Microsoft Office is used by 1.5 Billion people making it one of the most popular software suites in the world. Businesses nowadays rely on the suite’s tools to communicate, create/save documents as well as balance their books. But there’s a lot more to Office than you realize, particularly since the release of Office 365. If you are interested or you would like to find out more about Office 365 continue reading and see below a list of the most frequently asked questions.
1) What is Office 365?
.Office 365 is a cloud-based, subscription model version of Microsoft Office. Office 365 still contains the same core applications as traditional versions of Office, these include: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and depending on the plan purchased, may also give you use of other apps and services such as Publisher, Planner, OneDrive, Exchange, SharePoint, Access, Skype, Yammer, and Microsoft Teams.
There are a number of different packages available when licensing Office 365, these versions can be used for the following:
-Personel use
-Multi-user household
-Students
-Businesses
-Non Profit organisations
-Education institutions
Lets not forget Office online which includes online- and mobile -only versions that provide users access to feature-limited versions of Office apps for free.
2)How is Office 365 different from previous versions of Office?
Office 365 is a subscription-based service, meaning rather than buying a copy of the suite outright for a one-time, up-front cost, users instead pay a monthly subscription fee to access the service at a level of their choosing. This allows users access to the latest versions of office 365 as microsoft updates the platform on their end making this suite both fast and very efficient.
Another reason why office 365 is different to that of previous versions is the fact that it is designed to be used online, meaning all applications, services and data generated by Office 365 are hosted on microsoft servers.
Office 365 comes with mail hosting and cloud storage space so users can host their files online and have access to them anywhere at any time, all they require is a suitable device that connects to the internet.
3)Who uses Office 365 for Business and why?
The core applications of Office 365 still provide businesses with the basic tools they need to perform everyday tasks such as managing data, creating documents and communicating information. Office has evolved into a suite of intelligent tools that allow organizations/businesses to be more productive and efficient when using this platform. With the various plan options available on Office, companies of all sizes can get access to these tools instantly.
Services such as Outlook can provide a professional-looking platform through which businesses can build brand recognition, create brand awareness and market their services. Outlook’s extensive calendaring features can also help organizations better collaborate and manage their time.
All Office applications and services are connected, both to each other and to the web, facilitating and improving teamwork, saving employees time and enabling them to work better together through tools such as team chat, online meetings, co-authoring, sharing files and group emails. Office also allows organizations to work from anywhere with secure access to conversations, chats, emails, tasks and schedules making the business run smoothly and efficiently no matter where you are.
4)How can Office 365 help businesses grow?
The Office 365 suite makes performing tasks like finding information, sharing documents, communicating with colleagues and processing data much faster and a lot more straightforward. This ultimately reduces time spent on administrative duties/tasks allowing the business more time to innovate, create and move forward instead of back.
Apps recently added to Office 365 furnish business users with even more essential tools to help them grow, including:
– Microsoft Connections, a basic email marketing tool and customer engagement platform.
– Microsoft Invoicing, an app used to generate and send professional invoices to customers and accept payments on the go.
– Microsoft Listings, a tool used to assist organisations in order to manage their business information/data on platforms like Facebook, Google, Bing and Yelp.
– Outlook Customer Management, a simple customer management add-on for businesses who don’t require a full-blown CRM system.
– MileIQ, a mileage logging platform that automatically classifies and submits business travel.
– Microsoft Bookings, which allows users to manage customer appointments and schedules.
– Business center, a central access point for all office 365 business app, through which users can track metrics such as invoices, email subscriptions and bookings.
5)What is Microsoft SharePoint?
SharePoint is a web-based collaborative platform that integrates with Microsoft Office. Many Office 365 plans include SharePoint Online, a cloud-based service, hosted by Microsoft, for businesses of all sizes. This platform allows employees the ability to create sites to share documents and information with colleagues, partners, and customers.
SharePoint allows users to:
– Keep teams/colleagues up to date by using document libraries, tasks and calendars.
– Create, manage and share documents with colleagues.
– Ability to share news, documents, events and updates related to the business.
– Protect important data and content
– Download and have access to documents off-line.
– Communicate with colleagues in real time within the Sharepoint Online Interface.
6)What is OneDrive?
OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud-based file storage service, where all files, documents, images, videos and music are stored for Office 365 users. OneDrive also allows files to be synced across desktops, browsers, and mobile devices provided they have internet.
7)What is Skype for Business?
Skype for Business is a version of the popular chat and conferencing service designed specifically for commercial use. Organizations can access all the telecommunications tools they might need on a daily basis, including send instant messages between colleagues, utilize video conferencing features, record conversations, share screens, give presentations and hold meetings making this tool both effective and productive in the business world.
8) What is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft teams is a chat-based collaboration product, its main function is to facilitate teamwork and promote productivity, with three key areas of functionality such as: chat, project management and extensive integration with Office 365.
This tool brings together the chat capabilities of Skype for Business, along with collaboration tools like document sharing, useful AI-powered features such as chatbots and online project management tools.
9) What is Yammer?
Yammer is a social network used by employees to communicate and connect. It creates space to communicate across different departments within the business in the forms of engagements, news, messaging and announcements. This platform is designed to be a fast and intimate sharing tool, making it easy to collaborate with project teams.
10) What is Microsoft Exchange?
Microsoft Exchange is Microsoft’s email server solution. Everything that happens in outlook including incoming and outgoing mail, tasks, contacts, calendars ect are all stored on the Exchange server. Microsoft Exchange allows organizations to create their own, independent mail system.
11) What plans are available for Office 365 for Business?
There are currently two licensing models for business users wanting to implement Office 365. Companies with less than 300 users can opt for one of three Office 365 for Business plans and for larger companies, there are four Office 365 for Enterprise plans, all of which support unlimited users. License types can be mixed to suit the needs of the business.
Below displays all of Office 365 business plans for both SMB;s and Enterprises:
Office 365 for business pricing plans for SMB’s and Enterprises:
| Office 365 Business Essentials | Office 365 Business | Office 365 Business Premium |
| Apps included | Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint | Desktop versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access, and Publisher
Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint | Desktop versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access, and Publisher
Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint |
| Services included | Exchange
SharePoint
Skype for Business
Microsoft Teams
1TB of OneDrive file storage and sharing
Microsoft Planner
24/7 phone and web support | 1TB of OneDrive file storage and sharing
24/7 phone and web support | Exchange
SharePoint
Skype for Business
Microsoft Teams
Email Hosting
1TB of OneDrive file storage and sharing
Microsoft Planner
Microsoft StaffHub
Microsoft Connections
Microsoft Listings
Outlook Customer Manager
Microsoft Invoicing
Microsoft Bookings
MileIQ
Business center
24/7 phone and web support |
| Email hosting | 50 GB mailbox and custom email domain address | None | 50 GB mailbox and custom email domain address |
| Device licensing | Services for use on 5 phones and 5 tablets only | Office apps and services on 5 phones, 5 tablets, and 5 PCs or Macs per user | Office apps and services on 5 phones, 5 tablets, and 5 PCs or Macs per user |
Office 365 for Business pricing plans for enterprise
| Office 365: ProPlus | Office 365: Enterprise E1 | Office 365: Enterprise E3 | Office 365: Enterprise E5 |
| Apps included | Desktop versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access and Publisher
Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint | Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint | Desktop versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access and Publisher
Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint | Desktop versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access and Publisher
Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint |
| Services included | 1TB of OneDrive file storage and sharing
24/7 phone and web support | Exchange
SharePoint
Skype for Business
Microsoft Teams
Yammer
Microsoft StaffHub
Microsoft Planner
1TB of OneDrive file storage and sharing
24/7 phone and web support | Exchange
SharePoint
Skype for Business
Microsoft Teams
Yammer
Microsoft StaffHub
Microsoft Planner
Unlimited personal cloud storage
24/7 phone and web support | Exchange
SharePoint
Skype for Business
Microsoft Teams
Yammer
Power BI Pro
Microsoft StaffHub
Microsoft Planner
Office 365 Cloud App Security
Advanced Data Governance
Customer Lockbox
Exchange Online Advanced Threat Protection
Unlimited personal cloud storage
24/7 phone and web support |
| Email hosting | None | 50 GB mailbox and custom email domain address | 100 GB mailbox and custom email domain address | 100 GB mailbox and custom email domain address |
| Device licensing | Office apps and services on 5 phones, 5 tablets, and 5 PCs or Macs per user | Office apps and services on 5 phones, 5 tablets, and 5 PCs or Macs per user | Office apps and services on 5 phones, 5 tablets, and 5 PCs or Macs per user | Office apps and services on 5 phones, 5 tablets, and 5 PCs or Macs per user |
12) Can Office 365 be used with previous versions of Office?
Many existing Office customers who currently run a perpetually licensed, on-premise version of Office can use Office 365 and enjoy all the features that cloud connectivity brings with it. Office 365 works best with Office 2016.
13) Is Office 365 secure?
Office 365 is a cloud-hosted platform, many new and prospective customers will have questions about security and privacy. A company’s data is its most valuable asset, and as we’ve seen in numerous high-profile data breach cases in recent years, the consequences of failing to adequately secure business data are severe.
Office 365 data is held in Microsoft’s global data centers, where dedicated threat management teams actively anticipate, prevent, and mitigate malicious access 24/7; a level of security that virtually no company can operate in-house.
14) What Admin Centers exist for Office 365?
There is now one single admin center for Office 365, known as the Microsoft 365 admin center. All Office 365 customers will use this admin center, whether they license Office 365 as part of a Microsoft 365 plan or not.
Changing to Grow – Growing to Change
blogWe believe in growing to change!
Besides the obvious reasons (which many are not even aware of), we moved from a CC (Close Corporation) to a Pty (LTD) (Proprietary Limited).
For many, this may seem like a mundane and generally obvious move, but it was quite a monumental growth move for us.
While the benefits of moving from CC to Pty (LTD) were good – the growing to change benefits were:
Okay, so now we have given you a brief lesson on why moving over to a Pty (LTD) is a good idea for factual reasons alone; here is why it has been a more significant growth factor outside of that.
Why we moved over to a Pty (LTD)
For us, it speaks volumes about our growth and willingness to change, even after almost two decades in business. It is very easy to get stuck in one’s ways. To do just what you did last year and the year before that because it worked. That cliché? “Don’t fix what ain’t broken”. Well, nothing was broken here at Complete IT Business Solutions, but it certainly needed a little maintenance and revamping.
Our growth potential has increased phenomenally. We have more options. We are more attractive to possible investors, suppliers, and of course, to our customers.
This business format’s structure has proven an eyeopener for us. We do feel more in control, ready to take on more challenges, larger clients, and bigger projects.
A simple and progressive move? Yes! A growth and change-ready mindset? Most definitely!
For more about what we are about and what services we offer, do reach out to us by heading on over to our about and services pages or simply giving us a call on +27 21 556 3524.
We look forward to welcoming you into the Complete IT Business Solutions family.
Cyber Security and User Awareness
blogA client-centric approach to business pays off
blogPutting your client or customer first seems like a no-brainer, and there is no doubt that it is a key to business success. One of the main advantages of a client-centric business approach is that it builds lifetime value and client loyalty. And this in return, will improve business growth.
So, what exactly is a client-focused way of doing business? It provides a positive experience for the client before and after the sale/service has happened in order to create repeat businesses and boost client loyalty.
Our client-centric best practices
Often it is easy to see if a business is client-centric in areas like marketing, customer service, and product development. Let’s take a look at examples of how Complete IT Business Solutions runs a client-focused business:
Needs
We focus our product and service development on meeting our clients’ needs. We don’t necessarily believe our clients should look at updating their products and services or improving on things that are working well.
Preferences
We listen to our clients and take note of what they are happy with and what they want to improve on. With this in mind we are able to configure products and services to their liking – from processes to user interfaces.
It is becoming more and more challenging to acquire new clients, so we believe it makes the most sense to invest in our existing clients. By being client-centric, we understand why clients stay, and what makes them leave. This knowledge will help our business to keep growing and unlock the potential of customer value.
The Complete IT Business Solutions’ foundational vision
The foundation of Complete IT Business Solutions’ vision is a client-focused business approach. We strive to remain highly competitive in the information technology sector by forging collaborative relationships with our clients and suppliers. With our innovative mindsets, we aim to offer value beyond the required bottom line.
If you feel frustrated or perhaps don’t understand your IT infrastructure, Complete IT Business Solutions offer a client-centric approach. Instead of providing a one-size-fits-all solution, we create solutions that fit your unique needs and requirements.
We continuously use a logic-based and structured process. We take the time to understand why we are doing something, as we know that this builds trust with our clients.
For a free systems audit, give our team a call on 021 556 3524 or visit our website for more information.
Email Us or phone on +27 21 556 3524.
And, please do follow us as well as keep up to date with other news.
Why a Holistic IT Solution is Best
blogBeing a business owner in these trying times can be stressful. Not only do you need to ensure your company has what it takes to succeed, but you need to be inventive and forward-thinking. Enough to manage global pandemics now too. A holistic IT solution is required.
A Holistic IT Solution
One business methodology that is very popular at the moment is having a ‘holistic business approach’. Basically, this means that one must consider the entire business in all its processes and policies. It’s easy to only focus on one specific component at a time. A holistic approach is one way to make sure your company is running at its full potential. So, by focusing on all areas of your business, you will have a strong company. Rather than having strong areas within your business. Makes sense, right?
This is how Complete IT Business Solutions practices. At the core, what we offer is IT support to all major centres nationally. How we do it is interesting. When we go into a discovery consultation with a new client, we look at the business holistically. Because, as business owners ourselves, we also ‘get’ business.
Our owner, Anthony Lai Lam, says, “Our holistic business approach and relationship-building makes our business unique. We are open-minded and have a strong understanding of business, always looking to create the ideal environment for our clients.”
Having an understanding of the entire business and how it operates is what guides Complete IT Business Solutions in coming up with the best holistic IT solution for each company we work for. It just doesn’t make sense to consider only one portion of a whole. “We often discuss and work through business problems with our clients. This allows us to be able to create IT business solutions together.”
Another aspect to Complete IT Business Solutions’ business strategy is developing and helping people reach their potential. Why this is so beneficial is that it produces a knowledgeable and productive team. And, the end product of such a well-developed team is that they are good at creating holistic IT solutions. They can see the whole and the bigger picture.
How can we help you?
If you are feeling frustrated or perhaps don’t understand your IT infrastructure, Complete IT Business Solutions can help. We are good at sorting out the mess, and we always charge for precisely what is due. A continuously logic-based and structured process is what we believe everything business needs. A business has a start, middle and end. We take the time to understand why we are doing something, as this builds trust.
To engage and find out how our holistic IT solution can benefit your business, please reach out to us today.
Email Us or phone on +27 21 556 3524.
And, please do follow us.
Cyber Alert: COVID-19 phishing scams
blogThe COVID-19 pandemic has had such far-reaching effects that fraudsters are stepping in and taking advantage. How? Cyber-attacks come in many packages from phishing scams and fraudulent products to insolvency fraud and misappropriation of assets. The demand for PPE has created a perfect environment for cybercriminals to develop fraud schemes. And, South Africa has seen plenty of cyber-attacks recently.
Currently, with the way businesses are operating – with staff working from home – many employees are more susceptible to fraud such as phishing scams, vishing, and zoombombing. Many companies have had to attend to quick internal changes for their business to cater to remote working. In their haste, they may have underestimated the importance of IT security tools or how remote working limits these.
Phishing Scams
Email phishing scams are carried out online by tech-savvy fraudsters and identity theft criminals. What they do is use fake websites that look identical to real websites and emails. In this way, they trick employees into divulging sensitive information. And then what? Well, it’s not just about stealing your money, they can also use your information to create fake accounts in your name, ruin your credit, and steal your identity.
South Africa’s Latest PPE Procurement Scam
The most recent phishing scam has been tricking companies that supply PPE goods and services to government. In this case, it was face masks. National Treasury has put out a notice warning suppliers of the phishing scam. The scam came in the form of receiving a fake Request For Quotations requesting provision of face masks, disposable aprons, safety goggles, PVC books, gloves, and sanitisers. With a very scary twist, when one goes to search for the specific item in question (and, often the RFQ is for a very specific PPE), you are taken to a website which has an amazing special on that item. So, it stands to reason that these phishers have researched thoroughly on this particular scam.
It’s important to remember that the onus remains with suppliers to ensure the RFQs are legitimate and need to verify their validity themselves. Fraudsters are using departmental letterheads to send out fake tenders to companies and requests to supply equipment and goods.
The National Department of Health has alerted the relevant law enforcement authorities to investigate the scam. If you suspect that you are a victim of a scam urgently contact the police and the NDoH.
How to Identify a Phishing Scam
Phishers often look legitimate – with their website looking real and their message seemingly genuine. Here are some tips for identifying a scam:
How can we help you?
At Complete IT Business Solutions, we offer a system audit and can set your business up with top IT security tools, antivirus software protection, firewall, and anti-spyware protection to ensure you avoid cybercriminals and threats to your business. Let us worry about the technical part, while you focus on the critical things.
For a free system audit, reach out to us here –
Email us or phone on +27 21 556 3524.
And, please do follow us.
5 Advantages of Reliable Tech Support
blogReliable tech support should be a given.
1) Increases Communication
Communication is a very important part of any business because businesses thrive on relationships. Employees in SMEs often communicate with clients or among themselves using computers 70% of the time. A professional tech support team can help you to improve communications to increase productivity for the business.
2) Optimizing, and Repairing
Having a tech support team means that the company will be up and running faster should you experience a network or computer crash. Troubleshooting also doesn’t mean just fixing and repairing. A really good IT support company can optimize computer hardware and systems so everything runs faster and more efficiently, they also can recommend the best anti-virus programs to protect the company’s vital business data including documents, emails etc.
3) New and improved IT solutions
Tech support stays up-to-date on the newest software and hardware available. If your company is losing some productivity due to the inefficiency of computer programs, hardware or your network, tech support can help. They will also be able to introduce the latest and newest types of technologies.
4) 24-hour monitoring with reliable tech support
A great advantage of using a good tech support company is they should have network monitoring systems to detect any network issues or downtime. Having a tech support company watching your back can help your business. Early detection of network problems can ensure that the issues are resolved quickly. This is extremely vital for businesses trying to get across important documents to clients, employees etc.
5) IT is Becoming More Complex
Information technology is rapidly becoming more complex, and the ability of SME’s just to keep up is becoming more difficult. Applications, databases and software are transforming the face of business IT and SME’s aren’t always equipped to keep up with constant changes.
There are many advantages to having reliable tech support. If you want to increase the productivity of your business, get in touch with your local computer support company and look at what options they have to offer, including monthly IT support contracts.
Keep up to date with our news and follow up on social.
Five common IT problems and how to resolve them
blog1) I’m unable to log in?
This is easily fixed – Make sure you haven’t overlooked anything such as Caps Lock , Grammar and spelling when entering your login details/password.
Another reason is your password may have expired, or your account may have been locked due to too many unsuccessful login attempts if this occurs try and reset your password.
2) The Blue screen of death!
Simply rebooting can fix the blue screen of death. This problem is usually related to hardware or a driver that is not working correctly. It usually happens after you install a new piece of hardware or update some drivers, or if there are pending updates that you haven’t installed.
It’s helpful to tell your IT support company what you did just before the error occurred, they will be able to assist and diagnose the problem.
3) Computer does not recognise a USB device?
First things to check are:
1) Does the device work in a different USB port on the computer?
2) Are other devices recognised in that port?
3) Does the device work on another computer?
If you have tried these troubleshooting methods and still no luck, then your IT support company can proceed with some more in-depth troubleshooting.
4)Your computer just shuts down unexpectedly?
This could be related to overheating. Check your computer for dust, and make sure it is in a cool and ventilated place. If this is not the issue, then it is likely that your hardware could be failing or it could be virus problem. Disconnect the PC from any networks and call your IT Support experts, they will be able to assist you in fixing the problem.
5)Your internet is really slow
If you’re connecting wirelessly, then the location may be the problem. The signal is not necessarily strong in all corners of the building. Try rebooting your network router and you can also run a speed test at www.speedtest.net. If the speed is significantly slower than what you are paying for, then call your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to troubleshoot with them. If the speed test is good but your webpages are running very slow, you could have some malware or viruses affecting your internet speed.
Try running an antivirus scan on your computer. If this doesn’t resolve the problem then call your IT support company.
Everything you ever wanted to know about Office 365
blogMicrosoft Office is used by 1.5 Billion people making it one of the most popular software suites in the world. Businesses nowadays rely on the suite’s tools to communicate, create/save documents as well as balance their books. But there’s a lot more to Office than you realize, particularly since the release of Office 365. If you are interested or you would like to find out more about Office 365 continue reading and see below a list of the most frequently asked questions.
1) What is Office 365?
.Office 365 is a cloud-based, subscription model version of Microsoft Office. Office 365 still contains the same core applications as traditional versions of Office, these include: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and depending on the plan purchased, may also give you use of other apps and services such as Publisher, Planner, OneDrive, Exchange, SharePoint, Access, Skype, Yammer, and Microsoft Teams.
There are a number of different packages available when licensing Office 365, these versions can be used for the following:
-Personel use
-Multi-user household
-Students
-Businesses
-Non Profit organisations
-Education institutions
Lets not forget Office online which includes online- and mobile -only versions that provide users access to feature-limited versions of Office apps for free.
2)How is Office 365 different from previous versions of Office?
Office 365 is a subscription-based service, meaning rather than buying a copy of the suite outright for a one-time, up-front cost, users instead pay a monthly subscription fee to access the service at a level of their choosing. This allows users access to the latest versions of office 365 as microsoft updates the platform on their end making this suite both fast and very efficient.
Another reason why office 365 is different to that of previous versions is the fact that it is designed to be used online, meaning all applications, services and data generated by Office 365 are hosted on microsoft servers.
Office 365 comes with mail hosting and cloud storage space so users can host their files online and have access to them anywhere at any time, all they require is a suitable device that connects to the internet.
3)Who uses Office 365 for Business and why?
The core applications of Office 365 still provide businesses with the basic tools they need to perform everyday tasks such as managing data, creating documents and communicating information. Office has evolved into a suite of intelligent tools that allow organizations/businesses to be more productive and efficient when using this platform. With the various plan options available on Office, companies of all sizes can get access to these tools instantly.
Services such as Outlook can provide a professional-looking platform through which businesses can build brand recognition, create brand awareness and market their services. Outlook’s extensive calendaring features can also help organizations better collaborate and manage their time.
All Office applications and services are connected, both to each other and to the web, facilitating and improving teamwork, saving employees time and enabling them to work better together through tools such as team chat, online meetings, co-authoring, sharing files and group emails. Office also allows organizations to work from anywhere with secure access to conversations, chats, emails, tasks and schedules making the business run smoothly and efficiently no matter where you are.
4)How can Office 365 help businesses grow?
The Office 365 suite makes performing tasks like finding information, sharing documents, communicating with colleagues and processing data much faster and a lot more straightforward. This ultimately reduces time spent on administrative duties/tasks allowing the business more time to innovate, create and move forward instead of back.
Apps recently added to Office 365 furnish business users with even more essential tools to help them grow, including:
– Microsoft Connections, a basic email marketing tool and customer engagement platform.
– Microsoft Invoicing, an app used to generate and send professional invoices to customers and accept payments on the go.
– Microsoft Listings, a tool used to assist organisations in order to manage their business information/data on platforms like Facebook, Google, Bing and Yelp.
– Outlook Customer Management, a simple customer management add-on for businesses who don’t require a full-blown CRM system.
– MileIQ, a mileage logging platform that automatically classifies and submits business travel.
– Microsoft Bookings, which allows users to manage customer appointments and schedules.
– Business center, a central access point for all office 365 business app, through which users can track metrics such as invoices, email subscriptions and bookings.
5)What is Microsoft SharePoint?
SharePoint is a web-based collaborative platform that integrates with Microsoft Office. Many Office 365 plans include SharePoint Online, a cloud-based service, hosted by Microsoft, for businesses of all sizes. This platform allows employees the ability to create sites to share documents and information with colleagues, partners, and customers.
SharePoint allows users to:
– Keep teams/colleagues up to date by using document libraries, tasks and calendars.
– Create, manage and share documents with colleagues.
– Ability to share news, documents, events and updates related to the business.
– Protect important data and content
– Download and have access to documents off-line.
– Communicate with colleagues in real time within the Sharepoint Online Interface.
6)What is OneDrive?
OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud-based file storage service, where all files, documents, images, videos and music are stored for Office 365 users. OneDrive also allows files to be synced across desktops, browsers, and mobile devices provided they have internet.
7)What is Skype for Business?
Skype for Business is a version of the popular chat and conferencing service designed specifically for commercial use. Organizations can access all the telecommunications tools they might need on a daily basis, including send instant messages between colleagues, utilize video conferencing features, record conversations, share screens, give presentations and hold meetings making this tool both effective and productive in the business world.
8) What is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft teams is a chat-based collaboration product, its main function is to facilitate teamwork and promote productivity, with three key areas of functionality such as: chat, project management and extensive integration with Office 365.
This tool brings together the chat capabilities of Skype for Business, along with collaboration tools like document sharing, useful AI-powered features such as chatbots and online project management tools.
9) What is Yammer?
Yammer is a social network used by employees to communicate and connect. It creates space to communicate across different departments within the business in the forms of engagements, news, messaging and announcements. This platform is designed to be a fast and intimate sharing tool, making it easy to collaborate with project teams.
10) What is Microsoft Exchange?
Microsoft Exchange is Microsoft’s email server solution. Everything that happens in outlook including incoming and outgoing mail, tasks, contacts, calendars ect are all stored on the Exchange server. Microsoft Exchange allows organizations to create their own, independent mail system.
11) What plans are available for Office 365 for Business?
There are currently two licensing models for business users wanting to implement Office 365. Companies with less than 300 users can opt for one of three Office 365 for Business plans and for larger companies, there are four Office 365 for Enterprise plans, all of which support unlimited users. License types can be mixed to suit the needs of the business.
Below displays all of Office 365 business plans for both SMB;s and Enterprises:
Office 365 for business pricing plans for SMB’s and Enterprises:
Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
SharePoint
Skype for Business
Microsoft Teams
1TB of OneDrive file storage and sharing
Microsoft Planner
24/7 phone and web support
24/7 phone and web support
SharePoint
Skype for Business
Microsoft Teams
Email Hosting
1TB of OneDrive file storage and sharing
Microsoft Planner
Microsoft StaffHub
Microsoft Connections
Microsoft Listings
Outlook Customer Manager
Microsoft Invoicing
Microsoft Bookings
MileIQ
Business center
24/7 phone and web support
Office 365 for Business pricing plans for enterprise
Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
24/7 phone and web support
SharePoint
Skype for Business
Microsoft Teams
Yammer
Microsoft StaffHub
Microsoft Planner
1TB of OneDrive file storage and sharing
24/7 phone and web support
SharePoint
Skype for Business
Microsoft Teams
Yammer
Microsoft StaffHub
Microsoft Planner
Unlimited personal cloud storage
24/7 phone and web support
SharePoint
Skype for Business
Microsoft Teams
Yammer
Power BI Pro
Microsoft StaffHub
Microsoft Planner
Office 365 Cloud App Security
Advanced Data Governance
Customer Lockbox
Exchange Online Advanced Threat Protection
Unlimited personal cloud storage
24/7 phone and web support
12) Can Office 365 be used with previous versions of Office?
Many existing Office customers who currently run a perpetually licensed, on-premise version of Office can use Office 365 and enjoy all the features that cloud connectivity brings with it. Office 365 works best with Office 2016.
13) Is Office 365 secure?
Office 365 is a cloud-hosted platform, many new and prospective customers will have questions about security and privacy. A company’s data is its most valuable asset, and as we’ve seen in numerous high-profile data breach cases in recent years, the consequences of failing to adequately secure business data are severe.
Office 365 data is held in Microsoft’s global data centers, where dedicated threat management teams actively anticipate, prevent, and mitigate malicious access 24/7; a level of security that virtually no company can operate in-house.
14) What Admin Centers exist for Office 365?
There is now one single admin center for Office 365, known as the Microsoft 365 admin center. All Office 365 customers will use this admin center, whether they license Office 365 as part of a Microsoft 365 plan or not.
Email Backups – Never Lose An Email Again
blogLosing important documents can be stressful, overwhelming, time-consuming and extremely frustrating! – but how prepared are you for what comes next?
According to research, a laptop is stolen every 53 seconds so a little forward thinking never hurts anybody. Backing up your data is like an insurance policy. We hope we don’t ever need it but we are glad its there just in case. Thankfully backing up data is easier and a lot less time consuming than it used to be especially with our email protection solution.
Email communications play a vital role in your business, we all have the fear of losing important documents, attachments due to laptops crashing or being stolen. This, however, can be avoided, our email solutions allow you to manage on all devices (Laptops, Smart-phones, and Tablets) making it easy to access your contacts, emails and calendar events wherever you may be. It is a quick and reliable way to stay on top of things with regards to setting up meetings with clients and colleagues in the future. Our email protection solution guarantees that you will always have a copy of important files, documents, emails, and attachments making your life a whole lot simpler instead of having to go through all the time-consuming processes.
Office 365 is much more than just a software product- it’s an integrated experience of applications and services and encompasses everything from Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint Outlook to OneNote and OneDrive.
Unsure about using Office 365? If you haven’t made up your mind yet, here are 5 Benefits of Office 365:
Work Anywhere and Everywhere
Working remotely means more flexibility, agility. It means the possibility to access productive tools and familiar applications no matter where you are or what device you are using.
Always Up and Running Service
With Office 365, you’ll keep up and running, no matter what happens. All your valued data is sent to the cloud, meaning all your business documents, applications and emails will always be readily available.
World-Class Security
Our built-in security system lets you control who has access to your data at any time. You’ll also be able to pinpoint data whenever and have the ability to clear all your data if you lose your phone or any one of your other devices.
Increase Productivity
Office 365 makes work easier to manage and more streamlined. Emails, calendars and contacts are all synchronized to work together across all devices. Whether you are updating your calendar on your mobile phone or sending important emails from your laptop, the data will be captured and stored automatically resulting in increased time management and efficient collaboration.
Fast and Affordable
The bonus of Office 365 is that it contains no upfront costs but rather a flexible monthly billing process that can fit with your monthly budget making this extremely beneficial for smaller businesses starting out. You’re not bound into a fixed contract and this allows you to increase or decrease the number of users to suit your business needs and requirements.
What are you waiting for?
Will you continue to use outdated technology and sit back and watch the world go by? Or will you jump on the bandwagon, and move with a more efficient, effective time?
Ready to ramp up your productivity but don’t know how to go about implementing Office 365? Don’t worry. We have a team of experienced IT Geeks here to help you. Contact Complete IT Services today. Click here to contact us now.
7 common computer problems with solutions
blogWe all go through similar struggles when it comes to computers, so we’ve compiled a list of 7 common problems and their solutions. Some issues can be fixed without having to call your computer support company, if you know what to do, of course.
Before you do anything drastic like throw your computer against the wall in hopes of the problem being resolved, try figuring out if it’s a hardware or a software problem.
Hardware problems:
Hardware in computer terms refers to the actual device, such as your hard drive, laptop or any of the peripherals, like the keyboard, mouse or printer.
Software problems:
On your computer’s hard drive is a whole bunch of applications that have been installed, from the operating system, such as Microsoft Windows to applications such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc) and other common software applications including TeamViewer, Dropbox, OneDrive, Anti Virus software and more.
Let’s dive right into common computer problems and solutions:
1. My computer will turn on, but my screen won’t.
Step 1: Check that the HDMI cable or monitor cable is connected securely.
Step 2: Make sure your monitor is switched on and the power light is on.
Step 3: Hold your power button down for 30 seconds to ensure it shuts down and restarts properly.
2. My computer is underperforming and is operating slowly.
Your computer can be underperforming for many reasons and it could either be caused by the Hardware or software. One thing you can try do is make sure that there aren’t too many applications or website tabs open at once. Make sure you have enough storage because that plays a major role in the functionality of your PC. Restart your computer daily so to ensure unused background applications are closed.
3. My computer keeps restarting.
This is generally a software problem and so the first place you must look at is the software updates or your antivirus programmes. Try running a virus scan and check for Windows Updates or application updates.
4. My downloads are taking too long.
This could be a hardware problem or your internet connection might be too slow or faulty. Make sure you have enough storage and that your hard disk is fully functional. Restart your router and restart your computer.
5. My computer keeps freezing.
Make sure you have updated all software on your PC and scanned for any viruses. Perform a full restart or shut down instead of only putting the computer to sleep.
6. My computer keeps showing popups.
There’s a good chance that you have installed a program that has something called “Adware” which allows for unwanted ads to pop up. Use your anti-virus software to scan for Adware. Or go to the settings in your web browser and look for any suspicious-looking add-ons and disable them.
7. Problem: My Wi-Fi is slow or keeps disconnecting.
Solution: Make sure your Wi-Fi router is in range and you are close to it. If you see the signal on your device is only showing 1 or 2 bars, then your signal is weak, which can cause it to go slow or disconnect. If you have a dual-band router, use the 2.4g WiFi connection if you are further away or the 5g connection, when you are close to the router. If you are still too far from the router, you will need to expand your network by adding a range extender or a 2nd router.
If none of these computer hardware or software solutions worked, then give Complete IT solutions a call. If your business is in the Cape Town area, we can send a support technician to try and resolve your IT problems or we could assist you remotely.