Using Microsoft 365 effectively: tips, tricks and insights for faster, better working (online training)

Tuesday 25th March 2025

Most working people and organisations use Microsoft 365 in one shape or another every day, but are you using applications like Outlook, Excel, Word and Teams effectively? Research shows that most people are only using 20% of the functionality in Microsoft 365. However, developing a better understanding of how to use these applications more productively is relatively easy and can deliver huge rewards in time savings, quality of work and organisational development.

People and organisations usually find the need to raise skills and refine best practices with Microsoft 365 are driven by consistently recurring challenges they face: insufficient understanding of Microsoft 365 tools; low productivity due to outdated manual processes; difficulty in real-time collaboration among teams; and higher than necessary operational costs due to inefficient digital processes.

While it may seem daunting, learning new processes that transform your abilities with Microsoft 365 is more straightforward than you may think. As leaders and owners of organisations you can have up-to-date critical data at your fingertips. If you are an IT manager you can keep data secure whilst giving people access to the insights they need. In your role as a finance professional it is possible to get from data to insight to action, allowing you to identify efficiencies, remove legacy systems and eliminate bottlenecks. Performing as an HR leader, you can access upskilling or reskilling for your staff to meet changing technology needs and digital skills shortages. Now, with the advent of Co-Pilot, anyone can also bring the advantages of AI driven innovation to the use of Microsoft 365 applications.

In the high speed digital world we all now work in, being able to access business files from any location and on any device is more important than ever. Doing it securely is crucial. Whether working in an office, remotely or constantly moving around, having smooth access to files and communications can be achieved with OneDrive and SharePoint. That is no longer just for digital wizards, it's available for everyone in their everyday work.

This training half-day will discuss, demonstrate and explain what you need to know and do to take greater ownership of the capacity of Microsoft 365. Whether an individual or an organisation you have the opportunity to work faster, smarter, easier and better. The training will be delivered in three broad themes:

• Everything you need to know about Co-Pilot and what it means for you
• Understanding OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams: how to use file collaboration safely and well
• Tips and tricks across the Microsoft suite: shortcuts that help you work faster and better

What you will learn

• What Co-Pilot is, its capabilities and how it can benefit users
• Practical applications - from generating documents to scanning emails, perform your tasks efficiently
• Best practices with Co-Pilot - prompting correctly and ensuring data security and compliance
• Using OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams effectively - what they are, what they are for and what you need to know to use them safely
• Practical guidance on file collaboration, including how to manage file permissions and ensure data security
• Addressing common problems - where are my files stored and how do I collaborate on files across different platforms and packages?
• Shortcuts and tools across the Microsoft suite, including Excel, Outlook and Teams, to work faster and more efficiently
• Adopting Power Automate to reduce repetitive tasks and improve efficiency
• Practical Examples - how to use these tips and tricks in day-to-day tasks

Who should attend?

This training conference is intended for anyone who works with Microsoft 365, whether in small medium or large organisations. It is suitable for public, private and third sector staff. 

It is accessible, useful and empowering for all staff ranging from clerical, administrative and support staff such as secretaries, Executive Secretaries, PAs and administrators through to senior management post holders such as Chief Executives, Directors and Heads of Service and Board members and Executive Directors.

This training provided by Appetite for Business has previously been delivered to both organisations and individuals who use Microsoft 365 for tasks ranging from day-to-day Outlook email management, Excel spreadsheet use, Word documentation and collaboration using Teams and file sharing with OneDrive and SharePoint.

Speakers

Stuart Anderson

Microsoft 365 Senior Consultant

Appetite for Business