Office for small business (1–10 staff)

Check the licence entitlement, not just whether the key activates

A product key is an activation credential, not a complete record of your licence rights. Microsoft's retail Software License Terms for Office Home & Business permit installation on one licensed device for use by one person at a time. That does not necessarily mean every employee using that same computer needs a separate Office licence. Conversely, installing Office on an employee's desktop and laptop requires separate device entitlements, even when only that employee uses them.

Transfer rights depend on how the software was acquired. Under Microsoft's stand-alone retail Office terms, you may transfer the software to another device you own, generally no more than once every 90 days, with an exception for hardware failure. You must remove it from the previous device. Software supplied preinstalled has different transfer provisions and generally stays with its licensed device. Keep the invoice and identify the applicable licence terms before replacing equipment.

• Record the edition, acquisition channel and assigned computer.
• Retain purchase evidence separately from the product key.
• Do not assume successful activation establishes valid licensing.
• Check separate licensing requirements before using Office on a shared remote desktop server.
• Consult the applicable Microsoft Software License Terms for transfer conditions.

Choose a version by its remaining security-support lifetime

For a purchase in 2026, the support deadline deserves more weight than the version number alone. Microsoft's published lifecycle dates put the end of support for Office 2021 on 13 October 2026 and Office 2024 on 9 October 2029. These are fixed product dates, not periods that begin when you activate your copy. Buying an older version shortly before its deadline therefore leaves little time to use it while it remains supported.

A perpetual licence does not normally expire when product support ends, but continued operation is different from continued security maintenance. After support ends, Microsoft no longer supplies security fixes for that version. This matters when opening client attachments or documents downloaded from the internet. Also budget separately for a future major release: a one-time Office purchase does not include entitlement to the next version, and a supported Office release still needs a supported operating-system configuration.

• Check Microsoft's lifecycle listing before choosing an older edition.
• Plan replacement before support ends, especially on client-facing computers.
• Do not treat activation date as the start of a new support period.
• Allow periodic internet access for updates, even if daily work is offline.
• Check both Office and operating-system requirements before buying.

Move Outlook safely without losing local mail or contacts

Before setting up Outlook on a replacement computer, identify the account type and where each category of data is stored. IMAP normally synchronises email folders with the provider, but it does not itself synchronise Outlook contacts, calendars or tasks. POP accounts may have messages stored only on the old computer, depending on retention settings. Test the provider's webmail interface: anything missing there needs investigation before you erase the old machine or uninstall its existing mail setup.

For classic Outlook on Windows, export local mail, contacts and calendars to a PST file where appropriate, then retain a separate backup before importing or reconnecting anything. An OST file is a synchronised cache, not a substitute for a portable backup. Set up the new account using the provider's current server and authentication instructions, let synchronisation finish, and compare important folders. Outlook for Mac uses different archive formats and tools, so do not apply Windows file-copy instructions unchanged.

• Inventory local archives, contacts and calendar folders before moving.
• Check whether POP has removed older messages from the server.
• Record signatures, rules and account settings separately.
• Verify sending, receiving and historical messages before retiring the old computer.
• Never assume an IMAP login will restore a locally stored calendar.

Decide how files will be shared before staff start collaborating

A desktop Office licence provides editing applications, but it does not establish a business document-sharing service or grant SharePoint access. A local folder or network share can suit a business where one person edits a file at a time. If several people need simultaneous editing, version history or controlled external sharing, choose the storage service and workflow deliberately. Office co-authoring depends on the application, file format and storage location, not simply on everyone having Word or Excel installed.

For occasional collaboration, sharing a link to a centrally stored document can avoid the confusion of emailed copies, but access permissions need checking. Use named recipients for confidential material and decide who may edit rather than just view. Test the actual workflow with a representative workbook or document before committing: macros, older formats and particular application features can complicate collaboration. Keep a separate backup plan, because synchronisation can propagate accidental deletion or unwanted changes rather than prevent them.

• Assign one authoritative storage location to each shared project.
• Test co-authoring with your chosen Office version and storage service.
• Prefer DOCX and XLSX over older DOC and XLS formats where practical.
• Review external sharing permissions when a client engagement ends.
• Do not equate cloud synchronisation with an independent backup.

Outlook migration checklist: what reconnecting an account does not necessarily restore