Microsoft 365 has become the de-facto standard for office applications and communication processes, offering exceptional value to organizations and their employees. But before you renew your subscription, it’s crucial to perform a few key checks. These steps ensure that your security, costs, and efficiency are optimized, helping your organization avoid common pitfalls, such as wasting up to 25% of subscription costs on unused licenses.
Here are three critical areas to review before renewing:
1. License Optimization: Stop Paying for Unused Licenses
One of the most common inefficiencies in Microsoft 365 subscriptions is the over-purchase of licenses. Many organizations unknowingly renew licenses that are no longer being used or allocate expensive licenses to users who don’t need them.
Key Steps:
- Audit License Usage: Track which employees actively use their assigned licenses and applications. Identify licenses that have gone unused and either reassign them or remove them before renewal.
- Match Licenses to User Needs: Ensure users are assigned the appropriate license type based on their role and required functionality. For instance, not every employee may need access to advanced features like Power BI or SharePoint.
Optimizing licenses not only reduces costs but also ensures your organization has the right balance of features for maximum productivity.
2. Strengthen Security Posture
Security breaches are a growing concern for businesses of all sizes, with 32% of UK businesses reporting breaches in 2023. Your Microsoft 365 subscription renewal is a critical time to evaluate and bolster your security.
Key Steps:
- Check Your Secure Score: Microsoft’s Secure Score provides a benchmark for your organization’s security posture. Aim for a score of 70% or higher, as top-performing organizations do. Since scores can change frequently, ensure you’ve addressed any vulnerabilities before renewal.
- Review Security Alerts: Regularly check for alerts in your Microsoft 365 dashboard. These alerts highlight potential threats, such as phishing attempts or unauthorized access. If attacks are frequent or severe, conduct a full cybersecurity scan and implement stronger security policies to close gaps.
Proactively addressing these areas can protect your organization from costly breaches and data loss.
3. Measure and Improve Efficiency
Understanding how effectively Microsoft 365 apps are being used across your organization can provide valuable insights into employee productivity and operational efficiency. High under-utilization rates indicate that employees may not be making full use of the tools provided, leading to wasted potential.
Key Steps:
- Analyze App Usage: Review usage levels of core apps like Teams, Outlook, and Excel. Compare this data against benchmarks for your industry to gauge performance.
- Boost Productivity: If usage levels are low, consider offering training to ensure employees can fully utilize the tools at their disposal. Efficient organizations often achieve utilization levels of 90% or greater. By identifying under-utilized resources, you can take actionable steps to boost productivity and ensure your team is working at its best.
By identifying under-utilized resources, you can take actionable steps to boost productivity and ensure your team is working at its best.
Automating the Process with Smarter SaaS 365
Performing these checks manually can be labour-intensive, but Smarter SaaS 365 from TBSC simplifies the process. With a 10-minute setup, you can generate automated reports within hours, saving time and ensuring no critical detail is overlooked.
Conclusion
Renewing a Microsoft 365 subscription without performing these checks is like leaving money on the table. By auditing your licenses, improving your security posture, and analyzing efficiency, you can spend wisely, be secure, and maximize productivity.
Make these checks a standard part of your renewal process to ensure your organization gets the best value from Microsoft 365.
For further details visit www.TBSC.cloud or email [email protected]
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