Available to most UK-registered charities for free or at discounted prices, Office 365 blends commonly-used programs – think Word, Excel and Outlook – with modern apps that improve team collaboration, whether in the office or on-the-go.

Here are six reasons why we think a move to Office 365 will allow you to spend more time on your core mission, save money and boost your impact:

1. Build on Existing Knowledge

The foundations of Office 365 are programs you already know well and use everyday, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Office 365 is simply the Cloud-based version to the on-premise Microsoft Office we have all been using for years. Your familiarity with the basic programs will free up the headspace to spend time learning its exciting new features.

2. Save Money

Through Tech Trust, Microsoft distributes donated and discounted Office 365 licenses to eligible UK-registered charities. This can be supported by donated versions of desktop Microsoft Office so everyone can also work offline if needed.

Not only saving money on the package itself, a move to the Cloud will reduce the amount you need to spend on maintaining an internal Exchange server. Instant access to the latest program versions cuts the cost of periodically updating your system. If you want to upgrade to paid-for features, these are often available at discounted prices whilst you can pay by monthly subscription which can reduce pressure on your cash flow.

3. Work Anywhere

Arguably the biggest advantage, Office 365 allows your team members to work from anywhere and on any device – all you need is an internet connection and you will have all of your files and communications to hand.

You can also work offline so if you do not have an internet connection – your changes will be uploaded automatically once you reconnect.

4. Work Securely

Office 365 backs your work with several comprehensive security features that help keep your organisation’s emails, documents and data safe. Whilst an in-house server behind a locked door may feel instinctively more secure, Office 365 is more responsive to threats and real-time updates keep you protected without any need to update manually.

5. Communicate Effectively

Building upon Outlook as the foundational communication tool, additional next-generation apps Microsoft Teams and Skype combine emails, instant messaging and video conferencing to make them accessible from a single interface.

Yammer – Microsoft’s in-house social media app – is a time-effective solution to internal communications – keeping all teams up to date on projects and organisational news, regardless of time zone and work hours.

6. Collaborate Easily

OneDrive and SharePoint allow the team to access and work on the same file – avoiding sending heavy attachments via email and the confusing creation of multiple versions.

With some plans, co-authoring is also available which facilitates real-time collaboration. Historical versions are available for comparison and in case of error so you needn’t worry about saving multiple copies ‘just-in-case’.

With Office 365, you can share a password-protected project portal to team members whether they work for your organisation or not. The collaboration tools above simplify working with external partners, whether on project implementation or a joint fundraising bid.

Ready to make the change?

We will assess your existing capacity, help you choose the best Office 365 plan for your organisation and prepare your teams for a smooth transition.  Ready to accomplish more for less, boost your impact and reach more people? Let’s chat.