Office 365 Journaling (Microsoft Exchange Online)
Everything you need to know about Journaling in One Place
As a professional, you most likely use a suite such as Office 365 to complete a number of different tasks. It is the ultimate office task manager and can be used in a whole variety of scenarios. The benefits of Office 365 even carry over into smaller hidden tasks like email archiving or journaling.
If you are not yet using journaling in your business, now is the perfect time to learn all about it. Read on to find out all about Office 365 and what journaling can do for you.
All About Office 365 Journaling
Office 365 is the latest office suite to come from Microsoft. They have dominated the office software market for years, though there are some competitors on the market who offer nearly the same experience they do:
Office Suite | Compatible on Windows and Mac | Subscription Plan | Ads | Easy to use |
Microsoft Office 365 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
iWork | iOS only | No | No | Yes |
Polaris | Yes | Yes | Yes, in free version | Yes |
Google Docs | Yes | No | No | Yes |
LibreOffice | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Office 365 still remains one of the best suites out there and comes with a whole range of different functions. These include beloved software like Microsoft Word and Skype as well as new and ever-improving technologies such as cloud compatibilities with OneDrive.
Microsoft has also developed a range of different packages suitable for all businesses. Whether you are a small company of fewer than fifty employees or a massive corporation with multiple offices around the country, Microsoft has the perfect office package for you:
Office 365 | Number of Users (max) | Cost (per user/per month) |
Business Essentials | 300 | $6.00 |
Business Premium | 300 | $15.00 |
Enterprise E1 | Unlimited | $8.00 |
Enterprise E3 | Unlimited | $20.00 |
Enterprise E5 | Unlimited | $30.80 |
These packages all include the Office 365 platform, the Exchange Online, access to OneDrive for Business and SharePoint, and Skype for Business and the Office Online suite. Everything you could possibly need for your business is available through Office 365. A data assessment is the ideal way to ensure that your infrastructure is organised so you are getting the maximum benefit possible from the system.
The addition of having near everything based online also has some extremely strategic advantages. It allows your employees or co-workers to access their information on any device from anywhere in the world.
Cloud-Based Technologies – Introducing Azure
All of this software can be tied together and used in conjunction with Microsoft Azure. This is Microsoft’s answer to the demand for cloud-based technologies and they have ensured that it is compliant with a whole host of different regulations and requirements for countries all around the globe. It is used as part of the systems for governmental departments and organisations everywhere, including the National Cyber Security Centre for the United Kingdom.
Service | Can Azure Do It? |
Virtual Machines | ✓ |
SQL Database Management | ✓ |
Application Services | ✓ |
Storage | ✓ |
Flexibility | ✓ |
High-Speed Disaster Recovery | ✓ |
No matter what kind of business you run, Azure could help everything run that little bit smoother.
If you have people on your team who are required to travel a lot for business, or who cannot be in the office for large amounts of time each week, cloud software such as Azure is your perfect solution.
Moving your data online is also safer in terms of cybersecurity. It makes it less prone to hacks or other malicious attacks and allows you to move your sensitive data quickly in the event of a breach. You could even delete it entirely if it looks like it is going to fall into the wrong hands.
Need help getting started with a Journaling Solution?
Do I Really Need a Cloud for My Business?
Don’t sleep on the importance of the cloud in the modern world. Governments everywhere are adopting cloud usage on both a local and national level. Cost-effective and safe-spacing, the benefits are endless. It will allow your employees to work from home or wherever they need to be while also ensuring that your data is kept safe from attack at all times.
For maximum support, you can even implement a unique, multi-cloud system. This will save you in the event of an outage as you can still access the data from one server. Whether you run a tech business or a restaurant, there will be some capacity amongst your work for a cloud.
If you have not yet considered implementing a cloud-based data management system for your business, or you are searching for something better than your current arrangement, consider an upgrade to an Azure-based archiving system.
Microsoft Exchange Online
Exchange Online is Microsoft’s email software. They promise a high-speed, anti-spam interface which can take care of all your email needs. It is included as part of the Office 365 Business Premium Plan or can be bought as a standalone plan depending on your needs.
There are many different email services available on the web but if you are using Microsoft’s software it would make sense to stay with their services for all your needs. Microsoft, in fact, offers two email solutions; Outlook and Exchange Online. As a business owner, you are probably going to want to use Exchange Online.
Why Choose Microsoft Exchange Online Over Outlook?
They may initially appear to be much the same program but there are some fundamental differences between the two. Outlook is a free service available to anyone with a Microsoft account. Exchange Online is a paid-for program, whether you purchase it as part of Office 365 Business Premium or in the independent plans.
The main difference is quite simple; while Outlook is a perfectly good email application system for most users, it has its limits. Exchange Online offers an overall more comprehensive experience for those who need it. If you are using your email system for basic communication than Outlook will serve you well. For more sophisticated usage, you should definitely consider Exchange Online.
Another advantage of Exchange Online is the complete control you have over the system. For example, you will full control over who can access your email systems. Whether you are limiting the number of accounts on mobiles or changing settings, everything is at your fingertips. It is an extremely useful function for anyone who frequently deals with sensitive data that might be easily leaked. Being able to limit the number of people who can come into contact with such data, even through an email system, is a very useful protection to have.
Most importantly, Exchange Online allows you to implement one of the most important functions a business needs to maintain; journaling.
What is Journaling?
Journaling allows an individual to archive all emails sent to and from an individual, team, or even an entire organisation. It is extremely important in terms of liability as it prevents any data from being truly deleted. If you need to take somebody to court, journaling allows you to keep control over all data trails even if the other party deletes them. It is an excellent way to hold on to information that might otherwise get lost. As a business owner, you need to ensure that you fully understand journaling and the benefits it can have for you.
The facilities needed to run journaling can often be offered by third parties under the guise of ‘email archiving’. Whether it is referred to as journaling, which this article will continue to do, or by ‘email archiving’ the terms will mean approximately the same.
Why Should I Use Journaling?
Journaling keeps a complete record of all communication passed between two or more specific parties through email. It is therefore extremely useful as evidence in legal cases and is mainly used for this purpose. However, it has some other uses too.
Mistakes can be made by even the most professional of people and they can try to hide them by deleting emails or crucial pieces of data. The incident may even be completely innocent; an accidental deletion of an important email instead of a deliberate one. No matter how this occurs, you will still need a way to recover the lost data.
Think about when a program crashes and you fear you may have lost some crucial information. However, upon rebooting the program you discover that it managed to partially save the project you were working on and you can quickly recover it.
Journaling works in much the same way. It is not just used to protect you in the event of legal troubles or compliance. It can also be used simply to help you rediscover some information that was accidentally lost.
The facilities needed to run journaling can often be offered by third parties under the guise of ‘email archiving’. Whether it is referred to as journaling, which this article will continue to do, or by ‘email archiving’ the terms will mean approximately the same.
How Do I Activate Journaling?
You can set up journaling for your business using your Office 365 Exchange Center. There are tools in the compliance settings which allow you to designate a certain domain to send the undeliverable journal reports to. These are the copies of all your emails which you can refer to in the event of an issue or aggrievance that requires you to produce evidence.
By activating the journal rules in your exchange admin centre and setting up a specific journaling mailbox separate from your organisation, you can choose either specific users and then specific messages. This could be between a client and an employee, or an internal message between a higher-up and their wider team. You could even store the messages from your entire organisation if you have the space in your mailbox.
Third-Party Journaling Mailboxes
You may need a third party to host your journaling emails. Since you are attempting to archive everything from one email server, it is important that the journal reports are sent to a separate one. Ensure that this mailbox has enough storage as it will be storing all email reports from potentially the entire organisation. There are many companies on the internet who offer such a service:
Email Archiving Software | Integrates with Existing Mail Systems | eDiscovery Optimisation | Encryption | Storage Management | Cloud Support | Free Trial |
LiquidData Systems, Inc. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Barracuda Message Archiver | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Email Archiving by Intradyn | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Email Laundry | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Mimecast Cloud Archive | ✓ | X | X | X | ✓ | X |
MailStore Server | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X |
As you can see, different services can offer various special features. Today, cloud integration is extremely important so any third-party software would need to be able to support this. Integration with your existing mail systems, such as Office 365, is also extremely important. You do not want to have to introduce your employees to an entirely new mail system; potentially causing them to lose important work in the merger. By instead choosing an email journaling service which functions as an add-on, you can avoid this.
You also ideally want a system which can be scaled up or down easily according to your needs. Therefore, storage management should be of top priority to you. You should also look for a system which allows you to easily search through all the emails in the archive and find the precise one you need.
By using Office 365’s eDiscovery function, you will also be able to search for and categorise any information you choose so that it is available for analysis and use. eDiscovery allows you to quickly compile information from Microsoft systems. With a simple search, the eDiscovery tool will search your databases and bring any relevant documents to your attention for further search. It will cut down on the time you spend putting together any legal cases you may have to present.
Finally, if you have sensitive data, you should always use a third-party which promises encryption and maximum protection for you. Sensitive data must always be handled in the correct way and you want any emails discussing such information to be kept safe from intrusion. Encryption will help to retain the privacy and levels of confidentiality you can expect.
Journaling for All
No matter the size of your business, you need to implement some form of journaling. You never know when you are going to be approached with some sort of compliance issue and you need to be prepared to deal with it when it occurs. Having access to the data you need cannot be guaranteed without journaling and you, therefore, cannot know if the problem will resolve itself in your favour.
Office 365 offers the perfect basis from which you can begin to operate and then email archiving through services like Exchange Online can offer you that safety net you are searching for. If you are looking to upgrade your existing systems and take control of your information management, get in touch with LiquidData Systems today. With both cloud technologies and journaling services at your fingertips, you are in the perfect position for full control over your company’s data.
For more detailed information on some of the topics raised above, please follow the links below:
Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Exchange Online
FAQ Guide for 365 Journaling
Office 365 eDiscovery
Cloud for Business
LDS Helpful Hints Guide
