Understanding how Microsoft 365 licensing works can indeed be challenging. There are various licensing packages and different licensing components. To know what to choose and understand what you get in the different packages, you need enough knowledge to make informed decisions.
In this blog post, we’ll highlight what we believe are the five most important resources for learning more about Microsoft 365 licensing.
1. Microsoft 365 official sales pages
A good place to start is Microsoft’s official sales pages. Here, Microsoft presents the various solutions they offer for home use, businesses, enterprises, and the education. We’ve written more about these different segments in our article on how Microsoft licensing works in the cloud.
On the sales pages, you’ll find links to plans and pricing, where you can learn more about the different subscription options.
Additionally, you can download a comprehensive comparison table that details what’s included in each subscription.
2. Microsoft Learn (documentation)
Microsoft 365 has its own section on Microsoft Learn. Microsoft Learn is Microsoft’s website for documentation and training.
Here, you’ll find a wealth of valuable information about all the Microsoft 365 products. If you’re ever unsure about how something works, the answer is often just a click away in the documentation. Microsoft excels at providing thorough documentation and keeping it up-to-date.
Micosoft 365 and Office 365 plan options and Microsoft 365 guidance for security & compliance are among the information you will find here.
3. M365Maps.com
When it comes to various third-party overviews of Microsoft 365 licensing, one stands out: Aaron Dinnage’s m365maps.com.
His website provides graphical overviews that make it easy to understand what’s included in different subscription packages.
Here’s an example visualization for Microsoft 365 Business Premium:
It’s important to note that while Dinnage works at Microsoft Australia, this information isn’t considered official Microsoft content. It’s a project he created and maintains in his free time.
4. Product terms
When it comes to understanding the specifics of your Microsoft 365 subscription, the license terms provide the definitive answers. These terms outline the rights and responsibilities associated with the software and services you’ve licensed.
Before diving into the terms, it’s a good idea to identify the program through which you purchased your licenses. There may be slight variations in terms between different programs.
For Microsoft 365, there are primarily two places where you’ll find valuable information. The Universal License Terms for Online Services and the Product Terms for Microsoft 365.
5. Get Licensing Ready
If you’re interested in delving deeper and learning more about Microsoft 365 licensing, Microsoft has a dedicated website with training modules called Get Licensing Ready.
While the site requires registration, anyone can create an account.
These modules cover more than just Microsoft 365.
However, if you want to focus specifically on Microsoft 365, you will three relevant modules under Microsoft Products -> Licensing Specialist: Online Services:
