Office 365 Business Essentials is now Microsoft 365 Business Basic. Get web versions of Office apps with Microsoft Teams and business email. If you have an existing licensed copy of Outlook, there's absolutely nothing that is going to prevent you from using it. Think this is more of a mis-understanding in that any Business Basic plans don't come with a license to Microsoft 365 - not that you can't use what you already may have. Karl Timmermans (Outlook MVP 2012-2018). Solution: Business Basic is the same Exchange Online that the other subscription levels have - it just doesn't include the desktop Office apps but you certainly So a NFP has just setup Microsoft 365 Business Basics (ie no on prem s/w)I'm assuming they can connect their own existing Office 2013 Outlook to these new mailboxes?Its just com.
- Microsoft Exchange Online Plan 1 Vs Office 365 Business Basic
- Does Microsoft 365 Business Basic Include Office
- Microsoft 365 For Business
- Microsoft Office 365 Business Essential
- Office 365 Business Login
- Does Microsoft 365 Business Basic Include Office Apps
Since April 21, 2020, Microsoft has officially renamed all ‘Office 365 Business’ plans to ‘Microsoft 365 Business’. Here’s the table of feature comparison of Microsoft 365 Business plans:
Microsoft 365 | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft 365 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 user/month Based on Annual Commitment Start Trial | $12.50 user/month Based on Annual Commitment Start Trial | $20.00 user/month Based on Annual Commitment Start Trial | $8.25 user/month Based on Annual Commitment Start Trial | ||
| Office applications included | |||||
| Services included | |||||
| Support & Deployment | |||||
| Money-back guarantee | 15 days | 15 days | 15 days | 15 days | |
| Maximum number of users | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | |
| 24/7 Support for end users via phone, chat, and email | |||||
| 99.9% uptime guarantee | |||||
| Licensed for commercial use | |||||
| Desktop versions of Office apps for PC & Mac | |||||
| Lastest desktop versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint for Windows or Mac (plus Access and Publisher for PC only) | |||||
| Access to the document simultaneously by all users in real-time | |||||
| Available on 5 phones, 5 tablets, 5 PC/Macs per user | |||||
| Web & mobile versions of Office apps | |||||
| Word Online, Excel Online and PowerPoint Online | |||||
| Lastest desktop versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint for iOS, Android devices (upto 5 phones and 5 tablets) | |||||
| Access to the document simultaneously by all users in real-time | |||||
| Teamwork & communication | |||||
| Online meetings and video conferencing up to 250 people with Microsoft Teams | |||||
| Microsoft Teams – Desktop and mobile versions | |||||
| Hub for connecting people to Microsoft Teams | |||||
| SharePoint for team sites and intranet | |||||
| Email & calendaring | |||||
| 50 GB mailbox for email hosting with custom email domain address | |||||
| Microsoft Exchange – Business-class emails – Desktop and mobile versions | |||||
| Schedule meetings and respond to invitations with ease using shared calendars | |||||
| Set up new user emails, restore deleted accounts, and more from anywhere | |||||
| File storage & sharing | |||||
| 1 TB OneDrive for Business file storage and sharing | |||||
| Get OneDrive for Business and SharePoint synchronized across all devices for every work file saved | OneDrive only | ||||
| File sharing with people outside your organization | |||||
| Control of permission and access rights for file sharing | |||||
| Access and sync files on PC or Mac and mobile devices | |||||
| Security & compliance | |||||
| Exchange Online Protection – from spam, malware, and other threats | |||||
| Over 1,000 security and privacy controls meeting all globally accepted standards | |||||
| Custom permission for accessing crucial business information | |||||
| Password policy creation | |||||
| Popular productivity tools included | |||||
| Microsoft Teams for scheduling and planning | |||||
| Microsoft Bookings for managing appointments | |||||
| MileIQ for real-time precise on-the-go mileage tracking | |||||
| Features related to Advanced Threat Protection | |||||
| Advanced Threat Protection from ransomware, malware, and zero-day threats | |||||
| Erase the company data remotely from lost devices with Intune | |||||
| Inhibit copy/saving of company data ton unauthorized apps with app protection | |||||
| Information Rights Management to control use access (Do not copy/forward) | |||||
| Windows Defender Exploit Guard for prebreach threat resistance | |||||
| Windows Defender for malware protection for Windows 10 | |||||
| Exchange Online Archiving to enable unlimited cloud archive | |||||
| Features related to managing devices | |||||
| Easy-to-use setup wizard for configuration of security features | |||||
| Manage Windows 10 PC policies with simplified controls | |||||
| Automatic deployment of Office 365 apps to Windows 10 PC | |||||
| Automatic configuration of Office and Windows 10 upgrades | |||||
| Intune for mobile device management (Includes iOS, Android, and Windows PC devices) | |||||
| $5.00 user/month Based on Annual Commitment Start Trial | $12.50 user/month Based on Annual Commitment Start Trial | $20.00 user/month Based on Annual Commitment Start Trial | $8.25 user/month Based on Annual Commitment Start Trial | ||
Submit an enquiry. Schedule a call back right away!
Microsoft 365 and Office 365 Nonprofit E1 or E3 Business Voice is available in over 70 countries and regions. Whether you can set up Business Voice on your own, transfer phone numbers to Microsoft 365, and manage your phone numbers in Microsoft 365, depends on the country or region in which your Microsoft 365 tenant is located. Buy Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan and get Exchange, Office Web Apps, One Drive, Microsoft Teams, Calendar for business and lot more. Microsoft 365 business Basic plan is designed to provide best productivity solutions for business and startups in India with no dedicated office or workers without desk – retail, shift or those using shared PCs.
- ✓ Free Migration
- ✓ 24/7 expert support
- ✓ Talk to Microsoft-certified experts
All Our Microsoft 365 Business Plans Include
FAQs on M365 Business Plans
WHY MICROSOFT CHANGED NAME FROM OFFICE 365 to M365?
Name changes are not unconventional at Microsoft. The tech giant changes the names of its popular products and services from time to time. The reason behind this name change is cited as a more holistic approach which appeals to a wider base, rather than just the ‘office’ sphere.
What plan should I choose if I do not need Microsoft Office apps?
If you do not need Microsoft Office applications, go with the most basic plan – Microsoft 365 Business Basic (earlier called as Office 365 Business Essentials). This plan is priced at only $5 user/month. At $8.25 user/month, Microsoft 365 Apps for Business is a standard plan includes Microsoft Office applications along with OneDrive for Business. In addition to all the features of the above plans, Microsoft Business Standard has more advanced features priced at $12.50 user/month.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OFFICE 365 AND MICROSOFT 365?
Microsoft 365 is a bundle of services including Office 365, comprising of Microsoft services including Windows 10 Enterprise. Office 365 is a cloud-based productivity suite which is a bundle of popular Microsoft apps.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO USE MY OWN DOMAIN NAME FOR THE EMAILS IN MICROSOFT 365?
Yes, you can add the domain name you own to your Microsoft 365 account and set up your domain-based email addresses. You can even add multiple domains and sub-domains to Office 365 and host any of the services, including email, on any of the domains that you add. You must own a domain name and as an admin, you will have to make some changes on the DNS records of your domain – we will guide you for this.
WHAT OFFICE VERSIONS ARE COMPATIBLE WITH MICROSOFT 365 BUSINESS BASIC?
Microsoft 365 Business Basic, earlier known as Office 365 Business Essentials, is most compatible with the latest version of Office, Office 2016, and Office 2011 for Mac. The ancient versions of MS Office before 2013 may work with the plan, but with reduced functionality.
Microsoft Exchange Online Plan 1 Vs Office 365 Business Basic
HOW EXACTLY WILL APPS4RENT HELP ME WITH THE PLANS?
As your Cloud Solution Provider for Office 365, we will provide free migration and 24/7/365 support to end-users for issues that take up your time, such as email configuration accounts, password resets, setting up aliases and contacts, creating groups, configuring MS Teams, synchronizing OneDrive, exploring search features, and optimizing browser settings. We will also help you with installing and configuring the latest Office version on your devices and handling DNS records.
IS A DESKTOP VERSION OF OFFICE REQUIRED TO USE MICROSOFT 365 BUSINESS BASIC?
No. You do not need to have a desktop version of Office to use Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan. However, you will have a richer experience and also be able to work offline when you connect a desktop version of Office to the Microsoft 365 services and get it in sync.
WILL BY MS OFFICE BE AUTOMATICALLY UPDATES TO THE LATEST VERSION IF I HAVE MICROSOFT 365 PLANS?
Yes. MS Office apps are always up to date on Microsoft 365. If you already had subscription of erstwhile Office 365 plans which is now Microsoft 365, you already have a version of Office that has all the functions of the latest MS Office version.
Submit Your Requirements
Note
The admin center is changing. If your experience doesn't match the details presented here, see About the new Microsoft 365 admin center.
If you are a small or medium-size organization using one of Microsoft's business plans and your type of organization is targeted by cyber criminals and hackers, use the guidance in this article to increase the security of your organization. This guidance helps your organization achieve the goals described in the Harvard Kennedy School Cybersecurity Campaign Handbook.
Microsoft recommends that you complete the tasks listed in the following table that apply to your service plan.
| Task | Microsoft 365 Business Standard | Microsoft 365 Business Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Set up multi-factor authentication | |
| 2 | Train your users | |
| 3 | Use dedicated admin accounts | |
| 4 | Raise the level of protection against malware in mail | |
| 5 | Protect against ransomware | |
| 6 | Stop auto-forwarding for email | |
| 7 | Use Office Message Encryption | |
| 8 | Protect your email from phishing attacks | |
| 9 | Protect against malicious attachments and files with Safe Attachments | |
| 10 | Protect against phishing attacks with Safe Links |
Does Microsoft 365 Business Basic Include Office
Before you begin, check your Microsoft 365 Secure Score in the Microsoft 365 security center. From a centralized dashboard, you can monitor and improve the security for your Microsoft 365 identities, data, apps, devices, and infrastructure. You are given points for configuring recommended security features, performing security-related tasks (such as viewing reports), or addressing recommendations with a third-party application or software. With additional insights and more visibility into a broader set of Microsoft products and services, you can feel confident reporting about your organization's security health.
1: Set up multi-factor authentication
Using multi-factor authentication is one of the easiest and most effective ways to increase the security of your organization. It's easier than it sounds - when you log in, multi-factor authentication means you'll type a code from your phone to get access to Microsoft 365. This can prevent hackers from taking over if they know your password. Multi-factor authentication is also called 2-step verification. Individuals can add 2-step verification to most accounts easily, for example, to their Google or Microsoft accounts. Here's how to add two-step verification to your personal Microsoft account.
For businesses using Microsoft 365, add a setting that requires your users to log in using multi-factor authentication. When you make this change, users will be prompted to set up their phone for two-factor authentication next time they log in.To see a training video for how to set up MFA and how users complete the set up, see set up MFA and user set up.
To set up multi-factor authentication, you turn on Security defaults:
For most organizations, Security defaults offer a good level of additional sign-in security. For more information, see What are security defaults?
If your subscription is new, Security defaults might already be turned on for you automatically.
You enable or disable security defaults from the Properties pane for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) in the Azure portal.
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center with global admin credentials.
- In the left nav choose Show All and under Admin centers, choose Azure Active Directory.
- In the Azure Active Directory admin center choose Azure Active Directory > Properties.
- At the bottom of the page, choose Manage Security defaults.
- Choose Yes to enable security defaults or No to disable security defaults, and then choose Save.
After you set up multi-factor authentication for your organization, your users will be required to set up two-step verification on their devices. For more information, see Set up 2-step verification for Microsoft 365.
For full details and complete recommendations, see Set up multi-factor authentication for users.
2: Train your users
The Harvard Kennedy School Cybersecurity Campaign Handbook provides excellent guidance on establishing a strong culture of security awareness within your organization, including training users to identify phishing attacks.
In addition to this guidance, Microsoft recommends that your users take the actions described in this article: Protect your account and devices from hackers and malware. These actions include:
Using strong passwords
Protecting devices
Enabling security features on Windows 10 and Mac PCs
Microsoft also recommends that users protect their personal email accounts by taking the actions recommended in the following articles:
3: Use dedicated admin accounts
The administrative accounts you use to administer your Microsoft 365 environment include elevated privileges. These are valuable targets for hackers and cyber criminals. Use admin accounts only for administration. Admins should have a separate user account for regular, non-administrative use and only use their administrative account when necessary to complete a task associated with their job function. Additional recommendations:
Be sure admin accounts are also set up for multi-factor authentication.
Before using admin accounts, close out all unrelated browser sessions and apps, including personal email accounts.
After completing admin tasks, be sure to log out of the browser session.
4: Raise the level of protection against malware in mail
Your Microsoft 365 environment includes protection against malware, but you can increase this protection by blocking attachments with file types that are commonly used for malware. To bump up malware protection in email, view a short training video, or complete the following steps:
Go to https://protection.office.com and sign in with your admin account credentials.
In the Security & Compliance Center, in the left navigation pane, under Threat management, choose Policy > Anti-Malware.
Double-click the default policy to edit this company-wide policy.
Select Settings.
Under Common Attachment Types Filter, select On. The file types that are blocked are listed in the window directly below this control. You can add or delete file types later, if needed.
Select Save.
For more information, see Anti-malware protection in EOP.
5: Protect against ransomware
Ransomware restricts access to data by encrypting files or locking computer screens. It then attempts to extort money from victims by asking for 'ransom,' usually in form of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, in exchange for access to data.
You can protect against ransomware by creating one or more mail flow rules to block file extensions that are commonly used for ransomware, or to warn users who receive these attachments in email. A good starting point is to create two rules:
Warn users before opening Office file attachments that include macros. Ransomware can be hidden inside macros, so we'll warn users to not open these files from people they do not know.
Block file types that could contain ransomware or other malicious code. We'll start with a common list of executables (listed in the table below). If your organization uses any of these executable types and you expect these to be sent in email, add these to the previous rule (warn users).
To create a mail transport rule, view a short training video, or complete the following steps:
Go to the Exchange admin center.
In the mail flow category, select rules.
Select +, and then Create a new rule.
Select **** at the bottom of the dialog box to see the full set of options.
Apply the settings in the following table for each rule. Leave the rest of the settings at the default, unless you want to change these.
Select Save.
| Setting | Warn users before opening attachments of Office files | Block file types that could contain ransomware or other malicious code |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Anti-ransomware rule: warn users | Anti-ransomware rule: block file types |
| Apply this rule if . . . | Any attachment . . . file extension matches . . . | Any attachment . . . file extension matches . . . |
| Specify words or phrases | Add these file types: dotm, docm, xlsm, sltm, xla, xlam, xll, pptm, potm, ppam, ppsm, sldm | Add these file types: ade, adp, ani, bas, bat, chm, cmd, com, cpl, crt, hlp, ht, hta, inf, ins, isp, job, js, jse, lnk, mda, mdb, mde, mdz, msc, msi, msp, mst, pcd, reg, scr, sct, shs, url, vb, vbe, vbs, wsc, wsf, wsh, exe, pif |
| Do the following . . . | Prepend a disclaimer | Block the message . . . reject the message and include an explanation |
| Provide message text | Do not open these types of files—unless you were expecting them—because the files may contain malicious code and knowing the sender isn't a guarantee of safety. |
Tip
You can also add the files you want to block to the Anti-malware list in step 4.
For more information, see:
6: Stop auto-forwarding for email
Hackers who gain access to a user's mailbox can exfiltrate mail by configuring the mailbox to automatically forward email. This can happen even without the user's awareness. You can prevent this from happening by configuring a mail flow rule.
To create a mail transport rule:
Go to the Exchange admin center.
In the mail flow category, select rules.
Select +, and then Create a new rule.
Select More options at the bottom of the dialog box to see the full set of options.
Apply the settings in the following table. Leave the rest of the settings at the default, unless you want to change these.
Select Save.
| Setting | Reject Auto-Forward emails to external domains |
|---|---|
| Name | Prevent auto forwarding of email to external domains |
| Apply this rule if ... | The sender . . . is external/internal . . . Inside the organization |
| Add condition | The recipient . . . is external/internal . . . Outside the organization |
| Add condition | The message properties . . . include the message type . . . Auto-forward |
| Do the following ... | Block the message . . . reject the message and include an explanation. |
| Provide message text | Auto-forwarding email outside this organization is prevented for security reasons. |
7: Use Office Message Encryption
Office Message Encryption is included with Microsoft 365. It's already set up. With Office Message Encryption, your organization can send and receive encrypted email messages between people inside and outside your organization. Office 365 Message Encryption works with Outlook.com, Yahoo!, Gmail, and other email services. Email message encryption helps ensure that only intended recipients can view message content.
Office Message Encryption provides two protection options when sending mail:
Do not forward
Encrypt
Your organization might have configured additional options that apply a label to email, such as Confidential.
To send protected email
In Outlook for PC, select Options in the email, and then choose Permissions.
In Outlook.com, select Protect in the email. The default protection is Do not forward. To change this to encrypt, select Change Permissions > Encrypt.
To receive encrypted email
If the recipient has Outlook 2013 or Outlook 2016 and a Microsoft email account, they'll see an alert about the item's restricted permissions in the Reading pane. After opening the message, the recipient can view the message just like any other.
If the recipient is using another email client or email account, such as Gmail or Yahoo, they'll see a link that lets them either sign in to read the email message or request a one-time passcode to view the message in a web browser. If users aren't receiving the email, have them check their Spam or Junk folder.
For more information, see Send, view, and reply to encrypted messages in Outlook for PC.
8. Protect your email from phishing attacks
If you've configured one or more custom domains for your Microsoft 365 environment, you can configure targeted anti-phishing protection. Anti-phishing protection, a part of Microsoft Defender for Office 365, can help protect your organization from malicious impersonation-based phishing attacks and other phishing attacks. If you haven't configured a custom domain, you do not need to do this.
We recommend that you get started with this protection by creating a policy to protect your most important users and your custom domain.
To create an anti-phishing policy in Defender for Office 365, view a short training video, or complete the following steps:
Go to https://protection.office.com.
In the Security & Compliance Center, in the left navigation pane, under Threat management, select Policy.
On the Policy page, select Anti-phishing.
On the Anti-phishing page, select + Create. A wizard launches that steps you through defining your anti-phishing policy.
Specify the name, description, and settings for your policy as recommended in the chart below. See Learn about anti-phishing policy in Microsoft Defender for Office 365 options for more details.
After you have reviewed your settings, select Create this policy or Save, as appropriate.
| Setting or option | Recommended setting |
|---|---|
| Name | Domain and most valuable campaign staff |
| Description | Ensure most important staff and our domain are not being impersonated. |
| Add users to protect | Select + Add a condition, The recipient is. Type user names or enter the email address of the candidate, campaign manager, and other important staff members. You can add up to 20 internal and external addresses that you want to protect from impersonation. |
| Add domains to protect | Select + Add a condition, The recipient domain is. Enter the custom domain associated with your Microsoft 365 subscription, if you defined one. You can enter more than one domain. |
| Choose actions | If email is sent by an impersonated user: select Redirect message to another email address, and then type the email address of the security administrator; for example, securityadmin@contoso.com. If email is sent by an impersonated domain: select Quarantine message. |
| Mailbox intelligence | By default, mailbox intelligence is selected when you create a new anti-phishing policy. Leave this setting On for best results. |
| Add trusted senders and domains | For this example, don't define any overrides. |
| Applied to | Select The recipient domain is. Under Any of these, select Choose. Select + Add. Select the check box next to the name of the domain, for example, contoso.com, in the list, and then select Add. Select Done. |
For more information, see Set up anti-phishing policies in Defender for Office 365.
9: Protect against malicious attachments and files with Safe Attachments
People regularly send, receive, and share attachments, such as documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and more. It's not always easy to tell whether an attachment is safe or malicious just by looking at an email message. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 includes Safe Attachment protection, but this protection is not turned on by default. We recommend that you create a new rule to begin using this protection. This protection extends to files in SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams.
To create an Safe attachment policy, view a short training video, or complete the following steps:
Microsoft 365 For Business
Go to https://protection.office.com and sign in with your admin account.
In the Security & Compliance Center, in the left navigation pane, under Threat management, select Policy.
On the Policy page, select Safe Attachments.
On the Safe attachments page, apply this protection broadly by selecting the Turn on ATP for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams check box.
Select + to create a new policy.
Apply the settings in the following table.
After you have reviewed your settings, select Create this policy or Save, as appropriate.
| Setting or option | Recommended setting |
|---|---|
| Name | Block current and future emails with detected malware. |
| Description | Block current and future emails and attachments with detected malware. |
| Save attachments unknown malware response | Select Block - Block the current and future emails and attachments with detected malware. |
| Redirect attachment on detection | Enable redirection (select this box) Enter the admin account or a mailbox setup for quarantine. Apply the above selection if malware scanning for attachments times out or error occurs (select this box). |
| Applied to | The recipient domain is . . . select your domain. |
For more information, see Set up anti-phishing policies in Defender for Office 365.
10: Protect against phishing attacks with Safe Links
Hackers sometimes hide malicious websites in links in email or other files. Safe Links, part of Microsoft Defender for Office 365, can help protect your organization by providing time-of-click verification of web addresses (URLs) in email messages and Office documents. Protection is defined through Safe Links policies.
We recommend that you do the following:
Modify the default policy to increase protection.
Add a new policy targeted to all recipients in your domain.
To get to Safe Links, view a short training video, or complete the following steps:
Go to https://protection.office.com and sign in with your admin account.
In the Security & Compliance Center, in the left navigation pane, under Threat management, select Policy.
On the Policy page, select Safe Links.
To modify the default policy:
Microsoft Office 365 Business Essential
On the Safe links page, under Policies that apply to the entire organization, double-click the Default policy.
Under Settings that apply to content across Office 365, enter a URL to be blocked, such as example.com, and select +.
Under Settings that apply to content except email, select Office 365 applications, Do not track when users click safe links, and Do not let users click through safe links to original URL.
Select Save.
To create a new policy targeted to all recipients in your domain:
On the Safe links page, under Policies that apply to specific recipients, select + to create a new policy.
Apply the settings listed in the following table.
Select Save.
Office 365 Business Login
| Setting or option | Recommended setting |
|---|---|
| Name | Safe links policy for all recipients in the domain |
| Select the action for unknown potentially malicious URLs in messages | Select On - URLs will be rewritten and checked against a list of known malicious links when user clicks on the link. |
| Apply real-time URL scanning for suspicious links and links that point to files | Select this box. |
| Applied to | The recipient domain is . . . select your domain. |
Does Microsoft 365 Business Basic Include Office Apps
For more information, see Safe Links in Microsoft Defender for Office 365.