Microsoft product confusion

[MOBB]

I consider myself fairly ok with the basics as a non-IT person but I'm a bit confused - I'm trying to figure out if I am double-paying or at least not getting the best VFM for the MS products I pay for.

I'm a very small simple business that needs Outlook on my desktop and phone (2 users) and Excel/Word.

What I currently pay for appears to be;

- Exchange online (Plan 1) £36 per user per year + VAT
- Microsoft 365 Apps for business £94.80 per year + VAT

I guess I need the 365 Apps for Excel etc but do I need Exchange online?

Any help would be appreciated :-)

[rob_1990]

MS 365 is billed 'per user' so if you want the Office apps (Word, Excel, Outlook etc) on two computers for two individuals, you should have atleast Microsoft 365 Apps for business x 2.

Exchange online plan 1 is a single user license to use Exchange email. This gives one user a 50GB Exchange mailbox (email services).

If you need both users to have both the Office apps and an Exchange license you should buy 2 x MS 365 Business Standard. Business Standard is a combination of Exchange Plan 1 and the Office apps in one subscription, among other things.

[MOBB]

Ah right, so if I want 2 email users but only 1 Excel etc user I'm probably on the most cost effective setup?

[Mr Pointy]

MOBB said:

Ah right, so if I want 2 email users but only 1 Excel etc user I'm probably on the most cost effective setup?

Where does the second user get their copy of Outlook though? Does it come with the Exchange Online plan?

[MOBB]

Mr Pointy said:

MOBB said:

Ah right, so if I want 2 email users but only 1 Excel etc user I'm probably on the most cost effective setup?

Where does the second user get their copy of Outlook though? Does it come with the Exchange Online plan?

Yes it does come though the Exchange online plan, they only use it on their iphone.

[randlemarcus]

MOBB said:

Mr Pointy said:

MOBB said:

Ah right, so if I want 2 email users but only 1 Excel etc user I'm probably on the most cost effective setup?

Where does the second user get their copy of Outlook though? Does it come with the Exchange Online plan?

Yes it does come though the Exchange online plan, they only use it on their iphone.

I think you'll find Plan 1 doesn't include any Office apps - the Outlook webapp is the recommended access. Outlook on the phone is free for everyone. For the very minimal use you have, 2 * Plan 1, and 1 * Apps sounds about right. It does limit what you can do, but as long as you're happy, it works

[rob_1990]

MOBB said:

Yes it does come though the Exchange online plan, they only use it on their iphone.

The neatest way of doing that from a subscription point of view would be:

1 x MS 365 Business Standard. This has all the apps and Exchange Plan 1
1 x MS Exchange Plan 1. This will give the other user access to a proper Exchange mailbox for use on a phone or through webmail

You can achieve the same thing by using 2 x Exchange Plan 1 and 1 x MS 365 Apps for Business. I think bundling the email and apps into the MS 365 Standard offering will give you a marginal cost saving IIRC.