Before I introduce you to the basic features of the new user environment that makes up Office 365, it would be a good idea to sign up yourself. For this, it is necessary that you first display the content located at this web address (http://office.microsoft.com) and select the appropriate subscription. If you are still not sure that Office 365 is the right solution for you, you can click on the Try it today button and start its trial version. However, this link will allow you to start a Business subscription directly, and if you want to see how all this looks in another edition, click on the Products option and select the appropriate option. As you can see, Home, Small Business and Midsize Business are available to you, and if you want to see how they differ, click on Compare options. I will take this opportunity to look at how the Small Business subscription differs from the others, so I will click on this option and show the current prices. After that, I only need to click on the Free Trial option so that in the next month I will have the opportunity to get to know in detail all the possibilities of this version of Office 365. Admittedly, some of them are mentioned on this page, but it is much better if I I’ll check how it looks in practice.

I have already decided on the Small Business subscription, so I will click on the Sign in option and immediately create a new account. In the next frame, I am expected to choose the way in which the application will be made. The first option allows me to use my Microsoft account for this purpose, which is the same one that gives me access to SkyDrive, Outlook and other popular services. Since I want this account to be used for my business, I will click on the second option and immediately proceed to the next step. I have already used this service, so my email address will be displayed in the login field. When logging in for the first time, this dialog will look a little different, special fields for entering the username and password will be displayed. If you want these parameters to be automatically used in the future, activate the Remember me option. Since I have already done that, I can use the Show saved user ID option, display the saved parameters and activate my account by selecting the Sign in button. Admittedly, I will also need a password for that, so I will enter it right away and finally start using my version of Office 365.

If you have successfully mastered all these steps, you should see a picture like this. It is the so-called Home page, the initial page from which you can start any of the offered services. With Office 365, the rule is that the person who logs in first automatically becomes the system administrator. Since I am the first and for now the only user, Office will automatically assign me this role, so I can show you what that means.

Before that, I would like to explain to you what the links you currently see on the screen are for. In the upper left corner there is an option that allows you to return to the home page. On the right side there are links to popular services such as Outlook, Calendar, People, Newsfeed, SkyDrive and Sites, while at the very end of this row there is an option that allows you to go to the administration section. This little arrow you see below the title indicates that I am currently in that exact location. For easier navigation, each of the links is accompanied by an additional explanation, and you can currently see what the SkyDrive option is for.

The entire upper half of the screen is occupied by functions that allow you to set parameters that are necessary for the proper functioning of the respective service. This primarily refers to Email address, collaboration in the creation of certain types of documents (Collaboration), creation of a public website and installation of all programs that you need for further work (Software). These functions are not necessary for me at the moment, so I will click on the Hide the Getting Started pane option and temporarily remove them from the screen.

After that, the entire surface of the screen will be occupied by functions intended for the administration of your Office 365 account. This specifically means that on the left you will find functions for setting up various services such as e-mail, calendar and contacts, then the content of the Web presentation and parameters for data exchange as well as for sending instant messages and access via mobile devices. Although you still need to master the basic techniques of working in Office 365, it is not bad to know that the functions for creating new users and groups as well as ordering and purchasing additional licenses are immediately available here. However, the trial version that I am currently using allows me to share this Office with 9 other colleagues, which means that it is intended for groups of up to 10 users. The following function is intended for setting up additional WEB and Mail domains, and in the lower part of the frame there are shortcuts that you can use to display the current status (Service status), access technical support and return to the frame with basic functions (Setup). You’ve already had the opportunity to see it, but it’s not bad to mention it again because there are functions that will allow you to set the basic parameters in a very simple way.

If you want to directly launch one of the offered applications, simply click on the corresponding shortcut. I will use this opportunity to switch to Outlook, its WEB version. As you can see, the desktop is divided into three parts, where on the left side there are shortcuts for accessing individual folders, while the middle and right half of the frame are occupied by the messages themselves and their content. The same applies to the application that allows you to plan your obligations – Calendar. All these shortcuts will be available to other users, but it should be remembered that only the administrator will be able to see and use this link. In this way, maximum security is ensured because all important parameters are available to only one person.

If you want to stop working in this version of Office, just click on the link that shows your name and select the Sign out option from the menu. Instead, I will take the opportunity to display the options for setting parameters again by selecting this icon, start the Office 365 settings function.

This was just a brief overview of the working environment that you, as a system administrator, will be able to use every time you want to change some of the working parameters.