Office 365 is a subscription suite offering by Microsoft. These various subscription services include Teams, OneDrive, Outlook, and SharePoint, and the productivity apps used by nearly every business in in the world, like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc…

Why Your Business Should Integrate Office 365

There are many advantages to having Office 365 integrated into your organization. Accessibility, collaboration/communication, security, and predictable monthly cost, are among the most persuasive.

Accessibility-

Have you ever experienced a time where you needed an important document but did not have it readily available? If you answered yes to that question, then it is time to consider Office 365.

SharePoint and OneDrive are two of the most beneficial parts to using Office 365 in your organization. OneDrive allows you to store documents and pictures in the cloud. You can access files remotely and with convenience, from anywhere in the world, so long as you have an internet connection.
SharePoint serves as the backend for OneDrive. It’s like having your own personal file server in the cloud. SharePoint is for both small and large companies for storage, retrieval, searching, and reporting on electronic documents and records.

Collaboration/Communication-

If you are a business owner chances are you know how important communication is in the workplace. By integrating Office 365 into your business you will be able to utilize a suite of communication-centric tools. From Microsoft Teams to Skype for Business, and your colleagues will be able to communicate using high-tech video conferencing. Teams integrates tightly with SharePoint and OneDrive. By doing so, colleagues to work on a document in collaboration, remotely. This takes workplace collaboration to a new level. All the tools needed are centralized, and work to seamlessly share screens, co-author documents, etc.

Security-

It has probably crossed your mind how your files will stay safe in the cloud. With Office 365 you never have to worry due to the built-in enhanced data security. This high level of security protects your organization from external threats. Two-factor authentication is just one-way to protect your privacy and date in case of a lost or stolen device. Administrators have access to remotely wipe all data in the case your device gets in the wrong hands. Additionally, this will not affect the user from having full access from other devices.

Predictable Monthly Cost-

Office 365 provides a flexible monthly billing process that allows you to add or decrease the number of users as needed.
Therefore you will not have to worry about long-term contracts or hidden fees. Because it is also scalable, you can change plans any time to suit your growing business needs.

Get Started Today

We know that Office 365 offers many perks to your business. In fact, there are so many advantages that it may seem overwhelming at first. That is why Bay Area Computer and Networking Solutions is here to help you get started. With over 20 years of expertise in information technology, BAYCNS can not only install Office 365 for your organization, but we can help you integrate it into your current workflow. Give us a call today to schedule an in person or virtual consultation. We look forward to serving your business needs.

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There are multiple video conferencing solutions available. Of course, you will need a camera, microphone, and speakers, to communicate with the person you are meeting with.
Many modern webcams have built in microphone and speakers, adequate for acceptable quality video calling. Most laptops will also already have a camera and appropriate hardware to support a a video call. However, if the quality is not acceptable, a headset may help you and your meeting attendees better hear on another.

Office 365 Teams for Video Conferencing

If you are an Office 365 Subscriber, Teams is likely included and ready to use as part of your subscription package. Therefore if you search the menu area for the Teams program, you can start the program and choose who you want to communicate with. If you have a business subscription, everyone in your local business should be available to meet by default, but it is possible, for security reasons, that your administrator may have disabled external Teams connections, as certain configurations could allow unwanted file and screen sharing.

Zoom Video Conferencing

At the time of this post, a free and popular solution for video calling is Zoom. You can find the Zoom application by searching “Zoom Meetings” in your web browser. Additionally you can type “zoom.us/meetings” into your browsers address bar. Be aware that this program does allow for screen sharing. Depending on your company’s confidentiality policy,  you may want to familiarize yourself with the software. Be sure and set the screen sharing settings accordingly. That way you are not unintentionally allowing another person access to your computer.

Additional documentation for both of these solutions is available online. If you need additional assistance settings things up, browse to our contact page to submit a service inquiry. If you are a BAYCNS managed IT services client, simply call your consultant directly.

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If you are setting up a new office, technology should be a priority consideration. Whether setting up your first or moving from another location, there are some important considerations to be aware of.

Location and cellular reception

Location and cellular reception are sometimes a problem. If your employees will need good cellular reception, it is worth scouting the area, inside the building, with your cell phone in hand, so salespeople wont miss that million dollar call. If necessary, a cell tower repeater can be installed that gives you a strong signal in the office, but has been know to have problems in reliability. Additionally, most new smart phones have the ability to place and receive calls over your existing Wi-Fi network, you just want to make sure you have a fast, low-latency internet connection, and fast, blanketed coverage, across your office space.

Open Workspace or Private Office

Open workspace or private office and cubicles, can be a tough decision. It is popular in recent years but reports show that the result is lower productivity and morale. if you are seeking convenient creative collaboration, this may be the way to go.

Cabling and Connectivity

Cabling and connectivity are crucial to how flexible your office arrangement can be. Though Wi-Fi is convenient and flexible, it is typically not as fast or reliable as a hard wired connection. The typical cabling solutions, for a new office, are two drops (network cables) per anticipated wall plate, where a device will be connected. Don’t forget printers, and that new phone systems can utilize VOIP (voice over ip) calling. when everything is integrated on the same network, you have the option to make and take phone calls from your computer.

Building Construction and Wi-Fi

Building construction and Wi-Fi coverage can be an issue, especially of your are in a concrete or cinder block building. Keep this in mind depending on whether you intend to cable or use Wi-Fi for your device connections. It may be necessary to plan additional access points for thick walls or large floor plans.

Lighting for Work Areas

Lighting for work areas is really important, especially if you are moving to a building that was used more for storage than office space. Walk the building with layout in mind, and consider the possibility of a drop ceiling in warehouse type buildings.

Applications and Platform Support

Applications and platform support do not also mix. If you are like most business, you will be running Windows based PCs for office and application support. Apple’s Macs make great computers but business software providers do not always support them equally.  Remote desktop solutions and other software may compatible as a work around, but unless you specifically know that Mac is going to be your hardware platform, consider doing a compatibility assessment for the software you plan on using. Some third party applications simply will not run on an Apple computer.

Business Type and Initial Impression

Business type and initial impression is an important consideration for your office layout. Consider a reception area, if you plan on having one. Sometimes you will also want to consider where a guest waiting area will be. If you will want to provide guest Wi-Fi access, make sure it is configured to prevent access your local network resources. Ask your managed services administrator about this.

Conference areas can be important when you need space larger than your office to host a meeting, and in cases where you want a centralized seating area or group video conference calls. Since Covid, video conferencing solutions have been one of our most requested services.

We are always happy to join you on a new office walkthrough assessment. We will offer you expert and experienced advice that may help you decide if you have the right space.

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