Do you have Microsoft Enterprise licenses?

If so, you have access to a whole range of resources, software, and solutions that can improve the way you do business. Going far beyond Outlook, Office, Yammer and Teams your current Microsoft Licenses may facilitate access to SharePoint Online, Power Apps, PowerBi, Microsoft Viva and powerful security and governance tools that can keep your people and business safer.

In this article, we explore how you can maximise the ROI of your Microsoft 365 Licensing spend. Breaking it down into:

  • Productivity Tools
  • Digital Transformation Tools
  • Tools to improve the employee experience
  • Governance and Security Tools

This article will be best suited to those currently on Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 licenses, you can use PowerShell to figure out what licensing tier you are on here: View Microsoft 365 licenses and services with PowerShell – Microsoft 365 Enterprise | Microsoft Docs, or contact your IT Administrator

Maximising ROI

Licensing costs per user/per month can begin to add up, straining our IT budgets and reducing the investment available for innovation. Especially when you consider that most businesses in Europe dedicate up to 50% of their IT budget to licensing costs alone.

If you’ve been told a digital transformation project is out of the question due to budget, then this article is for you. Microsoft Licensing provides your users access to many tools you may not have realised but are already paying for. Meaning your new intranet project may not require a change in licensing and might not be as expensive as originally thought, or that workflow automation you are thinking of outsourcing may be done using Power Automate which again is already included.

Regardless of the project you are planning, you may not have to update your licensing or spend as much as you think, instead, you could maximise the ROI of your current Microsoft 365 Licensing spend with a little bit of research and a little bit of user training.

Microsoft are renowned for their ability to streamline the day-to-day work of our employees, often driving productivity and boosting mental wellbeing. Let’s look at some of the tools your enterprise licenses give you access to:

– Social and Intranet

Connect and engage across your organisation with an intelligent, mobile intranet and enterprise social networking. E3, E5 and even E1 licenses provide your users with access to SharePoint Online, Yammer and Microsoft Viva. Each of these offers incredible ways for your employees to better connect with each other, the business, and their ways of working.

– Files and Content

Access files from any device, at any time. Engage with intelligent video (including the creation of transcripts from your Teams meetings) and create visually striking content in minutes. Again, all the aforementioned license options provide access to a range of file management, sharing and content creation tools like Microsoft Stream for video, One Drive for file access, storage and sharing, and Microsoft Sway.

– Work management

Efficiently manage your work across multiple levels, from individuals, and teams to your entire organisation. With access to tools like Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Planner and Microsoft Shifts. Or use Power Apps, Microsoft Forms, or Power automate to create and automate your business processes.

– Advanced analytics

By simply turning on tools like Viva Insights you gain access to a wide range of practical tools that help your people work smarter with personal productivity insights. It also allows you to help your employees to find a better balance between productivity and mental well-being. Or get your IT team to build some PowerBi dashboards so your business can be more agile, utilising its advanced analytical capabilities to make fast, and informed decisions.

– Device and app management

Tools such as Microsoft Graph API, Shared Computer Access and the ability to manage Group Policy Support, Office telemetry, and Roaming settings help users be productive wherever they are while keeping corporate information secure. Giving admins the tools they need to implement flexible management policies whilst utilising powerful security solutions that let you deliver protected mobile experiences on any device.

– Identity and access management

With On-premises Active Directory sync for SSO included in every single licensing model, all Microsoft users can ensure secure connections between people, devices, apps, and data. Increasing your security and productivity with a single, holistic identity solution that gives both flexibility and control.

The next three areas are only included within the E5 model, with certain features being available in part to those with E3 licenses.

– Threat protection

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 can detect and investigate advanced threats. Protecting you from compromised identities, and malicious actions across your on-premises and cloud environments.

– Information protection

Protect your sensitive data everywhere with Office 365 Cloud App Security, Azure Information Protection and Information protection extending across —message encryption, rights management, and data loss prevention for email and files, even in motion and when shared. Gain visibility and control over how any file is being used with a comprehensive and integrated information protection solution.

– Advanced Compliance

Assess your compliance risk with simplified assessment tools. Intelligently respond to requests and protect data across devices, apps, and clouds.

We understand that the above may seem overwhelming, but our team of Microsoft Certified Consultants can help you navigate the minefield of Microsoft Licensing. Empowering your business to utilise the tools you are already paying for to digitally transform your enterprise, streamlining processes and engaging your employees.

To find out how they have helped others maximise their licensing spend and achieve their goals check out our case studies or to talk to them about your challenges book a call with one of our experts today.