In the previous article we highlighted that Microsoft’s range of tools have – and continue to – revolutionise lives both at home and in the workplace. They have recently announced a price rise for some of their package bundles, and we concluded that these price rises are justified if you are using the Microsoft suite to its full potential.
In the following article we will take a look at some of the tools you are possibly using and what you can replace them with from the Microsoft 365 suite that will ensure you achieve the best value that you possibly can.
Your tools vs The Microsoft alternatives
Google Sheets
Google Sheets – as part of the free, web-based Google Docs Editors Suite offered by Google – is a spreadsheet program that lets you create and format spreadsheets.
Microsoft Excel
If you are even remotely familiar with the Microsoft suite of products you will have heard of Excel. It is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS and has the same features as Google Sheets – the main difference is that it has a macro programming language as standard (called Visual Basic), which only further improves it. If you are using huge amounts of data and in-house analyses, then Excel is the choice for you.
DropBox
DropBox has rapidly grown to become the most popular Cloud storage system on the market available today. What makes it appealing to many is how easy it is to use. It lets users store files and doesn’t involve too much learning in order to do so. But one of the negatives of DropBox is the levels of security you are able to guarantee as it can be difficult to implement any form of access permission and, depending on the size of your organisation, it is by no means cheap.
Microsoft OneDrive
OneDrive offers one place to store, share, and sync your work files. The app allows for unrivalled connectivity with the rest of your team, and permissions to access, edit, and work on files simultaneously with other members of the team can be granted. OneDrive allows you to access your files from anywhere, on a computer, tablet, or phone – and, to go one step further, once they are synced to your PC or Mac, this can be done without an internet connection allowing you and your team to literally work from anywhere in the world.
Trello
Trello isn’t hard to understand – it is simple, in fact. It is designed with the intention of giving you a place to organise your day – this can be done from a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Microsoft To do
Microsoft To Do is a cloud-based task management app that allows your team to manage their tasks, from a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Trello and To Do aren’t all that different, as both help you manage tasks and both are rated very highly, so if you already have a Microsoft subscription why are you paying for something that you already have or can get as part of your subscription for no extra cost? Use To Do, and it will increase the value you are getting from your Microsoft subscription.
Google G Suite
The Google G Suite is made up of some smaller tools, including Hangouts, Calendar, and Docs/ Sheets. All are designed to encourage teamwork between participants no matter their location. It is a good application, but it does lack in security features so if your organisation handles sensitive data/ information you must avoid this app at all costs.
Microsoft SharePoint
SharePoint gives you a secure place to store, organise, share, and access information from any device. All you need is a web browser – like Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Firefox – to make this possible. SharePoint, cleverly, can be used in conjunction with all other Microsoft applications, allowing your entire workflow to run smoothly.
Zoho
Zoho is a word processor that uses a variety of different fonts and styles to assist you in creating documents that can be saved for later use.
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word, another classic of the tools offered in the Microsoft suite – for many of us it has been a part of our lives all the way through school and into our work lives. It is a word processing programme that users utilise to type out and save documents. Like its competitors, it has useful tools to assist you in writing good documents – but the thing that really sets it apart from the rest is its reputation and familiarity – we know its capable and we know how to use it so why use any of the alternatives?
Loom
Loom is a video sharing platform that is particularly popular when making in-house videos for clients.
Microsoft Stream
The existing Office 365 Video is being replaced by Microsoft Stream – it is a corporate video-sharing service that many use in their daily roles. Like others we have mentioned, the uses aren’t that different between the two but what sets them apart is the ability to co-operate with other tools in the suite when using Microsoft Stream, in turn making collaboration and connectivity second nature for your team.
Slack
Slack does a bit of everything – it features an instant messaging service, allows you to coordinate tasks and submit invoices, it is designed with the intention of boosting collaboration among users in the office and those working remotely.
Microsoft – Kaizala
You probably haven’t heard of this one – Microsoft Kaizala. It makes all of the above possible but crucially it can be used in conjunction with other tools in the Microsoft Suite, allowing you to further guarantee that you are getting full value from your subscription. Microsoft Kaizala is a secure messaging and work management software application for collaboration, you can send and receive messages, coordinate tasks, and even submit invoices too.
Automation 360 and Blue Prism
Automation 360 is an AI-powered, cloud-native, web-based platform. It provides you with the capabilities to start and scale your automation initiatives efficiently and cost-effectively.
Microsoft Power Automate
Power Automate helps you create automated workflows between your favourite apps and services to synchronize files, get notifications, collect data, and more. Again, it is very similar to its non-Microsoft counterparts but the one crucial difference is that it can interconnect to all other Microsoft tools.
Zoom or Skype
Both Zoom and Skype are very similar, which is why we have put them as one for the purposes of this article. Both became very popular choices on the market during the midst of the pandemic for talking to loved ones around the world – and when making casual calls to family we cannot fault them, but for business purposes they are simply not suitable.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams – one of the newest additions to the Microsoft Suite. With just a few years under its belt, it has rapidly become one of the most famous work apps on the planet – if you haven’t heard of it I am very surprised! Its capabilities include video conferencing, file management, chat features, team creation, and much more. its features – if used correctly – have the power to boost the levels of collaboration, communication, and productivity that you and your team are capable of achieving. But don’t take our word for just how good it is – its popularity has reached astronomical levels, with an astonishing 250 million people on average using the application daily worldwide, spread over 181 countries.
All of Microsoft’s tools will help to increase the levels of cyber security that you and your team are able to achieve whilst simultaneously increasing your entire organisations levels of productivity, we hope that both articles have highlighted to you the importance of getting the absolute most from your tools, obviously for operational purposes but also to guarantee that you are getting full value from your Microsoft 365 subscription. As we touched on previously, we aren’t saying to get rid of everything that isn’t Microsoft and adopt all of the tools they offer because this would be counterproductive, but incorporation of the tools you need to complete your day alongside the correct use and management of them will ensure that you extract every ounce of value from your subscription that you can. Again, if you feel that this is too greater task to undertake alone, or you simply want to be certain that you are getting the most from the tools at your disposal, don’t hesitate to contact our expert IT support team.
Are you concerned about Legacy apps and hardware?
Are you concerned that you and your team are using dated technology that is going Legacy? You can be confident that we will work together with you and your team to really get to the route of any problems with your existing IT infrastructure and tools. Together we will find a solution that fits you, implement it for you, and be there for you in case any changes need to be made to it. Get in contact with us now and see how, with the right tools, you can manage your documents safely and securely.
Contact us for more information on 0203 096 2220 or hello@Exi-Go.com
