Are you paying for Microsoft 365 and not using most of what it offers?
Microsoft 365 is a powerhouse —but many organizations are missing out on its full power.
It contains the legacy Office apps you’re used to, such as Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel. It also offers fresh new tools for the modern workplace.
There are many tools included with Microsoft 365, yet most companies only use a handful. Discover what you have been missing out on and maximize your Microsoft suite starting today.
This starter guide offers quick explanations and use case examples for most Microsoft 365 apps.
As your local Microsoft Certified Partners, TUCU is here to help you with all things Microsoft and technology. Please reach out anytime.
Now, let’s get in to the apps included with Microsoft 365 that you may have overlooked, and see what they can do for you.
Productivity Apps Included in Microsoft 365
These are the productivity apps included in Microsoft 365 which are the mostly widely used, so you are likely already familiar with these.
Microsoft Word
Microsoft’s word processor is the gold standard in document creation. Use it to write, edit, and collaborate on documents. You can verbally dictate text instead of typing. You can easily insert pull quotes, images from OneDrive, and embed items from other apps including Youtube, Forms, Sway and more.
Microsoft Excel
Excel spreadsheets help organize and display data. You can now import data from photos and a printed or handwritten table becomes editable Excel data. Automated formula tools intuitively follow what you’re doing better than ever . Advanced users can integrate Power BI for even more powerful insights.
Microsoft PowerPoint
Create slide-based presentations for meetings, training, or any other situation where you need visuals to reinforce a message. The modern version adds better themes and powerful AI-driven design suggestions.
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft’s desktop email and calendar app is the gold standard in business. Use it for email, calendar, room reservations, and more. Integrations with Microsoft Teams allow you to schedule virtual or hybrid meetings in just a few clicks.
Microsoft OneDrive
OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage and file sharing service, which enables seamless collaboration on nearly any file across the Microsoft 365 suite. Word of warning; without some structure of governance, OneDrive can get chaotic. Set good policies before you switch.
Microsoft One Note
Microsoft’s digital notebook experience is popular on college campuses and has its uses in corporate settings too. Create dedicated spaces for dynamic note-taking, sketching, list creation, and more. Consider whether a Teams channel is a better app for this work.
Microsoft Teams & SharePoint
Microsoft Teams is quickly replacing SharePoint as the hub for collaboration in many organizations. Teams transforms business collaboration and communication. Teams includes team-based and one-to-one chat, robust and easy-to-use video meeting capabilities, and digital workspaces that can be deeply integrated with Microsoft apps and customized to suit your needs.
Create a Team for any project, department, division, or group of people that makes sense for you. Within a Team, users can create channels and spaces, open other Microsoft 365 apps or files, collaborate in real time, share resources, whiteboards and more.
If you haven’t explored what Teams can do, this app could be the biggest productivity enhancement for your team in the entire suite.
Choosing the right Microsoft 365 plan and configuring the included apps for your team takes time. Our Microsoft 365 setup and support services handle setup, deployment, and ongoing management for Toronto small businesses.
Task Management Apps Included in Microsoft 365
Improve & streamline your workflows with these lesser-known task management apps. If you use Outlook, you are already familiar with tasks. These task management apps offer you more features.
We’ll be honest and say some of these seem to overlap heavily, and you may question why so many similar apps exist. This happens with app evolutions. As they say, different strokes for different folks, so try them out to see which one will improve your task management the most.
Microsoft To Do
Categorize and label your to do list, add items to a day with deep integration with your Outlook calendar, and take your list with you on the go. To Do is available as a web app on your mobile device. From shopping lists, to family activities, to work related tasks, everything fits in to To Do.
Microsoft Lists
Excel spreadsheets help organize and display data. You can now import data from photos and a printed or handwritten table becomes editable Excel data. Automated formula tools intuitively follow what you’re doing better than ever . Advanced users can integrate Power BI for even more powerful insights.
Microsoft Planner
Planner is Microsoft’s answer to Asana or Trello. Organize or assign tasks and projects without the complexity of a full project management app. Think kanban boards and agility.
Planner is compelling. It integrates with the rest of the suite far better than third-party competitors.
Hidden Gems
Many folks are paying for third party apps instead of using the apps included in Microsoft 365 for some of these powerful functions.
For example, here at TUCU, our team of technicians using Bookings everyday, to offer clients in flexibility and control in choosing tech support services appointments that work best for them. We love it, and so do our clients.
Let’s get in to some hidden gems apps you may not be aware of.
Microsoft Bookings
Like Calendly, Bookings is a scheduling app. It integrates with Outlook and Teams for smooth workflows.
To book one-on-ones, set your available hours in Bookings and send invites or share the link to your Booking page to your intended recipients and they can schedule time with you.
Microsoft Sway
Sway is an underrated gem that blends features from Word, PowerPoint and design. Use Sway to quickly and easily create beautiful newsletters, flyers, presentations, and visually engaging print work that are polished, include interactive elements, and render well across mediums.
Microsoft Stream
Stream is a live and on-demand video platform that can accommodate up to 10,000 attendees!
If you use video, Stream gives your business videos a home. It also powers recorded meetings in Teams for people who view them after the fact.
Microsoft Whiteboard
Whiteboard is a digital canvas that you can use to collaborate and communicate ideas during Teams calls, virtual or hybrid meetings. Brainstorming made easy with free-flowing ideas, diagrams, and whatever else you can draw up for everyone to see.
Microsoft Editor
Similar to Grammarly, Editor is a browser extension available for Chrome and Edge that helps users write stronger content.
Microsoft 365 users have access to premium features that check for clarity, brevity, and formality.
Security Apps
We’ve already covered so much in this post, but there is even more included in M365. Head over to this post to read about security tools included in Microsoft 365.
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Wrapping Up
We hope this post has helped you to discover some new ways to improve your workflows using apps already included in your Microsoft subscription.
For help with Microsoft support in Toronto, Durham Region and across Ontario, reach out to us today. Since 2003, we are helping small teams do big things! We’d be happy to speak with you about your IT needs, and how we can help you.
