Microsoft 365 can be far more than email, Word, Excel and Teams.
Used properly, it can become the foundation for how your business communicates, collaborates, secures devices, manages information, protects users and introduces new technologies such as Microsoft Copilot.
Stratiis helps businesses across Scotland plan, configure, secure, manage and improve Microsoft 365 so that the platform supports the way the organisation actually works.
Whether you are moving to Microsoft 365 for the first time, reviewing an existing environment, strengthening security, migrating files to SharePoint, managing devices through Intune or preparing for Microsoft Copilot, we can help.
Need help with Microsoft 365?
Talk to Stratiis about reviewing, securing or improving your Microsoft 365 environment.
What Is Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 is Microsoft’s cloud-based productivity, collaboration and security platform.
Depending on the licence and configuration you choose, it can bring together services including:
- Outlook and Exchange Online
- Microsoft Teams
- Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- SharePoint
- OneDrive
- Microsoft Intune
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Microsoft Defender
- Microsoft Purview
- Microsoft Planner
- Microsoft Forms
- Microsoft Power Automate
- Microsoft Copilot
For many small and medium-sized businesses, Microsoft 365 has effectively become part of the organisation’s core IT infrastructure.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium, for example, combines the familiar productivity applications with identity and access management through Microsoft Entra ID, device management through Microsoft Intune, endpoint protection through Microsoft Defender for Business and email protection through Defender for Office 365.
The challenge is that simply purchasing Microsoft 365 licences does not automatically mean these capabilities are configured or being used effectively.
That is where good Microsoft 365 management becomes important.
How Can Stratiis Help With Microsoft 365?
Stratiis can support the complete Microsoft 365 lifecycle.
That includes helping you decide what you need, migrate into the platform, secure it properly, manage it day to day and continually improve how it is being used.
Our Microsoft 365 services can include:
Microsoft 365 Planning and Licensing
We help you understand which Microsoft 365 licences are appropriate for different employees rather than simply applying the same licence to everyone.
This can include reviewing:
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Microsoft 365 Enterprise licences
- Microsoft Teams options
- Microsoft Copilot licensing
- Security and compliance add-ons
The objective is to make sure you have the capabilities you need without unnecessarily paying for services you do not use.
Microsoft 365 Migration
Moving to Microsoft 365 should be treated as a business project rather than simply an email migration.
Stratiis can help plan and deliver migrations involving:
- Existing email platforms
- On-premises Exchange
- File servers
- Shared network drives
- SharePoint
- OneDrive
- Microsoft Teams
- User identities
- Security policies
- Devices and laptops
A properly planned migration should consider what information is being moved, who needs access to it, how permissions should work and what should be cleaned up before migration.
This is particularly important when businesses have accumulated years of folders, permissions and duplicated data.
Exchange Online and Business Email
Exchange Online provides the email, calendar and mailbox infrastructure behind Microsoft 365.
Stratiis can help configure and manage Exchange Online securely, including:
- Business email migration
- Shared mailboxes
- Distribution groups
- Mail routing
- Email authentication
- Anti-spam configuration
- Mailbox permissions
- Retention
- Email security
- Joiner and leaver processes
Email remains one of the most common entry points for cyberattacks, so Microsoft 365 email should be managed as part of your wider cybersecurity strategy rather than simply as a communications service.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams can provide a central location for communication and collaboration across your business.
Employees can use Teams for:
- Instant messaging
- Meetings
- Video calls
- Team collaboration
- File sharing
- Project discussions
- Internal communications
- External collaboration
- Calling and telephony
The biggest challenge we often see is not access to Teams but how it has been structured.
Without clear governance, organisations can quickly accumulate unnecessary Teams, channels, duplicated files and inconsistent access permissions.
Stratiis can help create a structure that makes Teams easier to manage and easier for employees to use.
SharePoint and Document Management
SharePoint can significantly improve the way a business manages documents and internal information.
Instead of relying on traditional shared drives, files can be organised into secure cloud-based document libraries that employees can access from different locations and devices.
SharePoint can be used for:
- Department document libraries
- Company intranets
- Policies and procedures
- Project information
- Controlled document access
- Version history
- Internal knowledge
- Secure external sharing
But moving an existing file server directly into SharePoint without redesigning the structure can simply move existing problems into the cloud.
Before migrating, we normally recommend reviewing the existing folder structure, permissions, duplicate files and data ownership.
OneDrive for Business
OneDrive provides individual cloud storage for employees.
It can help reduce reliance on files stored solely on a laptop or desktop computer and allows users to securely access their documents from authorised devices.
OneDrive can also form part of a broader strategy for:
- Remote working
- Device replacement
- Laptop deployment
- File recovery
- Document collaboration
- Employee mobility
Microsoft currently includes 1 TB of cloud storage per user with Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
Microsoft 365 Security
Microsoft 365 contains powerful security capabilities, but they need to be configured correctly.
Buying Microsoft 365 Business Premium does not, by itself, mean your organisation is secure.
Stratiis can help configure and manage controls including:
Multi-factor authentication
Conditional Access
Microsoft Entra ID
Microsoft Defender
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Endpoint protection
Device compliance
Microsoft Intune
Security policies
Administrative account protection
Data-loss prevention
Email security
Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes capabilities such as Microsoft Entra ID Plan 1, Microsoft Intune Plan 1, Microsoft Defender for Business and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1.
These tools can provide very strong protection for small and medium-sized organisations when deployed and monitored properly.
Microsoft Intune and Device Management
Microsoft Intune allows organisations to centrally manage laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets.
This can be particularly useful for businesses with:
- Hybrid workers
- Remote employees
- Multiple offices
- Mobile workers
- Field-based employees
- Employees using company smartphones
- Bring-your-own-device requirements
With Intune, businesses can apply security policies consistently rather than relying on employees to configure devices individually.
It can help manage areas such as:
- Device encryption
- Security settings
- Windows updates
- Application deployment
- Device compliance
- Mobile applications
- Remote wiping
- Lost devices
Microsoft states that Intune can manage Windows, macOS, iOS and Android devices from a central platform.
Microsoft Entra ID and Identity Security
Microsoft Entra ID is the identity platform that controls how employees access Microsoft 365 and other applications.
For most businesses, protecting user identities is now just as important as protecting the physical device.
A compromised Microsoft 365 account can potentially expose email, SharePoint files, Teams conversations and other company information.
Stratiis can help strengthen identity security through:
- Multi-factor authentication
- Conditional Access
- Secure administrative accounts
- Access policies
- Location-based controls
- Device-based access
- Joiner and leaver processes
- Privileged access management
The objective is to make sure the right people can access the right systems while making it significantly harder for attackers to use stolen passwords.
Microsoft Defender
Microsoft Defender technologies can provide multiple layers of protection across Microsoft 365.
Depending on licensing and configuration, this can include protection for:
- Laptops and desktops
- Microsoft Teams
- SharePoint
- User identities
- Cloud services
Microsoft Defender for Business is designed to protect devices from threats including ransomware, while Defender for Office 365 provides additional protection for email and collaboration services.
Stratiis can help configure, monitor and respond to alerts generated through these services.
Microsoft 365 Backup
One common misconception is that moving information into Microsoft 365 removes the need for backup.
Microsoft provides resilience and retention capabilities within its platform, but businesses should still consider whether they require a separate Microsoft 365 backup service.
A dedicated backup solution can provide additional protection against:
- Accidental deletion
- Malicious deletion
- Ransomware
- User error
- Data corruption
- Retention problems
- Compromised administrator accounts
Stratiis can help assess how critical your Microsoft 365 data is and determine whether additional backup protection is appropriate.
Microsoft 365 and Cyber Essentials
Microsoft 365 can help businesses meet several of the technical-control requirements associated with Cyber Essentials.
For example, Microsoft 365 and Intune can help manage:
- User access
- Administrator accounts
- Multi-factor authentication
- Device configuration
- Security updates
- Endpoint protection
- Software deployment
However, Microsoft 365 does not automatically make an organisation Cyber Essentials compliant.
The way devices, user accounts, firewalls, cloud services and security policies are configured still matters.
Stratiis can help businesses assess their Microsoft 365 environment as part of their wider Cyber Essentials readiness.
Microsoft 365 for Hybrid and Remote Working
Microsoft 365 can provide a strong platform for employees working from offices, homes and other locations.
Rather than relying on traditional VPN connections and local file servers, organisations can securely provide access to email, files, applications and communication tools through cloud services.
A secure hybrid-working environment might combine:
Microsoft Teams
SharePoint
OneDrive
Microsoft Intune
Microsoft Entra ID
Conditional Access
Multi-factor authentication
Microsoft Defender
The aim is to give employees flexibility without weakening security.
Microsoft Power Automate
Microsoft Power Automate can help businesses automate repetitive processes.
Examples might include:
- Approval workflows
- Employee onboarding
- Holiday requests
- Document approvals
- Internal notifications
- Customer enquiries
- Form submissions
- Task creation
- Data movement between systems
These types of improvements can save employees time while reducing manual errors.
Stratiis can help identify processes that are suitable for automation rather than automating inefficient processes simply because the technology is available.
Microsoft Power Apps
Power Apps can allow businesses to create applications for specific internal processes without building traditional custom software from scratch.
Businesses might use Power Apps to replace:
- Paper forms
- Complex spreadsheets
- Manual inspection forms
- Site reports
- Equipment records
- Internal request forms
Used alongside SharePoint, Power Automate and Microsoft Teams, Power Apps can form part of a wider digital-transformation strategy.
Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft Copilot introduces artificial intelligence into the Microsoft 365 environment.
Depending on the product and licence, Copilot can work with applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, while using organisational information to assist employees with tasks such as research, drafting, summarising and analysis.
But businesses should not simply switch Copilot on without preparation.
Before a wider deployment, organisations should review:
- SharePoint permissions
- File access
- Data quality
- Sensitive information
- Employee training
- AI policies
- Security controls
- Microsoft 365 configuration
This is particularly important because AI can make it easier for employees to locate information they already have permission to access.
If those permissions are too broad, Copilot can make existing information-governance problems much more visible.
Stratiis can help assess Microsoft 365 Copilot readiness and build an appropriate deployment plan.
Microsoft Teams Phone
Microsoft Teams can also be extended into a full business telephone system through Microsoft Teams Phone.
Employees can make and receive external telephone calls using Teams on:
- Computers
- Mobile devices
- Teams-compatible desk phones
- Headsets
Teams Phone can help organisations consolidate their communication platforms and reduce the need to operate separate collaboration and telephone systems.
Stratiis can help with:
- Teams Phone planning
- Number migration
- Call routing
- Auto attendants
- Call queues
- Operator Connect
- Direct Routing
- Connectivity
- Handsets and headsets
For organisations already using Teams heavily, integrating telephony can be a logical next step.
Microsoft 365 Licensing
Choosing the right Microsoft 365 licence can be confusing.
More expensive does not automatically mean better.
The correct licensing approach depends on factors including:
- Number of employees
- Device-management requirements
- Cybersecurity requirements
- Remote-working requirements
- Compliance requirements
- Application requirements
- AI requirements
- Telephony requirements
For many smaller organisations, Microsoft 365 Business Premium is particularly valuable because it combines productivity applications with security and device-management capabilities and is designed for organisations of up to 300 users.
But it will not necessarily be the right licence for every user.
Stratiis can review your existing licences and help identify unnecessary costs, missing capabilities and opportunities to simplify your Microsoft environment.
Is Your Microsoft 365 Environment Properly Configured?
Many organisations have been using Microsoft 365 for years without ever carrying out a structured review.
Over time, this can result in:
- Unused licences
- Too many administrators
- Weak security settings
- Old user accounts
- Unmanaged devices
- Excessive SharePoint permissions
- Uncontrolled Teams creation
- Poor data structures
- Inconsistent MFA
- Limited security monitoring
- Unused Microsoft 365 capabilities
A Microsoft 365 review can help identify these gaps and create a roadmap for improvement.
Microsoft 365 Support From Stratiis
Microsoft 365 should not operate separately from the rest of your IT environment.
Stratiis can manage Microsoft 365 as part of a wider managed IT service covering:
- User support
- Device management
- Cybersecurity
- Microsoft 365
- Backup
- Networking
- Connectivity
- Strategic IT planning
This gives businesses one organisation responsible for the overall technology environment rather than multiple suppliers each managing individual components.
Microsoft 365 Support for Internal IT Teams
Businesses with an internal IT manager or IT team may not need to outsource everything.
Stratiis can also provide Microsoft 365 support through a co-managed IT model.
This can provide additional expertise and capacity for areas such as:
- Microsoft Intune
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Microsoft Defender
- SharePoint
- Microsoft 365 security
- Migration projects
- Copilot
- Licensing
- Microsoft Teams
- Complex troubleshooting
The internal IT team remains in control while Stratiis provides additional skills, tools or project resources when needed.
Microsoft 365 Projects and Digital Transformation
Microsoft 365 can also provide the foundation for wider business-transformation projects.
Examples might include:
- Moving from file servers to SharePoint
- Introducing document-management processes
- Replacing spreadsheets with Power Apps
- Automating approvals with Power Automate
- Moving telephony into Microsoft Teams
- Introducing Microsoft Copilot
- Creating an employee intranet
- Improving hybrid working
- Consolidating systems after a merger
- Modernising business processes
The objective should not simply be to deploy more Microsoft products.
The technology should solve a genuine business problem or improve the way employees work.
Why Work With Stratiis for Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 sits across several areas that Stratiis already manages for clients: IT support, cybersecurity, cloud technology, communications and strategic IT planning.
That allows us to look at your Microsoft 365 environment as part of the wider business rather than as an isolated software subscription.
We can help you:
- Choose appropriate Microsoft 365 licences
- Migrate safely
- Improve Microsoft 365 security
- Manage laptops and mobile devices
- Implement SharePoint and Teams
- Protect business email
- Improve collaboration
- Automate business processes
- Prepare for Microsoft Copilot
- Integrate Teams Phone
- Reduce unnecessary licensing
- Build a longer-term technology roadmap
Our focus is not simply on enabling Microsoft products.
It is on making sure they are secure, manageable and useful to the business.
Who Do We Help?
Stratiis supports small and medium-sized organisations across Scotland.
Our Microsoft 365 services can be particularly relevant to businesses and organisations in sectors including:
- Charities and non-profits
- Housing associations
- Manufacturing
- Engineering
- Construction
- Legal
- Accountancy
- Recruitment
- Facilities management
- Hospitality
- Agriculture
- Quarrying
- Oil and gas
- Renewable energy
Different industries use Microsoft 365 in different ways, so the configuration should reflect the way your employees actually work.
Frequently Asked Questions About Microsoft 365
Is Microsoft 365 secure enough for a small business?
Microsoft 365 includes strong security capabilities, particularly within Business Premium and enterprise plans. However, security depends heavily on how services such as MFA, Conditional Access, Intune, Defender and administrator accounts are configured and managed.
Is Microsoft 365 Business Premium worth it?
For many small and medium-sized businesses, Business Premium can provide good value because it combines productivity applications with identity security, endpoint protection, email protection and device management. Whether it is appropriate depends on your organisation’s requirements.
Do we still need antivirus if we use Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Microsoft Defender for Business, which provides endpoint security capabilities. The important question is whether it has been configured, monitored and integrated into your wider security approach correctly.
Do we need Microsoft 365 backup?
That depends on your recovery and retention requirements. Microsoft provides resilient cloud infrastructure, but many organisations choose a separate Microsoft 365 backup service to provide additional recovery options.
Can Microsoft 365 replace our file server?
For many businesses, SharePoint and OneDrive can replace significant parts of a traditional file-server environment. However, not every workload or application is suitable, so the existing environment should be assessed before migration.
Can Microsoft Teams replace our phone system?
Yes, Microsoft Teams Phone can provide business telephony, including external calling, call queues and auto attendants. The appropriate implementation method depends on your organisation, existing numbers and connectivity.
Can Stratiis migrate us to Microsoft 365?
Yes. Stratiis can help plan and deliver Microsoft 365 migrations including email, files, users, devices and security configuration.
Can Stratiis manage Microsoft 365 for us?
Yes. Microsoft 365 management can form part of a fully managed IT service or a co-managed arrangement alongside an existing internal IT team.
Can you help us prepare for Microsoft Copilot?
Yes. Copilot readiness should include reviewing Microsoft 365 security, permissions, data structures, governance and employee usage before deployment.
Can you review our existing Microsoft 365 setup?
Yes. An existing Microsoft 365 tenant can be reviewed to identify areas such as security gaps, unused licences, administration risks, device-management issues and opportunities to make better use of the platform.
Get More From Microsoft 365
If your business already relies on Microsoft 365, the question is no longer simply whether you have it.
The more important questions are:
Is it secure?
Is it configured properly?
Are you using the capabilities you are already paying for?
Can it help your employees work more effectively?
Is it ready for the next stage of your business?
Stratiis can help you answer those questions and create a practical Microsoft 365 roadmap.
Talk to Stratiis about Microsoft 365 support, security, migration or improvement.
