5 Quick Wins You’ll Get from a Microsoft 365 Audit

Already using Microsoft 365? You might not be getting its full value. A Microsoft 365 audit is one of the fastest ways to uncover hidden inefficiencies, reduce unnecessary costs, and unlock smarter ways of working.

Let’s explore what a Microsoft 365 audit is, the top five quick wins it can deliver, and how it can transform the way your business uses Microsoft 365 day to day.

What is a Microsoft 365 Audit?

A Microsoft 365 audit is a comprehensive review of how your organisation is currently using Microsoft 365, including licensing, cybersecurity, collaboration tools, and user behaviour. Conducting an audit is about uncovering opportunities to optimise your existing setup.

And the need has never been greater. With recent data revealing that 74% of Microsoft 365 customers are small businesses, it’s highly likely that their licences aren’t being fully utilised – losing money and efficiency.

A Microsoft 365 audit helps identify those gaps and gives you actionable recommendations to close them.

5 Quick Wins from a Microsoft 365 Audit

A Microsoft 365 audit goes beyond simply being a technical health check to reveal hidden inefficiencies in your current setup and untapped potential. Here are five tangible benefits you’ll gain from conducting a Microsoft 365 audit:

1. Immediate Cost Savings Through Smarter Licensing
   One of the most common findings in a Microsoft 365 audit is licence overspend. Many organisations unknowingly pay for features they don’t use or hold licences for former employees who no longer need access. An audit helps you:

• Identify unused or inactive licences.
• Spot opportunities to downgrade or reassign plans.
• Match licence levels to actual user needs and roles.

2. Stronger Security with Tighter User and Data Controls
   Don’t risk leaving security misconfigurations open to exploitation. Having robust cybersecurity in place means having better control over your critical data, only giving staff the access they need for their specific role.
   
   A Microsoft 365 audit gives you a clear picture of where data is being stored and shared and whether key security features – like MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) and data loss prevention policies – are properly configured.
3. Improved Productivity Through Better Use of Tools
   While Microsoft 365 is packed with productivity tools, many teams only use a fraction of what’s available. During an audit, your team are assessed on how they work to highlight where better use of existing tools could make a big difference. For instance:

• Microsoft Teams and SharePoint can reduce reliance on email and improve collaboration.
• Planner and Microsoft To Do can help teams manage workload more effectively.
• OneDrive can streamline file sharing and reduce duplication.

4. Cleaner Configuration for a More Reliable Experience
   Your setup might seem to work, but misconfigured settings behind the scenes can cause subtle issues like slower performance, user frustration, and potential vulnerabilities. An audit helps uncover:

• Unused or duplicate Teams channels that confuse users.
• Inconsistent folder structures in SharePoint.
• Incorrectly configured email forwarding rules and admin permissions granted too broadly.

5. Targeted Training to Boost Adoption and Confidence
   To make training sessions less generic, an audit highlights exactly where users need support or knowledge gaps exist. It could be that your team isn’t making the most of Power Automate, or maybe they’re struggling with document collaboration in Teams.
   
   This insight means tailored training can be delivered, including how to use co-authoring in Word and Excel, automate repetitive tasks in Outlook or Teams, and set up shared calendars and task boards for better coordination.

Case Study: Saving Smarter with a Microsoft 365 Audit

Let’s look at a typical 30-user business using Microsoft 365 Business Premium. On the surface, everything seemed to be working fine – but an in-depth Microsoft 365 audit told a different story. Here’s what the audit uncovered:

• 12 users were assigned premium licences they didn’t need, leading to unnecessary costs.
• SharePoint wasn’t being used for file sharing, resulting in email overload, versioning issues, and wasted time.
• Guest access settings hadn’t been reviewed in over a year, posing a potential security risk.
• Teams was cluttered with duplicate channels, making communication confusing and inefficient.

After implementing the audit’s recommendations, the business saw measurable improvements, including Microsoft 365 costs dropping through smarter licensing, staff collaboration improving through shared documents, and IT support tickets falling thanks to cleaner permissions.

Why Choose Confidence IT for Your Microsoft 365 Audit?

At Confidence IT, we take the time to understand how your business operates and tailor recommendations to your specific goals.

As a trusted Microsoft 365 provider, we combine technical insight with business context. Our audits are thorough, jargon-free, and designed to deliver quick wins you’ll feel immediately, followed by long-term improvements that grow with your business.

Whether you’re a 10-user business or a 100-user enterprise, we’ll help you maximise your Microsoft 365 investment.

Unlock These Wins with a Free Audit

If you’ve been wondering whether your Microsoft 365 setup could be working harder for your business – the answer is yes. A Microsoft 365 audit from Confidence IT gives you clarity, cost savings, and a roadmap to better performance.

Contact us to book your free Microsoft 365 audit today and start unlocking these quick wins.

This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.