This is the first in a series of posts on Microsoft Office 365. With many companies looking to utilize the cloud for more efficiencies in business, Office 365 is leading the pack with estimates nearing 80 million subscribers worldwide.  This series will take a closer look at different benefits and features of the business solution. To kick it off, we begin by answering the simplest of questions: What is Office 365?

Microsoft describes Office 365 as “subscription plans that include access to Office applications plus other productivity services that are enabled over the Internet (cloud services). Office 365 includes plans for use at home and for business. Office 365 plans for business include services such as Skype for Business web conferencing and Exchange Online hosted email for business, and additional online storage with OneDrive for Business.

“Many Office 365 plans for business also include the desktop version of the latest Office applications, which users can install across multiple computers and devices. The fully installed applications include: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, and Access. And you can install them across multiple devices, including PCs, Macs, Android tablets, Android phones, iPad, and iPhone. When you have an active Office 365 subscription that includes the desktop version of Office, you always have the most up-to-date version of the applications.”

Office 365 to achieve true unified communications

MaxACD is the industry’s first scalable, all software solution specifically designed for Microsoft Skype for Business (or Lync) and Office 365, delivering end to end cloud PBX capabilities for all of your employees.  With integrated auto attendant, voicemail, advanced call routing, and much more, it is the optimal communications solution.