Microsoft 365 vs. Office 365: What’s the Difference?

Microsoft is a huge player in the business world, providing businesses from all over the world with the tools they need to be successful. From small businesses to large enterprises, Microsoft provides the software that many businesses use to get through their day-to-day tasks. If you need to make a decision regarding your organization’s software needs, you might encounter terms like Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft’s Office 365. Wait… Aren’t those the same things? Not quite.

Office 365
Office 365 is a productivity suite that can be based either in the cloud or on-premise, depending on what your business needs from it. Your business could access this productivity suite on any approved device. It gives your team access to a host of solutions, including a word processor (Microsoft Word), slideshow creator (PowerPoint), and spreadsheet builder (Excel), with others being added as needed according to what subscription plan is purchased. Simply put, any business that is currently using Windows 10 should certainly consider Office 365 as a viable solution.

Microsoft 365
Now, what if you want to upgrade to Office 365? You’ll need to upgrade to the latest version of Windows, too. Microsoft 365 is for businesses that either don’t have the right operating system or want to make the upgrade all at once. Microsoft 365 gives businesses in this situation all of the tools they’ll need to achieve this feat. At its most basic level, Microsoft 365 provides the following:

• The Office 365 suite
• Windows 10
• 1TB of storage
• Device management capabilities via Microsoft Intune
• Basic data and app security

There are even enterprise offerings for businesses that have more than 300 users, so never feel like your business is too large to take advantage of some of these features.

Which One is Right for Me?
We know this is what you have been waiting for; which solution is best for my business? It all depends on where you currently stand. If you already have solutions in place for your business’s data storage and security, then perhaps Office 365 is a good solution for your organization. For businesses that haven’t put too much stock in their productivity suite and are looking to invest in a major initiative, then Microsoft 365 is the one for you. SCW can help you determine the best route to success. To learn more, reach out to us at (509) 534-1530.