Have you compared the advantages of Microsoft Office 365 vs. Google Apps?

If choosing Cloud productivity tools has been on your agenda for a while, you’re not alone. It’s often a toss up between pros and cons. Google and Microsoft online productivity experiences vary by user, device and situation.  Reviewers all over the world have compared Google Apps for Business to Microsoft Office 365 trying to find the winner.  Here’s my quick summary as an onlooker:

If your business thrives and collaborates online, has little need for advanced Excel and Word capabilities and integrations, and it leans heavily on the latest tablets and smartphones, Google Apps has an edge and a cost advantage.

If hybrid deployment scenarios, unified IT management, offline operation, integration with Word and Excel documents, and user familiarity with interfaces and workflows are important, Office 365 has an attractive combination of capabilities that will keep most existing customers in the Microsoft camp.

The true test for both services over the coming months may not be as much a cost factor, but ongoing execution and how you do business… Will uptime, ease of management, and support keep users and IT satisfied?