Microsoft 365 is the now of office productivity. Office 365, transforms how we work, collaborate, and innovate. With AI-powered tools like Co-pilot seamlessly integrated into Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams, it’s no longer just about getting tasks done—it’s about doing them smarter and faster. Real-time collaboration, cloud-first access, and intelligent automation empower teams to break down silos and unlock creativity from anywhere in the world. Whether you’re drafting a proposal, analysing data, or leading a virtual brainstorm, Microsoft 365 turns every moment into an opportunity to work brilliantly. The future of productivity isn’t coming—it’s already here.
Brief Summary – What is Microsoft 365?
Unified Collaboration Platform: Microsoft 365 integrates tools like Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive to enable seamless, real-time collaboration across devices and locations.
Cloud-Based Flexibility: Offers mobility and accessibility, allowing users to work from anywhere on any device.
Scalability: Suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small teams to large enterprises.
Advanced Security: Helps businesses meet Australian cybersecurity standards, including the ASD Essential 8, with built-in protection against cyber threats.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces IT overhead by consolidating services and eliminating the need for separate software purchases.
Continuous Updates: Subscribers receive the latest features and security enhancements automatically.
Integrated Productivity Tools: Combines familiar apps like Word, Excel, and Outlook with intelligent cloud services.
Business Intelligence: Includes tools like Excel’s “Analyse Data” for AI-powered insights and data visualization.
Simplified IT Management: Centralized administration makes it easy to manage users, licenses, and security settings.
Bundled AI in Co-pilot: AI powered features, providing users with quick answer, solutions and the ability to quickly create documents.
Microsoft 365 has taken all our traditional, standard, desktop versions of office applications, Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint and migrated them onto a robust cloud platform that empowers users to work from virtually anywhere, on any device, with unmatched flexibility and consistency. However by doing so, unlike many other vendors, Microsoft has not removed any traditional desktop access, thereby offering a unified app experience across both traditional desktop applications and fully featured web-based interfaces, creating a seamless, hybrid, efficient workspace that accommodates all workflows and competency levels. Whether you’re using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Teams, you can seamlessly switch between your desktop and browser without losing functionality or data—all the while, everything is synced in real time through the cloud in SharePoint or One Drive.
This cloud-first architecture means your documents, emails, calendars, and collaboration tools are always up to date and securely accessible. You can start drafting a report on your office PC, hen switch to mobile versions, review it on your tablet during a commute, and make final edits from your phone at home. The web versions of Microsoft 365 apps mirror their desktop counterparts in design and capability, ensuring a consistent user experience regardless of the device or platform.
Moreover, Microsoft 365’s cloud integration supports real-time co-authoring, automatic saving, and intelligent services like AI-powered suggestions and data insights. It also ensures enterprise-grade security, compliance, and data protection, giving users peace of mind while working across networks and devices. This seamless blend of accessibility, performance, and security is what makes Microsoft 365 the backbone of modern, mobile, and collaborative work.
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What is included in Microsoft 365 (formerly Microsoft Office 365)?
Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive productivity suite designed to meet the needs of modern businesses hosted on one intuitive platform. It includes the full range of familiar Office applications—Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook—enhanced with intelligent cloud-based features that streamline work and boost creativity. These apps are available both as traditional desktop programs and as web-based or mobile versions, ensuring seamless access across devices.
Beyond the core office apps, Microsoft 365 includes powerful collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, which enables real-time communication, video conferencing, and file sharing across teams and locations. Microsoft Exchange delivers enterprise-grade email with integrated calendars and contact management, while SharePoint provides a secure platform for content management and team collaboration. OneDrive offers personal cloud storage, allowing users to create files, access files and share files from anywhere.
Security is built into every Microsoft 365 subscription. The suite includes advanced protection features such as threat detection, data security, data loss prevention, identity management, and compliance tools—ensuring that your Microsoft account, your devices, and data remain secure whether you’re a small business or a global enterprise.
Microsoft 365 also supports a growing ecosystem of add-on products that extend its capabilities. These include tools for advanced analytics, data analysis, workflow automation, and enhanced security. One of the most transformative add-ons is Microsoft Co-pilot, an AI-powered assistant that integrates directly into your apps and workflows. With Copilot, users can generate content, automate repetitive tasks, and gain insights faster—bringing the power of artificial intelligence into everyday productivity.
Anther add-on that is Microsoft ai powered Image Creator, this tool allows users to spark their creativity by describing any scene, concept, or style—such as “a castle made of gumdrops in pastel colours” or “a retro-style photo of a sleeping cat”—and instantly generates matching images. It’s designed for versatility, supporting everything from professional presentations and marketing materials to personal artwork and social media content. Users can also edit generated images, apply stylistic filters, and refine compositions with intuitive controls.
How does Microsoft 365 (formerly Microsoft Office 365) work?
Traditionally, when you purchased a new PC—especially through providers like PIP—you would also make a one-time purchase of Microsoft Office Suite and some form of Microsoft Office License. This was often bundled as an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) product. This meant you owned that version of Office outright (a perpetual license), but to access new features or updates, you’d either need to purchase an upgrade, pay an extra cost for Software Assurance, or wait until your next PC purchase. While this perpetual license model is still available today, it’s no longer the only option.
Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) introduces a more flexible, cloud-based approach. It operates as a subscription-based service—similar to other cloud-based services such as streaming platforms or digital news. Instead of waiting for major version releases, you receive continuous updates, the latest version, latest features, and the latest security updates in near real-time.
With Microsoft 365, there’s no need to install or maintain software infrastructure yourself. Everything runs on Microsoft’s secure cloud services platform. This means the enterprise apps, data, and services you use are always up to date and accessible from any device—whether it’s a desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone or other mobile devices.
Easy access is managed through a intuitive platform, accessible via a central online portal over your standard Internet Connection. From here, users can open their apps, access files on the secure cloud storage, and easy organizational tools like Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams. For added convenience, PIPs IT support integrates directly into this portal, offering seamless IT support when needed.
Administrators also benefit from this centralized system. They can easily add or remove users, assign or revoke licenses, and manage permissions—all from a single, full access, secure dashboard. This makes Microsoft 365 not only user-friendly but also highly scalable and efficient for businesses of all sizes.
Microsoft 365 – Access your Work Anywhere.
Microsoft 365’s intuitive platform is designed to give you the freedom to work from anywhere, on any device, without compromising productivity or collaboration. Because it’s built on a cloud-first platform, all your apps, files, and tools are accessible through a secure online portal or via installed desktop and mobile apps. Whether you’re at your desk, on the move, or working remotely, your workspace follows you everywhere with the one Microsoft account.
Microsoft 365 – Real World Example
Imagine someone commuting to work by train. They open their laptop or tablet and log into Microsoft 365 via a browser. From there, they access word processing through Word, access copilot, AI features to polish a document and have the AI powered image creator, add an appropriate image. They then check their Outlook inbox for updates, and join a Teams meeting—all while connected to mobile internet. Because everything is cloud-synced, the changes they make are saved in real time.
Once they arrive at the office, they switch to their desktop PC. Without needing to transfer files or re-open documents manually, they pick up exactly where they left off. The same Word document is already updated, and Teams shows the meeting summary from earlier.
Meanwhile, a colleague working from home opens the same document in Word Online form their personal computer. Thanks to real-time co-authoring, both users can edit the file simultaneously, leave comments, and chat within the document. Microsoft 365 ensures that everyone stays in sync, no matter where they are.
This seamless experience and app availability—across devices, locations, and collaborators—is what makes Microsoft 365 a powerful tool for modern, flexible work.
What’s New in Microsoft 365 (formerly Microsoft Office 365) ?
Microsoft 365 Pricing and Plans
As a proud Microsoft Partner, PIP is uniquely positioned to offer Microsoft 365 subscription plans at more competitive rates than purchasing directly from Microsoft or through other retail channels. Currently pricing for Microsoft 365 Basic starts at $2.49 / Ex GST / Month. With Business Plans that include the core Microsoft services productivity suites stating from $8.99 Ex GST / Month.
How Microsoft 365 Business Plans Work
Microsoft 365 Business plans—such as Business Basic, Business Standard, and Business Premium—are subscription-based services that provide access to Microsoft’s suite of productivity tools including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. These plans are designed to scale with your business, allowing you to pay only for the licenses you need and adjust as your workforce changes. You can choose to manage the platform yourself or have a partner like PIP administer it for you, which includes backend support and tailored IT assistance.
Each plan includes 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage per user providing enterprise data protection, and features like remote access, mobile optimisation, and offline capabilities make it ideal for distributed teams. Security is a major focus, with built-in features like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) to safeguard sensitive business data.
Microsoft Personal, Home & Family Subscriptions
Microsoft 365 offers two plans for personal or family subscription: Microsoft 365 Personal Account and Microsoft 365 Family Account. These plans are designed to provide access to premium productivity tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, along with cloud storage and security features. The Personal plan is tailored for a single user, while the Family plan supports up to six users. Both plans include Microsoft Copilot for AI features, Microsoft Defender for security, and OneDrive to safely store files on Microsoft’s cloud storage—1 TB per person in the Family plan, totalling up to 6 TB of cloud storage.
In terms of device usage, each user under either plan can sign in to Microsoft 365 on up to five devices simultaneously. This means that with the Family plan, you could potentially have up to 30 devices active at once across six users (5 devices per user). These devices can be a mix of PCs, Macs, tablets, and smartphones. The Family plan is ideal for households where multiple people need access to Microsoft 365 tools, and it allows each user to have their own account and personalised experience.
Free Accounts
Many industries provide members with Microsoft 365 Accounts that they cam use at home or work for free. For example, The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) provides free Microsoft 365 accounts to volunteers who hold official brigade roles. These accounts include a personalised RFS email address (e.g. firstname.lastname-vol@rfs.nsw.gov.au) and access to Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive. Volunteers in leadership roles—such as Captains, Presidents, or Training Officers—also receive role-based email addresses and Teams Groups for collaboration. Activation involves setting up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and logging in via the Microsoft 365 portal using your RFS credentials.
Other Not For Profit Licenses
For not-for-profit organisations, Microsoft provides discounted and free licensing through its non-profit plans. However, changes are coming: organisations using legacy free licenses must transition to new non-profit offers before their next renewal after 1 July 2025 to avoid service disruption. Plans like Microsoft 365 Business Premium offer full desktop apps, 1TB OneDrive storage, usage limits apply to keep data protected, and advanced security features for AU$30.20/user/month on annual commitment.
School Accounts and Education Licensing.
Microsoft offers Office 365 Education Account free to eligible students and educators. This includes mobile app versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Teams, plus access to Microsoft Copilot Chat. Schools can deploy collaborative tools like OneNote Class Notebooks and Microsoft Intune for Education using School Data Sync. The free school account tier—Office 365 A1—includes core apps and is available to anyone with a valid school email address letting students develop knowledge in IT and creativity for future career success. Paid school account tiers like A3 and A5 offer desktop apps and advanced security features for an even enhanced learning environment.
PIP – Microsoft 365 Advantage.
PIP has been a Microsoft business partner for over 30 years, this partnership allows, PIP to bundle Microsoft 365 with tailored services and ongoing support, delivering exceptional value to businesses of all sizes. By working closely with Microsoft, PIP stays ahead of product updates, licensing changes, and best practices—ensuring you always get the most out of your cloud-based subscription service.
When you purchase Microsoft 365 through PIP, you’re not just getting access to the world’s leading productivity suite—you’re also gaining a trusted IT partner. PIP provides 24×7 IT helpdesk support, so assistance is always just a call or click away. Whether you need help setting up your environment, migrating data, integrating Microsoft 365 with your existing systems, or training your team, PIP’s experienced support staff is ready to guide you every step of the way.
Beyond technical support, PIP brings a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to help your business fully leverage Microsoft 365. From optimizing Teams for collaboration to securing your data with Microsoft Defender, PIP ensures that your investment in Microsoft 365 translates into real productivity gains, streamlined workflows, and stronger security. It’s not just about having the tools—it’s about using them to their fullest potential, and that’s where PIP truly adds value.
