Like most software companies Microsoft is updating its platform all the time. Earlier in the year Microsoft announced a handful of notable changes that will have important implications for many Microsoft Office users. If you haven’t already, moving to Microsoft 365 is the smart thing to do, especially in the current climate. You’ll want to do this before 13th October 2020. Here’s why.
Cloud Connectivity for Standalone Office Products
If you’re using the older (pre-365) versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc, the connectivity to their cloud services will be in jeopardy.
These cloud services include any of the online aspects of Office, including both Outlook and SharePoint.
This means that, after 13th October, connectivity to 365 services will no longer be supported for standalone versions of Microsoft Office prior to Office 2016 (for Windows) and Office 2019 (for Windows and Mac).
Microsoft hasn’t yet pulled the plug, but using the cloud functionality of the old, standalone tools is likely to result in hiccups.
In Microsoft’s words:
"Microsoft will not take any active measures to block legacy versions of the Office client from connecting to Office 365 services, but these older clients may encounter performance and/or reliability issues over time.”
Office 2016 and Office 2019 will have reduced support
For both 2016 and 2019 users the connectivity adjustments will only last until October 2023. This was originally going to cease in October 2020 but disappointed customers and COVID-19 made Microsoft reconsider. Whilst all Windows users will receive security updates for the normal 10 years, Mac users will no longer receive mainstream support from Microsoft and will stop receiving security updates and/or bug fixes after 13th October.
What if I'm still using Office 2010 or 2013?
Simply put - you shouldn't be any longer! The majority of software companies, Microsoft included, tend to only focus their efforts on supporting the current version and the previous version of their products. So it really is time to ditch those old versions and upgrade. And the most effective way to do that is to adopt 365.
What to do if you haven't made the switch yet
So, moving to Microsoft 365 is more than wise. To begin the migration, start by determining which version of Office you have. Resources like this can help with any uncertainty. Beyond that you'll need to take the following steps:
-
Firstly have your IT partner set up a Microsoft 365 account for your organisation.
-
Next, you’ll want to migrate your email to Microsoft 365. This is best done by your IT partner because it is highly likely they will have done this many times and so should have a finely tuned process for doing so.
-
Finally you’ll want to want to migrate your files and folders to Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint. The same advice applies - to use a company that has done this before and knows what they are doing.
In summary
Adopting a new technology (which includes updating to current versions of frequently used software) can be an upheaval for any organisation. Fortunately, Pensar can handle every element of your move to Microsoft 365.
Get in touch with us via the link below and we can ensure a smooth and painless transition to Microsoft 365, all before the 13th October deadline.
