When most businesses invest in Microsoft 365, they're usually trying to solve a specific problem.
Maybe they need professional email. Maybe they want better collaboration. Maybe they're supporting hybrid working. Over time, businesses get comfortable with the tools they know and completely overlook the ones they already have.
And when they are struggling with fragmented communication, manual processes, information that's difficult to find, or teams drowning in spreadsheets, their first instinct is often to look for another piece of software.
The irony is that they're frequently already paying for tools that could solve many of those challenges.
So, before you invest in another platform, let's take a look at some of the Microsoft tools you may already have access to, and more importantly, how to use them to get more value from your technology investment.
Microsoft OneDrive:
Many businesses use OneDrive as little more than a personal storage space, but that's where they miss its real value.
Instead of saving files on a desktop and attaching them to emails every time a change is needed, teams can work from a shared document and collaborate in real time. Multiple people can edit the same document simultaneously, reducing version confusion and eliminating the dreaded "FINAL_v7_UPDATED" file names.
OneDrive is also ideal for remote and hybrid working. Employees can securely access documents from any location while maintaining company security policies.
How to use it:
- Store working documents in OneDrive rather than local desktops.
- Share links to documents rather than email attachments.
- Use version history to recover accidentally deleted or overwritten content.
- Enable automatic file syncing across devices.
Microsoft SharePoint:
Many SMEs think SharePoint is simply a more complicated file server, but it can become the digital hub of your organisation.
Imagine if every employee knew exactly where to find policies, procedures, HR documents, company updates, project resources and onboarding information.
That's where SharePoint excels.
Rather than relying on shared drives, email chains or asking colleagues where things are stored, employees can access a central source of truth.
How to use it:
- Create a company intranet for internal communications.
- Build departmental knowledge bases.
- Store and manage policies and procedures.
- Create onboarding areas for new starters.
- Publish company news and announcements.
Microsoft Lists:
Most businesses have at least one spreadsheet that's become critical to day-to-day operations. Perhaps it tracks assets, projects, onboarding tasks or customer requests.
The problem is that spreadsheets aren't always designed for collaboration or process management.
Microsoft Lists provides a structured way of managing information while keeping everything accessible and up to date.
Because Lists integrates with Teams, employees can update and access information without jumping between multiple systems.
How to use it:
- Create an asset register for laptops and equipment.
- Track project actions and deadlines.
- Manage customer enquiries or requests.
- Monitor onboarding and offboarding tasks.
- Maintain compliance or audit records.
Microsoft Forms:
How many requests arrive in your inbox every day?
Holiday requests. Event attendance. Feedback surveys. IT support requests. Customer enquiries.
Forms allows you to capture all of this information in a consistent format instead of relying on email chains and manual administration.
How to use it:
- Collect event registrations.
- Run employee engagement surveys.
- Gather customer feedback.
- Create internal IT request forms.
- Streamline onboarding requests.
- Manage equipment requests.
Power Automate:
Power Automate is one of Microsoft's most powerful tools, yet many businesses never open it. Its purpose is to automate routine tasks that don't require human intervention.
Every time somebody manually copies information, sends reminders or moves data between systems, there's probably an opportunity for automation.
How to use it:
- Send automatic notifications when forms are submitted.
- Create approval workflows for expenses or purchases.
- Route support requests to the correct team member.
- Create reminders for overdue tasks.
- Save attachments automatically to SharePoint.
- Generate tasks when actions are assigned.
Microsoft Copilot:
Many organisations view Copilot as a fancy writing assistant. But that's not where it creates the most value. Copilot is most effective when it's embedded into everyday workflows.
Instead of asking employees to learn another platform, it helps them work smarter within Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel and SharePoint.
How to use it:
- Summarise Teams meetings and capture actions.
- Analyse spreadsheets and identify trends.
- Create first drafts of proposals and reports.
- Search across Microsoft 365 for information.
- Generate summaries of lengthy documents.
- Prepare meeting agendas and notes.
Microsoft Loop:
Project updates are often spread across emails, Teams chats, meeting notes and documents. Loop brings everything together.
Think of it as a shared digital workspace where teams can collaborate on ideas, plans and projects in real time.
How to use it:
- Capture meeting notes collaboratively.
- Manage project plans.
- Track actions and outcomes.
- Build shared working documents.
- Collaborate on proposals and campaigns.
Viva Engage:
As organisations become more hybrid, maintaining culture becomes more difficult. That's where Viva Engage comes in.
It provides a dedicated space for internal conversations, recognition and community building and is particularly useful for businesses with multiple offices or remote workers who may not interact regularly.
How to use it:
- Celebrate work anniversaries and achievements.
- Share company updates and announcements.
- Recognise employee successes.
- Run discussions and polls.
- Encourage knowledge sharing across departments.
Viva Learning:
One reason training often fails is that employees have to leave their normal workflow to access it.
Viva Learning brings learning content directly into Teams so, rather than being a separate activity, learning becomes part of everyday work.
How to use it:
- Create structured onboarding programmes.
- Share Microsoft training resources.
- Promote compliance training.
- Deliver role-specific development plans.
- Support leadership development initiatives.
Microsoft Bookings:
Most appointment booking processes involve multiple emails, calendar checks and rescheduling. Clients simply choose an available slot, and the system handles the rest, removing the back-and-forth.
How to use it:
- Schedule consultations.
- Manage site visits.
- Arrange demonstrations.
- Book customer support sessions.
- Coordinate training appointments.
Microsoft Planner:
Not every business needs complex project management software. For many SMEs, Planner provides everything they need.
Because it integrates directly into Teams, employees can manage tasks without adopting another platform.
How to use it:
- Allocate project tasks.
- Track progress visually.
- Manage team workloads.
- Set deadlines and priorities.
- Monitor project status.
Conclusion
If reading this resource has made you realise you're only scratching the surface of what Microsoft 365 can do, you're not alone.
By understanding what's available within Microsoft 365 and how it aligns with your business goals, you can unlock efficiencies, improve collaboration and help your teams achieve more with less.
At 1101, we help organisations get more value from Microsoft 365 by identifying underused tools, streamlining processes and building solutions that make work easier for your teams.
Book a Microsoft 365 review with our team and discover what's possible with the technology you're already paying for.
