The most important points at a glance
There is not a single correct Microsoft 365 license for SMEs. What matters is which employees work remotely, which devices should be centrally managed, and how strong your IT security must be. In many cases, a mixed combination is better than a uniform license for everyone.
At baselnetgroup we repeatedly see the same pattern in practice: It is not the headcount that decides, but the role in the company. Someone who only needs email and Office needs something different from someone with centrally managed laptops, sensitive data, or a specialized application running in the background.
When does Microsoft 365 actually fit your SME?
Microsoft 365 is sensible when collaboration, email, Office applications and cloud storage should work together smoothly. For SMEs with about 50 employees this is especially relevant if not everyone works the same and if IT infrastructure and ICT infrastructure are already growing. Exactly then, first a clean classification is needed before choosing a license.
- Employees work remotely and in the office.
- Devices should be centrally managed.
- Security requirements differ by role.
- Specialized applications remain in use alongside Microsoft 365.
- The existing IT should not be rebuilt unnecessarily.
What differences are decisive for license selection?
| Topic | What to pay attention to | Practical significance |
|---|---|---|
| Working style | Office, mobile or mixed | Determines how important cloud access and collaboration on the go are |
| Device management | Individual or centrally managed | Determines whether administrative functions are needed |
| Security | Standard or enhanced | Affects whether additional protection and control features are needed |
| Specialized applications | Cloud-enabled or locally bound | Determines whether Microsoft 365 alone suffices or must be embedded in a larger environment |
The common misconception is that you can simply license all employees the same and be done with it. In projects with grown environments, the opposite often shows: too simple a standard solution creates unnecessary costs, too many exceptions or security gaps.
What does Business Standard cover, and when is it enough?
Microsoft 365 Business Standard covers desktop Office applications, business email, Teams and cloud storage. This is especially suitable for employees who should work productively without special requirements for central device management or advanced security features. For simple user groups, this is often the pragmatic entry point.
When is Business Premium the better choice?
Business Premium adds security and management features. This becomes relevant when notebooks are centrally managed, sensitive information is processed, or when IT should not only function but also be better controllable. For SMEs with mixed roles, this is often the license for key people, not for everyone.
From our consulting at baselnetgroup, this is exactly the point where many decisions turn: not every person needs the same license, but every role needs a suitable working environment. An engineering firm with around 45 employees is a typical example because central device management, specialized applications and different user profiles come together.
How do you proceed with the selection in the right order?
- First check the user groups and their tasks.
- Evaluate mobility, devices and security needs per role.
- Clarify which systems belong in the cloud and which must stay local.
- Then compare licenses for the individual groups.
- Plan the operation of specialized applications and device management only at the end.
If you reverse this sequence, you quickly buy too much or too little. In practice, the license question is also an infrastructure question, which is why Baselnetgroup includes it in the same analysis as workspace, cloud and security.
What mistakes do we see most often in SMEs?
- All employees receive the same license, although requirements vary greatly.
- The existing IT is not analyzed in advance.
- Security is considered only later.
- Specialized applications are forgotten in planning.
- The transition is viewed only as a licensing issue and not as an operating question.
What you should particularly pay attention to
The license is only one building block. If devices, security and specialized applications are not considered, you get a solution that looks right on paper but becomes unnecessarily complicated in everyday use.
Should you not make the selection alone?
As soon as several user groups, central device management or local specialized applications come into play, an external analysis pays off. This is exactly where baselnetgroup starts with IT consulting and digital transformation, because the license question is rarely answerable in isolation. If you want to make the decision cleanly, you need the view of the whole working environment.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't the cheapest license enough for a small SME?
What should I do with employees who are only rarely in the office?
Do I have to choose a separate license type for every person?
How do I tell that our existing IT must be checked first?
For SMEs with around 50 employees, the right Microsoft 365 license is almost never a one-size-fits-all answer. If you first clarify the user groups, devices and security requirements, you will make a better decision and avoid detours later.
If you want to structurally review the mix of Microsoft 365, device management and IT infrastructure, an individual analysis is the most sensible next step. Baselnetgroup accompanies such decisions for SMEs in Basel and the region with a view of the entire operation.
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