What is included in every Foundation Package?

All packages follow four structured phases: Assessment & Planning (reviewing your current environment and identifying gaps), Configuration & Implementation (deploying the relevant security or management controls), Testing & Validation (piloting changes with a small user group and refining configurations), and Knowledge Transfer & Rollout (full documentation, IT staff training, and operational runbooks before company-wide deployment).

What deliverables will I receive at the end?

Every engagement concludes with a full handover package: a detailed assessment report of your current environment, complete configuration documentation with step-by-step guides and screenshots, ready-to-use communication templates for notifying end users, an operational runbook for your IT team, and training materials for ongoing management.

How long does implementation take?

Timelines vary depending on the complexity of your environment, the size of your organization, and the availability of your IT staff and key stakeholders. Every engagement begins with an assessment phase that gives us a clear picture before committing to a delivery schedule.

Do you implement everything, or do you guide our team?

There are two engagement models. In the first, I deliver the full implementation plan, hands-on configuration guidance, and complete knowledge transfer — then hand everything over to your internal IT team to execute and maintain. In the second, we agree on a contracted engagement where I manage the end-to-end implementation. The right model depends on your team's capacity and preference.

What do we need in place before starting?

You will need an active Microsoft 365 subscription at the appropriate licensing tier for the chosen package, Global Administrator or equivalent access to your tenant, availability of key IT staff for workshop sessions, and 3–5 willing users for the pilot testing phase.

What is not covered by a Foundation Package?

Each package has a clearly defined scope. Generally out of scope are: features requiring higher license tiers than specified, third-party integrations, custom scripting beyond standard Microsoft 365 capabilities, formal compliance audits, and ongoing managed support. Post-engagement support and optimization services can be arranged under a separate agreement.

Who from our organization should be involved?

At minimum: an IT Administrator with tenant access, and an IT Manager or decision-maker who can approve configuration changes. Ideally also include security personnel and help desk leads who will manage the environment after handover. A group of 3–5 test users is needed for the validation phase.

Can we get ongoing support after the package is complete?

Foundation Packages are structured, time-bound engagements designed to end with a full handover to your team. Ongoing support, post-deployment optimization, and continuous managed services are available through separate agreements tailored to your organization's specific needs.

← Back to Blog

microsoft-365smbbest-practicesestoniahow-to

You're Paying for Microsoft 365 — So Why Are You Working in Google?

Many Estonian SMBs pay for Microsoft 365 but share files via Google. The real problem isn't the tools — it's that nobody showed them what they already have.

4 March 2026By Marek Ratassepp

You're Paying for Microsoft 365 — So Why Are You Working in Google?

Recently, I helped one of my clients get started with Microsoft 365. She had just begun working with a new company — a new user account, a new email address. All fairly standard onboarding setup. In fact, this could have been handled by her new partner’s IT provider, but since we’ve worked well together in the past, she decided to turn to me instead.

A day later, she messaged me. The CEO of her new employer had just sent her a link to an important work document. A shared link. To Google Sheets.

My eyebrows went up.

What I Found When I Looked Closer

Out of curiosity, I checked what Microsoft 365 licence her new employer was running. Microsoft 365 Business Standard — a solid, capable plan. Not the cheapest tier, not just email-and-done.

And here's the thing: all new users at her new employer were being added to a Microsoft Teams group, and Teams was actively used — for calls, at least. But that's where it stopped. The Teams channel had no files in it. No documents, no shared folders, nothing. The collaboration and file-sharing side of Teams had simply never been touched.

Which is a missed opportunity, because SharePoint was already there in the background — linked to that very Teams group, ready to hold documents that any team member could access from day one. No private sharing links, no second platform needed.

The Google Sheets link the CEO sent wasn't a technical necessity. It was a habit born from nobody ever explaining what was already available — not the IT support partner, not anyone.

This Is More Common Than You'd Think

I see this regularly. A company pays for Microsoft 365, sometimes Business Standard, sometimes even Business Premium. They use Outlook for email. Maybe Teams for the occasional call. And then they share files over WhatsApp, collaborate in Google Docs, store things in personal Dropbox accounts.

Not because Microsoft's tools are worse. But because nobody ever walked them through what they have.

This is one of the real costs of working with large IT service providers who manage hundreds of clients. Technically, everything is "set up." Licences are assigned, accounts are created, emails work. Checklist complete. But the part where someone sits down with the business owner and says "Here's what you're actually paying for, and here's how it can make your team's work easier" — that part often doesn't happen.

Smaller companies end up paying for a platform they half-use, and filling the gaps with free tools that create their own problems: fragmented data, no central access management, files scattered across personal accounts that walk out the door when an employee leaves.

What Microsoft 365 Business Standard Actually Gives You

If your company is on Microsoft 365 Business Standard (or higher), you already have:

Teams + SharePoint for document collaboration Every Teams channel has a linked SharePoint document library. Files shared in a channel are available to all channel members — automatically, without anyone needing to send a link. Add a new employee to the team, and they immediately have access to the documents they need.

OneDrive for personal work files Each user gets 1 TB of cloud storage for their own files, accessible from any device, with version history and easy sharing controls.

Real-time co-authoring in Office apps Multiple people editing the same Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file at the same time — no "who has the latest version?" confusion.

Centrally managed access When someone leaves the company, you disable their account in one place. Their files stay with the company. No chasing down documents stored in personal Google or Dropbox accounts.

What You Can Do Right Now

If this story sounds familiar, here are three practical steps:

1. Set up a Teams channel for your team's shared documents Create a channel in Microsoft Teams for your main working area. Start moving shared documents there — anyone added to the team gets access automatically.

2. Stop sharing individual file links If you find yourself copying a "Share" link and sending it over email or WhatsApp, that's a sign the file belongs in a shared Teams/SharePoint space instead.

3. Ask your IT partner for a walkthrough If you're paying for Microsoft 365 and you're not sure what you're actually using — ask. A good IT partner should be able to show you what's included in your licence and help you get value from it. If they can't (or won't), that tells you something too.

When to Get Help

Setting up Teams and SharePoint in a way that actually works for your team — with sensible folder structures, the right permissions, and new users onboarded properly — takes a few hours with someone who knows what they're doing. It's not complex work, but it makes a real difference to how smoothly your team collaborates.

If you're not sure where to start, or your current IT setup feels like it grew without a plan, that's exactly what I help with.

Microsoft 365 Business Standard includes powerful collaboration tools that many small businesses aren't using

Adding new users to a Teams group gives them instant access to shared documents — no extra steps needed

Large IT providers often set things up without explaining what's included or how to use it

Fragmented tools (Google, Dropbox, WhatsApp) create access and security problems that get harder to fix over time

A short conversation with the right IT partner can change how your whole team works

Need help getting more value from your Microsoft 365 licence? Get in touch — I'll show you what you're working with.