With the availability of the latest stand-alone version of the popular Microsoft Office – Office 2019 – and the growing cloud-based Office 365 adoption, your business faces the prospect of upgrading to the most recent version.
Is it time to upgrade? Here are a few reasons to make this move in 2019.
Compliance and Security
The support for the popular Office 2010 ends in October 2020. While the software will still work beyond 2020, there will be no software maintenance, bug fixes or security updates. It can have a detrimental impact on organisations regularly dealing with sensitive data, such as detailed financial information in the insurance and banking industries.
If your industry is plagued by security concerns and regulatory frameworks that demand the highest level of data protection, use this timeframe to implement a new version of the Office software that offers enhanced security protocols and better access controls, and meets global data compliance regulations such as GDPR.
Collaboration and Mobility
The most recent versions of Office 365 and Office 2019 include collaborative tools such as Yammer, Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams at a business premium and enterprise level. These offer a superior experience in file sharing, real-time updates, group chat, online meetings, including dial-in conferencing, audio and video, as well as easier integration.
If your organisation relies heavily on third-party apps to enforce collaboration among various teams and departments, consider bringing these tools together under the already familiar Office suite. Upgrading to Office 365 ensures your team is connected and available at all times while addressing the issue of mobility and flexibility outside the office.
Productivity and Performance
Finally, functionality upgrades and default settings to the Office Suite – such as the recently announced default switch to the 64-bit Office, bring better performance for memory-intensive operations, such as running Excel calculations or perusing large files.
Depending on your Windows operating system installation, upgrading to a more performant 64-bit version can make a visible difference in the speed of operations and overall business productivity, especially if the business is resource-intensive or in a growing phase.
Read more about the latest changes to Office 365 in 2019 in this Microsoft blog.
Office 365 integrates cloud, mobile, and social technology solutions to make your business more collaborative and productive.
