Five not-so-secret Office 365 productivity tools you probably don’t know about.

A comprehensive productivity suite like Microsoft 365 offers a variety of tools and features to make people and organizations more effective and efficient. From word processing and spreadsheet software to email and collaboration tools, Microsoft 365 has everything you need to get your work done. However, with so many tools and features available, it can be easy to overlook some of the lesser-known tools that may be of great benefit to you and your organization. In this article, we’ll look at some of the lesser-known tools in Microsoft 365 that you might not be using right now and discuss how they can boost efficiency and productivity. We’ll focus on how these tools connect, collaborate, and integrate with each other and the entire suite to provide better examples of how you can get the most out of your Microsoft 365 subscription.

Microsoft Forms

Microsoft Forms is a powerful tool that allows you to create surveys, quizzes, and polls to gather information and insights from your audience. With Forms, you can easily create custom forms with a variety of question types, including multiple choice, open-ended, and rating scales. You can then share your forms with your audience and collect responses in real-time.

One of the key benefits of Microsoft Forms is its versatility. It can be used in a variety of settings to gather a wide range of information. For example, businesses can use Forms to gather feedback from employees, assess customer satisfaction, or conduct market research. Educators can use Forms to assess student progress, gather feedback from students, or create quizzes and tests. Nonprofits can use Forms to gather donations, register volunteers, or conduct fundraising campaigns.

But Forms is more than just a survey tool – it can be the catalyst for information sharing and automation. Here are just a few ways you can use Forms today:

1. Gather feedback from employees: One of the key benefits of Forms is its ability to gather feedback from employees. Whether you’re looking for feedback on a new initiative, a training program, or your company culture, Forms makes it easy to get input from your team. You can use Forms to create surveys and polls, and track responses in real-time. This can help you identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions, improving your overall productivity.
2. Assess student progress: Forms can also be used to assess student progress. You can use Forms to create quizzes and tests, and track responses to see how students are performing. You can also use Forms to gather feedback from students, allowing you to identify areas where they may be struggling and provide additional support.
3. Conduct market research: Forms can also be used to conduct market research. You can use Forms to create surveys and polls to gather insights from your customers or target audience. This can help you understand their needs, preferences, and pain points, and make data-driven decisions to improve your products or services.
4. Collaborate with others: Forms also includes collaboration tools that allow you to work with others on your surveys and quizzes. You can easily invite others to collaborate on your Forms content, and use the built-in chat feature to discuss ideas and make edits. This can be especially helpful when working on projects with multiple stakeholders, as it allows you to easily keep everyone in the loop and get feedback and input from your team.
5. Integrate with other Microsoft tools: Forms also integrates with a wide range of other Microsoft tools, such as OneDrive, OneNote, and Teams. This allows you to easily incorporate Forms into your existing workflow, and leverage the power of other Microsoft tools to boost your productivity.

In addition to its versatility, Forms is also easy to use. It has a simple, user-friendly interface that allows you to create and customize your forms with ease. You can add images and videos to your forms, customize the look and feel with different themes, and even embed your forms on your website or blog.

Microsoft Forms is a powerful tool that can help businesses, educators, and organizations gather valuable information and insights from their audience. Whether you’re looking to gather feedback, assess progress, or conduct market research, Forms has the tools you need to get the job done.

Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft Power Automate (formerly known as Microsoft Flow) is a powerful automation tool that allows you to create workflows to streamline your business processes. With Power Automate, you can easily automate repetitive tasks, such as sending emails, updating databases, and triggering alerts. You can also use Power Automate to connect your business systems and applications, allowing you to automate processes that span multiple tools.

But Power Automate is more than just an automation tool – it can improve your business’s productivity in a number of ways. Here are a few examples of how you can use Power Automate to help automate and empower your business:

1. Automate repetitive tasks: One of the key benefits of Power Automate is its ability to automate repetitive tasks. For example, you can use Power Automate to automatically send emails or update spreadsheets based on certain triggers. This can save you time and effort, and allow you to focus on more high-value tasks rather than wasting time on manual, repetitive work.
2. Connect your business systems and applications: Power Automate can also help you increase productivity by connecting your business systems and applications. For example, you can use Power Automate to automatically update customer records in your CRM system when new orders are placed in your e-commerce platform. This can help you avoid errors and ensure that your systems are always up to date, saving you time and effort.
3. Monitor and respond to events in real-time: Power Automate also includes built-in monitoring and alerting tools that allow you to stay on top of important events in real-time. For example, you can use Power Automate to trigger alerts when certain thresholds are reached, or when certain conditions are met. This can help you stay on top of your work and respond to events as they happen, improving your overall productivity.
4. Collaborate with others: Power Automate also includes collaboration tools that allow you to work with others on your workflows. You can easily invite others to collaborate on your Power Automate flows, and use the built-in chat feature to discuss ideas and make edits. This can be especially helpful when working on projects with multiple stakeholders, as it allows you to easily keep everyone in the loop and get feedback and input from your team.
5. Integrate with other Microsoft tools: Power Automate also integrates with a wide range of other Microsoft tools, such as OneDrive, OneNote, and Teams. This allows you to easily incorporate Power Automate into your existing workflow, and leverage the power of other Microsoft tools to boost your productivity. A great example is integrating Microsoft Forms with Power Automate. You can automatically send emails, create users, update lists and teams groups all based on the information submitted in a Microsoft Form.

Microsoft Power Automate is a powerful tool that can help you increase productivity in a number of ways. By automating repetitive tasks, connecting your business systems and applications, monitoring and responding to events in real-time, collaborating with others, and integrating with other Microsoft tools, Power Automate can help you get more done in less time. Whether you’re working from home or in the office, Power Automate has the tools you need to boost your productivity and get ahead. So, it is a must-have tool for businesses, educators, and organizations looking to improve their productivity and streamline their business processes.

Microsoft PowerBI

Microsoft Power BI is a powerful data visualization and reporting tool that allows you to turn raw data into insights and actionable information. With Power BI, you can easily create interactive dashboards, reports, and charts to help you make sense of your data. You can also use Power BI to connect to a wide range of data sources, including Excel, SQL Server, and cloud-based data platforms such as Azure and Salesforce.

But Power BI is more than just a data visualization tool – it can help you become more productive in a variety of different ways. The following is a short list of ways in which you can increase your productivity by using Power BI:

1. Turn data into insights: One of the key benefits of Power BI is its ability to turn raw data into insights and actionable information. By creating interactive dashboards and reports, you can quickly and easily see trends and patterns in your data, and identify areas for improvement. This can help you make data-driven decisions and take action on your insights, improving your overall productivity.
2. Connect to a wide range of data sources: Power BI can also help you increase productivity by allowing you to connect to a wide range of data sources. This can save you time and effort by eliminating the need to manually import data or write complex queries. You can also use Power BI to automate data refreshes, ensuring that your dashboards and reports are always up to date.
3. Collaborate with others: Power BI also includes collaboration tools that allow you to work with others on your dashboards and reports. You can easily invite others to collaborate on your Power BI content, and use the built-in chat feature to discuss ideas and make edits. This can be especially helpful when working on projects with multiple stakeholders, as it allows you to easily keep everyone in the loop and get feedback and input from your team.
4. Integrate with other Microsoft tools: Power BI also integrates with a wide range of other Microsoft tools, such as Excel, OneDrive, and Teams. This allows you to easily incorporate Power BI into your existing workflow, and leverage the power of other Microsoft tools to boost your productivity.
5. Use pre-built dashboards and reports: Power BI also includes a wide range of pre-built dashboards and reports that you can use out of the box. This can save you time and effort by eliminating the need to build your own dashboards and reports from scratch. You can also customize these pre-built dashboards and reports to fit your specific needs, making it easy to get started with Power BI and start seeing results quickly.

You can boost your productivity in a variety of different ways with the assistance of Microsoft Power BI, which is a powerful tool. Power BI can help you get more done in less time by transforming data into insights, connecting to a wide variety of data sources, working with others, integrating with other Microsoft tools, and utilizing pre-built dashboards and reports. Power BI provides the tools that are necessary to increase your productivity and move ahead in your career, regardless of whether you do your work from home or in an office setting. Therefore, it is an essential tool for companies, educational institutions, and other organizations that want to boost their productivity and make decisions based on empirical evidence.

Microsoft Sway

Microsoft Sway is a powerful tool that allows you to create interactive presentations, reports, and newsletters with ease. With Sway, you can easily create professional-looking content using a variety of templates and design tools. You can add text, images, videos, and other media to your Sways, and create interactive elements such as buttons and hyperlinks to engage your audience.

But Sway isn’t just a tool for presentations; it can also help you become more productive in a number of different ways. To name just a few of the many ways in which you can increase your productivity by using Sway:

1. Streamline your presentation creation process: Creating presentations can be a time-consuming process, especially if you’re using traditional tools such as PowerPoint. Sway simplifies the process by providing a wide range of templates and design tools that allow you to create professional-looking presentations with ease. You can easily add and rearrange content blocks, customize the look and feel with different themes, and even collaborate with others in real-time. This can save you time and effort, and allow you to focus on delivering a great presentation rather than worrying about the details.
2. Share your presentations easily: Sway is designed to be easily shared with others. You can easily share your Sways with your team or stakeholders via a link, or embed them on your website or blog. This allows you to quickly and easily share your presentations with your audience, without the need for complicated file transfers or downloads.
3. Access your presentations from anywhere: Because Sway is a cloud-based tool, you can access your presentations from anywhere with an internet connection. This can be especially helpful if you’re working remotely or on the go, as it allows you to stay connected to your work no matter where you are. You can even access your Sways from your mobile device, making it easy to review or update your presentations on the go.
4. Collaborate with others in real-time: Sway also includes built-in collaboration tools that allow you to work with others on your presentations in real-time. You can easily invite others to collaborate on your Sways, and use the built-in chat feature to discuss ideas and make edits. This can be especially helpful when working on projects with multiple stakeholders, as it allows you to easily keep everyone in the loop and get feedback and input from your team.
5. Use Sway to create a variety of content: In addition to presentations, Sway can also be used to create a variety of other types of content. For example, you can use Sway to create interactive reports, newsletters, or even marketing materials such as brochures and flyers. This allows you to use Sway as a one-stop-shop for all of your content creation needs, saving you time and effort by streamlining your workflow.

In general, Microsoft Sway is a robust application that provides a number of different avenues through which you can boost your level of productivity. Sway can help you get more done in less time by streamlining the process of creating presentations, making them easy to share and access, enabling real-time collaboration, and allowing you to create a wide variety of content. Sway provides the tools you require to increase your productivity and move up the ranks, regardless of whether you do your work from home or in an office setting. Therefore, it is an essential tool for companies, educational institutions, and other organizations that want to boost their productivity and make it easier to produce content that looks like it was created by professionals.

Microsoft Stream

Microsoft Stream is a powerful video platform that allows you to create, share, and collaborate on videos with your team or organization. With Stream, you can easily record and share meetings, lectures, presentations, and other types of video content. You can also use Stream to host webinars, record training sessions, and share videos with others.

However, Stream is more than just a video platform; it can also assist you in increasing your productivity in a variety of different ways. Stream can help you become more productive in a variety of ways, including the following:

1. Record and share meetings: Meetings can be a time-consuming and inefficient part of the workday. With Stream, you can easily record meetings and share them with your team or stakeholders. This can be especially helpful if you have team members who are unable to attend in person, as they can catch up on the meeting later. You can also use the built-in annotation tools to add notes and comments to your videos, making it easy to provide feedback and collaborate with others.
2. Host webinars and training sessions: Stream can also be used to host webinars and training sessions. You can easily record your presentations and share them with your audience, either live or on-demand. This can be especially helpful if you have a large team or if you need to train employees remotely. You can even use the built-in Q&A feature to interact with your audience and gather feedback.
3. Collaborate with others on video content: Stream also includes built-in collaboration tools that allow you to work with others on your video content. You can easily invite others to collaborate on your videos, and use the built-in chat feature to discuss ideas and make edits. This can be especially helpful when working on projects with multiple stakeholders, as it allows you to easily keep everyone in the loop and get feedback and input from your team.
4. Organize and manage your video content: Stream includes a variety of tools to help you organize and manage your video content. You can easily tag and label your videos, making it easy to find what you’re looking for. You can also use the built-in search function to quickly find specific videos or clips. Additionally, you can use Stream to create playlists of your videos, allowing you to easily share related content with others.
5. Share videos with a wide audience: Stream is designed to be easily shared with a wide audience. You can easily share your videos with your team or stakeholders via a link, or embed them on your website or blog. This allows you to quickly and easily share your video content with your audience, without the need for complicated file transfers or downloads.

You can boost your productivity in a variety of different ways with the assistance of Microsoft Stream, which is a powerful tool. Stream can help you get more done in less time by streamlining the process of recording and sharing meetings and other video content, facilitating real-time collaboration, and providing tools to organize and manage your video content. All of these features combined make it easier to record and share video content. Stream provides its users with the tools necessary to increase their productivity and advance in their careers, regardless of whether they work from home or in an office setting. Therefore, it is an essential tool for companies, educational institutions, and other organizations that want to increase their productivity and more easily distribute video content.

What’s next?

Throughout this article we focused on how these tools connect, collaborate, and integrate with each other and the entire suite of your Microsoft 365 subscription. Using Office 365 is a great way to improve business productivity. With a variety of tools and features at your fingertips, you can streamline your work processes and collaborate more efficiently with your team. However, it’s important to stay up to date with the latest technologies and find new ways to leverage them for your business. If you’re not already working with an IT company that provides regular advice, feedback, and recommendations, you should consider contacting QIT Solutions. At QIT Solutions, we prioritize our clients’ needs and work to ensure that they are getting the most out of their technology investments. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for all of your IT support needs.