Changes Coming To Office 365

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hlewton
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Changes Coming To Office 365

Post by hlewton »

Microsoft will start counting the number of Office logins at any time instead of how many installs of Office products. More on that below.
Until now, Office 365 Home has allowed five users access to the Office 365 goodies. That's going up to six people from 1 October.
From then, six users each get:
• Use of Office software/apps on up to 5 devices/computers at a time.
• 1 TB of OneDrive storage
• 60 minutes of Skype calling time
• And so on….
I am trying to understand what I am reading about the changes coming to Office 365 for home users. I do not use anything that has to do with the cloud so I am not sure if the way I use Office 365 is counted as an Office login referred to in the first quote. I do not have any intentions of changing the way I use Office 365 but would like to know Microsoft’s definition of how I use it.

First let me say I do not use the cloud in any manner intentionally or that I am aware of, if that makes a difference. I have Office 365 installed on 4 computers and they are turned on each day. Is Microsoft somehow counting that as 4 logins? Am I entitled to 2 more logins, after their new policy goes into effect as specified at the first bullet point in the second quote above? If the latter isn't the case then is the above saying 5 more users can install Office 365 on 5 of their own devises? That just seems a little far fetched to me because by my calculations that could possibly cover 6 times 5 or 30 computers. I am more than likely reading this information wrong. I most certainly am confused to say the least. So can anyone clarify this for me?

Thanks
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hlewton

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HansV
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

Post by HansV »

Whether you use the OneDrive cloud service or not, you need an account to use Office 365. If I read the text correctly, an Office 365 Home subscription allows 6 different accounts (people) to use it, but from a maximum of 5 devices at a time. So you could set up accounts for Anne, Barbara, Chris, Dave, Ellen and Frank. Each of these can use Office 365 at various times, just not all six simultaneously.
Best wishes,
Hans

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hlewton
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

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HansV wrote:Whether you use the OneDrive cloud service or not, you need an account to use Office 365. If I read the text correctly, an Office 365 Home subscription allows 6 different accounts (people) to use it, but from a maximum of 5 devices at a time. So you could set up accounts for Anne, Barbara, Chris, Dave, Ellen and Frank. Each of these can use Office 365 at various times, just not all six simultaneously.
Thanks Hans that makes sense and I think you're correct but this is what is confusing to me:
From then, six users each get:
• Use of Office software/apps on up to 5 devices/computers at a time.
• 1 TB of OneDrive storage
• 60 minutes of Skype calling time
• And so on….
The part that confuses me is where it says "From then, six users each get:" "Use of Office software/apps on up to 5 devices/computers at a time." Not sure what that means but I do believe your explanation is what they are trying to say. Just confusing when they say "at a time."
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hlewton

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HansV
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

Post by HansV »

I've read up about it. It appears that Office 365 Home WILL allow EACH OF 6 users to use it on up to 5 devices simultaneously, so a max of 30 devices simultaneously. So one user could be logged in on a home PC, a laptop, a tablet, a phone and a work PC, for example.
Best wishes,
Hans

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hlewton
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

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HansV wrote:I've read up about it. It appears that Office 365 Home WILL allow EACH OF 6 users to use it on up to 5 devices simultaneously, so a max of 30 devices simultaneously. So one user could be logged in on a home PC, a laptop, a tablet, a phone and a work PC, for example.
WOW that is kind of how I took it but thought I had to be wrong. Thanks for the clarification.
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hlewton

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Jay Freedman
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

Post by Jay Freedman »

I'd bet that fewer than 0.01% of Office 365 users will ever hit the 5-simultaneous-devices-per-user limit. I can see having two or three, where only one of them is actively being used while the others are just sitting idle but not logged out.

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hlewton
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

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Jay Freedman wrote:I'd bet that fewer than 0.01% of Office 365 users will ever hit the 5-simultaneous-devices-per-user limit. I can see having two or three, where only one of them is actively being used while the others are just sitting idle but not logged out.
I sure agree with this.
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hlewton

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hlewton
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

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HansV wrote:Whether you use the OneDrive cloud service or not, you need an account to use Office 365.
I do have a follow up question about this. Since deciding to use Office 365 I have been under what must be a misunderstanding. I thought that I was running Office programs exclusively from my computer. I made sure that any file I save is saved to my local hard drive and thought I took Microsoft out of the equation totally except for keeping my subscription current. I know I have to have a Microsoft account to do this or to load the program on any computer I may want to use. So my questions are; operating the way I do, or at least the way I thought I was, does my work still become part of the Internet's cloud even though I do not intend it to be? Am I somehow connected to Microsoft every time I use an Office program?
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hlewton

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HansV
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

Post by HansV »

Your documents are stored locally only. But Office 365 "phones home" each time you use it, to check that your subscription is still valid, and to check for updates.
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Hans

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hlewton
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

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HansV wrote:Your documents are stored locally only. But Office 365 "phones home" each time you use it, to check that your subscription is still valid, and to check for updates.
I don't mean to sound stupid but just to be clear does Office check when I open any Office program the first time during a day or does it check every time I open any Office program during the day? I very often open Word or Excel multiple times in a day. By contract, once I open Outlook it remains open until I shut the computer down at the end of the day. Once it checks a program for the first time, does it then quit monitoring my uses for that day?

Thanks
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hlewton

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HansV
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

Post by HansV »

I can't tell you, but I wouldn't be surprised if each application reaches out to the internet each time you start it.
Best wishes,
Hans

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hlewton
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

Post by hlewton »

HansV wrote:I can't tell you, but I wouldn't be surprised if each application reaches out to the internet each time you start it.
Thank you.
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hlewton

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hlewton
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

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HansV wrote:I've read up about it. It appears that Office 365 Home WILL allow EACH OF 6 users to use it on up to 5 devices simultaneously, so a max of 30 devices simultaneously. So one user could be logged in on a home PC, a laptop, a tablet, a phone and a work PC, for example.
Starting here with a new question or questions and a few other things. First from what I have been reading lately it seems that the "6" in the above quote is in error. From what I read MS counts logins and only allows 5 simultaneous logins at anyone time which seems to me is saying the "6" is inaccurate. Also that takes the 30 devises mentioned above down to only 5 as it has always been, the way I am reading the latest information. Does anyone else understand the new Office 365 licensing this way?

Next question is when I login to any office program like Word, Access, Excel. or PowerPoint my name appears at the top of the program showing that I am logged in on that machine and I assume it is being counted against the 5 simultaneous logins allowed. However, when I log into Outlook, which is the first office program I open every day, my name is not shown at the top of the program. Doesn't Outlook count as 1 of the 5 logins allowed at any one time?

Here is where I get this. https://office-watch.com/2018/office-36 ... -sign-ins/

Thanks.
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hlewton

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DaveA
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

Post by DaveA »

On my systems I do NOT login except to get updates, so my name does not appear, just the "Login" icon.
As I do NOT use the cloud for any file storage.

How many users and devices do you plan on using your copy of Office 365?
I am so far behind, I think I am First :evilgrin:
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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HansV
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

Post by HansV »

The Office Watch article mentions
Office 365 Home

– each of the SIX users can sign-in to Office software on five devices at the same time.
That appears to be the same as was mentioned earlier.

Even if Outlook does not mention the username, it will still be included in the count. But keep in mind that Office 365 counts users and devices. If you use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook simultaneously on one computer, that counts as 1 login, not as 4.
Best wishes,
Hans

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hlewton
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

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DaveA wrote:On my systems I do NOT login except to get updates, so my name does not appear, just the "Login" icon.
As I do NOT use the cloud for any file storage.

How many users and devices do you plan on using your copy of Office 365?
Just my 4 computers I have at my home. I know I should have no problem but was just curious. Also I didn't know, and glad you mentioned it, that I did not have to be signed in for the programs to work and fully function. I never use the cloud either and hopefully I am understanding you correctly in that is the reason anyone would have to sign in. On on of my computers, in the last day or so it asked me sign in and that is why I thought I had to.

Thanks.
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hlewton

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hlewton
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Re: Changes Coming To Office 365

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HansV wrote:The Office Watch article mentions
Office 365 Home

– each of the SIX users can sign-in to Office software on five devices at the same time.
That appears to be the same as was mentioned earlier.

Even if Outlook does not mention the username, it will still be included in the count. But keep in mind that Office 365 counts users and devices. If you use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook simultaneously on one computer, that counts as 1 login, not as 4.
Thanks Hans I did miss that about the 6 users. I guess for that to be useful to me I should install Office 365 on another computer under someone else's name like my wife, for instance. But since I don't intent to change the way I or we use it I guess I should leave well enough alone. I admit the Office 365 licensing does have me a bit confused lately.

Thanks again.
Regards,
hlewton