It is no exaggeration to say that Microsoft Office is the most popular business software suite in the world. There are currently around 1.2 billion users of the retail version of Office – and that number keeps growing. The Office suite consists of multiple offerings, client software, server software and a variety of services. It was first introduced to the world in 1988 and it has gone from strength to strength since then.
The Office suite primarily consists of Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access and OneNote. Some of these are more popular than others (for instance Microsoft Outlook loses to the GMail in the popularity stakes) but taken together the combination is hard to beat as far as interoperability is concerned.
It’s a matter of pick and chooses for most users – but the suite seems to offer something for everyone. Microsoft is well aware of this and has grouped the applications into suites. There are suites for home users and students, as well as entrepreneurs and multinationals – and the pricing model for each of the suites is one of the attractions of using Office.
Each of the applications offers unique functionality. Microsoft Word is among the most popular application. Excel is primarily used to organize and manipulate data, Outlook is a powerful email and calendar program and PowerPoint allows for the creation of exceptional presentations. Microsoft Access has benefits that differ from the above functionality – but the selling point for Microsoft is that when used as a complete suite all these programs seamlessly integrate.
Microsoft has two distinct offerings when it comes to Office, Office 365 and Microsoft 365.
Office 365 is Cloud-based and focuses on business productivity, it includes the core Microsoft applications such as Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel.
Microsoft 365 adds to the bundle of those commonly used applications by including Windows Enterprise, Enterprise Mobility (and Security) and elements of machine learning. I would highly recommend seeing M Genious see their services.
Why many People Choose to Learn Microsoft Office.
Microsoft Office is licensed by business and personal users across the globe. It makes presenting and sharing documents in an increasingly global business environment a breeze. It increases productivity – and professionals are familiar with its features. The sheer number of offerings for various users is impressive. It can be used by those who face the challenges of school or within the professional environment. It allows for the intuitive creation, presentation and management of data, as well as providing a browser – all in a familiar format.
training in the use of Microsoft Office does not require the sometimes intimidating knowledge of coding or obscure software language. It is a simple step-by-step process. Learners can start with the core functionality of the various programs in a particular suite and work their way upwards. Those who are familiar with basic functionality will find it easy to upgrade their skills to an adb=vanced level. Learn more about how to upgrade your Office skills at the end of this article.
Summing up the six reasons that Microsoft Office skills are so important:
- Around 90% of global companies use Microsoft Office. That translates into about 1.2 billion people across the globe who are using Office on a daily basis (nearly 20% of people on the planet). It is a testament to the power of the software that Microsoft offers that it has been adopted as the gold standard for business and personal use. It’s also worth noting that enterprises (with 100 or more users) who rely on Office has increased from 87% to 91% in recent years. Enterprise users have grown 320% year-on-year.
- Employment Opportunities.
Knowledge of Office will provide prospective employers with the peace of mind that employees will add to the productivity of the enterprise.
In today’s hyper-competitive business environment knowing how to put together a spreadsheet, develop a presentation or a legible document are core skills. An accreditation in MS Office means that you can add value to a business above and beyond the basics through the use of advanced features. You will have a competitive advantage when it comes to seeking employment.
- The Cloud.
The Cloud has been around for a while – but knowledge of how to leverage its power is still one of those skills that are in great demand. Office 365 allows a user to leverage the power of remote computing and storage. Users with the knowledge of how this in-demand service works can leverage Office 365 services to provide extra value to the enterprise.