Have you ever used Word? Or Excel? What about PowerPoint? If
the answer is yes, you are familiar with Microsoft Office.
In recent years, Microsoft has steadily increased the number
of subscribers to its cloud-based product, Office 365. In April 2020, Microsoft
renamed its subscription plans to Office 365 as Microsoft 365, so now both
their offerings for the home and the commercial ones are under the same brand.
.
You may be wondering what this means to you. What is the
difference between Microsoft 365 and Office 365? Are there new features? And
can you still access Microsoft Office
programs without a subscription?
What is Microsoft
365?
Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based subscription service for home
and business users, which includes Office applications, cloud storage, and
other features that depend on your plan. Whether you are an individual, a small
or medium-sized business, a large company, a school, or a non-profit organization,
there is a plan for you.
Microsoft 365 vs.
Office 365
Previously, Microsoft 365 was a Microsoft business product,
which included Office applications. Microsoft 365 Business was the highest tier
of their business plans, with Office 365 Business Essentials and Premium plans
below.
As of April 2020, Office 365 personal and home plans and
Office 365 business plans are now under the Microsoft 365 banner. Microsoft
says the name change is designed in part to help business customers to better
understand which plan is best for them, promoting the rebrand. like "new
name, same great value, same price."
If you were already an Office 365 subscriber for business or
personal use, you don't have to do anything, your subscription will
automatically transfer to Microsoft 365. If you are not familiar with the
available plans or want to know which option is best for you, read on as we
break it down below.
What are the
different plans and what is included?
The common Office applications you know from Microsoft, such
as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Access, and Publisher, come with all
Microsoft 365 plans for home and personal use. You'll also get cloud-based
features that let you collaborate on documents with others in real time, plus
additional online storage through OneDrive. The Microsoft 365 family plan is
useful for groups of up to six people, who can share and access a subscription
on multiple devices with their own personal login details.
Compared to Office 2019, which is sold as a one-time
purchase, Microsoft 365 is a subscription, which means you will always have the
latest features, fixes, and security updates at no additional cost. If you buy
the one-time Office 2019 option, you will
get all the Office applications for download on one computer, but it does not
include any updates. This means that if you want to upgrade in the future, you
will have to pay another full license fee.
Microsoft 365 Business plans come with a selection of Officeapplications and additional features based on your subscription level, such as
email with your own custom domain name, access to Microsoft Teams, and advanced
security protection. Business plans can accommodate up to 300 users, and if you
need more, you can opt for an Enterprise plan for an unlimited number of users.
What new features
does Microsoft 365 have?
Microsoft 365 is very similar to the old Office 365, but
there are some cool new features that go beyond the workspace. Additional
features are expected in the future, such as perhaps a password manager for
Microsoft 365.
Money in Excel
Microsoft is expanding its capabilities to help with
"life" as well as school and work. Think of banking features like
"Money in Excel," which allows you to connect your bank and credit
card accounts directly from Excel, download transaction details, and import them
into a budget or spreadsheet.
Microsoft Editor
Another feature is "Check your writing with Microsoft
Editor", which is Microsoft's version of Grammarly. It helps you check and
correct your grammar and style in 20+ languages in Word and Outlook, or in
your browser with an extension for Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
Equipment for
personal use
Microsoft Teams is a chat feature similar to Slack, allowing
you to connect with colleagues through group chats, video calls, and shared
calendars and to-do charts. Microsoft has added new features for personal use,
such as team groups, to use with friends and family.
Family safety
There are also additional safety features, such as Microsoft
Family Safety, which is an iPhone and Android app that manages screen time on Windows 10, Xbox, and Android and also
includes location sharing options, such as notifications when your family
arrives or leaves. from work. or school and where they are on a map.
Wrapping it up
If you are already subscribed to Office 365, you will have
the new Microsoft 365 and all its features without having to do anything. If
you were undecided about whether or not to get a Microsoft 365 subscription,
hopefully this article would have helped you make up your mind.
If you just want the Office apps without any of the extra
features on one device, and you don't mind paying the license fee again in case
of any updates, then one-time purchase of Office 2019 might be a good option.
But if you're looking for something that offers more than
just Office apps and is accessible on different devices with future updates and
features at no additional cost, a Microsoft 365 subscription is your best
option.
Comments
Post a Comment