Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask
Is Microsoft Office 2013 right for you? Here are the right questions for small and midsize businesses and enterprises to ask.
How Many Licenses Do You Need?
Volume licensing customers have their own deal with Microsoft. But small businesses, freelance professionals and others who buy their software on a case-by-case basis have a licensing decision to make with Office 2013. It's tied directly to the on-premises-vs.-cloud decision, and Microsoft is not exactly hiding its hopes for which you'll choose. The product key card versions of Office 2013 get you only one license for one machine, and it's not transferable if you upgrade or otherwise change hardware. That's not a change from Office 2010. What is different -- and what has caused a minor Internet kerfuffle -- is the retirement of the full-package product versions, which included multiple transferable licenses. Office 365 subscriptions, on the other hand, cover up to five devices per user. You do the math: Unless you work on the same machine 24-7, Microsoft is essentially giving you a licensing discount to move to Office 365.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Windows 8 Rollout: One SMB's Story
Microsoft Surface Pro: Why One SMB Says No
Microsoft Surface Pro: Why 2 SMBs Say Yes
Microsoft Jacks Up Windows 8 Upgrade Prices
8 Key Changes In Microsoft SharePoint 2013
Why One SMB Sticks With Windows XP: Truckload Of Toner
3 More Reasons Why SMBs Stick With Windows XP
4 Ways Microsoft-Dell Deal Could Benefit IT
E-mail | Share