Are you making the most of your Microsoft 365? 

Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365) was officially launched to the public in 2011 with the primary aim of enhancing business productivity and workflow. However, our studies show that out of the 5.5 million small and medium enterprises in the UK, only a handful utilise Microsoft 365 to its full potential. Most growing businesses use only the basic features, unaware of the numerous benefits it offers.

In this article, we'll highlight 10 powerful business tools in Microsoft 365 that you should take advantage of to boost productivity.

10 Underrated Business Tools in Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 offers a suite of tools, with the core apps being Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote. While these apps are among the most widely used, several overlooked tools within the platform can elevate your business to the next level.

Here are some Microsoft 365 tools you should use be using more often:

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1. Microsoft Defender for Business

Microsoft Defender is an enterprise-grade cybersecurity solution designed to protect small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) from cyber threats such as malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks. This robust tool provides endpoint protection, threat detection, and automated investigation and response, ensuring that the organisation's files and sensitive information remain secure.

Key features in Microsoft Defender include:

• Next-generation Antivirus (NGAV): Detects and blocks threats in real-time.

• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Provides automated threat investigation and remediation.

• Attack surface reduction policies: These prevent vulnerabilities from being exploited by cybercriminals.

• Microsoft Defender also allows centralised security management through the Microsoft 365 Defender portal.

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2. Intune (Device Management)

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) tool that enables businesses to manage and secure both company-owned and personal devices (Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS. It is part of Microsoft Endpoint Manager.

These Intune features allows enterprises to implement Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and manage corporate devices seamlessly:

• Device compliance policies to ensure devices used within the organisation meet specific security requirements (e.g., encryption and updated OS).

• Mobile Application Management (MAM) to control app access without requiring full device management.

• Zero Trust security approach: This feature enables admin teams to verify every access request before granting permissions.

• Remote wipe capabilities: This allows IT admins to remove business data from lost or stolen devices.

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3. Microsoft Entra ID

Microsoft Entra ID (formerly known as Azure AD) is a cloud-based identity and management (IAM) service that helps organisations manage user identities and access to cloud resources. It provides an extra level of security and identity control to protect business accounts from unauthorised access.

Key features in Microsoft Entra ID include:

• Multi-Factor Authentication: This requires users to verify identity using SMS, phone, email, and authenticator apps.

• Single Sign-On (SSO): Allows users to access multiple applications with a single set of credentials.

• Authorisation: Controls which resources users are allowed to access based on their roles and permissions.

• Identity Protection: Detects suspicious sign-in attempts and prevents potential breaches.

• Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR): Allows users to reset passwords without IT intervention.

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4. Conditional Access Policies

Conditional Access Policies are a core feature of Microsoft Entra ID that allow organisations to enforce security requirements based on various conditions, like user identity, device compliance, or location, before granting access to resources. It functions in the form of “if-then” statements, meaning that if certain conditions are met (e.g., user is in a specific location or user’s device is compliant), then a specific action can be taken (e.g., access granted). Thus, this feature can be used to block access from risky locations (sign-ins from unknown IP addresses) and restrict access to corporate apps on non-compliant devices.

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5. DLP (Data Loss Prevention)

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) on Microsoft 365 helps prevent accidental or malicious sharing of sensitive data such as credit card numbers, personal health information (PHI), or confidential business documents. It forestalls data leaks through emails, documents, and cloud storage.

This essential tool offers:

• Predefined policies to detect and restrict sensitive data sharing.
• Real-time alerts when users attempt to share protected information.
• Automatic encryption of sensitive documents.
• Compliance integration with GDPR, HIPAA, and other regulations.

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6. Secure File Sharing with OneDrive + SharePoint

OneDrive and SharePoint enable secure cloud storage and speedy, seamless file sharing, helping businesses improve collaboration while maintaining data security. 

These are the components of Secure File sharing:

• OneDrive for Business: OneDrive functions as a personal cloud storage for employees, allowing access from any registered device. This eliminates the need for multiple storage devices and ensures tight data security.

• SharePoint Online: This is a team-based document management system with advanced permissions and workflow automation.

• Secure external sharing: This allows businesses to share documents with password protection, expiration date, and view-only access.

• Version control: Tracks file changes and restores previous versions if needed.
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7. Power Automate

Microsoft Power Automate (formerly known as Microsoft Flow) is a cloud-based workflow automation tool that allows users to automate business processes and tasks across multiple applications and services, reducing manual tasks and increasing efficiency.

Key features include:

• Data synchronisation across different applications and services
• Document approvals
• Automated notifications and event response 
• AI-powered document processing

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8.Microsoft Forms & Approvals

Microsoft Forms enables businesses to create surveys, quizzes, and feedback forms for employees and customers. The responses are then automatically stored and analysed. It's an important tool for small and medium-sized businesses that intend to retain their present customers and attract new ones. 

Meanwhile, Approvals—a Power Automate feature—simplifies the approval process for business documents, invoices, and HR requests. The admin team (approvers) receive notifications and can accept or reject requests via email or Teams.

See why Microsoft Teams matters to your business.

9.Endpoint Analytics

Like Intune, Endpoint Analytics is part of Microsoft Endpoint Manager. It provides insights into device performance, security, and usage.

Here's how it helps businesses:

• Identifies slow or underperforming devices.
• Detects security vulnerabilities and recommends fixes.
• Optimises device settings to improve speed and efficiency.
• Reduces IT support requests by preemptively addressing issues.

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10.Information Protection (Sensitivity Labels)

Microsoft Information Protection uses Sensitivity Labels to classify and protect business data. These labels help secure confidential information across emails, documents, and cloud storage.

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Key features include:

• Encryption to protect files from unauthorised access.

• Access restrictions to limit who can view, edit, or share documents.

• Watermarking: Allows IT teams to add visible labels to confidential files (e.g., “Internal Use Only”).

• Automatic classification: This automatically applies security policies based on content type. For example, financial reports are automatically marked as “Highly Confidential”.

Bottom Line

The good news is that you don't need to break the bank to access and use these features. They're already included in your Microsoft 365 subscription. 

So, how effectively are you using Microsoft 365? Which of these tools are you underutilising? You can book a review with our team of IT experts to optimise your subscription and ensure you're getting the most value from the tools you're already paying for.

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