When most businesses think about Microsoft 365, they think about Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
What many don’t realize is that Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot includes an entire productivity platform designed to help employees communicate, collaborate, share information, automate routine work, and work more efficiently from anywhere.
If your organization is only using Microsoft 365 for email and document creation, you’re likely leaving significant value on the table.
More Than Microsoft Office
Microsoft 365 Business Standard includes the familiar applications employees use every day:
- Outlook
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- OneNote
- Microsoft Teams
In addition, organizations gain access to powerful cloud-based collaboration tools, including:
- SharePoint
- OneDrive
- Microsoft Forms
- Microsoft Planner
- Power Automate
- Microsoft Loop
- Copilot
Together, these applications create a connected workplace experience that goes far beyond traditional desktop software.
SharePoint and OneDrive Make Information Easier to Access
A common challenge for SMBs is knowing where files are stored. Are they on a server? An employee’s desktop? Attached to an email? Stored in a shared folder? Microsoft 365 Business Standard helps eliminate that confusion. SharePoint provides centralized document management and company-wide information sharing.
For individual users, OneDrive provides secure cloud storage with:
- Anywhere access
- Automatic synchronization
- Secure sharing
- Version history
- File recovery
Ultimately, the use of both SharePoint and OneDrive provides a more organized and productive workforce that keeps important data and documents protected and streamlined.
Automate Time-Consuming Processes
Many organizations waste hours every week doing repetitive administrative work. With Power Automate and Forms, businesses can create workflows that automatically:
- Route approvals
- Collect information
- Send notifications
- Manage requests
- Update records
Automating even a few everyday processes can improve productivity while reducing manual errors.
Collaborative Workspaces for Modern Teams
One of the most overlooked applications included with Microsoft 365 Business Standard is Microsoft Loop. Designed for real-time collaboration, Loop allows teams to create shared workspaces where notes, project plans, task lists, and ideas stay synchronized across Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and other Microsoft 365 applications.
Instead of tracking information across multiple emails and documents, teams can work together in a single, dynamic space that updates instantly for everyone involved. For SMBs looking to improve communication and keep projects moving forward, Loop helps eliminate information silos and keeps everyone aligned, whether they’re in the office or working remotely.
How Copilot Changes the Game
The newest addition to Microsoft 365 is Copilot. Integrated directly into applications employees already use, Copilot can help teams:
- Draft emails in Outlook
- Create reports in Word
- Build presentations in PowerPoint
- Analyze data in Excel
- Summarize meetings in Teams
- Generate content more quickly
Rather than spending hours on repetitive tasks, employees can focus on serving customers, solving problems, and driving growth.
Is Business Standard Enough?
For many organizations, Business Standard provides an excellent productivity foundation. It delivers the collaboration, communication, document management, and AI capabilities that modern businesses need to operate efficiently.
However, as organizations grow, support remote workers, pursue cyber insurance coverage, or face increasing cybersecurity requirements, many discover they need more than productivity tools alone.
That’s where Microsoft 365 Business Premium comes in.
Want to know if you’re getting the full value from Microsoft 365 Business Standard? BDK can help identify underutilized applications, improve employee adoption, and show you how Copilot can help your team work smarter every day. Contact us today to get started.