The Ultimate Guide to Microsoft 365: Features You Didn't Know You Had

Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) is the operating system of specific modern business. Yet, our audits show that the average company uses less than 20% of the potential of their subscription. Most businesses treat it as just "Email + Word + Excel."

If you are paying for Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium, you are sitting on a goldmine of enterprise-grade tools. This guide will help you unlock that value and potentially cancel expensive contracts with Calendly, Slack, Zoom, or DropBox.

1. Microsoft Teams: More Than Just Chat

Teams is a hub for work, not just instant messaging.

• Teams Phone: Did you know Teams can replace your entire PBX phone system? You can have a dedicated business number, auto-attendants ("Press 1 for Sales"), and voicemail-to-email, all within the Teams app on your phone or laptop.
• Walkie Talkie: For frontline workers, the mobile app turns phones into push-to-talk devices.
• Approvals: Built-in workflow for approving expenses, time-off, or documents directly in the chat stream.

2. Microsoft Bookings ( The Calendly Killer)

Stop playing email ping-pong to find a meeting time.

• How it works: You set your availability. You send a link. The client picks a time. It syncs to Outlook.
• Key Features: Automated reminders, SMS notifications, and buffer times between meetings.
• Cost Savings: Saves ~$15/user/month compared to premium scheduling tools.

3. SharePoint Modern Lists (The Excel Killer)

We've all seen "The Spreadsheet from Hell"—a shared Excel file that 10 people edit, which constantly breaks or gets locked.

• The Solution: SharePoint Lists.
• Use Cases: Asset tracking, Employee Onboarding checklists, Vendor directories, Issue tracking.
• Benefits: Mobile-friendly view, granular permission control (who can edit vs read), and version history.

4. Power Automate: Robot Workflow

Power Automate connects your apps to create "If This, Then That" logic.

• Scenario A: When an email arrives with the subject "Invoice", automatically save the attachment to the "Accounts Payable" folder in SharePoint and post a message in the Finance Teams channel.
• Scenario B: When a new lead fills out a form on your website, automatically add them to your CRM and send a welcome email.

5. OneDrive "Request Files"

This is a game-changer for accountants, lawyers, and HR.

• The Problem: Clients emailing sensitive tax documents effectively exposes them to interception.
• The Feature: Create a "File Request" link. You send it to the client. They drag-and-drop files into it.
• The Magic: They can upload files, but they cannot see what else is in the folder. It's a secure, one-way drop box.

6. Microsoft Defender for Business (Security)

Included in Business Premium:

• Next-Gen Antivirus: Replaces McAfee, Symantec, or Webroot.
• Safe Links: Scans URLs in emails and Teams chats in real-time. If a user clicks a phishing link, Microsoft creates a "detonation chamber" to test the link before allowing the browser to open.
• Device Wipe: If an employee loses their laptop, you can remotely wipe the corporate data while leaving personal photos alone (Intune).

7. Microsoft Stream (Corporate YouTube)

Host your training videos, town hall recordings, and internal updates securely.

• Auto-Transcription: Stream automatically generates captions and a searchable transcript. You can search for the word "Budget" and jump to the exact second in a 1-hour video where it was mentioned.

Conclusion: maximize Your ROI

You are likely paying $15-$30 per user per month for this suite. If you aren't using these features, you are wasting money. At ACE IT Solutions, we specialize in Microsoft 365 Optimization. We don't just migrate your email; we train your team to work smarter, faster, and more securely using the tools you already own.