How Difficult is it to Learn Office 365?

Are you curious about learning Office 365 but worried it might be too hard? Of course, the difficulty that comes with learning a new skill is somewhat subjective. The challenges of learning Office 365 depend on whether you possess basic computer and internet skills and if your schedule is open enough to deviate time to learning. Knowing any Microsoft Office program can also give you some familiarity with Office 365, even if you’ve never used it before. 

No matter your current schedule or comfort level with Office 365, plenty of tools are available to help make learning easier than you might think.

What is Office 365?

Office 365 (also known as Microsoft 365) is a cloud-based subscription service that includes Microsoft Office’s suite of programs along with other online services such as free cloud storage and web hosting. Since Office 365 functions with the cloud, users always have access to their documents so long as they have an internet connection. The service is compatible with PCs, Macs, tablets, and smartphones.

Microsoft Office is a popular suite of productivity programs that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, and Access. These programs are used worldwide by businesses across industries for their ease of use, accessibility, and collaboration features. The programs offer a variety of functions, such as word processing, spreadsheet creation, promotional material design, and team management. Office 365 combines these valuable programs into a single service that offers the advantages of online document sharing. Microsoft Office cloud services include Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Exchange.

Read more about what Office 365 is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Office 365?

Office 365 gives users full access to Microsoft Office’s suite of programs. These include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, and Access. These programs allow users to create professional documents and reports, spreadsheets and databases, presentations, emails, and promotional materials. Office 365 also provides Microsoft Office cloud services, including Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Exchange. Businesses worldwide use these programs for workplace productivity, team collaboration, and management. 

Office 365’s collaboration tools allow teammates to edit documents simultaneously in real-time online. Teammates can use the Teams app to text chat with one another and ask questions without leaving their computers. Documents can also be assigned to teammates as tasks and linked in their virtual calendar or Microsoft Planner, making them easily accessible and trackable in their workflow. Documents are shared easily with a link without downloading or emailing files. Office 365 is an essential business asset for facilitating collaboration within and across departments. 

As an online service, Office 365 offers several advantages. Users can access Office 365 from any device without needing the program installed. This enables users to work anywhere they like and prevents them from being chained to any singular device. Files and documents can also be stored online without taking up computer storage. Updates are applied automatically to the software without users needing to download them manually. The online features of Office 365 go a long way toward improving accessibility and usability.

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Office 365?

Office 365 is a robust suite of productivity programs with many features. While the basics of Office 365 are easy to learn, advanced features will likely elude most self-learners. Without instruction, some people never realize all the powerful tools Office 365 has available. The best way to learn all that Office 365 offers is to attend a professional class so you learn all the time-saving advanced features. If you prefer to learn independently, you can search online for expert Office 365 tips or “things about Office 365 you didn’t know.”

Some students may be new to Microsoft Office programs or Internet competency and can thus be overwhelmed with all of Office 365’s features. If this is the case for you, you can attend a beginner’s course on any of Microsoft Office’s various programs (such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) that will guide you through the basic tools. Another option is to find beginner’s online tutorials. Take each feature of the program one at a time and learn comfortably. Once you feel like you’ve mastered one tool, move on to the next. When you feel comfortable with your chosen program, you can move on to another until you’re ready to face other features of Office 365. 

How Does Learning Office 365 Compare to Other Applications?

Office 365’s main competitors are Google Workspace and Apple’s iWork suite. Office 365 and Google Workspace subscriptions vary in pricing, storage space, security, and other features across plans. Regarding affordability, both Google Workspace and Office 365 basic plans start at $6. However, Google Workspace’s basic plan includes full access to all applications and features. Microsoft’s basic plan does not include all features. In fact, included features and applications unlock with each subsequent plan and price increase.

Google Workspace includes several applications similar to Office 365. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides compare to Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. While many businesses may find Google applications fit their needs, Microsoft programs contain more robust features. Businesses that require more advanced tools may find Google Workspace isn’t enough to fit their needs.

iWork is a free office suite for macOS, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS. In terms of affordability, it’s a clear choice over Google Workspace and Office 365. However, like Google Workspace, iWork lacks the robust features of Office 365. Due to this lack of features, some users find iWork’s streamlined interface easier to use over Office 365. However, for businesses wanting to create flashier documents and presentations, iWork lacks the tools for the job.

In conclusion, iWork and Google Workspace are more affordable than Office 365. For some businesses needing only basic productivity and collaboration tools, these alternatives would be ideal over Office 365. However, Office 365’s features make it a necessity for businesses needing robust collaboration, spreadsheet, document, and presentation tools.

Office 365 Built-In Help Feature

If you’re struggling with Office 365, each of the suite’s individual programs has a built-in help feature to assist you. In addition to an index and contents list, each program (such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) has a “How do I…?” feature where you can ask questions, and the program will provide you with a list of topics. These programs also possess a “Tell me what you want to do” window where you can type the task you are trying to achieve, such as “format a letter” or “apply a template.” Like the question feature, this tool generates a list of topics to review. 

Office 365’s built-in assistance should provide you with all you need to work through the various programs. However, if you’re looking for more guidance, Microsoft also provides official Office 365 tutorials (including training videos, templates, quickstarts, and cheat sheets, among other resources) for those struggling to get started.

Why Is Office 365 Worth Learning?

If you’re struggling to learn Office 365, there are many reasons to stick with it. Office 365 is used by businesses worldwide across industries. Common job positions that use Office 365 include Business and Financial Analysts, Administration Specialists, Communications Specialists, Customer Service Specialists, Data Entry and Filing Clerks, Accountants, IT personnel, and Managers, among many others. 

Even if your desired job doesn’t require knowledge of Office 365, Microsoft Office programs are so popular that any employee, from office clerks to CEOS, is likely to use them in their day to work. Office 365 is a must-have skill for daily job tasks and work productivity. Job seekers who take the time to train in Office 365 stand out among the competition, and established professionals who do the same are known to see salary increases. 

Learn Office 365 with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers in-person and live online training in Office 365. Courses include training in Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook. You can choose between individual classes of various skill levels or bootcamps, which offer in-depth, comprehensive learning. When it comes to becoming an expert in a new skill, bootcamps are a fast and affordable alternative to college. Noble Desktop’s classes are small, taught by expert instructors, and include free retake options.

The Excel Bootcamp guides students from beginner to expert techniques. You’ll learn functions, formulas, Pivot Tables, macros, and additional expert tips and tricks. By the end of the course, you’ll be a true Excel master. The PowerPoint Bootcamp is a similar course that provides complete mastery of the program. You’ll start with the basics of customizing images, shapes, text, and animation before moving on to advanced techniques such as template creation, importing charts from Excel, and inserting multimedia. By the end of the course, you’ll be a wizard at creating professional and visually stunning presentations and slideshows.

If you like the idea of the comprehensive learning offered by bootcamps and are looking for further training in Office 365, NYIM is an affiliate school of Noble Desktop. It provides a Complete Microsoft Office Bootcamp that covers the four major programs – Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook.