Microsoft 365

Pros

The many different applications I find extremely useful for daily work. I am constantly using word and publisher and excel. Honestly without these programs I would not be able to work properly.

Cons

The yearly subscription fee. It used to be you would buy it 1 time and you could upgrade but it wasn’t mandatory.

Pros

A subscription to Microsoft 365 brings with it many software options and capabilities that benefit your daily work flow.

Cons

If transitioning from other software like the Google Suite, getting used to and mastering programs like Outlook or Teams can take a little bit of time.

Pros

Microsoft Word is a good platform if you need full control to edit document, and to control font size and layouts etc. It offers a lot of controls that are not available when creating templates in adobe products. Mail Merge functions etc are great, and when you take the trouble to set the up the other auto correct format/adjust functionality is great within documents with clauses that reference other clauses.
Our Shared Mailboxes are constantly unstable and we have to reset signatures every few months, and then old ones reappear. Consequently we just end up with duplicates. It really is just a frustrating system.

Cons

All of our docs that Autosave to MS cloud (Sharepoint and cloud) corrup to earlier versions. Have had multiple instnaces of doces reverting to earlier versions so we just lose files.
If we could autosave to our own network drive I assume this would not happen because it does not happen with our desktop installed versions of MS word.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft 365

Pros

Best business all around productivity software suite

Cons

To learn everything about MS365 there is a bit of a learning curve.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft 365

Pros

How integrated each part of the software is. Our teams are now using the full suite of products with no issues.

Cons

The training requirements and internal complexity. No notice to administrators of changes.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing Microsoft 365

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft 365

Pros

Integrates seamlessly with all the other MS Office Products which makes collaboration very simple, also being cloud based, the files can be accessed from anywhere, Great UI with all features

Cons

Quite Costly considering there are Products like Google Docs, Sheets and Slides available for free of cost which can run without any installation. Also integration is hard for Non-Microsoft products.

Pros

A good option for an online office suite. An alternative to the original office.

Cons

It only works with the internet. Otherwise it works fine.

Pros

Super simple and easy on the eyes! No complex graphics or confusing icons.

Cons

Too many tutorial pop up and sometime distracting pop up support prompts

Pros

all the different apps it has word is a product I use alot

Cons

I cant really say i have any complaints about the product

Pros

Microsoft 365 combines all Microsoft related services at one place.

Cons

Microsoft 365 can be extended with features that meet our requirements in project management side.

Pros

Once the administration side has been navigated and Microsoft 365 is installed correctly, it is an excellent product and allows you to work on and collaborate on a very wide variety of projects.

Cons

Microsoft 365 has a steep learning curve to navigate with user setup and account control. Support is available. However, support staff tend to talk down to you and don't tolerate non-initiated Microsoft users easily.

Pros

Compared to the like of rival companies like G-Suite Microsoft really delivers with their superior GUI and easy of use, the layout has been incredibly thought out and is well worth the license fee in my honest opinion

Cons

The cost is a little steep for each license and can deter companies from choosing this over rivals free options, in time if the price of the package was majorly reduced this may entice others to utilise this software more widely.

Pros

Great email service, suite of productivity apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Cons

The licensing is monthly or yearly , no option to buy lifetime subscription with serial keys like the previous versions.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft 365

Pros

This package includes the programs we have all grown up using (well, at least those of my generation!) like Work, Excel and PowerPoint.

Cons

I find Microsoft 365 clunky to use and expensive for what you get - there are so many great alternatives these days, such as Google, with software that does everything you need at a fraction of the price, and without the need to have programs downloaded on your computer (cloud-based).

Pros

I use Microsoft 365 at work and for personal use. I'm always using Excel, Word, Teams or OneNote and I'll be a champion of Microsoft 365 anytime because I'm not paying for this privilege. My employer is. Although I do prefer Google apps as you'll never lose your work. It's all being saved to Google Drive. We don't have OneDrive at work or SharePoint which may make saving your work easier.

Cons

I find the cost of Microsoft 365 Personal to not be value for money. I've cancelled my subscription and instead use Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive for my personal word processing and budgeting needs. With Drive, I have an amount of free space with my account, which I have not exceeded. I have 365 on my work laptop so if I need Word I'll use it on that device. Depending on your requirements, 365 might be worth purchasing but for me it hasn't been. 365 was also very confused when I'm signing in with one account (work vs school account), which led to Forms not working, but this issue seems to be working.

Pros

I find Microsoft suite of tools very comprehensive for creating documents (MS Word, Excel, PPT etc), communicating results (MS Sway), project management (MS project, Planner) and data analysis/analytics (e.g. Power BI). Its cloud based storage is a plus!

Cons

Somewhat high subscription costs especially if you are not part of a team. Also these suite of tools are frequently updated and sometimes can be disruptive to workflows.

Pros

Great cross app integration and easy to setup

Cons

Expensive and lack of integration with non Microsoft applications

Pros

This tool is essential to streamline all applications to work effectively as a team remotely.

Cons

Some of the tools that are used within Microsoft 365 are not ideal, but it streamlines well with other Microsoft applications, therefore you feel obliged to work with what is offered so everything is seamlessly integrated.

Pros

The ability to sync and access files across devices.
Obviously the individual programs are fantastic. I use Excel and Word almost daily and can't imagine using a different option.

Cons

To be honest I haven't actually found anything that I actively didn't like yet.

Pros

365 provides a prebuilt landing page for all Microsoft users. While we primarily use SharePoint pages that have been customized per department, 365 provides each individual users with an easy to navigate home page.

Cons

While it provides great content, it is not very customizable. We make use of SharePoint to provide our staff with better suited working environments.

Pros

The ability to work from anywhere; on my PC at home, laptop away, PC at work, or cellphone, and my work will all be where I put it wherever I am next. I also have really come to appreciate the effortless way you can share documents with someone else and they will be updated in real time. It was always so hard to keep track of the latest versions when two or more people are working from the same document.

Cons

That I have to "Open in desktop" so many times to have the ability to do more within a document/spreadsheet. I also don't like the formatting difference between viewing something in desktop vs 365.

Pros

Everything about this suite of applications is great. Depending on what you are looking for the powerful apps can make life easy and productive with a cool collaboration and web/mobile versions.

Cons

Some options are hidden and not so easy to find/use and Outlook has lost some great features that it had previously.

Pros

When you switch to 365, you quickly get to learn that they are not individual products, but a family of products that intertwine with each other, and your data connect and flow seamlessly across. Not only do they integrate natively with other Microsoft products, but there are countless 3rd party integrations. Also, your data and functionality are available regardless of platform and in real-time.

On top of that, their support is top-notch notch from discovery to implementation to deployment to post-production help. They have a rich product roadmap that constantly provides new features along with fixes.

Cons

Because of the rich feature landscape, you can easily miss out on some very powerful tools and functionality unless you read documentation or get to learn from others. It's often not easy or impossible to bubble up the niche features and make them available for frequent use. Certain workflows can't be automated or made available through shortcuts.

Pros

I like that Microsoft 365 allows me the freedom to work from various devices. I believe this is the most powerful suite. I like the Outlook email as it simplifies access to multiple email addresses. Word and PowerPoint are my favorite. I use them easily and I was never trained for use either of them. I do believe the cost of Microsoft Office is reasonable for everything in the suite. I also like that there are intense security features. I love the cloud based storage and overall flexibility of Microsoft 365.

Cons

If Microsoft 365 and Google tools streamlined their processes to allow for smooth integration it would be even more valuable to me. I will be finishing my Doctorate next year. As such I have played with Teams because I will have team assignments. I do not find it to be user friendly. Although I like the flexibility of Outlook, it does not have the best notification process. The inability to install each application on it own is a bit inconvenient.

Pros

The best feature for us is the cloud integration as it offers secure storage for our documents and allows us to collaborate faster and better. The synchronization between the devices is very fast, almost instantly, ensuring uninterrupted workflows between us. Also Microsoft 365 apps are available on all devices, Windows, macOS, smartphones and even web-based.

Cons

Mobiles apps are not for productivity as is a little hard work on, they are only for viewing purpose only.

Pros

Microsoft 365 has helped me manage my work seamlessly over multiple different devices. I love that I can sign into a personal account as well as a business account in the same application.

Cons

Microsoft 365 updates are painful, however, the reason is understandable, I applaud Microsoft for upping their game in recent years and focusing on security risks.

Pros

I appreciate the ability to use this on any computer I may be on. I can see my files from anywhere edit them and save. The variety of features is also impressive, and it works seamlessly in Windows.

Cons

When transitioning on one device from the online to an installed version I had issue with finding my files. I may have done this incorrectly but should have been an easier transition

Pros

Microsoft 365 is in every aspect of our systems and has a comprehensive package of defensive technologies to keep us safe.

Cons

The licensing can be very complicated and sometimes the documentation from Microsoft does not keep up with their fast pace enviroment.

Pros

Hands down Microsoft 365 is THE BEST business productivity suite on the market. Incredible array of functionality and integrations that can be customized for literally any size business in any sector. The core products (Sharepoint, Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel) work seamlessly with an ever growing list of very useful add ons (Forms, Lists, Loop, etc.).

Cons

Because there is so much to the suite, it is hard to keep up with all the available offerings as new products have a learning curve period. Microsoft also rolls out a lot of updates, and sometimes they do something you don't like that can be hard to undo. But usually it is for the best eventually. Having a strong IT support team is critical for complex organizations.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft 365

Pros

We initially chose this as it was a cloud-based solution and it was the standard. We liked the compatibility with legacy files, the affordability, the storage, and the ease of working with the system.

Cons

It had some clunky elements and eventually, the products just didn't innovate enough.

Pros

From workflow integration to business and productivity suites, using Microsoft is absolutely seamless. Real-time selves of many services and the common access to cloud-based mail templates facilitate the work of the team on the email designs. The use of design advice by artificial intelligence, as well as the brand kit feature, helps make all communications uniform and employs less time in designing.

Cons

The email template designer can make use of better, more modern, and even fully responsive designs. The most problematic issue with using email templates is the absence of A/B testing options that are embedded directly into email clients.

Pros

Availability- wherever I am, I can do an install for a user without having to search for versions of installers

Cons

Service outages for online components like Exchange Online or OneDrive

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft 365

Pros

The seamless integration across all business platforms: email - calendar - document editing/handling - cloud storage.

Cons

The not-so-seamless integration on Apple devices.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft 365

Pros

The Microsoft Ecosystem has been in my life since Windows XP. I love that the main office suite of apps have remained consistent throughout all of these years, with incremental and easy to adapt changes made with each iteration.

Cons

The easiest way for me to collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and in Outlook has been to use the browser interface, which has been surprisingly great, despite its limited features. There are discrepancies between the features available in the browser version versus the Outlook app; for instance, there is no “duplicate” feature for calendar events in the app, but the option is available in the browser. I know there are some features in the Word and Excel app for Windows that are not available for macOS as well (including in the browser version of Microsoft 365).

I know there are some features in the Word and Excel app for WIndows that are not available for macOS as well (this includes the browser version of Microsoft 365). It would be really nice to be able to use Python in Excel on MacOS.

Integrating Microsoft 365 with plug-ins and extensions can be cumbersome. For example, while apps like Carepatron allow for some integration (only the Calendar is available in the app, whereas Google Calendar, Gmail, and Zoom — not Teams — can be connected), other tools like Notion (where the Notion Calendar syncs with Google Calendar but not with Outlook) highlight the limitations of Microsoft 365’s compatibility and ease of use.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft 365

Pros

Microsoft 365 makes your work/job a lot easier. I really like the new feature, CoPilot. You can wirte a report, presentation, or make a video in just a snap. It really saves time.

Cons

The new price, but it is understandable with the new features and benefits a user can experience.

Pros

I like how Microsoft 365 keeps everything in one place from Word, Excel, Teams and makes it easy to access and collaborate on documents from anywhere.

Cons

I find the occasional updates and changes to the interface a bit disruptive.

Pros

The entire package has everything you need to be successful in business and for the tasks that you need to complete, from administrative to project management to accounting, this gets the job done.

Cons

It can be costly to get licenses for this program or service but the benefits will ultimately outweigh with the cost. It produces better results than competitors.

Pros

Microsoft 365 contains the majority of the productivity apps that I need to use to complete my daily tasks. They allow me to stay organised and to collaborate with my colleagues.

Cons

I dislike that when I want to switch on an Out of Office message, I sometimes can't do it on my PC and need to do it on my mobile device. I also find it less than intuitive to set up Sharepoint sites for file sharing with colleagues. Once set up they work well but they're difficult to set up initially.

Pros

The accessibility and reliability of this product. Also the ease of use for users that are familiar with MS Office suite

Cons

The constant service interruptions for various parts of the suite

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft 365

Pros

Word Outlook Windows defender the way it connects all my devices with Windows 10 and 11 antivirus Bing is ok Microsoft 365 is the bomb

Cons

I don't know if bing is part of it I like it the least sorry

Pros

Everything is very streamlined. If you have ever had basic fundamental knowledge of using any type of software like it (i.e. Word, Excel, or something akin to it) you can easily work through and make a quality document. Much more so than the competitors produced by google and apple

Cons

Sometimes, it will get in it's own way with formatting. Especially with powerpoint and word

Pros

As the title infers, the file storage is fantastic. I used to store files on Dropbox, and while I maintain an account, I don't use it much. Now, I'm more of a fan of Microsoft 365.

Cons

It does cost some money to retain a substantial amount of storage (which totally makes business sense). And I personally do like other software for graphic design (Canva). But it's still a worthwhile software to be sure, and very good for businesses.

Pros

Great overall for productivity and to allow users to get things done and organized.

Cons

Updates can be cumbersome and at times seem to make things worse.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing Microsoft 365

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to Microsoft 365

Pros

All of the apps can be instilled together or separately.

Cons

Outlook email is difficult to navigate often times.

Pros

It is obvious that most suites such as Microsoft 365 are so expensive but with this one we only pay per user and for only what we are using instead of paying thousands for the entire software version. Microsoft 365 gives me the convenience and flexibility of working from anywhere as long as I have internet connectivity. I access my email, files , Word and Excel from any device. We are no longer tied up to our office space and desks. We start in touch as a team via Ms teams, file sharing , video calls and chats which enable us collaborate productively. Microsoft 365 has impressive security and backup features that eliminates the risk of losing documents, enable us to share files securely , detect breaches and prevent unauthorized access of data

Cons

In as much as Microsoft 365 delivers exemplary functionality there is still a room for improvement in it's integration with other tools. It only integrates beautiful with Microsoft products whereas with the other tools it is messy and cumbersome

Pros

Flexibility, online access to Suite of applications such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint.

Cons

For the most part, the support team is helpful, however I've had a few times that it was difficult to understand the technician who had a strong accent.

Pros

I have been using Microsoft 365 for the past 5 or so years. It's a great program that includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and so many more. I like that I'm not required to download each program within 365 on my PC. If you're low on storage space, this is exactly what you need. As long as you have an internet browser, you can access everything Microsoft 365 provides. I also like that you can download 365 on multiple PCs with one account. If you use multiple devices, you don't have to buy a subscription for each one. Microsoft 365 also automatically saves your work in case you lose power or the internet. You can easily start a project on one device and pick right up on another. I like the ability to share your work and allow others to make changes or add to your project. This is great for teachers. If a student is working on an assignment, the teacher can view what they are working on and give them comments in real-time.

Cons

I have been using Microsoft 365 for a few years now and I have never had any problems. Everything has worked flawlessly.

Pros

There are a multitude of things I like about this program. Mostly because it is always up to date and I'm able to share documents with coworkers or clients easily.

Cons

Since I have worked with many different clients and companies, it's a little cumbersome to switch accounts, especially the main account.

Pros

I like how Microsoft 365 has the OneNote feature. I use this a lot at work, as well as in school, to share notes, as well as view them from others. I really like how organized the program is, where the tabs available can be used to adjust the different windows/pages.

Cons

I don't like that there is a small delay on the program, where if someone types something and I am viewing it, it takes some time for it to load completely. However, it eventually does load, so that's not a very big issue.

Pros

I love the collaboration of the microsoft product suite. Sharing documents online with the team and all working off the same version and editing it live is so much better than everyone working off different local documents.
We use the whole suite, from Teams, sharepoint, OneDrive. It simplifies the experience and makes it very easy within the business to manage.

Cons

The Teams product is very buggy in my opinion. We have had so many experiences in the business of peoples computers crashing or not being able to perform well when using Teams. Which compared to Slack and Hipchat before that from a chat tool perspective is crazy.