Is Your Business Making the Most of Microsoft 365 Licences?

Microsoft 365 is the backbone of modern business productivity—empowering organisations with tools for email, collaboration, security, file management, automation, and more. But many companies, especially small to mid-sized businesses, are not fully leveraging their Microsoft 365 licences. Whether due to underutilisation, over-licensing, or a lack of internal expertise, the result is the same: wasted money, missed opportunities, and decreased ROI. So the question stands—is your business truly making the most of its Microsoft 365 licences? With support from experienced partners like Adepteq, the answer can become a confident “yes.”

Understanding Microsoft 365 Licensing

Microsoft 365 offers a wide variety of subscription plans to suit organisations of all sizes and industries. Each plan comes with a different set of features, applications, and compliance capabilities.

Some common licensing tiers include:

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic – Online Office apps, Teams, Exchange email, OneDrive, SharePoint
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard – Full desktop Office apps, plus everything in Basic
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium – Includes Microsoft Defender for Business and Intune for device management
• Microsoft 365 E3 / E5 – Enterprise plans with advanced analytics, security, and compliance features

These subscriptions are priced per user, per month, meaning it’s critical to assign the right level of licensing for each employee.

The Hidden Costs of Poor Licensing Management

Many organisations assume that purchasing Microsoft 365 is a one-and-done decision. In reality, licensing requires continuous optimisation as your business grows, restructures, or adopts new technology.

Common issues include:

1. Over-Licensing

This occurs when users are assigned licences with features they don’t need or use. For example, assigning E5 licences (which include advanced security and analytics tools) to non-technical staff who only need email and Word.

2. Under-Licensing

Conversely, some employees may lack access to tools they need to be effective. A business analyst limited to Microsoft 365 Basic may struggle without Excel Power Query or desktop app access.

3. Inactive or Duplicate Licences

Failing to remove licences assigned to former employees leads to unnecessary costs. Similarly, users with multiple accounts may be assigned duplicate licences.

4. Third-Party Tool Redundancy

Microsoft 365 includes features that can replace expensive third-party tools—such as Zoom (Teams), Dropbox (OneDrive), DocuSign (Microsoft Syntex), and Slack (Teams). If you’re still paying for these, you’re missing opportunities to consolidate and save.

Signs You’re Not Maximising Your Microsoft 365 Investment

If any of these scenarios sound familiar, your business might not be getting the most out of its licences:

• You’re unsure which employees have which licence types
• You’re paying for additional tools that Microsoft 365 already covers
• Teams or SharePoint are barely used across departments
• Users are unaware of tools like Power Automate, Planner, or Viva Insights
• You’ve never conducted a licence audit or cost analysis
• Security features (like MFA or conditional access) are disabled or underutilised

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How to Optimise Microsoft 365 Licences

Getting the most from Microsoft 365 is a blend of technical configuration, user education, and ongoing review. Below is a step-by-step approach to maximising value.

Step 1: Conduct a Licensing Audit

Start with a full overview of your existing licence assignments. Tools like the Microsoft 365 Admin Center provide visibility into:

• Which licences are in use
• Who they are assigned to
• What services users are accessing
• Any unassigned or inactive licences

Partners like Adepteq offer full licensing audits and reporting services, highlighting where you’re overspending or underutilising resources.

Step 2: Align Licences with User Roles

Not every employee needs access to the full Microsoft stack. Tailor your licensing strategy based on job function.

Example:

This approach ensures every user has access to the tools they need—nothing more, nothing less.

Step 3: Eliminate Redundant Tools

Conduct an audit of all productivity and collaboration tools currently in use. Ask:

• Are we still paying for Slack when we have Microsoft Teams?
• Is Dropbox still active despite having OneDrive?
• Are we using Zoom despite Teams meetings being included?
• Are we relying on third-party signature tools instead of Microsoft Syntex or Forms?

Consolidating tools under Microsoft 365 not only reduces licensing costs but simplifies administration and enhances integration.

Step 4: Enable Underused Features

Your business may already be paying for tools that aren’t being used. Educate users about features like:

• Power Automate – Automate repetitive tasks like approvals, notifications, or data entry
• Microsoft Forms – Collect feedback, run surveys, and manage responses
• Planner and To Do – Organise projects and task management
• Viva Insights – Gain productivity and wellbeing insights
• SharePoint Intranets – Build centralised hubs for communication and document sharing

A partner like Adepteq can help you train staff and configure these features for practical use across departments.

Step 5: Strengthen Security and Compliance

Many businesses overlook the powerful security and compliance tools bundled into Microsoft 365:

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Conditional Access Policies
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
• Information Rights Management (IRM)
• Retention policies for GDPR or legal compliance

With the right configuration, these features can replace costly third-party security tools and bring peace of mind.

Step 6: Use Reporting and Insights

The Microsoft 365 Admin Center offers analytics on app usage, email activity, file sharing, and more. These reports help you:

• Identify unused features
• Spot adoption trends
• Plan future training and rollout strategies

Regularly reviewing this data ensures your investment continues to deliver value.

How Adepteq Helps You Maximise Microsoft 365 Licences

As a trusted Microsoft Modern Work Solutions Partner, Adepteq offers complete support for Microsoft 365 licensing strategy, optimisation, and adoption. With over 15 years of experience and 1,000+ successful projects, they’ve helped businesses across the UK:

• Identify cost-saving opportunities
• Match licences to roles and requirements
• Onboard staff to new tools and features
• Consolidate third-party platforms
• Stay compliant with licensing terms and data regulations
• Plan scalable solutions that grow with their business

Adepteq’s services include:

• Microsoft licensing audits
• Usage optimisation reports
• Staff training on underused Microsoft tools
• Security and compliance configuration
• Licensing procurement and ongoing support

Whether you’re a small business using Microsoft 365 Business Premium or an enterprise with a mix of E3 and E5 licences, Adepteq ensures you get every pound’s worth of value.

Real-World Outcomes of Better Licensing

Here’s what smart Microsoft 365 licence management can lead to:

• 25–40% cost savings by switching from over-provisioned plans
• 30% increase in tool adoption after targeted training
• Improved data security through correct feature usage
• Faster onboarding with standardised licensing and training
• More efficient collaboration across departments

Final Thoughts

Your Microsoft 365 subscription is packed with value—but only if it’s deployed and managed correctly. Many businesses pay for advanced capabilities they don’t use or overlook tools that could replace costlier third-party apps. That’s why it’s essential to regularly assess whether your business is truly making the most of its Microsoft 365 licences.

By auditing your current usage, aligning licences with roles, enabling underused features, and leveraging expert support from partners like Adepteq, you can transform your Microsoft 365 spend from a cost centre into a strategic advantage.

source: https://fapello.org.uk/