Microsoft Office 365 is a leading productivity platform with many benefits that companies enjoy today; however, it does have a few shortcomings as well. Read on to learn some of the pros and cons of Office 365.
The Pros
Employees can work anytime, anywhere.
Because Office 365 is cloud-based, users can access their apps and documents on any device at any time. Employees no longer need to wait until they’re in the office to edit presentations or go through their company inbox. Whether at home or on a business trip, users can have their files and company contacts on their fingertips.
Teams can collaborate more easily.
Team collaboration has never been easier on Office 365. Team members can edit projects, documents, or presentations while the platform syncs changes in real time. The option to create a password-protected portal, can keep all team files in one location made specifically for a team to access. Additionally, email, instant messaging, Skype for Business, and other apps make communicating with your team a lot easier as well.
Data centers enable strong security and data protection.
Security in Microsoft data centers runs 24/7. Security systems constantly scan email, messages, and files for spam and malware and provide protection for every user on any device. Microsoft security also meets industry-standard certifications.
The Cons
No Internet can mean no access to work.
If the Internet is down or can’t be accessed, Office 365 users may not be able to access their work files either. Though the Cloud has its benefits as previously mentioned, the platform does rely on the Internet.
However, files can be synced to a desktop while Office 365 is running, and users may use desktop versions of Office apps until the Internet comes back on.
Line-of-business apps may be incompatible.
Sometimes frequently used company apps may not be compatible with Office 365. It’s best that companies check compatibility with their own apps before upgrading or determine whether their apps will run on Office 365.
Keeping up with features may be a hassle.
Microsoft frequently updates Office 365, which may be bothersome. Most updates are gradual small changes that are hardly noticeable, but certain programs such as Delve and Yammer can be harder to keep up with.
Microsoft also offers Office 365 subscription plans that could fit the specific needs of a company. Choosing the right plan may offer more pros that outweigh most, if not all, of the cons and help move a company forward.
