Can Microsoft Office 2016 Compete With Traditional ECM Software?

On September 22, Microsoft released Office 2016, an upgrade to the previous incarnations of its business solutions software. It comes with new integrations and bug fixes, and the company has proven that they are more interested in making collaborative programs than ever before.

Still, even with some improvements, Microsoft Office 2016 has its drawbacks. Businesses have specific, ever-increasing technological and productivity needs, which Microsoft is just now realizing. And because it doesn’t include the proper capabilities, it certainly cannot rival nor replace traditional enterprise content management software.

However, if you need a temporary solution for your business before gearing up to invest in ECM software, Microsoft Office 2016 could be a solid choice. We’ve gathered some of its features, as well as the positive and negative aspects of this program.

 

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Word

Within Word, users could never track changes and review documents in real time. Now, with Microsoft Office 2016, they can.

Users can review and edit documents with coworkers and team members at the same time, as long as they store those files and documents in OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, or SharePoint online. This real-time reviewing and editing extends to PowerPoint and OneNote, and will ultimately become available in Excel. There are other programs out there that offer this, but none are as comprehensive or universal as Microsoft Word.

If you’re confused about any new additions to Word, Microsoft provides the Tell Me button within the software. You just type in what feature you’re looking for, and it’ll pop right up. This eliminates having to Google “How to insert a table” or “Where is the clip art?” to figure out how to utilize Word.

 

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SharePoint

SharePoint is a web application that enables users to share documents, data and information with each other. You can involve many users in the website creation process, and in the online version, store all of your business’ documents in the cloud.

Growing organizations wouldn’t fare too well from using SharePoint. It lacks many of the features they would need to succeed and grow. SharePoint is a basic program that requires many add-ons, and users have reported that software assistance is usually required in order to handle the workflow.

In addition, it’s database integration is inadequate, and people have had trouble creating customized forms. It may save businesses money in the short term, but it could just end up costing enterprises their precious resources and time in the long run.

 

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OneDrive

OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud. It comes embedded in Windows 8 and 8.1 operating systems, and you can find your documents organized by type. Upon opening Word or PowerPoint, you can see files that were recently uploaded to OneDrive. Real-time collaboration is available, but only if you have an Office 365 subscription.

OneDrive’s main focus is on photos and images. According to CNET, Microsoft is planning to release technology that sorts photos in order of their importance to you. Determining what each unique user values most is more creepy than it is charming or helpful. There are far more important factors Microsoft could put its focus on – bugs needing fixing, the unnecessary amount of updates – before pouring any time into an AI gimmick that basically denies our ability to think for ourselves.

In terms of size, OneDrive has a file size restriction of 10GB. It offers 15 GB of free storage, after that 1TB is $7 per month. You may be thinking, “What a deal! Seven bucks for a whole terabyte!?” But, seven dollars times one year, is twice as much as any decent 1TB hard drive. Just let that sink in for a minute…

 

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Delve

Microsoft has incorporated Delve into its Office 2016 suite so that users can see whom they’ve collaborated with on projects. The program’s interface uses both sides of the screen. The left hand side shows those you’ve worked with, while the right displays documents you’ve worked together on. You can see the document type, who created or edited it, and when. You can then open the documents, email the people involved, log into a shared OneDrive folder, or conduct a meeting with them. If you want to “delve” a little deeper, you can click coworkers’ pictures and see their profiles, which includes who their bosses are, their contact information, and all the projects they’ve worked on.

For companies dealing with highly sensitive information or projects, Delve might not be a welcome feature. Some users may find it intrusive of their privacy as well. If your company wants the ability to control who sees what, Delve can’t quite do what other systems can. In that regard, a custom ECM software would make more sense. You’ll be able to block certain employees from private information by enforcing password protection and varied levels of security.

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The Verdict

Enterprises cannot rely on free or low-cost software in order to flourish. While Microsoft Office 2016 has some admirable qualities, it’s too basic for large operations. Enterprises would be happier choosing an ECM software that’s customized to fit their needs, and an actual staff of people that care about their operations.

 

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