We often get asked “Is Office 365 right for me?” It’s a great question, and the answer is: “It depends.” Office 365 is a wonderful “cloud”-based Microsoft system. (What exactly is “the cloud”? It’s a cluster of computers in multiple datacenters that are connected to the Internet.) Office 365 integrates email, contacts, and calendars. It provides a very robust back-end infrastructure to its users which enables small businesses to have a similar caliber IT infrastructure to that of a Fortune 500 company. The back end of the Office 365 environment is maintained by Microsoft so that server upgrades are transparent to the user, and everything is backed up automatically in the cloud.

If Office 365 can do all of this, why would anyone NOT use it?

It comes down to the following two main considerations:

1. cost
2. the data and system requirements of your company

Office 365 is offered on a monthly licensing basis, with per user prices ranging from $5 to over $20, per month, based on the services needed. Some companies require additional compliance add-ons which can further drive up that monthly cost. So, for some companies, it may be more cost efficient to maintain the email systems and data in house, for others it may be more cost efficient to utilize the Office 365 offerings.

There are other considerations to keep in mind. Having a “hybrid” IT infrastructure comprised of an Office 365 system plus storing data on an internal server makes the most sense for some companies. In short, it really depends on your particular business, your needs, and the type of data that you have.

Interested in finding out if Office 365 makes sense for your business? Sign up for a FREE IT Evaluation or call us directly (978-564-1990), and we will provide the analysis needed for you to make an informed decision.