Basecamp vs. Microsoft 365 Comparison

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Basecamp vs Microsoft 365

When businesses advised their employees to work from home, knowledge workers were able to smoothly transition. For them, work is something they do, not a place they go. People can complete work successfully regardless of location. However, access to workplace resources, communication tools, and a central platform to visualize work and results have become more crucial. Thankfully, people can rely on online productivity tools such as Basecamp or Microsoft 365.

Common goals

This Basecamp vs. Office 365, now called Microsoft 365, comparison looks at available features from the two solutions that help workers wherever they are. Basecamp helps businesses of all sizes organize their teams and projects. Users are able to keep their projects on track and team members on the same page. Microsoft 365 brings together familiar productivity apps accessible from the cloud. Employees are able to connect with one another and exchange needed information in formats that are readily usable and editable. Basecamp and Microsoft 365 provide the tools where people can focus on work instead of location.

Different approaches

The Basecamp approach

Basecamp is an online project management and collaboration software. It promotes organization and internal communication so that companies and teams will have a better handle of their business and projects. The software provides a central hub where work, conversations, schedules, and resources are easily accessible. Users are given options to further customize settings so they can work in the way that makes sense to them.

Basecamp vs Microsoft 365

Team communication

In every Basecamp project, teams can turn on or off available tools so they can work efficiently. Project teams have several communication tools to choose from depending on the message and information they want to share. Message boards give teams a central page to share information and keep conversations about a single topic easily searchable. Every project comes with its own chat room or Campfire where team members can easily post questions and share answers, with the option to @mention members. They can also Ping anyone in their account for a direct private chat. These available tools sometimes trigger a Microsoft Teams vs. Basecamp debate, but Basecamp is more than a communication tool.

Schedules

As a project management application, Basecamp projects include their own schedule that highlights specific calendar dates with associated to-do due dates and events. Users can add events with dates, times, and date ranges that all members can easily see. With tight integration of features, they can easily discuss any of these events in its own page, with the option to notify people when schedules change. The PM tool also works with Google Calendar, iCal, and Outlook.

Docs and files

Basecamp allocates a space for project documents, files, images, and other assets. Users can quickly access these, including supported image formats that have previews. They can drag files from local storage into the tool to upload, even supporting Google Docs links. The version history of every file is recorded, which is useful for many teams updating documents or codes. Teams can organize, reorder, and color code their docs and files for easier searching.

The Microsoft 365 approach

Microsoft 365 is a productivity suite that offers a variety of modern apps and services to support teams of all sizes. It includes Office apps accessible online to help knowledge workers produce and share information. Users can work on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on any device. They can work offline and share their work when online. It is an efficient alternative to installed software, and includes advanced features such as intelligent help and recommendations.

Microsoft Teams vs Basecamp

Team communication

Microsoft 365 includes Teams that allows users to chat, call, and collaborate on work. They can chat one-on-one or in a group with available gifs, stickers, and emojis. It is an intuitive tool that lets teams switch from chat to video conference easily with a few clicks. The Business plan allows users to host up to 250 participants in online meetings and video calls. The software is compatible to a variety of devices, both desktop and mobile. The tight Office integration also lets users share and edit files while using Microsoft Teams. Companies and teams can also create intranet sites to share information using SharePoint.

Email and calendaring

For people who need to work on their contact lists, email, and schedules, Microsoft 365 includes Outlook and Exchange apps. Users can work on multiple devices, and the software will sync emails, contacts, and calendars across them to stay connected and updated. They can customize email formats, include images, and send email using their own domain name. Inboxes can hold up to 50GB of storage and users can send an email up to 150 MB. Calendar features include scheduling meetings, sharing of available meeting times, and getting reminders. The software also includes admin tools for managing new users and restoring deleted accounts.

Online file storage

Microsoft 365 includes OneDrive cloud storage of up to 1TB, so users can store all the content they created with Office apps or have received from colleagues through Teams. These files and documents are secured with advanced threat detection tools with protection extended when sharing files across devices. Sharing of files is possible to external partners and outside organizations. Working and updating files is also easy. Tools to annotate and highlight are available, as well as seamless version updates with SharePoint integration.

Basecamp vs. Microsoft 365 Summary

Basecamp and Microsoft 365 are reliable productivity tools for remote workers. Basecamp is an easy-to-use software for knowledge workers looking for a project tracking tool with task management and collaboration features. A simple flat fee of $99 per month includes unlimited users and projects. Integration to other applications are available.

Microsoft 365 Business is ideal for professionals who regularly work and share documents using Office apps in a variety of situations. It has several plans that start from $5 per user, per month with an annual commitment. Adding other paid Microsoft tools such as Projects and Planner is possible.

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