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Microsoft 365 gets it done
May 17, 2021

Microsoft 365 gets it done

Gail Dutchess | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Software Version

Microsoft Office 365 (Cloud)

Overall Satisfaction with Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365)

Capriccio Elite currently uses Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) for all administrative staff as a file repository in SharePoint for electronic files such as personnel records, agency documents, service recipient records, and the like. We also rely on Outlook, Word, and Excel for productivity and document writing and Teams for collaboration. Having a cloud-based repository for our documentation has solved the issues of needing to access different versions of documents, document collaboration, and an encrypted and backed-up filing system. The ability to have the folders sync to each user's desktop (with permissions in place, of course) has allowed administration to work on documents when offline when needed and have those documents sync back to SharePoint. Outlook encrypted email has solved the issue of needing to send PHI to case managers and other authorized receivers of information. Teams allows our agency to set up virtual meetings. It has also proved useful in remotely troubleshooting computer issues with the share screen function.
  • SharePoint combined with One Drive makes it easy to file and store information electronically without needing an on-site server.
  • Versioning is helpful in finding forms or documents prior to the latest update.
  • Microsoft Teams is a robust platform that not only allows virtual meetings, but also screen sharing, setting up calendars, and chats. Within Teams, administrators can easily set up new Team folders and assign permissions.
  • Encryption through Outlook is simple and recognized by outside entities as being a legitimately secure and encrypted method of send PHI.
  • On the back side, setting up users and assigning permissions is easy. Microsoft is responsive to changing needs with adding or deleting licenses.
  • There is an ability to invite users outside of the agency to access Teams, or specified documents.
  • Microsoft does a good job sending out updates about changes and decommissions.
  • Most admins of a small business will struggle with the need to use PowerShell to set up email encryption.
  • One needs extensive training to navigate the back side of SharePoint unless one is simply setting up folders as a filing system through Teams. It is not particularly intuitive and is difficult to manage.
  • Forms is a great addition but challenging to use for anything other than inner agency surveys.
  • Lists (in SharePoint)--again, a good Idea but very challenging to set up and access.
  • Setting up security is challenging. For example, forcing a device to require a PIN and ability to wipe the device is confusing.
  • Updates from Microsoft are generally complex and seem to be geared toward businesses with certified Office administrators.
  • Teams
  • One Drive
  • Outlook
  • Teams Calendar
  • Productivity software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Ability to set up permission-based access
  • Versioning
  • At $20 per license, the return of investment has been 100%, even though we do not fully use all that it is capable of.
  • We have saved potentially thousands of dollars on purchasing an on-premises server.
  • We have saved potentially thousands of dollars on having an on-site IT specialist devoted to assigning permissions, server maintenance, and similar.
  • We have saved countless hours (which translates to money) being able to work remotely, access documents offline when needed, outside tech support (we use teams to "remote in" for troubleshooting), and finding "lost" versions of documents through versioning searches.
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC definitely has its place in our business but is not good for productivity, documentation creation, or gathering data and running formulas.

Do you think Microsoft 365 delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Microsoft 365's feature set?

Yes

Did Microsoft 365 live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Microsoft 365 go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Microsoft 365 again?

Yes

Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) is best suited to industries that rely heavily on documentation and productivity. It is also well suited in its most basic form to be a filing system for small businesses, as there are options to eliminate the need for an on-premises server. The collaborative pieces embedded in Teams and in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are useful for remote teams and inner office collaboration.

Users who are hoping to capitalize on the many, many features and slickness of SharePoint will be quickly disappointed in the cumbersome and nearly impossible setup. SharePoint is slick when done by persons who have had lots of training. The intent with SharePoint, as I understand it, is to create better searches and using lists rather than file systems that many are accustomed to. However, it really is a nightmare to set it up. Thankfully one can set up file systems in SharePoint within Teams that take the back-end setup not needed for many applications.

If you are a large business with IT on site and well versed in Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), the possibilities are endless.

The browser version of Word and Excel are cumbersome to use with reduced features. While the browser version allows one to collaborate with a partner that does not have Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), the awkwardness is not really worth it.