Microsoft brings Visio and Teams together – check the licensing consequences

Microsoft adds Visio to their 365 licenses. What are the possibilities and consequences for your licensing needs?

Tip #80 - July 2021: Microsoft adds Visio to their 365 licenses. What are the possibilities and consequences for your licensing needs?

In a time that hybrid working is becoming more and more the standard, meetings with colleagues and customers often take place online from the home office or an actual office, or a combination of locations. Microsoft is aware of this transition to hybrid working and knows companies are looking how they can adapt to this new situation. With this shift to hybrid, business processes also have to change to make work easier and simpler. Diagrams (such as those created with Visio) are often the starting point for such process updates. Also, combining two (Microsoft) apps together can make your work easier and more flexible.

This is why Microsoft adds a lightweight version of the Visio web app to Microsoft 365*. This way, it will become more easy to create, edit and share your Visio diagrams within Teams. Creating a Visio Diagram in Microsoft 365 should be fairly easy, since serval templates are directly available through Office online. Visio can be integrated within several Microsoft Solutions, including Microsoft Teams.

Licensing consequences

For users who do not use Visio very often and do not need the specialised Diagrams, this lightweight version of Visio could be a suitable option that also could lead to cost savings. When switching employees to this lightweight version of Visio within Teams, fewer Visio Plan 1 or Plan 2 licenses are probably needed. This provides an opportunity for your upcoming Microsoft renewal or True-Up. The heavy users of Visio who still need special Diagrams can still use the standalone version of Visio Plan 1 and 2.

Our Microsoft experts can help!

Do you want to learn more about Microsoft 365 licensing challenges and opportunities, do not hesitate to reach out! One of our specialised licensing professionals can guide you towards realising cost savings for your organisation.

*) The web app version will be added to the following Microsoft 365 licenses: Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, Apps for business, Apps for enterprise, A1, A3, A5, E1, E3, E5, F3