Basic tools for productivity and collaboration
Almost all SMEs need basic tools, such as e-mail, document management, file sharing and storage, etc. There are a number of ways to go about this, but it is becoming increasingly common to choose a “complete package” with tools that meet all these needs – and more. These complete packages are often called productivity platforms.
The two largest and most popular productivity platforms (complete packages) are Office 365 (Microsoft) and G Suite (Google). These are user-friendly and offer excellent functionality, security and stability.
The process of choosing the right platform should begin with a good understanding of both the business and the needs of its employees. Office 365 undoubtedly offers the most advanced functionality, but G Suite is better when it comes to user-friendliness, collaboration, co-authoring and integrations with other cloud-based tools.
Some relevant questions to ask are:
- What do you care most about? Quick, efficient collaboration or advanced functions?
- Do you use the most advanced functionality in O365 or does G Suite’s functionality suffice?
One alternative to a productivity platform is to have a number of different suppliers and put together a custom “package” of tools and solutions. This may be a combination of e-mail from a domain provider, a file server or Dropbox, free software for document management and a tool for video conferencing.
This may work well for some, but most companies are used to using a complete package that “does it all” – this also has clear benefits in terms of security, as it is easier to keep track of users, accounts, authorisations and passwords.
Watch these videos (in Norwegian) to learn more about setting up G Suite or Office 365. Learn more too about the differences between G Suite and Office 365
And watch these videos about digital collaboration from Frend (in Norwegian)
What do “complete packages” include?
Office 365 from Microsoft is a well-known package that includes tools such as Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Skype, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and many others. These take the form of apps or programs that can be installed on your device, but work closely with the cloud and can be opened directly in your browser.
G Suite from Google is slightly less well known but nevertheless very popular with SMEs. Its tools include Gmail “for business”, Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, Meet, Google Drive, and many more. These are much more cloud-based and tend to be accessed through a browser (but are also available as separate apps).