Microsoft 365 and Email Management in Ely

What the Job Involves - Start to Finish

Microsoft 365 management is not a single task. It is a process: assessing what you have, planning what needs to change, doing the technical work and then keeping it maintained. This page walks through each stage so you know what to expect, whether you are new to Microsoft 365 or trying to sort out an existing setup that is not working properly.

Step 1 - Understanding What You Have Now

The first step is a straightforward audit of your current IT environment. We look at how many Windows PCs and laptops are in use, which email system you are currently on, whether you already have Microsoft 365 licences and if so what plan and how many are assigned, and what other tools your staff use day to day.

This matters because the work required - and the cost - depends entirely on what is already in place. A business moving from a local Exchange server is a different job to one moving from a basic hosted email account. A business with 3 users needs a different approach to one with 20. We need to understand what we are dealing with before we can plan anything.

We also check DNS records at this stage. SPF, DKIM and DMARC records should be published for your domain. These tell receiving mail servers that your domain is authorised to send email and that messages are genuine. Missing or incorrect records are one of the most common causes of email being marked as spam - and they are easy to miss if nobody has checked.

Step 2 - Planning the Migration or Setup

Once we know what exists, we put together a plan. For a new setup, that covers which Microsoft 365 plan is right for your business, how to structure SharePoint for your team, what the folder and permissions structure should look like, and how Teams will be organised if you plan to use it.

For a migration from an old system, the plan covers which data needs to move (mailboxes, contacts, calendars, shared mailboxes, distribution groups, files), in what order, and how we handle the DNS cutover so email is not lost mid-migration. A cutover migration - where all mailboxes move at once - suits smaller businesses. A staged or hybrid migration suits larger or more complex setups.

The plan also covers what happens to existing shared drives or file servers. If your business keeps files on a local server or network drive, we can migrate those into SharePoint or OneDrive so staff can access them from any Windows PC or laptop without needing to be in the office.

Step 3 - Doing the Technical Work

With a plan agreed, we carry out the setup or migration. For email, this means provisioning mailboxes, configuring Outlook on each Windows PC or laptop, setting up shared mailboxes and distribution lists and updating DNS records at the right moment. For SharePoint, it means building the site structure, setting folder permissions and migrating existing files across. For Teams, it means creating the right channels, adding the right members and connecting Teams to SharePoint where needed.

Security configuration runs alongside all of this. Multi-factor authentication is set up for every user account. Admin accounts are separated from standard user accounts. Audit logging is switched on. If the business is on Microsoft 365 Business Premium licences, Defender for Business is configured and Intune is used to enrol Windows devices.

We test everything before we consider the work complete. That means sending test emails and confirming they arrive and are not spam-flagged, checking that every user can log in with MFA, confirming SharePoint permissions are correct and that files are where they should be, and verifying that any previous email accounts are still accessible if needed during a transition period.

Step 4 - Training Your Staff

A correctly configured Microsoft 365 setup is only useful if your staff know how to use it. We do not drop a new system on a team and walk away. We make sure everyone understands how to access their email in Outlook, how to find and save files in SharePoint or OneDrive, how to use Teams for calls and messaging, and how MFA works when they log in.

This does not need to be a formal training day. For most small businesses, a straightforward walkthrough with each team member or a short group session is enough. The goal is that people can do their jobs without getting stuck.

Step 5 - Ongoing Management and Support

Once the setup is complete and working, ongoing management handles everything that changes over time. New staff need accounts set up and licences assigned. Leavers need accounts properly closed, their data preserved where needed and their access removed. Licences need reviewing periodically to make sure you are not paying for plans that no longer match your needs.

Security settings need checking as Microsoft releases updates and as threats evolve. If something breaks - an email authentication issue, a SharePoint permission problem, a Teams meeting that will not connect - it needs fixing. That is what the support contract covers.

A managed email service is also available for businesses whose main need is reliable, well-managed business email rather than full Microsoft 365 management. Ask us about that separately, as it is priced on request.

Support Contracts and Pricing

Support is billed per computer per month, not per user. All prices exclude VAT.

Business Essentials - unlimited remote and phone support during office hours, updates, backups and security monitoring. On-site visits are charged at £60 call-out plus labour separately. Pricing: 1 computer £36/month, 2-3 computers £31.20 each, 4-9 computers £25.20 each, 10-17 computers £22.20 each, 18 or more £21.60 each.

Business Premium - as Business Essentials, but with on-site labour and call-outs included. Pricing: 1 computer £54/month, 2-3 computers £42 each, 4-6 computers £38.60 each, 7-9 computers £33.80 each, 10-12 computers £31.20 each, 13-15 computers £28.40 each, 16-19 computers £25.40 each, 20 or more £24.40 each.

For businesses that do not want a monthly contract, pre-paid time blocks are available: 4 hours for £312, 8 hours for £592 or 16 hours for £1,123. Each block includes monthly monitoring and priority service and is valid for up to six months.

Getting Started

We cover Ely and the surrounding area, including Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge, Newmarket and Haverhill. If you want to know what your current Microsoft 365 setup looks like and what it would take to get it working properly, call us and we will talk through it with you.