When choosing a new IT solution, numerous factors should be considered including existing infrastructure, cost-effectiveness and scalability. Implementing a free software might sound tempting especially when it comes to rapid deployment and cost, but properly identifying the needs and assessing existing subscriptions should always come first, particularly because exploiting existing software assets can eliminate redundancy.

However, some cases might require new solutions. Free software can seem as an easy and quick fix for the problem, but the level of security, professionalism and features they offer should be carefully evaluated. Here are the top features to consider when planning the use of free software solutions.

Collaboration challenges and offline work

Teamwork in different locations or with different devices require compatible software that helps collaborate seamlessly and securely. If collaboration with colleagues and partners is crucial for your business, it's important to consider whether the solution can deliver the necessary features, including managing calendars and hosting online meetings securely. The solution should also be designed for mobile use that includes the ability to access and edit the work wherever your colleagues are.

Unlike several free solutions, SharePoint Online provides a rich collaboration environment where people inside and outside the organization can work together, coauthor documents. It offers enterprise-grade, secure internal and external sharing, real-time collaboration.

Earn trust with a professional email solution

Using a free domain, emails can look unprofessional to potential customers and ultimately impact the ability to grow as a business. Solutions that let companies customize their domain to match their brand reflect competence. Additionally, professional email solutions can also play an important role in decreasing the risk of cyberattacks.

Data (in)security

Businesses need to protect their own and their customers’ data, whether it’s a customer credit card information or a sensitive business information. Adapting a solution that offers integrated security and makes IT management easier is a must, as well as automatic upgrades to defend against new and evolving cyberthreats.

When providing access to partners outside the organization, security and privacy issues could also arise. Read more for Noventiq’s proposal about three different levels of protection for external sharing.

If you need an overall understanding about your company’s cybersecurity posture, a structural approach is necessary to show where the company is at the moment and what are the next steps to take.

No device management

Many businesses allow employees to use personal mobile devices to work from anywhere. But this also puts the business and customer data at risk. When choosing a new IT solution, an organization should consider how easily they can manage data policies on company-owned and employee-owned devices.

Undoubtedly, mobile device security is one of the biggest challenges for organizations, but with Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM) you can protect sensitive data. 

Limited features

Make sure your software lets you do the things you need to do, from managing finances to building investor-ready presentations. Software designed for personal use may not have the professional functionality a business requires.

Microsoft 365 offers intuitive, easy to use applications for any case from data visualization to captivating presentations and diagrams. From desktop to web and the devices in between it provides a professional-looking outcome.

Incompatible software

A lot of free software uses proprietary formats for documents and spreadsheets. Look for a software that doesn’t force customers and partners to use converters and workarounds to access your deliverables.

Contact us, so we can offer the most appropriate solution for your needs.  Whether it is about leveraging your existing IT infrastructure or adapting new technology, we provide consultancy, deployment and support to avoid IT risks and reduce cost.

In case you’d read more about the seven pitfalls of free software to avoid, you can download the ebook from Microsoft here, after registration.