Office 365

Microsoft Office 365 is a subscription based service that includes a suite of features and software, including traditional desktop office applications, Office Online (web-based apps), mobile apps, and cloud storage.

Licensing

Microsoft requires that there be a single tenant for the nd.gov domain for Office 365 use. ITD acts as that tenant and purchases licenses on behalf of state agencies and then passes the cost through to agencies on a bill-back model. Microsoft offers multiple Office 365 licensing options. The state utilizes the Office 365 Pro Plus license.

Licenses are purchased on a per user basis with the requirement from Microsoft that all users within an agency have a license. Agencies that utilize ITD's Desktop Support service already receive Office 365 and do not need to purchase it separately.

In the past, Microsoft offered home use licenses, which allowed users to purchase Office applications for personal use at a discounted rate. Microsoft does not offer home use licenses with Office 365, instead, each Office 365 user receives multiple licenses that they can choose to install - at no additional cost - on any combination of work and personal devices that they choose.

Features Included

The ProPlus license includes the following features:

• Active Directory Integration - Office 365 is integrated with Active Directory, allowing users to authenticate using their nd.gov credentials. Authentication is required to install desktop, phone, or tablet applications as well as access Office Online.
• Desktop Office Applications - Install the Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access) on up to five computers per user. The applications can be downloaded from the Office 365 Portal
• Office Online - Log into the Office 365 Portal from any computer and access fully featured web-based versions of Office applications.
• Mobile Apps - Install the Office mobile apps on up to five tablets and five phones per user. App availability varies per device.
• OneDrive for Business - Store and access files in the cloud with OneDrive for Business. Each user receives one Terabyte of storage in the OneDrive for Business cloud.

Features Not Included

Either the ProPlus license or the state's implementation of the service does not include the following features:

• SharePoint - SharePoint Foundation and Enterprise service can be purchased separately from ITD.
• Exchange in the cloud - The state utilizes Exchange on premise and is included in the Technology Fee; however, Exchange in the cloud is being piloted. Contact ITD if your agency is interested in making the switch. 
• Skype for Business/Lync - Skype for Business/Lync is hosted on premise and is included in the Technology Fee.

Service Level Agreement

• Office 365 Service Level Agreement

Requesting Service

ITD’s online Work Management System (WMS) may be used to submit a "Generic" Service Request.