Topic hub · Roll out Microsoft 365 in the mid-market
A Microsoft 365 introduction (formerly Office 365 introduction) is no longer a pure IT project — it's an identity, security, and adoption task with license strategy and migration. We deliver the complete introduction mandate in four clean phases: Discovery, Build, Migration, Go-Live + Hypercare. Fixed-price packages, clear timeframes, CSP delivery.
Microsoft 365 introduction · Definition
Anyone who in 2026 speaks of "rolling out Microsoft 365" (formerly: rolling out Office 365, Office 365 implementation, Microsoft 365 implementation) means much more than migrating mailboxes to the cloud. Microsoft 365 is an integrated platform of productivity apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), communication services (Microsoft Teams, Exchange Online), document management (SharePoint Online, OneDrive), identity platform (Microsoft Entra ID), security (Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Purview), endpoint management (Microsoft Intune) — and in the higher tariffs Windows licenses.
A proper Microsoft 365 introduction in the mid-market therefore decides simultaneously on five topics:
Anyone not thinking about these five topics simultaneously builds shadow IT, gives away 30 to 60% of license value, and fails at the latest at the NIS2 audit. arades GmbH delivers the complete introduction in a 4-phase model with fixed price per phase and a clear timeframe.
Four phases · fixed price per phase
We split the mandate into four clearly delimited phases, each with its own deliverable. After every phase you can decide whether to continue with us or take over internally.
In two weeks we analyze the current setup (Exchange On-Prem, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 estate), user structures (knowledge worker / frontline / external), data volumes (mailboxes, OneDrive, SharePoint, file shares), the compliance situation (NIS2 applicability, GDPR sensitivity classes), and the third-party systems (identity providers, antivirus, backup, third-app integration). Deliverable: written report with license recommendation, migration risk matrix, and phase schedule.
Fixed price on request · delivery: 2 weeks
Based on the discovery report we set up the Microsoft 365 tenant, configure Microsoft Entra ID (tenant branding, MFA, Conditional Access, Privileged Identity Management), activate the security baseline (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Office 365, Purview Information Protection, Purview Audit), set up Microsoft Intune for endpoint management, define Microsoft Teams governance (naming conventions, lifecycle policies), and set DLP policies. Deliverable: productive tenant with documented configuration.
Fixed price on request
Data migration from existing systems. Mailbox migration from Exchange On-Prem (hybrid setup with Microsoft Entra Connect or cutover) or from Google Workspace (Migration Manager). OneDrive and SharePoint data via the SharePoint Migration Tool or a third-party tool. Endpoint migration: devices are enrolled in Microsoft Intune, security profiles applied, apps distributed. Deliverable: productive mailboxes, data, and endpoints — ready for go-live.
Fixed price on request
Cutover weekend with minimal service interruption. Training of all employees in Microsoft Teams, Outlook on the web, OneDrive, SharePoint. Floor-walking in go-live week, daily stand-up. After go-live four weeks of hypercare with elevated response readiness. Optionally followed by Application Care as ongoing care. Deliverable: productive Microsoft 365 setup with enabled users.
Fixed price on request
Overall order of magnitude: We calculate a complete Microsoft 365 introduction in the mid-market as a fixed-price mandate on request — including all phases, without the ongoing Microsoft licenses. Quick-win setups without data migration we share separately.
What we've learned from 18+ years of Microsoft 365 introductions
Microsoft 365 Business Standard costs around €11 per user/month — tempting, but it lacks Microsoft Defender for Business, Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft Entra ID P1. For an NIS2-relevant mid-market company that's not sufficient. Business Premium (around €23) is the real mid-market tariff.
Anyone migrating mailboxes without discovery often overlooks regulatory requirements (email archiving under GoBD, GDPR retention periods), special mailbox configurations (shared mailboxes, delegations, public folders), or third-app integration (Salesforce, SAP, CRM tools). The result: corrections after go-live that cost three times the savings.
The tenant goes productive without Conditional Access, without MFA enforcement, without Defender. "We'll do that after go-live" — usually never happens. Result: phishing successes, compromised accounts, NIS2 audit findings. The security baseline must be in Phase 2, not "later".
Without governance, after 12 months Microsoft Teams typically holds 5 to 10 times as many teams as are actually used. SharePoint sites, OneDrive volume, and storage costs grow uncontrolled. Lifecycle policies (auto-archival of inactive teams after 180 days) and naming conventions must be in place from Phase 2 onward.
A one-day Microsoft 365 training for all employees has a half-life of about two weeks. After three months most users use only mail and 20% of the actual features. Real adoption covers power-user programs, monthly use-case workshops, documented prompt libraries for Copilot, and champion roles per department.
Microsoft 365 introductions often slide for months into a "let's test with a pilot" mode without a clear cutoff date. Result: parallel running legacy systems, double license costs, user confusion. A defined cutover (weekend, clear communication, 24h standby) is mandatory.
Four checklists · a concrete list for every phase
Four operational lists our architects work through in every mandate. We share them openly — copy them for your own project or use them to evaluate another provider.
Cost model note: We calculate Microsoft 365 introductions as a fixed-price mandate per phase. The underlying architect day rates we name transparently on request. The license component is itemized separately and billed monthly in euros via the CSP model — it's project-independent and can be modeled upfront with our License Cost Calculator.
Further reading
Platform overview, six pillars, license comparison Business vs. Enterprise.
Detailed license comparisons, audience-group logic, NCE strategy.
Advisory formats, license optimization, tenant architecture, NIS2 context.
Complete implementation mandates for Microsoft Business Applications.
Seven migration paths, fixed-price diagnostics, data audit, cutover weekend.
After hypercare: ongoing Microsoft 365 care as a predictable monthly flat fee.
Model Microsoft 365 license spend — per audience group, with NCE logic and frontline bundles.
Frequently asked questions about the Microsoft 365 introduction
A complete Microsoft 365 introduction in the mid-market (50 to 250 employees) typically takes eight to 14 weeks — from discovery to after go-live. A quick-win setup without migration is possible in four to six weeks. Multi-site or complex third-party integration extends to three to six months.
At arades we calculate the pure advisory work as a fixed-price mandate on request. On top come the Microsoft licenses, billed monthly in euros via the CSP model. License spend depends on audience groups and tariff choice.
Four phases: Discovery (2 weeks), Build (3–5 weeks), Migration (2–4 weeks), Go-Live + Hypercare (4 weeks). Fixed price per phase, decision at the end of each phase whether to continue with us or go internal.
Content-wise identical today. Only the brand name changed in 2020 from Office 365 to Microsoft 365. The higher Microsoft 365 tariffs (Business Premium, Enterprise E3/E5) include Windows licenses, Intune, and Defender, which aren't included in pure Office 365 tariffs.
Yes. Microsoft supports cutover migration (up to 150 users), staged migration (in stages), and hybrid deployment (Exchange On-Prem and Online in parallel, Entra Connect syncs). Hybrid is the standard for mid-market migrations from 200 employees on.
Plan your introduction
30-minute first conversation — we clarify where your Microsoft 365 setup stands today and which introduction or migration phase makes sense next. First assessment with concrete numbers, usually within one business day.
