Microsoft wants you and your business to ditch Office

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For years now, I’ve found myself relying heavily on Microsoft‘s Office suite – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, among others – as they’ve become the go-to tools for countless businesses and institutions worldwide.

As a tech enthusiast, I’m finding that Microsoft is encouraging businesses like mine to transition from traditional Office subscriptions, moving towards more flexible solutions instead.

Microsoft recently mentioned in a post about upgrading from Office that you might have realized some restrictions. Your applications are confined to your desktop, which hinders productivity whenever you’re not in the office. Accessing files or collaborating becomes challenging when working remotely or traveling, causing additional hassle for your team. It’s also possible that you’ve observed your company’s IT costs increasing as separate solutions have been required for email, file storage, and virtual meetings.

Microsoft’s proposed solution to these challenges is to upgrade to Microsoft 365.

With a Microsoft 365 subscription, you not only get the Office applications, but you’ll also gain access to advanced security features, AI tools, and substantial cloud storage. Recently, Microsoft released a video highlighting the advantages of Microsoft 365 over traditional, perpetual licenses for Office apps.

Another perspective is that the one-time purchase of perpetual licenses for Office applications doesn’t necessitate ongoing subscriptions. However, Microsoft contends that while there may be recurring costs with Microsoft 365, the subscription ultimately proves to be a cost-saving measure in the long run.

Microsoft highlights a research project, carried out by Forrester Consulting on their behalf (with funding from Microsoft), which evaluates the financial effects of using Microsoft 365 in a business context.

The research demonstrates a significant return of investment (ROI) of approximately 223% over a three-year span, and it also reveals that the payback period is less than half a year. This means that the initial investment is swiftly recouped. Furthermore, the study calculated benefits exceeding $500,000 over the same three-year duration.

Microsoft 365 offers significant productivity benefits, which most organizations acknowledge. However, decision-makers must consider the financial implications of transitioning to Microsoft 365, as there are operational costs associated with the upgrade process.

Upgrading to Microsoft 365 isn’t solely about enhancing collaboration or optimizing processes. Importantly, support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 will cease on October 14, 2025.

Businesses and organizations are advised to explore options outside of using versions of Office that won’t receive further security updates or technical support, as they’ll have approximately half a year to make these changes.

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2025-04-02 15:09