Office 365 is a suite of cloud-based productivity applications such as Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Yammer, OneNote, etc.

Microsoft 365, however, is a combination of services that blends together Office 365, Windows 10 OS, and Enterprise Mobility + Security.

Watch this short infocast from our Modern Work Client Strategy Lead, Andrew MacKenzie, explaining the difference between the two Microsoft products.

Other content that may interest you:

	Microsoft 365 Business Solutions
	Microsoft 365 for Not-for-Profit
	Secure Remote Work Workshop
	Copilot for Microsoft 365
	Microsoft 365 tips and tricks and best practices

The biggest difference lies in the availability of desktop applications and security features.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic offers Teams, Exchange, OneDrive, and SharePoint but it only offers web- and mobile-based versions of the most widely used productivity apps such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This SKU is the cheapest but users will find it challenging to keep their productivity up without access to the full functionality of the desktop version of the Office productivity apps.  

Microsoft 365 Business Standard is a more robust plan for organisations looking to transform their office productivity, business processes, communications, collaboration, and more. It provides users access to everything that's included in Business Basic plus desktop Office apps, including Yammer, 1 TB OneDrive storage, and limited use rights to Power Apps and Power Automate. Its mid-level price make it ideal for most organisations to pick this option. 

Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes everything you can find in Business Standard plus the premium security features such as Azure AD Premium, Advanced Threat Protection, Azure Information Protection, and Intune. If your organisation has remote workers or BYOD workstyles, Business Premium is highly recommended for you. It might be the most expensive of the three SKUs but it certainly keeps your business well protected against unseen risks while keeping your people productive. 

Watch the video below for a quick snapshot of the inclusions in Business Premium. 

Contact us at 1800 126 499 for further information or if you need guidance in identifying the most appropriate Microsoft 365 subscription for you. 

Available on your Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise subscription are several useful productivity apps that can help make work a lot easier for you. Apart from the popular and often-used Microsoft Office apps like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, there are a few more that you need to be aware of.

• SharePoint for content management, company-wide collaboration and workflow automation.
• Teams for chat, conference calls, online meetings, or real-time collaboration.
• Power Apps and Power Automate for business process automation.
• Power BI for data visualisation and analytics.
• OneDrive for Business for secure file storage and sharing in the cloud.
• Yammer for company-wide informal communications.
• Planner for assigning and monitoring tasks. 
• Stream for storing and playing your corporate videos.
• Forms for online surveys and polls.

If you’re an existing PA client, we can help you discover these apps through our scheduled quarterly consulting visits or simply call us at 1800 126 499 to speak to a consultant.

Yes, there is. Not-for-profit organisations can benefit from lower Microsoft 365 subscription fees. Eligible NFPs can also take advantage of Microsoft 365 Business Premium software grant for up to 10 licenses, and discounted additional per user license. 

If this is your first time to take advantage of Microsoft's not-for-profit offers, we recommend visiting these sites: 

1. Check your eligibility here. 
2. Register here to gain access to the benefits. 
3. Learn more about our Microsoft 365 not-for-profit consulting services and how we can help here. 

Contact us at 1800 126 499or email us at [email protected] for more information. 

Yes, you can still purchase Windows OS, Office 365, and Enterprise Mobility + Security Suite a la carte. You can purchase them through a Microsoft Tier 1 CSP CSP such as Professional Advantage.

However, it is more cost-effective to purchase Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise SKUs as it already bundles several apps and solutions that would otherwise be more expensive when bought separately.

To determine the more appropriate licensing structure for you, please call 1800 126 499or email us at [email protected]. We will be happy to help you make sense of your Microsoft 365 licensing needs.

No, it is not. Microsoft 365 users need to pay for its subscription fee either monthly or annually. You may source your subscription either direct to Microsoft which you can pay through credit card or via Professional Advantage, where we bill you every month.

Yes, there is a trial version for Microsoft 365 which you can use for testing purposes for 30 days. You can try it for free here.

Professional Advantage can assist in the following services related to Microsoft 365:

• License subscription.
• User provisioning.
• Mailbox and file migration.
• Microsoft Teams deployment.
• Custom development for SharePoint and Power Apps.
• Reporting and analytics on Power BI.
• Integration of various Microsoft applications such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, Business Central, Dynamics 365 Sales, and more.
• Secure Remote Working.
• Security Baseline. 
• Desktop and application virtualisation. 
• Change management and user adoption.
• Post-production support and continuous cloud platform optimisation.

Contact us at 1800 126 499 or email us at [email protected] to speak to one of our consultants for more information on how we can help you with your Microsoft 365 needs.

Yes we can.

Available on your Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise subscription are several useful productivity apps that can help make work a lot easier for you. Apart from the popular and often-used Microsoft Office apps like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, there are a few more that you need to be aware of.

• SharePoint and Teams for content and collaboration.
• Teams for chat, calls, or online meetings.
• Power Apps and Power Automate for business process automation.
• Power BI for data visualisation and analytics.
• OneDrive for Business for storing your files in the cloud so you can take them with you anywhere you go.
• Yammer for company-wide informal communications.
• Stream for storing and playing videos.
• Forms for online surveys and polls.

We can help you discover these apps by getting in touch with us at 1800 126 499.

All Microsoft 365 plans have built-in baseline security such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), data loss prevention (DLP), conditional access, and anti-malware protection. Depending on the plans you are using, there are certain limitations or additional security benefits you get. Business Premium for example, has advanced threat protection that guards against threats hidden in email attachments and links, can enable remote data wipe out for stolen or lost devices, and can limit access to sensitive information by applying restrictions. All of these security capabilities are available in Business Premium, without the need for you to purchase other third-party tools.

If you need further guidance on navigating your vulnerabilities and understanding how Microsoft 365 can assist with addressing your risks, please get in touch with us by calling 1800 126 499.

There are Microsoft 365 plans that are free for NFPs. They are called Grant plans that are donated by Microsoft to eligible NFPs for as long as your organisation is operating:

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic: applicable for small to mid-sized NFPs for up to 300 users.
• Microsoft 365 Enterprise E1: applicable for larger NFPs for up to 2,000 users.

 There are limitations to these free offerings, but you still get the same cloud-based productivity suite, guaranteed uptime, apps that are always up to date and HIPAA, FISMA, and EU compliant.

Microsoft 365 Business Premium with desktop apps, advanced security, and conditional virtual desktop capability is also free for up to 10 users for qualified NFPs. Ask us if you want to learn more about this offer.

If you meet all the five criteria below, then you can qualify for the not-for-profit plan.

• Legal status. Your organisation must be legally recognised as a not-for-profit or non-governmental organisation in Australia.
• Mission eligibility. You must operate on a not-for-profit basis and have a mission to benefit your community.
• User licensing. Only paid employees and non-paid executive staff can use donated Microsoft 365 Nonprofit offers. Your unpaid staff and volunteers can use discounted plans.
• License restrictions. You cannot share your license with others. Umbrella organisations with a centralised IT system are only eligible for a single account.
• Non-discrimination. Your organisation must not allow discrimination based on race, colour, sex, and other identity markers. Religious organisations, which are exempted from non-discrimination laws, are the exception to this rule.

Speak to us if you need more guidance on eligibility requirements. 

Other Microsoft 365 and Not-for-Profit topics you might find interesting:

	Microsoft 365 for Not-for-Profits
	Microsoft SharePoint for Not-for-Profits
	IT solutions for Not-for-Profits
	eBook: Crash Course in Microsoft 365 for Not-for-Profits
	Blog: Microsoft Not-for-Profit offers that accelerate your impact
	Blog: Big issues facing small not-for-profits and how to solve them

You need to register your organisation first with Microsoft to get validated for the eligible plans. The process will ask you to create a Microsoft 365 account. Microsoft will then begin the validation process after which you will then receive a confirmation from them.

All Microsoft 365 plans includes 24x7 phone and email support from Microsoft. However, if you purchased your subscription from a Tier 1 CSP such as Professional Advantage, you also get quick access to local technical, account management, and billing support.

Our clients also have the option to sign up for Managed Services for more advanced or custom support requirements.

Contact us at 1800 126 499 to learn more about this service.