Navigating the intricate world of Microsoft 365 licenses can be daunting, especially when choosing the best license for your organization’s specific needs. This is where a Microsoft Licensing partner comes in handy. Here are some compelling reasons why you should consider leveraging the expertise of a licensing partner for your Microsoft 365 licensing needs:
1. Saving Time and Resources
First and foremost, partnering with a licensing expert saves you precious time and resources. They can do the heavy lifting of researching the latest licensing options, conditions, and pricing. Microsoft’s licensing landscape is often dynamic, with new offerings, changes to existing ones, and discontinuations. Keeping up-to-date with these changes can be time-consuming and might remove your focus from other business priorities.
2. Expert Guidance
Licensing partners have the expertise and knowledge to understand the intricacies of Microsoft 365 licenses. They can provide guidance based on your organization’s specific needs and budget, ensuring that you get the best value for your investment. They can also offer insights into possible license combinations you might overlook during your research.
3. Ensuring Compliance
Microsoft licensing partners can help ensure that your organization stays compliant with Microsoft’s licensing policies. Non-compliance, whether accidental or not, can lead to fines and penalties, not to mention a negative impact on your organization’s reputation. A licensing partner can help you avoid such issues by ensuring that you are using your licenses correctly and ethically.
4. Cost Optimization
Microsoft Licensing partners can help you optimize costs by advising on the most effective licensing models for your specific needs. They can help you avoid common pitfalls such as over-licensing, under-licensing, or purchasing licenses with redundant or unnecessary features. This can result in significant cost savings over time.
5. Proactive License Management
Lastly, a Microsoft Licensing partner can offer proactive license management services. This includes ongoing support, regular audits, and updates on the latest licensing terms and conditions changes. They can also help you plan for future licensing needs, ensuring you’re always one step ahead.
In conclusion, while navigating the Microsoft 365 licensing landscape on your own is possible, partnering with a licensing expert offers tangible benefits. They can save you time, help you choose the right license for your needs, ensure compliance, optimize costs, and provide proactive license management. All of these can give you peace of mind, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – growing and managing your business.
What Decision Did You Make?
Although the above are compelling, and no doubt many will choose this path, licences do not have to be very complex if you are prepared to invest some time. If you are prepared to focus on your needs and your team’s, then some of the Per App or Per Flow plans in the Power Platform may suit you. A great place to begin is to look into the licencing information aligned to the Power Platform. Heres a link to help you.
In addition, if you are not planning on doing complex automation, it may be that the services you need to call upon do not require premium features and licences. You may already be covered under your existing Microsoft 365 licence in these cases. It is always worth mapping out your needs BEFORE investigating licences, as it is very easy to oversell your needs and end up with an expensive plan that performs tasks you may just never need.
We’d love to hear about your examples and the challenges you faced. Comment on the Microsoft365 forum to share and get ideas from other Academy Members. (You’ll need an Academy Account to comment).