Microsoft 365, previously known as Office 365 is a suite of
cloud-based productivity tools and services offered by Microsoft.
It combines the traditional Microsoft Office applications with cloud-based
services, collaboration tools, and security features to enhance
productivity and efficiency in both personal and professional settings.
Microsoft 365 includes all of the popular applications that we love such as Word,
Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and SharePoint.
Which are widely used for creating and storing documents, spreadsheets,
presentations, managing emails, and taking notes.
These applications are accessible across various different devices including
desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones,
allowing users to work seamlessly and collaborate in real-time.
Now, in addition to the core Office applications,
Microsoft 365 provides cloud storage through One Drive.
This enables users to store and
access their files from anywhere with an Internet connection.
It also offers various communication and
collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, which facilitates online meetings,
chat-based collaboration, file sharing, and project management.
Furthermore, Microsoft 365 offers several advanced features and
services such as Enterprise grade email hosting with Exchange Online.
Cloud-based productivity tools, like SharePoint and Yammer for
team collaboration.
And advanced security features to protect data and
ensure compliance with privacy regulations.
Now Microsoft 365 is available through subscription plans,
which typically include regular software updates, technical support,
and access to the latest and greatest features.
The subscription model allows individuals, businesses, and
organizations to benefit from the continually evolving suite of tools and
services provided by Microsoft that are always up to date.
To sign up for a Microsoft 365 subscription,
simply visit Microsoft.com and choose a plan that best suits your needs.
Plans are divided into Personal, Business, and Enterprise.
And you can compare all of these plans side-by-side on the product page of
the Microsoft website.
Now if you're simply an individual who wants to use Microsoft 365 at home for
personal projects, the personal plan gives you access to everything you need,
but is limited to only one person, and that person is you.
If there are many of you in your family that need access to Microsoft 365,
the family subscription would work best.
This gives you and up to six people access to the Microsoft Office suite and tools.
Whereas if you are a student who simply needs to be able to access apps like Word,
Excel, and PowerPoint to complete assignments, but not
really access to anything else the Office Home and Student plan would work best.
There are also numerous business plans available for more heavy-duty use.
These plans include access to all of the Office applications but
include business collaboration tools like OneDrive for
Business, SharePoint Online, Exchange, and Microsoft Teams.
So it's definitely worth comparing each plan to see which one suits your needs
the best.
Now the final group of plans are enterprise plans.
Most of the time if you're working within an organization, they will have one of
these plans and your IT team will simply assign a license to you so you can use it.
The important thing to remember here is, no matter which plan you select,
Microsoft 365 is your online hub of productivity.
Making it simple and
seamless to work and collaborate with others on files and projects.
My name is Deborah Ashby, and I'm going to be your host for this course.
I'm a Microsoft MVP and course instructor who's been
training Microsoft applications and services for over 27 years.
I have specifically been training Microsoft 365 for over ten years.
And in fact,
I was part of the initial Microsoft 365 global rollout team back in 2013.
And Microsoft 365 has gone through a lot of transitions since then and
I'm really excited to show you everything that we can currently do.
So that's it for this introduction, it's now time for us to dive into the content.
So grab yourself a drink and I will see you over in the first lesson.