Microsoft 365 is a highly versatile business solutions that works well for most companies. But does it have enough specialised features to satisfy industries with niche requirements?
Due to the many ways that the modern world has become interwoven with technology and digital data, it is now an absolute necessity for organisations to be utilizing the right software for their business. Typically, this means having a solution that fulfils most of the everyday productivity and communication requirements of the average company. However, many businesses will also have unique requirements that are dependent on their sector. We spoke to a company that provides IT support for Healthcare, among other sectors, and they said that one of the most versatile business solutions that they recommend is Microsoft 365.
What is Microsoft 365?
Most people will be familiar with at least some of the products and services included in Microsoft 365 – but M365 is designed to work as an ecosystem, where most of the apps and services integrate into each other to form highly efficient workflows.
Products & Services
The apps in Microsoft 365 fulfil most of a business’ everyday needs – from content creation, to communication, and everyday productivity. The apps are:
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft OneNote
- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Exchange
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft OneNote
These are all the products and services that are included in every Microsoft 365 plan. According to the Microsoft 365 consultancy company we spoke to, different plans may come with additional products and platforms included in them.
Plan Tiers
There are a number of different plans for M365. For businesses, there are two tiers of plan, which may be suitable for an organisation depending on their size.
Business – The Microsoft 365 for Business plans are aimed at small to medium sized organisations (i.e. companies with up to 300 users). The for Business plans include Basic, Standard and Premium.
Enterprise – For companies with more than 300 users, there are an additional three plans available: E3, E5, and F3. These plans include an additional security platform known as Enterprise Mobility + Security.
Microsoft 365 for Different Sectors?
So, we know all about Microsoft 365 as a general business solution. But, what about for industries that have very specific requirements? The managed IT services company we spoke to stated that the diversity of clients that they have worked with is proof that M365 can be adapted to many different industries and sectors. Below are a few examples of how Microsoft 365 can handle highly specialist sectors…
For Healthcare
The Healthcare sector has a number of important data protection regulations in place, as well as many specialist workflows. Microsoft 365 supports the unique needs of healthcare providers with features like:
- EHR system integration – this allows professionals to launch Teams virtual appointments from their HER system, as well as schedule appointments and send reminders.
- Care Team Collaboration – streamlined workflows and end-to-end encryption in messaging allows for more efficient collaboration throughout a healthcare institute.
- Security and Compliance – built-in security in Teams help healthcare providers insulate their daily workflows from cyberthreats. The Teams infrastructure is also compliant with over 90 healthcare-specific regulations.
For Education
The most important thing to note about Microsoft 365 for Education is that it is available completely free to all educational institutions. As with Healthcare, M365 for Education has additional features to support classrooms and teachers:
- Accelerated Learning – Microsoft 365 includes a number of tools and resources that streamline common learning pathways. Some of the learning accelerators include Reading Coach, Reading Progress, Speaker Coach, and Search Progress.
- Secure IT – Another area of M365 that is beneficial to Educators the integration of cutting edge technology and cybersecurity that benefits the classroom. As a cloud-based system, M365 is great for monitoring IT security and threats.
