Top 10 Office 365 Features You Should Be Using
Discover the most powerful and underutilized features in Office 365 that can boost productivity and collaboration in your organization.
Introduction
Microsoft Office 365 offers a wealth of features beyond the core applications most users are familiar with. This article highlights ten powerful features that many organizations underutilize but can significantly enhance productivity, collaboration, and security.
1. Microsoft Power Automate (formerly Flow)
Power Automate allows you to create automated workflows between your favorite apps and services:
- Automate repetitive tasks like data entry and approvals
- Create workflows that connect multiple Microsoft and third-party services
- Build time-saving processes without coding knowledge
- Trigger actions based on emails, calendar events, or data changes
Pro Tip: Start with pre-built templates for common scenarios like approval workflows or notification systems.
2. Advanced Information Protection
Protect sensitive information wherever it goes:
- Apply encryption and access restrictions to individual documents
- Create and enforce document classification policies
- Prevent data leakage through email or file sharing
- Track document access and maintain control even after files leave your organization
Pro Tip: Configure automatic classification rules based on content patterns like credit card numbers or personal information.
3. Microsoft Lists
Lists helps you track information and organize work:
- Create custom lists for project tracking, asset management, event planning, and more
- Use ready-made templates or build custom lists from scratch
- Set up rules and alerts for list changes
- Share and collaborate on lists with team members
Pro Tip: Integrate Lists with Power Automate to create powerful workflow solutions without complex development.
4. SharePoint Syntex
Use AI to automatically process and extract information from documents:
- Train models to recognize document types and extract specific data
- Automatically apply metadata to improve searchability
- Process forms and structured documents without manual data entry
- Create knowledge libraries with intelligent content organization
Pro Tip: Start with high-volume document types like invoices or contracts to see immediate ROI.
5. Microsoft Viva
Enhance employee experience and wellbeing with this integrated platform:
- Viva Connections: Personalized company news and resources
- Viva Insights: Productivity and wellbeing recommendations
- Viva Topics: Knowledge management and expertise discovery
- Viva Learning: Centralized learning resources and training
Pro Tip: Use Viva Insights to help teams maintain work-life balance and prevent burnout.
6. Co-authoring and Version History
Collaborate in real-time on documents with powerful tracking:
- Multiple users can edit the same document simultaneously
- See who is working on which section in real-time
- Track all changes with comprehensive version history
- Restore previous versions if needed
Pro Tip: Use the "Comments" feature for contextual discussions without cluttering the document.
7. Advanced eDiscovery
Streamline legal and compliance processes:
- Identify, collect, and preserve relevant email and documents for legal cases
- Use AI to reduce review sets with predictive coding
- Analyze data with powerful search and filtering tools
- Export data in industry-standard formats for legal proceedings
Pro Tip: Create eDiscovery case templates for recurring compliance scenarios.
8. Power BI Integration
Transform your data into actionable insights:
- Connect to hundreds of data sources within and outside Office 365
- Create interactive dashboards and reports
- Embed analytics directly in SharePoint and Teams
- Share insights securely across the organization
Pro Tip: Start with the free Power BI Desktop to build reports before publishing to the service.
9. Microsoft Bookings
Simplify scheduling and appointment management:
- Create a custom booking page for clients and partners
- Integrate with Outlook calendars to show real-time availability
- Send automatic confirmations and reminders
- Collect necessary information during booking
Pro Tip: Use Bookings for internal meetings like HR consultations or IT support sessions.
10. Sensitivity Labels
Implement consistent data protection across applications:
- Create labels for different sensitivity levels (e.g., Confidential, Public)
- Apply visual markings like headers and watermarks
- Enforce protection settings like encryption automatically
- Extend protection to third-party apps and services
Pro Tip: Configure auto-labeling policies to detect and protect sensitive information without user intervention.
Conclusion
Office 365 offers far more than just the traditional Office applications. By leveraging these powerful but often overlooked features, organizations can significantly enhance productivity, security, and collaboration. Start by implementing one or two features that address your most pressing business needs, then gradually expand your usage as teams become comfortable with the new capabilities.
Remember that Microsoft regularly adds new features to Office 365, so stay informed about the latest additions that might benefit your organization.
