Top 10 Microsoft 365 Features to Use in 2026

Modern work involves constant movement between emails, meetings, documents, spreadsheets, and shared files. Businesses should also consider the Microsoft 365 Enterprise plan to select a setup that matches their communication, collaboration, and productivity requirements.

According to Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index, the average employee receives 117 emails, and 153 Teams messages each workday, with interruptions from meetings, emails, or notifications occurring every two minutes.  

Microsoft 365 brings essential tools for communication, collaboration, document creation, and file management into one connected ecosystem. 

Here are 10 of the most useful Microsoft 365 features that businesses can use to support everyday work: 

1. Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word remains one of the most widely used Microsoft 365 features. It helps users create everything from business proposals and reports to policies, contracts, and internal documentation. 

The cloud-connected version of Word adds more value to the traditional document experience. Multiple users can work on shared files, review changes, add comments, and access documents across supported devices. 

Key Word features

• Real-time co-authoring 
• Comments and document review 
• Version history 
• Templates for common business documents 
• Cloud-based file access 
• Integration with OneDrive and SharePoint 

Practical benefit 

A marketing team can work on a campaign brief without sending multiple email attachments. Everyone can access the same file, contribute feedback, and review the latest version. 

This simple change can reduce version confusion and make document approval easier. 

2. Microsoft Excel

Excel is one of the most important features of Microsoft 365 for businesses that work with numbers, lists, budgets, and operational data. 

Its capabilities extend well beyond basic spreadsheets. Users can organize data, apply formulas, create charts, build dashboards, and analyze information with tools such as PivotTables. 

Popular Excel functions and capabilities 

• Formulas and functions 
• PivotTables and PivotCharts 
• Data sorting and filtering 
• Conditional formatting 
• Charts and visual reports 
• Shared workbook collaboration 
• Data analysis tools 

Excel is especially useful for finance teams, sales departments, operations teams, and business managers. 

Practical benefit 

A sales manager can combine monthly sales figures, identify high-performing products, compare regional results, and create a report from the same workbook. 

The ability to share and collaborate on files also makes Excel a core part of many Microsoft 365 workflows. 

3. Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint remains one of the top Microsoft 365 suite features for creating visual presentations. 

Businesses use it for client proposals, training sessions, sales presentations, internal meetings, project updates, and executive reporting. 

Key PowerPoint features 

• Ready-to-use templates 
• Slide layouts and design tools 
• Charts and tables 
• Images, video, and multimedia support 
• Speaker notes 
• Real-time collaboration 
• Cloud-based access and sharing 

Practical benefit 

Several team members can contribute to a presentation before an important meeting. One person can prepare the financial slides, another can add product information, and a manager can review the final version without merging separate files. 

This collaborative approach helps teams maintain consistency and avoid unnecessary rework. 

4. Microsoft Outlook

Outlook is much more than an email application. It combines email, calendars, contacts, and scheduling tools in one workspace. 

For many professionals, Outlook acts as the starting point for the workday. 

Microsoft describes Outlook as a place to manage email, calendar, tasks, and contacts together. 

Common Outlook features 

• Business email management 
• Shared calendars 
• Meeting scheduling 
• Contact management 
• Rules and filters 
• Search tools 
• Integration with Teams and other Microsoft 365 applications 

Practical benefit 

A project manager can check emails, schedule a meeting, invite participants, and connect the meeting with a Microsoft Teams session from a connected workflow. 

This integration is one reason Outlook remains one of the most valuable Office 365 functions for everyday business operations. 

5. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams brings chat, meetings, calls, and collaboration into a shared environment. 

It has become particularly useful for organizations with remote, hybrid, or distributed teams. Microsoft describes Teams as a place where people can meet, chat, call, and collaborate. 

Top Teams features 

• One-to-one and group chat 
• Video and audio meetings 
• Screen sharing 
• File sharing 
• Team channels 
• Meeting scheduling 
• Integration with Microsoft 365 applications 

Practical benefit 

Instead of discussing a project through separate email threads, a team can create a dedicated channel for the project. Conversations, meetings, and relevant files can remain connected in one place. 

This makes it easier for team members to find context when they join a project or revisit an earlier decision. 

6. OneDrive

OneDrive is one of the most useful Microsoft 365 features for secure cloud-based file access. 

Users can store files online and access them from supported devices. OneDrive also connects closely with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 applications. 

Microsoft’s business offerings commonly include 1 TB of cloud storage per user in eligible plans. 

Key OneDrive features 

• Cloud file storage 
• File sharing 
• Access across supported devices 
• File synchronization 
• Version history 
• Integration with Microsoft 365 applications 

Practical benefit 

An employee can start a report on an office computer and later access the same file from another supported device without manually transferring the document. 

Teams can also share files instead of repeatedly sending attachments. 

7. SharePoint

SharePoint is particularly useful for organizations that need a central place to manage internal content, documents, and information. 

Microsoft highlights SharePoint as a tool for creating team sites where organizations can share information, files, and resources. 

Common SharePoint uses 

• Internal team sites 
• Document libraries 
• Company intranets 
• Department resource hubs 
• Controlled content sharing 
• Knowledge management 

Practical benefit 

An HR department can create a central location for employee policies, forms, announcements, and onboarding resources. Employees know where to find the latest approved information instead of searching through old emails. 

SharePoint becomes even more useful when organizations establish clear folder structures, ownership rules, and permissions. 

8. OneNote

OneNote provides a flexible digital workspace for notes and information capture. 

Teams and individuals can use it for meeting notes, research, ideas, project information, and reference material. Microsoft describes OneNote as a cross-functional notebook for note-taking needs. 

Useful OneNote features 

• Organized notebooks and sections 
• Typed notes 
• Images and attachments 
• Shared notebooks 
• Search capabilities 
• Cross-device access 

Practical benefit 

A team can maintain a shared project notebook that contains meeting notes, decisions, reference links, and important project details. 

This creates continuity and reduces the risk of important information remaining only in one employee’s personal notes. 

9. Microsoft Planner

Planner helps teams organize work into plans, tasks, assignments, and deadlines. It works well for teams that need a simple visual way to track progress without relying on long email chains. 

Microsoft includes Planner among the additional business applications available in selected Microsoft 365 plans. 

Key Planner capabilities 

• Create and assign tasks 
• Set due dates 
• Group tasks by category or stage 
• Track task status 
• Organize work visually 
• Support team coordination 

Practical benefit 

A product launch team can create tasks for content, design, testing, training, and customer communication. Each task can have an owner and due date, which makes responsibilities easier to understand. 

The greatest value comes from visibility. Team members can quickly see what requires attention and what has already been completed. 

10. Microsoft Forms

Forms is a straightforward tool for creating surveys, questionnaires, quizzes, and feedback forms. It is useful for HR teams, training departments, marketers, event organizers, and internal business teams. 

Microsoft lists Forms among the additional applications available for business needs in selected Microsoft 365 plans. 

Common uses for Forms 

• Employee feedback 
• Customer surveys 
• Training assessments 
• Event registrations 
• Internal questionnaires 
• Quick polls 

Practical benefit 

After a training session, an HR team can send participants a feedback form and collect responses in a structured format. 

This provides a faster alternative to manually reviewing feedback sent through email. 

Why this feature matters 

Employees no longer complete all work from a single office computer. Teams may work from offices, homes, customer locations, or while traveling. 

Cloud-connected access helps employees continue work from supported devices while organizations maintain centralized access and management. 

The important point is to combine convenience with appropriate security controls. 

Microsoft 365 Features Comparison: Which Tool Should Your Business Prioritize? 

The best Microsoft 365 feature depends on the type of work your employees perform. This comparison can help businesses understand the primary purpose of each application and decide where to focus first. 

Microsoft 365 Feature	Primary Purpose	Best For	Business Priority
Microsoft Word	Document creation and collaboration	Reports, proposals, policies, and business documents	High for most teams
Microsoft Excel	Data analysis and reporting	Finance, sales, operations, and reporting	High for data-focused teams
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation creation	Sales, training, meetings, and executive reporting	High for presentation-heavy teams
Microsoft Outlook	Email and calendar management	Daily communication and scheduling	High for most businesses
Microsoft Teams	Communication and collaboration	Remote, hybrid, and project-based teams	High for collaborative teams
OneDrive	Personal cloud file storage	Individual work files and secure access	High for flexible work environments
SharePoint	Shared content and knowledge management	Departments, intranets, and document libraries	High for growing and large organizations
OneNote	Note and information management	Meetings, research, and project notes	Useful for individual and team organization
Microsoft Planner	Task and project management	Projects with multiple tasks and owners	High for project-based teams
Microsoft Forms	Surveys and feedback	HR, training, events, and customer feedback	Useful for structured data collection

What Are the Benefits of Microsoft 365? 

The features above offer individual benefits, but the wider value of Microsoft 365 comes from how its applications can work together. 

• Better Collaboration: Teams can share files, communicate through Teams, and collaborate on documents without relying entirely on email attachments. 
• Improved Accessibility: Cloud-based services can support access to files and work resources across supported devices and locations. This gives employees greater flexibility when their work takes place beyond a single office. 
• Familiar Productivity Tools: Applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook remain familiar to many business users. This can make it easier for teams to adopt core tools for everyday work. 
• Connected Workflows: Microsoft 365 applications can support connected workflows across documents, meetings, email, chat, and shared information. This helps businesses reduce unnecessary switching between disconnected systems. 
• Scalable Options: Microsoft 365 offers different plans and capabilities for different business requirements. Organizations can evaluate their users, security needs, collaboration requirements, and budget before selecting a suitable plan. 
• Security and Administrative Capabilities: Depending on the selected plan and configuration, businesses can access capabilities related to identity, access management, device management, data protection, and security. 

Organizations should evaluate these requirements carefully, especially when employees work across multiple locations or devices. For more guidance, read our Microsoft 365 Buying Guide for Your Business. 

Final Thoughts 

The most useful Microsoft 365 features are the ones that solve real work problems. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, OneNote, Planner, and Forms each support a different part of the workday. 

The real value comes from using these applications as part of a connected workflow. Businesses can improve collaboration, communication, file management, and task visibility when they clearly define how employees should use each tool. 

The next step is to assess which features your business needs most and align those requirements with the right Microsoft 365 plan and support model. Businesses can explore ZNetLive’s Microsoft 365 solutions to review available options and get support for Microsoft 365 deployment, migration, configuration, and ongoing management.