Tech Byte: What is M365 and Why is it Important?
Due to changes at the Microsoft corporate level, the University is in the process of transitioning all of its Office brand software to Microsoft 365, often referred to as M365. Ultimately, there should be little difference in terms of user experience once the conversion is complete, and M365 offers some additional advantages over the previous option.
In the past, Office software had to be loaded individually onto each workstation, with each computer needing a unique license key in order to function. By switching to M365, a subscription model, it is not necessary to install software on a workstation. Truman has a campuswide subscription for all of its workstations. However, subscription licenses need communication with a central system to confirm they are valid, so internet access is required. M365 does allow the software to be downloaded for temporary offline usage, which is advantageous when internet access might not be readily available.
Another benefit to a subscription license model like M365 is that updates are automatically available from the central system and do not need to be installed on individual workstations in order for someone to take advantage of any new features.
Some users may still have access to previous versions of Office products – Word, Excel, PowerPoint – previously installed on their system. These products are no longer receiving enhancements/fixes and will stop receiving security updates in early 2025.
Anyone needing assistance with the transition can contact the Help Desk at 660.785.4544.
In the past, Office software had to be loaded individually onto each workstation, with each computer needing a unique license key in order to function. By switching to M365, a subscription model, it is not necessary to install software on a workstation. Truman has a campuswide subscription for all of its workstations. However, subscription licenses need communication with a central system to confirm they are valid, so internet access is required. M365 does allow the software to be downloaded for temporary offline usage, which is advantageous when internet access might not be readily available.
Another benefit to a subscription license model like M365 is that updates are automatically available from the central system and do not need to be installed on individual workstations in order for someone to take advantage of any new features.
Some users may still have access to previous versions of Office products – Word, Excel, PowerPoint – previously installed on their system. These products are no longer receiving enhancements/fixes and will stop receiving security updates in early 2025.
Anyone needing assistance with the transition can contact the Help Desk at 660.785.4544.
