How to Move Your Microsoft Office Documents to the Cloud

Moving data to the cloud is more common and easier than ever. Advances in cloud delivery tools and services are simplifying cloud conversion and hosting processes, and businesses of all sizes are choosing cloud computing to increase their productivity and reduce their IT expenses. For businesses that rely heavily on the use of the Microsoft Office Suite, moving their Microsoft Office documents to the cloud is a logical starting point in the cloud conversion process.

Should You Move Your Microsoft Office Documents to the Cloud?

Collaborating on Microsoft Office documents is a cumbersome process without cloud hosting. Sharing Office documents is often accomplished by emailing them back and forth, and when users are accessing the documents with different versions of the Microsoft Office applications, formatting inconsistencies can arise.

Version variations aren’t the only complicating factors when sharing Office documents via email. Another challenge is keeping track of which Office document is the most up to date. When confusion arises, multiple versions of the same document often unnecessarily take up space on a company’s email server.

Moving your Office documents to the cloud will streamline the document-sharing process as multiple users can access the same document without the use of email. Cloud hosting will also eliminate the problems that arise when users operate different versions of the Microsoft Office Suite as cloud hosting always features the most current applications.

Email server space is not wasted with cloud hosting because users can share a single document file instead of passing edited versions back and forth. In addition, cloud hosting enables users to remotely view Office documents, and many configurations even allow users to remotely edit documents.

How to Move Your Microsoft Office Documents to the Cloud Using Office 365

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Office 365 is one platform you can use to move your Microsoft Office documents to the cloud. A basic team site is included with Office 365, and Microsoft recommends that small businesses use a team site and OneDrive for Business to set up file storing and sharing.

To get started with Office 365, users should identify which files that they do not need to share and store them in the OneDrive for Business folder. Microsoft recommends that employees enable sharing on their OneDrive for Business folders to ensure continuity in the event of employee absences or turnover.

The next step is to explore your Office 365 team site, which is only accessible to the people in your business. Using the file explorer in your team site’s documents library will enable you to select the files that you want to upload for storing and sharing with your team. Successfully uploaded files will be stored on both your computer and your team site, and you can delete the files from their original locations on your computer.

In order to work on your files from your PC instead of working in your web browser, you can set up your files to sync with your PC. Your documents library, not your home page, is where you will access synchronization capabilities. After you synchronize your files, you can see the files on your computer in your SharePoint folder.

Using an IT Company to Move Your Microsoft Office Documents to the Cloud

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Office 365 is not your only option for moving your Microsoft Office documents to the cloud; another option is to use a cloud delivery tool such as OS33. A hosted cloud desktop will enable document sharing and cloud storage of your Microsoft Office documents, as well as any other applications and data you choose.

In order to use a cloud desktop service you will need an experienced IT company to set up your hosted cloud desktop. The services provided by the IT company will include moving your Microsoft Office documents to the cloud.

What is the Best Option for Moving Your Microsoft Office Documents to the Cloud?

If you are ready to move your Microsoft Office documents to the cloud, you have a few options. You can use Office 365 to move them yourself. You can hire an IT company to set up Office 365 for you. Or you can hire an IT company to set up a hosted cloud desktop such as OS33 that will host your Microsoft Office Suite, as well as any other applications and data you choose.

In order to choose the option that best suits your business, you need to carefully consider the IT abilities of yourself and your staff. If you have concerns that moving your Microsoft Office documents to the cloud using Office 365 is too complicated or time-consuming, you should contract with a reputable IT company to provide the service. Your IT contractor can use Office 365 or a hosted cloud desktop. Ultimately, the cloud conversion of your Microsoft Office Suite will give you and your staff powerful collaboration and accessibility capabilities.