At Microsoft´s Inspire 2017 partner event, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella today unveiled Microsoft 365, a complete solution which combines Office 365, Windows 10, and Enterprise Mobility + Security in one subscription package.
Microsoft 365 will be offered in two bundles, Microsoft 365 Enterprise and Microsoft 365 Business. For Microsoft 365 Enterprise, two different plans are available, Microsoft 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 Enterprise E5.
According to Microsoft´s CVP Kirk Koenigsbauer, Microsoft 365 Enterprise and Microsoft 365 Business represent the new way Microsoft will address its customers from now on.
Microsoft 365 Enterprise
As its name suggests, Microsoft 365 Enterprise is designed for large organizations. It integrates Office 365 Enterprise, Windows 10 Enterprise and Enterprise Mobility + Security. Microsoft offers Microsoft 365 Enterprise in two plans, Microsoft 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E5. Both plans will be available for purchase on August 1, 2017.
The Microsoft 365 Enterprise bundle comes to replace the Secure Productive Enterprise which Microsoft announced on last year’s Ignite and launched in October 2016. Here is what Microsoft 365 Enterprise offers to organizations:
- “Unlocks creativity by enabling people to work naturally with ink, voice and touch, all backed by tools that utilize AI and machine learning
- Provides the broadest and deepest set of apps and services with a universal toolkit for teamwork, giving people flexibility and choice in how they connect, share and communicate
- Simplifies IT by unifying management across users, devices, apps and services
- Helps safeguard customer data, company data and intellectual property with built-in, intelligent security”
Microsoft 365 Business
Of course, Microsoft 365 offers an alternative bundle for smaller businesses and that is Microsoft 365 Business. This plan is designed for small-to-medium sized businesses with up to 300 users.
Microsoft 365 Business integrates Office 365 Business Premium with tailored security and management features from Windows 10, as well as Enterprise Mobility + Security. The plan will be available in public preview on August 2, 2017. It will become generally available worldwide in the fall of 2017, priced at $20 per user, per month.
Here is what Microsoft 365 Business offers to small-to-medium sized businesses:
- “Helps companies achieve more together by better connecting employees, customers and suppliers
- Empowers employees to get work done from anywhere, on any device
- Protects company data across devices with always-on security
- Simplifies the set-up and management of employee devices and services with a single IT console”
Three new apps for businesses
In addition to the two Microsoft 365 plans, Microsoft also unveiled three new tailored applications that are coming to Office 365 Business and Microsoft 365 Business. At Inspire 2017, the company announced Microsoft Connections, Microsoft Listings, and Microsoft Invoicing.
With Microsoft Connections businesses can easily create professional-looking email marketing campaigns. The app offers pre-designed templates for newsletters, announcements and customer referrals. In addition, businesses can provide simple ways for customers to join their mailing list or unsubscribe.
Microsoft Listings allows businesses to easily publish and manage their business listing on Facebook, Google, Bing, and Yelp. For example, when a business updates its profile in Microsoft Listings, the app changes it automatically across platforms. The app also gives businesses the ability to monitor online views and reviews from a single dashboard.
Finally, Microsoft Invoicing helps businesses to quickly create professional-looking estimates and invoices, in order to speed up payment processes. Microsoft Invoicing works with PayPal, which means businesses can accept credit and debit cards online.
All three apps can be brought together in a central location thanks to the Office 365 Business Center. A unified dashboard allows businesses view their key metrics from all the business apps. The Office 365 Business Center includes an activity feed with details of what’s happening within each of the apps.
