Get the most out of Microsoft 365 with these 5 tips and tricks

With the growing adoption of hybrid and remote work arrangements, more and more small- and medium-sized businesses are embracing cloud-based services, such as Microsoft 365. As of June 2021, over 731,000 US companies are using the productivity suite.

With Microsoft 365, employees are able to remotely access and work on company files from any internet-connected device. They can also easily collaborate and share files with multiple people in real time.

Read also: Reasons why your business should move to Microsoft 365

To help you maximize Microsoft 365, the IT experts of SpectrumWise have rounded up these five tips and tricks:

Learn the keyboard shortcuts

Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps have plenty of keyboard shortcuts that you can use to accomplish tasks much faster. The great thing about Microsoft 365 is that most keyboard shortcuts, such as Ctrl + S to save and Ctrl + P to print a document, can be applied across the different apps.

To boost productivity, provide your employees with a list of common shortcuts that they can refer to until using the shortcuts becomes second nature to them.

Customize your Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access toolbar is one of Microsoft 365’s most customizable features. You can add or remove buttons from the toolbar to match the tasks that you do most often. This will save you time when you need to access these tools quickly.

To display the Quick Access toolbar, right-click on the upper-left corner above the ribbon of any Microsoft 365 app and click Show the Quick Access Toolbar.

If you want to add a command (e.g., Save, Open, and Print) to the Quick Access Toolbar, follow these steps:

1. On the ribbon, click the tab or group to display your desired command.
2. Right-click on the command and hit Add to Quick Access Toolbar.

Use templates

One of the best things about Microsoft 365 is that it comes with a variety of templates you can use for documents, such as resumes, invoices, and meeting agendas. These templates are preformatted and designed to help you get started quickly.

You can also create your own templates or customize existing ones to match your needs. This will save you time in the future when you create such documents again.

Enable multifactor authentication (MFA)

MFA is an extra layer of security that you can add to your Microsoft 365 account. It requires you to provide two pieces of evidence of your identity, such as a password and a code from an authenticator app. MFA will help protect your account from unauthorized access.

To turn on MFA across all of your company’s Microsoft 365 user accounts, log in to your company’s administrator account and follow these steps:

1. Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center.
2. Click Show All, then select the Azure Active Directory Admin Center.
3. Click Azure Active Directory > Properties > Manage Security defaults.
4. Under Enable Security defaults, click Yes > Save.

Read also: Why your SMB should pick Microsoft 365 over Google Workspace

Recall a sent email

Have you ever mistakenly sent an email to the wrong person or attached the wrong file? The good news is that Microsoft 365 allows you to retract messages. To do so, follow these steps:

1. On Outlook, click the Sent Items folder.
2. Open the message you want to retract by double-clicking on it.
3. On the Message tab, select Actions > Recall This Message.
4. Choose either “Delete unread copies of this message” or “Delete unread copies and replace with a new message,” and then hit OK.
5. If you choose the second option, write the new message and then select Send.

Take note that the Message recall function works only if both the sender and the recipient have a Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Exchange email account registered under the same company.

Enhance your Microsoft 365 experience further by partnering with SpectrumWise. With us at your side, you are guaranteed robust security and support for just a low monthly fee. Schedule a consultation with us today.