Solutions Partner
Right-size
Microsoft 365.
An architect-led review of how you license and use Microsoft 365, built to match every user to the right SKU, cut the seats you don't need, and put the capabilities you already pay for to work.
New and existing clients ask for this one more than any other, because of the savings we routinely surface. The review itself is complimentary; you keep the findings either way.
Overpaying is the
default.
Most Microsoft 365 estates drift the same way. Licenses outlive the people and projects they were bought for. Everyone lands on the biggest SKU "to be safe." And capabilities that come with the plan sit dark while third-party tools bill every month for the same job. None of it shows up as a single line item, which is why it compounds quietly, year after year.
Paying for the wrong licenses
Idle seats for departed users. E5 assigned where E3 covers the need. Frontline staff on knowledge-worker plans. Add-ons bought standalone that the bundle already includes.
Not using the right ones
Teams Phone unlicensed-in-name-only while the PBX contract auto-renews. Intune included but a standalone MDM still billing. Defender, Purview and Entra sitting idle while third parties cover the same ground.
The right SKU, in the
right count.
Licensing works when it mirrors your org chart: every user on the plan their role actually requires, and no license outliving its user. We audit assignments against real tenant usage and business need, then map the moves. The most common ones:
Every move is validated against actual usage data from your tenant; nothing is recommended on assumptions.
Use everything you
already own.
The other half of the waste isn't the license. It's what the license includes that never gets switched on, while a third-party tool bills for the same job. Depending on your tier, Microsoft 365 already covers most of a modern IT stack.
Security
Defender and Purview cover email security, endpoint protection and data governance: jobs many organizations still pay a third party to do.
IT management
Intune manages devices and apps across Windows, macOS, iOS and Android from one console, often replacing a standalone MDM outright.
Productivity & AI
Teams Phone, Power Automate, Bookings and Copilot Chat: capabilities inside the tenant that most estates never turn on.
Already included with Microsoft 365
| Capability | Often paid separately | Already in Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Chat, meetings & calling | Slack · Zoom | Microsoft Teams |
| Business phone system | RingCentral · legacy PBX | Teams Phone |
| File sync & share | Dropbox · Box | OneDrive · SharePoint |
| Device & app management | MaaS360 · standalone MDM | Microsoft Intune |
| Email & collaboration security | 3rd-party secure email gateway | Defender for Office 365 |
| Endpoint protection | Standalone EDR / AV | Defender for Endpoint |
| Identity, SSO & MFA | Okta · Duo | Microsoft Entra ID |
| eDiscovery, DLP & retention | Standalone compliance tools | Microsoft Purview |
| Workflow automation | Zapier | Power Automate |
| Forms & surveys | SurveyMonkey · Typeform | Microsoft Forms |
| Task & project boards | Trello · Asana | Planner · Loop · Lists |
| Appointment scheduling | Calendly | Microsoft Bookings |
| Internal video & screen recording | Loom · Vimeo | Stream · Clipchamp |
| Whiteboarding | Miro | Microsoft Whiteboard |
| Basic diagramming | Lucidchart | Visio in Microsoft 365 |
| BI & dashboards | Standalone BI licenses | Power BI Pro (E5) |
Representative example, not a recommendation. Actual coverage depends on your licensing tier, configuration and requirements, confirmed during the assessment.
A representative
deliverable.
A reference deliverable for a fictional 480-seat estate, the same shape of findings register and savings model a live engagement produces.
Current vs. optimized spend
Savings by category
Findings by review area
| Review area | # | Representative recommendation | Est. /yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensing & SKU alignment | 14 | Downgrade 38 over-provisioned E5; reclaim 46 idle seats | $58K |
| Redundant tooling | 9 | Retire Slack, Zoom, Dropbox, MaaS360, covered by M365 | $61K |
| Cost optimization | 8 | Right-size the purchase mix; consolidate overlapping add-ons | $17K |
| Security & compliance | 6 | Consolidate to Defender + Purview; drop email gateway | $12K |
| Collaboration & productivity | 5 | Teams voice rollout; Copilot readiness for 120 users | value |
| Total | 42 | findings | $148K |
Recommended sequencing
- Reclaim idle seats and downgrade over-provisioned licenses first, fastest, lowest-risk savings.
- Retire redundant tools in waves as Microsoft equivalents are stood up and adopted.
- Reinvest a slice of the savings where it compounds: adoption, security hardening, Copilot readiness.
"Northwind Traders Inc." is a fictional customer. All seats, spend, savings, tools and figures are representative examples for discussion and do not reflect an actual engagement. A live engagement reports against your specific tenant, contracts and usage data.
Measurable
business outcomes.
The outcomes organizations target are consistent. Figures below are industry reference points, not a guarantee of results.
walk away with.
- ✓A clear picture of underutilized licenses and where SKUs can be right-sized.
- ✓A mapped list of redundant third-party tools and their Microsoft equivalents.
- ✓A prioritized savings plan with concrete next steps and owners.
- ✓A view of security and Copilot-readiness gaps worth closing.
Expert guidance,
applied to what you already own.
Architecture and planning guidance is a complimentary pre-sales service. The discovery call is free, designed to create value, no strings attached.
Use what you
pay for.
Schedule your complimentary Microsoft 365 Tools Rationalization call. Thirty to forty-five minutes, remote, architect-led, and no obligation.
Expert guidance, applied to what you already own