Microsoft has been around a long time. Some view them as past their prime and losing ground to Google. When I tell you the latest version of Microsoft Office is actually something to write home about, I don’t expect to get more than a, “I’ve heard that before?” Let’s see if I can change your mind.

Shifting from on-premises applications to hosted cloud services is a great way to ease your company's IT burden, but it takes careful planning to avoid a stumble on the way to cloud services. Watch out for these common mistakes:

Last month, we started talking about getting more value out of Microsoft Office 365 in your business if you are already using it, by using Skype for Business. This month we want to talk about getting more value out of Microsoft Office 365 in your business if you are already using it, by using OneDrive for Business and Mobile Apps.

If you've already started using Microsoft Office 365 in your business, you've been enjoying all the familiar features of Microsoft Office, made better with the extra functionality, availability, and cybersecurity that the cloud services enables. That alone is worth the cost of the subscription.

As the workforce becomes more mobile, your employees need to be able to do their jobs as easily on the go as they do at a desk. In fact, they expect nothing less. How do you make sure they're using workplace technology that improves their efficiency, productivity, and collaboration without sacrificing security?

Q: My company wants to use a cloud-based office productivity suite. Why should we use Microsoft Office 365?

A: Simple: Microsoft Office 365 has evolved into a mature suite of productivity apps that are tightly integrated with the on premise version of Microsoft Office, allowing your employees to work and collaborate across the two without interruption or confusion.