Office 365 vs. Office 2019 for Business

office 365 vs office 2019 for business
Office 365

Microsoft is an essential part of many business’ operations. Businesses rely on Microsoft Word for their word processing needs, Excel for spreadsheets and PowerPoint for presentations. The cloud has become an integral part of Microsoft’s offerings, and this had led the company to offer two different versions of Microsoft Office: 

  1. Office 365
  2. Office 2019

 Each version can be used for business, but which is ideal?

Office 365: Cloud-based

Office 365 is cloud-based, so you pay for a subscription either monthly or yearly. Cloud-based, Microsoft worries about updates, infrastructure and security. You or your employees simply log into Office on your web browser and can make Word documents, spreadsheets or any other file under the Office suite of products.

What’s nice about Office 365 is that it can be accessed anywhere on any Internet-connected device.

You can work on a document in the office, go home, and then work on the document some more. Automatic saving makes the process streamlined. Office 365 for business comes with the following office applications:

  • Access (only on PC)
  • Excel
  • Outlook
  • PowerPoint
  • Word

All versions come with OneDrive, but the higher version comes with a few extras:

  • Exchange
  • SharePoint
  • Teams

You will receive a desktop version of Office applications with Office 365. The maximum number of users on the business plan is 300, so everyone in the office can have access to Office 365.

Office 2019: Standalone Version

Office 2019 is a standalone product, so it’s a one-time purchase. You won’t have to pay subscription fees, but you won’t have the benefit of online collaboration on the cloud. Licenses are valid for one PC or Mac, and fully-installed versions will include the following:

  • Excel
  • OneNote
  • Outlook
  • PowerPoint
  • Word

You’ll need to update Office 2019, and all of your files will be stored on your computer or server. A disaster recovery plan should be in place when using the standalone version of Office 2019, or you risk losing your data if your hard drive fails, you get a virus, or data becomes corrupted.

Which Office is Best for Your Business?

If you don’t have the budget for Office 365, Office 2019 may be the best option. In most other cases, Office 365 will offer the most flexibility. Not only does Office 365 come with its own version for your PC or Mac, but it will also offer:

  • Regular updates from Microsoft (you never need to upgrade)
  • Cloud-based data storage
  • Ease of collaboration for larger teams
  • Linking directly to files in the cloud
  • Access to all applications on multiple devices

Office 2019 will need to be updated when Office 2020 is released, but you can continue using Office 2019 for as long as you wish.

Contact us today to develop an Office 365 solution for your small- or medium-sized business.

Moving to the Cloud? Nail Down The Contract First

moving to the cloud nail down the contract first
Move to the Cloud Nail Down the Contract

Cloud computing has several advantages for small and medium-sized businesses. It allows easier access to company applications and software while on-the-go. It also frees up small companies to focus on growing their business, rather than getting bogged down maintaining their own technology resources. However, just because a business decides to hire an outside provider to manage their cloud resources, it doesn’t mean they are off the hook when it comes to protecting their most valuable asset — their corporate data.

When interviewing various cloud providers, there are several key points to consider before signing on the dotted line.

Physical Attacks

Just as any in-house servers would be vulnerable to fire, flood, power outages, or a natural disaster, so would the servers of any cloud provider managing a company’s cloud data. Since an organization’s data is the lifeblood of their company, it is critically important to feel comfortable with a potential cloud provider’s plan for protecting data in the case of these types of occurrences.

Security

Of course, it’s no secret that threats to external hackers and data breaches must be addressed, but there are internal threats as well. Just as it is important for companies to limit who is able to access what data within their own group of employees, so it is with any cloud provider they might hire as well. When interviewing potential providers, it’s important for both parties to clearly understand which provider employees will be given access to the client’s data.

A small business should feel comfortable that their cloud provider has strong measures in place to prevent unauthorized access, whether the access is attempted either internally or externally. If a breach or data loss does occur, there must be a clear understanding of what steps the provider will take to recover and correct the situation.

Costs and Flexibility

Of course, it’s very important to have a clear understanding of all the set-up costs associated with transitioning to a cloud provider, as well as long-term billing expectations. Another important factor to consider is whether a cloud provider uses any proprietary technology to service their clients. If they do, it could be difficult to transition to another provider if a small business decides their current provider is not a good fit.

For additional tips about signing a contract with a cloud provider, please contact us.

The Best Business Benefits of Cloud IT Solutions

PowerPoint

Business Continuity

What happens to your business if you get hit by a snow storm in the winter or a hurricane in the summer? With cloud IT solutions, the answer is: not much.

Off-site backups are a great thing. They insure your business against physical harm in case something ever happens to your office. You can more or less remove business downtime from the equation.

Modern Security to Protect Against Modern Hackers

You need current technology to protect your business against current attacks. With cloud IT solutions, you’ll protect your business against data breach now and in the coming years. As the attacks become more sophisticated, so will the technology behind your service.

Flexibility Moving Forward

Who knows how much storage you’ll need in a few years? Alternatively, many businesses experience busy seasons in the summer or winter. With cloud IT solutions, you can always scale your plan up or down so you’re paying for just the right amount of storage. As your needs change, you can update your plan.

Mobile Employees

If your employees spend a lot of time out of the office, then you can let them access their files with cloud IT solutions. This also opens the door to who you can hire, since employees will essentially be able to work from home.

Collaboration

By storing your files and data on the cloud, you can make it easier for employees to collaborate. In general, the more employees work together, the bigger the projects they can complete. Cloud IT solutions make collaboration easy and practical.

Environmentally Friendly

Forget about buying traditional servers that take up lots of physical space. You can reduce your carbon footprint by getting cloud IT solutions and losing your servers. Prospective customers will appreciate your decision to protect the environment.

Cost Savings

Economies of scale make cloud IT solutions relatively cost-effective. This is the same reason why car manufacturers can produce affordable vehicles while it would cost a fortune to put one together yourself. Let the cloud services provider focus on IT while you invest in your core operations.

For more information about the benefits of cloud IT solutions, contact us today.

Enjoy the Benefits of Remote Support

enjoy the benefits of remote support

Enjoy the Benefits of Remote Support

Have you ever had one of those moments at work when your computer is just not doing what you want it to do? You are sure that if you were an IT professional it would only take you a moment to figure it out. But you aren’t. So instead you waste an hour of your time trying one thing after another, web searching for a solution, and still aren’t able to resolve the problem.

You are not alone!

This is a very common frustration with computers and technology. Large businesses generally have their own IT department. But what about all those small to medium businesses out there? Hiring IT support is a great solution and many IT companies offer remote support. The benefits of remote support are endless.

Remote support enables your IT company to remotely log into your computer and fix the problem as if they were sitting right there. It really is a sight to see if you haven’t experienced it before. It is like all of a sudden a ghost is operating your computer. Only it isn’t a ghost. It is an IT professional who can more often than not fix your problem. This saves both of you time because they don’t have to travel to you and you don’t have to wait for them to get there to be up and running again.

For more information about remote IT support in New York City and Long Island, contact us at AE Technology Group today. Of course we also offer on-site support when needed, but let us open your eyes to the wonders of remote support.

Best Options to Transfer Files From One Computer to Another

best options to transfer files from one computer to another

Transferring files from one computer to another has become a necessary and commonplace task.

Moving data between devices is as common as passing a printed paper to a fellow worker. In the early days of computing file transfers involved long and complicated processes. Today, most transfer methods are relatively simple. Indeed, choosing the best way to transfer files may be the most difficult part of the job!

Below is a list of the most common choices you have to transfer files from one computer to another. Included are the basic hardware requirements as well as the pros and cons of each type of transfer.

Some of these transfer methods are much more involved and complex than others, so be sure to select based upon the overall size of the data transfer you need. Generally speaking, the larger the amount of data that needs to be transferred, the more complex the transport process.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a great way to transfer small files wirelessly, without the need for any network or additional hardware or cables. All you need are two devices which include internal Bluetooth support. There are various versions of Bluetooth in various devices but they are all compatible with each other. Most cell phones, notebooks and tablets today include Bluetooth technology; however desktops rarely include Bluetooth support though it could be added with an expansion card. Be aware that Bluetooth is a slow process designed for file transfer between computers within 33 feet of each other.

USB Flash Drive

This is one of the fastest and easiest ways to transfer files between two devices. Both devices must have USB ports and you need one USB flash drive. Since most cell phones don’t have USB drives, transfer via flash drive is not an option. Once plugged into the computer, the flash drive shows up as an external drive where the files can be placed for transfer to the other computer. The only limitation is the capacity of the flash drive.

USB Bridge Cable

Transferring files via USB seems like a simple process requiring only a cable to interconnect the two devices. Unfortunately it’s a little more complex than that. A regular USB cable will not work for this type of file transfer. Instead you will need a USB bridge cable, which is a special type of USB cable with a small micro-processor built into the cable. From the outside it looks like a small box in the middle of the cable. These cables are widely available anywhere that computer accessories are sold. Of course, for this type of transfer the computers need to be physically next to each other.

WiFi

Transferring files to devices connected to the same wifi network is relatively easy. Simply enable sharing of the folder where the files you want to transfer are located. The other device will then have access to the folder and will be able to copy files located within the folder. The limitation for this process is of course the requirement for both devices to be connected to the same wifi network. Speed wise, you are limited by the speed of the wifi connection.

Ethernet Crossover Cable

Connecting via the Ethernet or network port is a fairly simple process. You do need a special network cable (crossover cable) and you need to enable file sharing in whatever operating system you are using. And of course, both devices must have ethernet ports to which the cable is connected.

DVD

Another easy transfer method is via the use of DVDs. Of course, both devices must have DVD recorders to record files and read them. Recording or “burning” the files unto the DVD disc is as easy as dragging your files to the DVD drive. This is one of the better methods to transfer files, especially larger files. The DVD will also serve as a backup should anything happen to your original files.

Cloud

This is a similar concept to wifi file transfer, except that you are using an off-site internet location to place the files you are copying. There are many e-mail service providers (Hotmail, Google) that offer free space for data storage online. All you need to do is upload or transfer your files to that location and then download them using the computer you want to transfer the files to. This is a great option for machines out of normal reach, in another city or country.

Email

Saved the best for last. As long as your file size doesn’t exceed your service provider’s limit per e-mail, you can simply e-mail the files you want to transfer and then download them in another computer.

So there you have it, a short summary of how to transfer files from one computer to another. Most of these are simple, do it yourself processes and some require a network infrastructure of some sort.

At AE Technology Group we specialize in developing and implementing simple solutions to address your technical needs. Please feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to make computing an easier part of your business.