Are you considering buying Office 365 for yourself, your business, or a friend? If so, there are a few things you need to know.

What is Microsoft Office 365 used for?

Office 365 is a subscription service. It gives access to the Microsoft Office applications plus select cloud-based production services. You can buy a personal plan or select a business plan, which includes Skype for Business web conferencing and Exchange Online email plus an extra storage option called OneDrive for Business. How’s it different from Microsoft Office? Well, 365 is a hybrid, using both desktop and cloud, making it functional and convenient for users.

Is Office 365 compatible with Office 2007?

Right now, the answer is yes. And no. Microsoft designed Office 365 to work best with Office 2016, Office 2013, and Office 2016 for Mac. That doesn’t mean it won’t work with Office 2007 or another version, though. It just means you may see reduced functionality if you are using an older system.

To install and use the program, you must have Windows 7 or 8 or OS X 10.6 (or later) plus a compatible browser like IE 9, Firefox 12, Safari 5, or Chrome 18. As far as hardware goes, make sure your Mac has a 1GHz processor or Intel processor and 2.5 GB of available hard disk space. A PC needs 3 GB of space.

Does Publisher come with Office 365?

You can purchase Office 365 in five different categories: Home, Personal, Business, Business Premium, and Business Essentials. All the categories except Business Essentials contain Microsoft Publisher. It is only available in the PC versions, however. Mac users are out of luck on Publisher for now.

One great benefit to Office 365 is its upgrade options. You’ll get access to upgrades for Publisher as well as other applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and Access.

Can I use Office 365 offline?

In a word, yes. You’ll need the internet to set up an account, make your payment, and download files. But you don’t have to connect online to do your work. You’ll probably want to, though. For one thing, you have to connect every 30 days. For another, the power of Office 365 is in its cloud. To have that security, connect your device to the internet.

This brings up another point. Why buy Office 365 when you can use the G Suite (Google Docs, Google Spreadsheets, etc.)? There are drawbacks and benefits to both, so take a look at this great comparison of the two options before making your decision.

Will Office 365 work on Vista?

No. Office 365 is designed for Windows 7 and 8. If your computer runs Vista, you’ll need to upgrade before purchasing Office 365. This could be a great time to take advantage of fresh opportunities and new software. Why not bump up your operating system and maximize all that the latest technology can do for you and your enterprise?

Buying any new software package is not a decision to make lightly, but Office 365 can be a great product for many homes and companies. Contact us today to help you with decisions about your software purchases!