Microsoft has been the productivity solution for offices, schools and personal use since before we can remember. While its services are essential, it can be tricky to decide which version is best suited for your work. Knowing the features of the available options helps make that decision a little easier.
Two of the main options, in this case, are Office 365 and Office 2019. While both versions offer the same applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook with the latest core features, some significant differences can be analysed to determine suitability for different purposes.
Here is an in-depth guide of all the features of each version that can help you decide what is best for your needs.
Office 365
- Subscription service
Office 365 is a subscription service that requires you to pay a small monthly fee or save by paying for a full year. While it gives you access to several applications online and allows you to save data online, if you haven’t paid your subscription in whole or some issue arises with the subscription lapses, you will not be able to access the Microsoft Office applications. Upon payment an Office 365 product key is generated which will activate the software.
- Frequent updates
Outlook 365 has the latest version of Office apps like Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook. It allows access to the latest features, new tools, security updates, and bug fixes automatically.
- Portability
Office 365 can be installed on all your devices and can be logged into from five devices at the same time. You can have access to your files wherever you are and from whatever device you are using.
- Security
All the data is stored on the cloud and can be accessed from anywhere. Outlook 365 allows 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage per user, for up to 6 users in total.
5. Technical support
Office 365 offers a subscription long technical support at no extra cost. A helpline makes contact with professional staff easy and reliable.
- Linking Files
With Outlook 365, you can upload a file to the cloud and connect the file in emails without having to attach it. This file can be edited by the recipient.
- Collaboration
Because Office 365 is a cloud-based service, it allows several people to edit the same document at the same time. The edits can be monitored as they are being made which makes it ideal for people in workspaces who need to work on projects simultaneously, or students who need to do the same.
- Turn Data into Applicable Information
Office 365 takes the notes from to-do lists and converts them into tasks with reminders and deadlines in the calendar. Similarly, the map in the application lets you convert any data in Excel into images. It can also make 3D maps of geographic data.
- Switch between Personal and Business Accounts
The OneDrive app for Android allows you to link Office with both your OneDrive business and OneDrive personal accounts so you can switch between the two easily.
Office 2019
- One Time Purchase
Office 2019 requires a single onetime payment for the latest versions of the office of the time of purchase, with products like Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
- No Upgrades
There are no upgrades for the software. If you plan to upgrade any of the applications, you’ll have to buy it at full price all over again. On the other hand, it provides a familiar, robust interface with no change to the features for people who prefer to work with the software they know well and not spend time figuring out new updates.
- Installed on a Particular Computer
Office 365 is installed on a particular computer so data cannot be shared between devices.
- Security
Since the software is installed on a particular computer, it does not require any software security.
- No Technical Support
Office 2019 comes with one-time installation support and offers no such support beyond this point.
- Advanced Presentation Features
Morph and Zoom are two new features in the Office 2019 PowerPoint that allow more detailed presentations to be made. This makes it quite ideal for workplaces and students that require office features that are geared best towards presentations.
- Powerful Data Analysis
The Excel in Office 2019 is equipped with features like new charts (funnel charts and 2D maps), new formulas, and the ability to publish from Excel to other platforms.
- No internet Required
To work on Office 2019, you do not require an internet connection which saves the user much hassle.
While Office 365 has features suitable for people and institutes who need to log in from multiple devices like university students, Office 2019 is more suitable for office desktops since it is a onetime expense and provides the particular applications for increasing office productivity for presentations. It all comes down to what you want to pay, and what sort of features you require from the Office suite that you pay for, investing in a good office suite that does not need a lot of maintenance and regular payments for new features may be a good option for people on a lower budget or those purchasing the Office suite for students and schools. However, Office 365 is recommended for offices and people that rely on the constant updates, the online features, and the ability to share data in real time with others.
