July 08, 2025
If you're like many Lehigh Valley business owners, Microsoft 365 is the backbone of your day-to-day work—email in Outlook, files in OneDrive, projects and messaging in Teams. Yet research and our own client audits show that many organizations:
- use
barely half of the features they pay for,
- leave on
default (and sometimes weak) critical security configurations, and
- buy
third-party tools that Microsoft licensing already includes.
It's also no secret that Microsoft licensing can be incredibly
confusing. Do I need Business Standard or Premium? Does everyone need a license,
or just my office staff? What features are included, and which do I need to
bundle with other tools?
In our analysis of IT budgets with local business owners, we've
found that many are spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars on Microsoft
licensing each month without any real value to show for it. The result?
Wasted spend, sprawling tech clutter, and unnecessary
cyber-risk—three things no owner wants on the balance sheet.
Are you using Microsoft 365 to its full potential?
This quick checklist can help you find out. If you answer "no" or "not sure" to more than a few, consider joining our upcoming webinar on July 29th where we'll walk through how to fix the most common gaps and harness better optimizations.
1. Turn on MFA with Conditional Access
If your team can log into Microsoft 365 with just a password, you're vulnerable. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) adds a second layer of protection, and Conditional Access lets you block logins from unfamiliar devices or risky locations. It's like adding a deadbolt and a motion sensor to your front door—and yes, Microsoft includes both.
2. Manage mobile and personal devices with Intune
Email and files often live on employees' phones and home laptops. Intune lets you require a PIN, encrypt data, and remotely wipe company information without touching personal photos or apps—so work data stays safe even if a device is lost, stolen, or an employee leaves.
3. Use Sensitivity Labels to Classify and Protect Client Data
Microsoft 365 lets you tag documents with built-in labels like "Confidential" or "Internal Use Only." Once applied, these labels can encrypt the file, restrict who can open it, or even block sharing outside the company. It's a simple way to protect sensitive information without relying on employee guesswork—and it's included in Business Premium.
4. Restrict risky Office macros and unapproved apps
Macros are little bits of code often used in spreadsheets—but attackers love to hide malware in them. Similarly, letting users install whatever software they want can lead to trouble. Microsoft 365 gives you control over both, helping you reduce the risk of ransomware without locking down productivity.
5. Set backup & version-retention policies
Accidents happen. Someone deletes the wrong folder. A device gets lost. A client asks for something from two months ago. Fortunately, Microsoft 365 includes tools to restore files, emails, and documents—as long as you've turned on versioning and set proper retention rules.
6. Use Power Automate to simplify a repetitive task
Every business has those "copy/paste and forward it" processes. Whether it's routing invoices, onboarding new hires, or sending reminders, Power Automate can streamline the busywork. You don't need to be technical—just know what you wish happened automatically.
7. Move approvals and to-dos into Teams with Planner
If your team is still managing tasks in email threads, Post-Its, or whiteboards, it's time to upgrade. Microsoft Planner and the Approvals app in Teams let you assign tasks, track status, and collect sign-offs—all in one place your team already uses.
8. Make sure OneDrive & SharePoint version history is enabled
Ever found yourself working on "Proposal_v7_FINAL_revised_FINAL2.docx"? Microsoft 365's version history and real-time co-authoring eliminate that madness. You can roll back changes, see who did what, and never overwrite someone's work again.
9. Prep for (or pilot) Copilot—with proper permissions
AI tools like Microsoft Copilot can save serious time—but only if your data is clean and access is well-organized. Otherwise, Copilot might pull the wrong info or expose sensitive content. Before turning it on, make sure your SharePoint and Teams permissions are dialed in.
10. Use Microsoft Bookings or FindTime for meeting scheduling
Coordinating a time to talk shouldn't take five emails. Bookings lets clients or partners pick a time based on your availability, and FindTime helps your internal team align fast. You'll save hours—and look polished doing it.
Hot Tip: Did you know that a return on investment study commissioned by Microsoft found that 59% of SMBs using Copilot reported seeing a 1% to 20% decrease in operating costs? Overall, the study found that SMBs can expect a 6% increase in net revenue by implementing the productivity tools found in Copilot.
How'd you score?
So now that you've completed the checklist, it's worth taking a look at the results. If you can confidently say you've implemented the item, count it as a check!
8-10 checks: Your tenant is in great shape—come to the webinar for Copilot and AI next steps.
4-7 checks: Solid foundation, but you're leaving money and security on the table.
0-3 checks: High risk of breach and tool sprawl—our free assessment will help.
Join our Upcoming Webinar to Learn more Practical Tips for making the most of Microsoft
As a trusted managed service provider who strives to help
clients find more efficiency while minimizing costs, the ET&T team is
hosting a 1-hour webinar on how to make the most of Microsoft 365.
On Tuesday, July 29 at 2 PM EST, ET&T will be
joined by a leading Microsoft MVP, Nick Ross - CEO of CloudCapsule - to dissect
the most valuable security and optimization features that every small and
medium business should be using in Microsoft 365. We'll break down the
technical topics so that you understand exactly what they are and why they
matter in your business, including:
Bonus for Live Attendees! We'll be offering a Free Microsoft 365 Security Assessment to a select number of live attendees — a no-strings-attached review of how your business is currently configured, and what gaps might be putting you at risk.
Who Should Attend?
- Owners,
partners, and operating managers juggling IT along with everything else
- Operations
or office managers tasked with "figuring out Microsoft 365"
- Internal
IT pros who need a quick win for security posture
- Anyone
considering Microsoft 365 Copilot but unsure about where to start
(Not sure it's for you? If email downtime would hit your revenue or reputation, you'll benefit.)
Meet the Presenter
Nick Ross is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional and has been blogging on content for SMBs for more than 3 years. He created T-Minus 365 and CloudCapsule to demystify complex topics around Microsoft and provide security best practices. Prior to his current position, he worked as the VP of Product and the Chief Technology officer at two managed service providers.
Register Now (Space is Limited)
The session is free but seating on the live call is capped to keep Q&A useful. Reserve your spot in under 30 seconds:
