by Tanya Wetson-Catt | Dec 5, 2025 | Microsoft
Microsoft 365 is a powerful platform that helps a business in many ways. It boosts collaboration and streamlines operations, among other benefits. However, many companies waste money on unnecessary licenses and features that are not fully used.
Fortunately, you can avoid this waste and take your business to the next level by adopting smarter use of M365 security and Copilot add-ons. This article will provide practical insights, help you avoid costly mistakes, and support you in making informed decisions that fit your business objectives.
What Does Microsoft 365 Provide as Baseline Security & Copilot Features?
Even without premium add-ons, Microsoft 365 offers a solid set of built-in security and AI features that are useful. You have tools for identity and access management, such as Azure Active Directory (now Entra ID), multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, and conditional access. The basic plans also deliver threat and malware protection, with built-in scanning for emails, phishing protection through Microsoft Defender, and safeguards for attachments and links.
Depending on your plan, you might also have data loss prevention (DLP) features and tools for auditing and compliance to monitor user activity, support regulatory reporting, and enforce data retention policies. That said, before you adopt premium tiers, you have to scrutinize your needs. By knowing what is already available, you avoid paying for what you won’t use. Moreover, understanding what is included in every plan also helps you avoid overlapping features.
How Organizations Overspend on Microsoft 365 Security and Copilot Add-Ons
Before we explore solutions, it’s essential to understand how this waste occurs in the first place. Overspending is often not obvious. It is hidden in scenarios that go unnoticed.
Purchasing Higher-Tier Plans
As noted earlier, many organizations quickly upgrade to higher-tier plans like E3 or E5, or add premium features for every user, often paying for tools that remain unused.
Licenses Left Running
Another major source of waste comes from licenses that are assigned but no longer in use. Employees may have shifted roles, gone on leave, moved to part-time, or even left the company, yet their premium licenses remain active. If left unchecked, these idle licenses quietly drain the budget, adding up to significant financial loss over time.
Deleting Users During Offboarding
Organizations may delete user accounts during offboarding without first unassigning licenses. Deleting a user account does not automatically reclaim those licenses in Microsoft 365. Therefore, unless you manually unassign licenses or set up automation, you will continue paying for unused licenses long after the employee has left.
Duplicate Functionality Assigned to the Same User
Microsoft 365’s admin portal does not flag duplicate assignments. This increases the chance that your organization may assign redundant tools or capabilities to a single user. For example, giving someone both an E3 and a standalone Defender license that already comes with E3. This simply means you are paying twice for the same feature.
How to Reduce Waste in Microsoft 365 Security and Copilot Add-Ons
The good news is that much of this waste can be avoided. With discipline, proper tools, and regulation, you can redirect your budget to a smarter use of Microsoft 365. Below are some of the main strategies to adopt.
Downgrade Light Users
Not all users require an E3 or E5 license. For example, why give your receptionist a complete E5 license with enhanced compliance tools if they’re only emailing and using Teams? By monitoring actual usage, you can downgrade such users to E1 or another lower-tiered plan without affecting productivity. Low-usage discovery utilities enable you to downgrade confidently without speculation.
Automate Offboarding of Ex-Employees
By automating offboarding processes, licenses are unassigned automatically once you mark an employee as departed. Use workflow tools like Power Automate linked to HR systems or forms to revoke access, remove group memberships, convert mailboxes, and unassign licenses in one automated process.
Consolidate Overlapping Features
Review your security, compliance, collaboration, and analytics tools to find overlaps. If your plan already offers advanced threat protection or endpoint detection, consider canceling redundant third-party tools. If Copilot add-ons duplicate other AI or automation tools you already use, streamline them under one system.
Review Group and Shared Mailboxes
Many organizations mistakenly assign premium licenses to shared mailboxes, service accounts, or inactive mailboxes. This doesn’t offer any functional benefits. Think about converting them to free shared mailboxes or archiving them to free up license slots. That way, you ensure that your M365 budget is only spent on value-generating users.
Enable License Expiration Alerts and Governance Policies
Avoid wastage in the future by setting up policy checks and notifications, and make sure you respond as needed. Note down renewal dates for contracts so you don’t accidentally auto-renew unused licenses. Also, track levels of inactivity and flag for review licenses that have passed the threshold.
Make Microsoft 365 Work Smarter for You
Don’t let Microsoft 365 licenses and add-ons quietly drain your resources. Take control by reviewing how each license is used. When you match your tools with actual business needs, you save money, simplify management, and improve productivity in your organization.
Optimizing your Microsoft 365 environment is all about getting the most value from what you already own. By using M365 security and Copilot add-ons wisely, your business can operate more efficiently and securely. If you’re looking to better manage licensing and make smarter technology decisions, reach out to our team of experts who have helped organizations do exactly that. Let’s get started today.
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Featured Image Credit
This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.
by Tanya Wetson-Catt | May 30, 2025 | Microsoft
Microsoft 365 is a strong set of tools created to make working together and staying safe easier on many devices and systems. It has well-known programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, as well as new ones like Teams and OneDrive. With its powerful features and cloud-based services, Microsoft 365 gives businesses a complete way to organize their operations and boost communication. This post will talk about ten important tips that will help you get the most out of your Microsoft 365 apps.
What Are the Key Features of Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 isn’t just a bunch of office programs; it’s a whole ecosystem that helps people work together, control their data, and stay safe. Some of the most popular tools and features include:
- Teams
- OneDrive
- Excel
- Word
- Power Apps
- Planner
- Forms
Microsoft Teams is a central hub for communication and teamwork that lets users share files, hold meetings, and easily connect to other Microsoft apps. OneDrive also offers safe cloud storage, so users can get to their files and share them from anywhere. To keep private data safe, Microsoft 365 also has advanced security features like multi-factor login and data encryption.
One great thing about Microsoft 365 is that it lets people work together in real time. Multiple people can work on papers at the same time with tools like Excel and Word. This makes them more productive and reduces the need for version control. Also, Microsoft 365 works with other useful programs, such as Power Apps and Power Automate, which let users create their own apps and make work more efficient.
Microsoft Planner is a visual tool for keeping track of projects and tasks that works with Microsoft 365. It gives teams a central place to make plans, give tasks, and keep track of work. This tool is great for keeping track of complicated projects and making sure everyone on the team is on the same page.
Along with these tools, Microsoft 365 comes with Microsoft Forms, which makes it easy to make polls, quizzes, and questionnaires. This tool helps with getting feedback, giving tests, and making the process of collecting data easier. Next, we’ll go into more detail on how you can optimize your Microsoft 365 experience.
How Can You Optimize Your Microsoft 365 Experience?
To truly benefit from Microsoft 365, it’s essential to understand how to optimize its features for your organization’s needs. Here are some key strategies:
Embracing Collaboration Tools
Microsoft Teams is a cornerstone of collaboration in Microsoft 365. By setting up channels for different projects or departments, teams can communicate effectively and share relevant documents. Additionally, integrating SharePoint allows for centralized document management, making it easier for teams to access and collaborate on files.
Customizing Your Environment
Customizing your Microsoft 365 environment can significantly enhance user adoption. By tailoring SharePoint sites and Teams channels to reflect your organization’s branding and workflow, you can create a more intuitive and personalized experience for employees. This customization helps ensure that users can easily find and utilize the tools they need.
Using Automation
The Power Platform, which includes Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI, offers powerful tools for automating tasks and gaining insights from data. By leveraging these tools, businesses can streamline processes, reduce manual labor, and make data-driven decisions more effectively.
Ensuring Data Security
Data security is paramount in today’s digital landscape. Microsoft 365 provides robust security features like Azure Information Protection and Advanced Threat Protection to safeguard sensitive information. Implementing these features and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards can protect businesses from data breaches and legal issues.
Staying Up-to-Date with Training
Microsoft regularly updates its products with new features and enhancements. Staying informed through Microsoft Learn and other training resources can help your organization remain competitive and ensure that employees are using the latest tools effectively.
Partnering with Experts
Working with experienced consultants or Microsoft Certified Professionals can provide valuable insights and guidance on how to best utilize Microsoft 365 for your specific business needs. These experts can help overcome challenges, optimize your environment, and unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365.
Managing Email and Time Effectively
Utilizing features like Focused Inbox and Quick Steps in Outlook can significantly streamline email management. Additionally, leveraging shared calendars and task management tools can enhance productivity and collaboration across teams.
Utilizing Microsoft 365 Across Devices
Microsoft 365 apps are available across multiple devices, including PCs, Macs, tablets, and mobile phones. Ensuring that employees can access these tools from anywhere can improve flexibility and responsiveness to business needs. In conclusion, maximizing your investment in Microsoft 365 requires a strategic approach that encompasses collaboration, customization, automation, security, and ongoing learning.
Take The Next Step with Microsoft 365
If you’re looking to enhance your organization’s productivity and collaboration, consider reaching out to us for expert guidance on implementing Microsoft 365 effectively. Our team can help you tailor Microsoft 365 to meet your unique business needs, ensuring you get the most out of this powerful suite of tools.
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Featured Image Credit
This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.
by Tanya Wetson-Catt | Nov 15, 2024 | Microsoft
Microsoft Teams continues to evolve. It is a powerful hub for collaboration and communication in the modern workplace. With the integration of AI-driven Copilot, Teams is pushing the boundaries. It’s innovating how we interact with technology to streamline workflows. As well as improve productivity and unlock new business value.
Recent updates to Copilot in Teams include:
- Enhanced agent capabilities
- Smarter AI interactions
- Extra features to support teams in accomplishing tasks more efficiently
We’ll explore the latest updates to Copilot in Teams, including new features and intelligent agents as well as how these innovations can transform how your business operates.
What is Copilot in Microsoft Teams?
Copilot is Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant. It’s embedded in tools like Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It’s designed to assist with various tasks.
In Microsoft Teams, Copilot acts as an intelligent agent. It helps users by doing things like:
- Automating processes
- Managing tasks
- Analysing data
- Providing real-time insights
Copilot’s key strength is its ability to leverage existing data. It can also work seamlessly across platforms. It provides actionable recommendations, transforming how teams collaborate.
New Features of Copilot in Teams
The latest updates to Copilot in Teams bring several new features. They’re aimed at making interactions more:
- Intuitive
- Productive
- User-friendly
These features help users navigate complex tasks and much more.
Enhanced Collaboration Features
Copilot is now able to work even more seamlessly within team environments. It can help organise meetings and summarise conversations as well as provide real-time suggestions during discussions.
- Automated Meeting Summaries: A standout feature is generating meeting summaries automatically. After a team meeting, Copilot can provide a detailed recap. It can even highlight key points, action items, and decisions made. No more time-consuming notetaking!
- Intelligent Task Management: Copilot can now help manage tasks more effectively. It analyses conversations in chats or meetings. Then it can automatically identify tasks as well as assign them to team members, and track progress.
Smarter AI Suggestions
The new update brings more refined AI suggestions to Copilot. This enables it to provide better recommendations based on context and historical data.
- Context-Aware Responses: Copilot’s AI has become more context-aware. This means it can provide more relevant responses during chats or meetings. This minimises irrelevant suggestions and keeps teams focused.
- Personalised Insights: As Copilot interacts with a team, it learns from past behaviours. It can offer personalised insights and recommendations. For example, it can suggest the best times to schedule meetings. And do that based on the participants’ availability.
Agents in Copilot: A New Way to Work
One of the most exciting developments is the introduction of agents in Copilot. These agents take automation and AI-driven support to the next level. They act as specialised virtual assistants that can handle specific business functions.
What are Copilot Agents?
Copilot agents are task-specific AI-driven assistants. You can customise them to handle particular functions or workflows. Agents focus on specific domains such as customer support, sales, or project management. Each agent is equipped to carry out specialised tasks. This makes them a valuable asset for small and medium-sized businesses.
Agent Capabilities
Let’s look at some of the key capabilities these agents bring to Teams.
- Automating Routine Tasks: Agents can automate a wide range of routine tasks. This includes responding to customer inquiries and managing daily reports. This automation allows employees to focus on more value-added activities.
- Integration with Business Tools: Copilot agents seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft 365 tools. This includes Dynamics 365, SharePoint, and Outlook. This enables them to offer insights. As well as answer questions, or complete tasks based on real-time data.
- Multitasking Capabilities: Agents are also capable of handling several tasks simultaneously. For instance, a customer support agent could manage several customer queries. It can provide responses based on predefined workflows or knowledge bases. This can improve the efficiency of customer service teams.
Benefits of Using Copilot in Teams
The integration of Copilot into Teams offers several significant benefits. Here are a few.
Increased Productivity
Copilot automates routine tasks such as scheduling, meeting management, and task assignment. This frees up time for employees to focus on more important activities. Its intelligent recommendations help teams make faster, more informed decisions.
Improved Communication
Copilot can summarise meetings, track action items, and offer context-aware suggestions. This ensures that communication is more streamlined and effective. It also reduces misunderstandings and keeps projects on track.
Enhanced Decision-Making
Copilot has access to AI-driven insights and data analysis. This enables teams to make more informed decisions. Copilot helps highlight trends, provide performance metrics, and identify areas of improvement.
Better Workflow Management
Agents and automation tools help manage workflows. This ensures that teams complete tasks on time and with fewer errors. It can track project progress and automate customer interactions. Copilot helps ensure that operations run smoothly.
Looking Ahead: The Future of AI in Teams
As AI continues to advance, we can expect even more innovative features. Future updates will likely bring deeper integrations with external systems as well as smarter agents that can manage increasingly complex workflows.
The future of AI in collaboration tools like Teams represents an exciting opportunity. By adopting these AI-powered tools now, businesses can stay ahead of the curve. They can also unlock new growth opportunities.
Work Smarter, Not Harder! We can Help
Copilot in Teams is just one example of the power of Microsoft 365 in the AI age. Need help understanding how to leverage its power effectively? Our Microsoft tech experts are here for you.
Reach out today to schedule a chat.
by Tanya Wetson-Catt | Oct 20, 2024 | Microsoft
Microsoft 365 is a powerful suite of tools. It helps to enhance productivity and collaboration. This is especially true for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). But to get the most out of Microsoft 365, it’s important to optimise its settings. Otherwise, you may only be using a fraction of the power you have.
Ready to get more from your M365 business subscription? This blog post will guide you through essential settings to power up your use of Microsoft 365.
1. Optimise Email with Outlook Features
Set Up Focused Inbox
Focused Inbox helps you manage your email more efficiently. It separates important emails from the rest. To enable it, go to the View tab in Outlook and select Show Focused Inbox. Or in New Outlook, visit View > View Settings. This setting ensures you see the most important messages first.
Customise Email Signatures
A professional email signature can enhance your brand. Create signatures for new emails and replies. Include your name, position, company, and contact information. See how to set up Outlook signatures here.
Organise with Rules
Email rules help automate organisation. They can also free you from inbox chaos. Create rules to move emails to specific folders or mark them as read. This reduces clutter and keeps your inbox organised.
2. Enhance Collaboration with Teams
Set Up Channels
Channels in Teams organise discussions by topic or project. Create channels for different teams or projects. Name the channel and set its privacy level. This helps keep conversations focused and organised. It also makes it easier to search for specific messages.
Manage Notifications
Notifications keep you informed but can be overwhelming. Customise them by going to Settings > Notifications. Choose which activities you want to be notified about. This way, you stay updated without unnecessary interruptions.
Use Tabs for Quick Access to Team Resources
Tabs in Teams give quick access to important files and apps. No more constantly emailing documents to team members who can’t find them. Add tabs for frequently used documents, websites, or apps. Click the plus icon at the top of a channel and select the type of tab to add. This streamlines workflows and improves productivity.
3. Secure Your Data
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
MFA adds a critical layer of security to your account. It protects against unauthorised access. Especially in the case of a compromised password. Read this help article to set up M365 MFA.
Set Up Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Policies
DLP policies help prevent data breaches. Create policies to identify and protect sensitive information. This ensures compliance with data protection regulations. Go to the Microsoft Purview help page to see how.
Manage Mobile Device Security
Ensure mobile devices accessing Microsoft 365 are secure. You can do this by upgrading to Microsoft 365 Business Premium. It includes Intune, a powerful endpoint device manager. It allows you to set up several security protocols for devices accessing your data.
4. Customise SharePoint
Organise with Document Libraries
Document libraries in SharePoint help organise and manage files. Create libraries for different departments or projects. This improves file management and accessibility. Learn how SharePoint integrates with Teams and OneDrive.
Set Permissions
Control access to your SharePoint site with permissions. Assign permissions based on roles and responsibilities. This ensures only authorised users can access sensitive information.
Use Site Templates
Site templates in SharePoint are great for sharing information. You can set up topic-focused mini-websites either inside or outside your company. Use templates for common site types, like team sites or project sites.
Maximise Productivity with OneDrive
Sync Files for Offline Access
OneDrive allows you to sync files for offline access. Go to OneDrive, select the files or folders to sync. This ensures you can access important files even without an internet connection.
Use Version History
Version history in OneDrive allows you to restore previous versions of files. This is vital for business continuity and ransomware recovery. You can view and restore older versions as needed. This helps recover from accidental changes or deletions.
Share Files Securely
Share files securely with OneDrive. Select a file, click Share, and choose sharing options. Set permissions and expiration dates for shared links. This ensures only intended recipients can access shared files.
6. Leverage Advanced Features
Use Power Automate for Workflow Automation
Power Automate helps automate repetitive tasks. Go to the Power Automate website and create flows for common workflows. Use templates or create custom flows. This saves time and reduces manual work.
Analyse Data with Power BI
Power BI provides powerful data analysis and visualisation tools. Connect Power BI to your Microsoft 365 data sources. Create interactive reports and dashboards. This helps you gain insights and make informed decisions.
Add Copilot for Microsoft 365
Copilot is Microsoft’s generative AI engine. It can dramatically reduce the time it takes for all types of tasks. For example, create a PowerPoint presentation from a prompt. Or have Copilot generate tasks based on a Teams meeting. Learn more about Copilot here.
Reach Out for Expert M365 Optimisation & Support
Using these essential settings can maximise your Microsoft 365 experience. This can lead to improved security, efficiency, and collaboration.
Want a more detailed exploration of these settings and how to use them? Consider reaching out to our Microsoft 365 team. We’ll be happy to help you optimise and manage your tools and leverage all the benefits.
Reach out today and let’s chat about powering up your use of M365.
