Apps - Software in the Cloud

At the moment most offices rely on Microsoft Office for their word processor, spreadsheets and presentation software. It is important to remember that the Office package also includes Access, Groove, One Note, Outlook and Publisher. The Microsoft offerings use these programmes as their basis for work you store and use on their SharePoint system. Currently, licences are bought separately for the Office package. If you use them and are comfortable with them they seamlessly integrate with SharePoint Online within the Business Productivity Online  Suite (BPOS).

However, other providers provide basic office software as part of their offering. Google and Zoho both include programs for Word Processing, Spreadsheets and Presentations. Whilst their systems allow you to upload documents in Microsoft formats they offer edit controls within their own programs and then allow you to convert back if you wish. The positive in this is that if you decide that these 3 programs are adequate for your company then you will be able to use them for your word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. As with all other cloud systems they will be constantly updated so you will always be working on the latest versions and may never have to buy software again! There are many add on products that you can integrate with your systems such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software and we can help you with these too.

This is where the release of Office 365 to replace BPOS early next year becomes relevant as companies will start paying for their Microsoft Office software as part of the subscription. Office 365 will include Microsoft Office allowing companies to pay for all of their services in one subscription on a monthly basis, upsizing and downsizing as required, month by month. On this basis you will never have to upgrade your Office software again as - you will always be on the latest version. Microsoft will also include their CRM Dynamics software as an option under your Office 365 subscription.

Office Software is something you should take into consideration when you compare email and document collaboration suites.