 365 Business Basic provides business email and web or mobile access to core applications. It can suit employees who do not need the full desktop applications.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard adds the familiar desktop Microsoft applications. It can suit employees who need to install and use those applications on their device.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium adds the device-management and more advanced security capabilities baseMSP uses for fully managed IT. It is our preferred foundation for Complete IT Support.
A business does not always need one licence for every employee. The mix can reflect different roles, but it should remain simple enough to manage and should not leave important gaps.
The tenant needs active management
The Microsoft 365 tenant is the organisation’s central environment. It contains accounts, licences, access, groups and security settings. It needs an agreed baseline and an ongoing process for change.
Important areas include:
- multi-factor authentication and sign-in controls;
- the number and use of administrator accounts;
- employee account creation and removal;
- email and domain protection;
- permissions and external sharing;
- company-device management; and
- separate backup for supported mailboxes and cloud information.
Support should match the employee
Some employees need help with both their company device and Microsoft 365. Others only need Microsoft 365 support. baseMSP can mix Complete IT Support and Microsoft 365 Support across one organisation, according to the licence and support requirement of each person.
Microsoft 365 supports flexible working
Employees can use the same managed accounts and services in the office, at home or elsewhere. The business still needs consistent access, device and support arrangements so the working location does not create a separate IT experience.
Security has two layers
The first layer is the security baseline: accounts, multi-factor authentication, administrator access, devices and email settings managed consistently.
The second is continuous monitoring for organisations that need security activity watched, investigated and responded to throughout the day and night. It is an additional service rather than a replacement for the baseline.
Migration needs a plan
A business moving from Google Workspace, GoDaddy, Fasthosts or another provider needs to establish what will move, prepare Microsoft 365, test the switch and support employees through the change. Email and agreed business data can be moved while the transition is managed around the working day.
Use Microsoft 365 to improve work, not only to host it
Once the foundation is managed, the business can consider focused automation, reporting or practical uses of AI. These projects should begin with a business problem and a measurable result rather than a product demonstration.
A sensible starting point
Establish the licences, configuration and security settings already in place. Then decide what needs immediate attention, what should form part of support and what can be planned for later.
baseMSP offers a free Microsoft 365 security review, transparent support pricing and a documented onboarding and review process.
Further reading
Microsoft’s current business-plan comparison explains the applications and capabilities included in each plan.
