How to Integrate Microsoft 365 Into Your Business

Business

Microsoft 365 is an enterprise-grade cloud solution that includes Office 365, Windows 10, Azure, Dynamics CRM Online, and more. Suppose your organization wants to adapt quickly as business needs change and welcomes the opportunity for quick deployment of new solutions and solutions in new locations. In that case, Microsoft 365 might be just what you need. If your business is considering moving to Microsoft 365, here are the ways to integrate Microsoft 365 into your business.

1. Conduct a Pilot

Microsoft 365 may be a big shift for your business, or it might have some solutions and programs already in place. Conducting a pilot rollout will allow you to work out any kinks before you make the full shift and allow you to figure out where Microsoft 365 makes the most sense for your business.

2. Simplify

Simplifying your organization will allow you to take advantage of some of the more powerful and useful Microsoft 365 features like single sign-on. It will help you consolidate your existing IT systems and help deploy the new Microsoft 365.

3. Retain PC’s

Make sure that you plan to retain any existing PC programs for at least one year. That will provide the necessary time for a smooth transition from your current office system to Microsoft 365.

4. Update your Software Licensing

To integrate Microsoft 365 into your business, you’ll need to update your software licensing agreements and policies. Make sure that the agreements cover both existing and future Microsoft 365 solutions.

5. Consider Cloud-Based Backup Solutions

Keeping up with backups is a vital piece of protecting your information from cyberattacks. Since most cloud-based backup solutions are licensed differently than on-premise backup solutions, you must understand the licenses for both types before making any purchases.

6. Look for Partners

Cloud-based IT solutions can be deployed quickly and easily. But that ease of deployment can also mean that you need to work with more tech partners to ensure the proper integration, management, and support of the Microsoft 365 platform.

7. Hire a Cloud Advisor

Working with an experienced cloud advisor who understands both on-premise and cloud-based solutions should help you integrate Microsoft 365 into your business.

8. Consider a Hybrid Deployment

Using a hybrid deployment to integrate Microsoft 365 into your company will help you get the best of both worlds. You’ll still have the benefits of your existing IT systems and security while having flexible computer resources at your disposal.

9. Set Up Your Accounts

Integrating Microsoft 365 into your business will require setting up new accounts with Microsoft so that you have contact information in case you need to make any changes or notifications.

10. Educate Your Employees

Microsoft 365 features a variety of new solutions and apps, so you must educate your employees on how to use them. Offer education and training sessions to help everyone get up to speed. You might even want to consider adding Microsoft 365 training to your employee onboarding process.

11. Maximize Your Cloud Storage

If you have data that is important to your business and needs to be accessible from multiple devices, then you’ll want to make sure that you use the cloud storage solutions best suited for different types of data. For example, if your data will only be accessible on a private computer, ensure you have enough cloud storage space for your private files.

12. Create a Data Retention Plan

Storing all of your data in the cloud might not be cost-effective or efficient if you don’t have a plan for accessing and handling your data. Create a data retention plan that identifies which data is necessary to retain, how long retained, storage, and who will access it.

13. Add Users as Needed

If you add new users to your company, then they will need to be added to Microsoft 365 as well. Add them to your existing Microsoft 365 user accounts to make this process as seamless as possible. That will make it easier to access the Microsoft 365 managed services they need.

14. Track Licenses

You must track every Microsoft 365 license in use at your company so that you can easily report on your Microsoft 365 usage when requested or at the end of a reporting period.

15. Configure Your IT Systems

You must make the necessary changes to your IT systems to support Microsoft 365. The following features will help make this happen: Internet Information Services (IIS), Authentication Service in Web Server (IIS), Security Support Provider Interface (SSPI), and Active Directory Federation Services. Remember, you’ll have to change your existing system before implementing any Microsoft 365 features.

16. Get a Microsoft 365 Test Account

This is the final step before you can complete the installation, but it’s also the most important. Test accounts will help you ensure that your new Microsoft 365 features and programs are working as expected and give you time to debug any problems. After testing, you can then add the test account to your organization’s existing IT systems so that they are ready to use when the pilot begins.

Conclusion

You’ve made it through the first step of your Microsoft 365 journey. You’ve already started integrating Microsoft 365 into your business and have most likely walked through our list of steps. From there, you’ll want to take a look at how to put together your organization’s IT support plan, complete that task, and then think about following up on any security concerns and other important issues.

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