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Microsoft 365 and cloud setup, for families and small offices

Email, files and sharing that work the same on every device, set up correctly the first time, with the right plan and nothing you do not need.

Services · Cloud and Microsoft 365

Cloud services are sold as things that simply work. In practice most of the trouble comes from how they were first set up: files that sync on one computer and not on another, an email address that is tied to one person's personal account, or a shared folder that everyone can delete by accident. Setting it up properly takes a few hours, and it saves years of small annoyances.

For a household

  • A Microsoft 365 Family subscription set up so that each person has their own account and their own storage, not one shared sign-in
  • OneDrive protecting the Desktop, Documents and Pictures folders, so that a dead laptop does not take the photos with it
  • The same files available on the phone and the computer
  • Two-step sign-in turned on, so that a stolen password is not enough to get in

For a small office

  • Business email on your own domain name, such as you@yourcompany.com, in place of a free personal address
  • Existing email, calendars and contacts moved across from your current provider, with little or no downtime
  • Shared files organized in SharePoint or Teams, with sensible permissions, so that staff see what they need and nothing else
  • Each person with their own sign-in, which can be switched off on the day they leave
  • Two-step sign-in required for everyone. Fraud that starts with a hijacked mailbox is among the most expensive things that happens to small businesses, and this is the single setting that prevents most of it.
  • Licences matched to what each person actually needs

Moving from something else

We move email and files from Google Workspace, from a web host's mailboxes, from an old server in the corner, and from the collection of personal accounts that many small businesses start out with. The move is planned so that no mail goes missing on the day, and so that everyone knows what will look different on Monday morning.

What we do not do

We will not sell you a larger plan than you need, and we will not set things up in a way that only we can manage. When we finish, you hold the administrator account, you have the passwords, and you have a short written note of how it is all arranged.

Common questions

Can I keep my existing email address?

Almost always. If you own your domain name, the address stays the same and only the service behind it changes. We move the existing mail across, so your old messages come with you.

Is Microsoft 365 backed up automatically?

Not in the way most people assume. Microsoft keeps the service running, but deleted items are only kept for a limited time, and a deleted or hijacked account can take its data with it. We recommend a separate backup for business mailboxes and files. Our backup guide explains why.

Which plan do I need?

It depends on whether you need the desktop Office programs, how many people you have, and whether you need business email on your own domain. Many people pay for more than they use. We look at what you actually do, and recommend the smallest plan that covers it.

Does this work on Macs, iPhones and Android?

Yes. Microsoft 365 email, OneDrive and the Office programs work across Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android, which is a large part of why it suits mixed households and offices.

Related advice

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Ready to talk?

Tell us what is going on, or what you would like to set up, and we will get back to you, usually within one business day.

Contact us