Why most businesses get a fraction of the value from their Microsoft 365 subscription — and what to do about it.

 

Here’s something most IT providers won’t say out loud: the majority of businesses on Microsoft 365 are using fewer than a third of the features included in their subscription.

That’s not a criticism. It’s just the reality. Microsoft 365 has grown into a sprawling platform — and unless someone has taken the time to show your team what’s actually there, you’re probably paying for tools you’ve never heard of, while separately paying for other tools that do exactly the same job.

This week, we’re breaking down four underused features hiding in plain sight inside your M365 subscription, the duplication problem that’s quietly inflating your software spend, and a practical audit you can do in under an hour to start fixing it.

 

 

 

The tools you’re already paying for (but probably not using)

 

Let’s start with four features that are included with most M365 business plans and consistently go untouched.

Microsoft Bookings — If your team still sends meeting availability back and forth over email, Bookings replaces that entirely. It’s a scheduling tool that lets clients or colleagues book time directly into your calendar based on your real-time availability. Think Calendly — but already included in your subscription.

Microsoft Planner — A lightweight project management tool built directly into Microsoft Teams. If your team is using Trello, Asana, or sticky notes for task tracking, Planner does the same job without adding another app to manage — or another monthly bill.

Microsoft Forms — Need a quick internal survey? A client satisfaction form? An event registration? Forms lets you build and send these in minutes, with responses collected automatically in Excel. No SurveyMonkey account needed.

Viva Insights — This one tends to surprise people. Viva Insights gives managers and individuals data on working patterns — how much time is being spent in meetings versus focused work, collaboration habits, and whether the team is showing signs of burnout risk. It’s thoughtful, non-invasive, and genuinely useful for growing businesses.

💡 Worth knowing: All four of these tools are included in Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard, and Premium plans. If you’re on any of these, you have access right now.

 

 

 

The duplication problem

 

Here’s where it gets expensive. Most businesses that aren’t getting full value from M365 are also paying for third-party tools that do exactly the same thing.

A rough example for a 10-person team:

→ Calendly (scheduling) — £40–£70/month → replaced by Microsoft Bookings

→ Trello/Asana (tasks) — £50–£100/month → replaced by Microsoft Planner

→ SurveyMonkey (surveys) — £25–£60/month → replaced by Microsoft Forms

→ Culture Amp / analytics — £100+/month → replaced by Viva Insights

That’s potentially £200–£350 a month in tools you’re already paying for elsewhere. Over a year, that’s real money — and it’s money that could go straight back into the business.

 

 

 

Your M365 audit: three steps in under an hour

 

You don’t need a consultant to start getting more out of Microsoft 365. Here’s a simple audit your team can do this week:

✅ List every SaaS tool your business is currently paying for. Include anything with a monthly or annual subscription — project management, scheduling, surveys, communication, file storage. Most businesses have more than they realise.

✅ Cross-reference with what’s in your M365 plan. Go to admin.microsoft.com and look at your active licences. Then check Microsoft’s feature comparison page for your plan. You’ll almost certainly find overlap.

✅ Pick one tool to replace this month. Don’t try to change everything at once. Pick the highest-cost or least-loved third-party tool, test the M365 equivalent with one team for 30 days, and go from there.

 

💡 Quick win: If your team books meetings externally, set up Microsoft Bookings this week. It takes about 15 minutes to configure and you’ll eliminate scheduling emails immediately.