SharePoint and Office 365 are two of the software applications that are among the most widely used in the entire world. These products were created by Microsoft as an integrated set of tools to aid in the quicker and more effective completion of tasks in the modern office. But how do they differ from one another and how do they compare? What are some applications for these tools, and how can they enhance the daily work you do?
Commonalities Vs. Office 365 Vs. SharePoint
We’ll start with their similarities even though there are more SharePoint and Office 365 differences than similarities. The first and most obvious correlation among these software products is that they are made to support modern office programs.
Both have been available for a few years and have received numerous upgrades, which is another similarity. Microsoft continues to support some versions on the market, including Office 365 2011, as well as SharePoint 2007, 2010, and 2013.
The software can be set up locally (on-premises) or in the cloud, which is another similarity between Office 365 and SharePoint. SharePoint and Office 365 are both available for both on-premises (local computer) and cloud-based (Internet-connected computer) deployment. There are significant distinctions between the two types of software when discussing whether or not they are hosted in the cloud.
Cloud Versus On-Premise: SharePoint Vs. Office 365
Comparisons of the two types of software should start with the question of whether they should be hosted in the cloud or on the company’s servers. Both have their benefits and drawbacks. By hosting the app on-premises, your company can exercise full command over the program at all times. Local server maintenance costs to host the application, however, will be incurred. Cost-effectiveness is a major selling point for cloud services over their on-premises counterparts. Organizations can quickly adapt to accommodate new users, and security patches are updated more frequently.
Now, let’s examine the key feature distinctions between SharePoint and Office 365.
Differential Features of SharePoint & Office 365
For starters, consider Office 365 as a suite of office productivity tools under one roof. SharePoint is included in Office 365, though it can be purchased independently if desired. SharePoint and Office 365 differ in their cloud versus on-premises feature sets.
MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, in addition to email through Outlook, instant messaging via Yammer, video conferencing via Skype, and file storage on OneDrive are all part of the Office 365 cloud subscription. Simply put, Office 365 is where you can make documents, while SharePoint is where you can keep them and collaborate on them with others. Online SharePoint is fantastic if:
- You work for a sizable organization, so naturally, you could benefit from having employees edit and co-author documents.
- To ensure the safety of more extensive records and to make their upkeep easier.
- If your company is handling multiple projects, each of which requires its dedicated team of employees.
- Or if you need a content management system with specialized processes and tunable information structures.
When Does SharePoint Online Rightly Fit In?
With Office 365, you can access SharePoint Online, a collaborative platform that works hand in hand with Microsoft Office. SharePoint Online can be customized to meet the needs of any business and is used to manage and report on digital documents by storing, retrieving, searching, archiving, tracking, and reporting on them.
SharePoint Online is included in Office 365, but it can also be purchased separately. (There are features available only in the on-premise version of SharePoint that aren’t available in the cloud-hosted version.)
Some of SharePoint Online and Office 365’s features are similar; for example, both services offer cloud-based document storage. The best format to use is the one that serves your purposes and the content best.
One Should Use Office 365 If
- For convenience, it’s best to keep everything in files. OneDrive (part of Office 365) can be used in this scenario.
- In most cases, collaborative efforts are straightforward and don’t involve producing a great deal of material. (Office 365 Teams is a good option here.)
- Device-agnostic personal file management is essential. (In this case, we recommend using OneDrive.)
- The ability to easily email large files is essential. (Once again, OneDrive is the better option)
SharePoint is a high-end content management system and file-sharing platform that facilitates communication and cooperation amongst widely dispersed groups of people working on a common goal. Microsoft Office 365 could be the perfect solution for your business if you don’t need complex collaboration tools.
Thanks for taking the time to read this brief article on SharePoint and Office 365. Please get in touch with Code Creators Inc. to discuss how these tools can help your business.
You Should Use SharePoint Online If
- The process of working together is intricate, and it must be protected and kept up regularly.
- Metadata and individualized perspectives are essential.
- Data types must be modifiable.
- Management of content calls for an individualized process.
- Some content has particularly stringent security needs.