Microsoft 365 was unveiled on the first day of Microsoft Inspire that took place last week – which hosts 17,000 attendees to discuss the next big things in business and technology innovation. This all-in-one solution provides a new way for businesses to purchase essential productivity and security features by combining Office 365, Windows 10, and Microsoft’s Enterprise Mobility and Security into a single offering.

Microsoft 365 will come in two primary versions: Enterprise and Business. Microsoft 365 Enterprise will be available for purchase on August 1, and Microsoft 365 Business will follow with a public preview starting August 2. Customers can purchase Microsoft 365 through Enterprise Agreements or Microsoft Cloud Solution Providers (CSP).

To refresh your memory, here is a quick recap of the three primary products available through Microsoft 365:

• Office 365: A complete enterprise cloud productivity service that includes access to the latest Office applications and capabilities, including Skype for Business, Exchange Online, OneDrive, Outlook and plenty more.
• Enterprise Mobility + Security Suite: A suite of products providing a number of features to enhance identity and security both on-premises and in the cloud, including behavioral analysis and threat detection, identity and access management in the cloud, simpler management of apps and devices, protection for information wherever it goes, and on-premises wherever identity and access management. Learn more about the many features of Enterprise Mobility + Security in our EMS blog series.
• Windows 10: The latest version of Windows for the enterprise that includes security capabilities such as endpoint breach protection, convenient enterprise-grade alternatives to passwords, data encryption, policy-based information protection, and the ability to detect and remediate persistent threats and data breaches on the network.

On the surface, Microsoft 365 is a new way for businesses to purchase Office and Windows, making it easier and more affordable to build comprehensive capabilities required to deliver a complete, intelligent and secure solution. However, this bundling of products represents a much more significant step towards the greater goal of workforce transformation. From a growing mobile workforce to changing employee expectations to an increasingly complex threat environment, businesses of all sizes need to take a holistic approach to addressing the needs of the modern workforce and Microsoft 365 is a step in the right direction.

If you’re interested in learning more about the value of adopting Microsoft 365, contact us to explore various scenarios based on your unique business objectives that will accelerate your workforce transformation.