Microsoft 365 outage: how to keep your business running

Microsoft has confirmed on social media that Microsoft 365 is experiencing an outage. As a result, users may be unable to access Outlook, OneDrive or the business version of Teams, and other parts may also be affected. According to a report from Tweakers, Microsoft is working on a solution.

If you don't have your own IT department, you often only notice something like this when the first customer asks why you aren't responding. That's why here is what it means for your work and what you can arrange.

What we know and what we don't

The message is brief. What is known is that Microsoft acknowledges the outage, that several services may have been affected, and that work is ongoing to restore them. What is not known is the cause, how long it will last and how many businesses are affected. It also isn't certain that everyone experiences the same problems: during an outage, something may work for one person but not for another.

We therefore won't fill in the gaps with assumptions. What you can do is check your own situation. That works for every outage, including the next one.

What does this mean for your business?

Many small businesses rely on Microsoft 365 for three things: email, files and meetings. If one of these drops out, work grinds to a halt in unexpected places. A quote can't leave the office, a drawing is stored in OneDrive, and a video call with a client doesn't go ahead.

So it is less about the technology and more about the question: what do you do when something simply isn't working? Anyone who has planned for this in advance loses an hour. Anyone who hasn't often loses half a day.

What do you do during the outage?

Stay calm and don't try to fix everything yourself. An outage on the provider's side can't be solved with a new password or a reinstall.

• First check whether the problem is on your side: does your internet work, and are your colleagues experiencing the same issue?
• Follow Microsoft's own updates, not the stories circulating elsewhere.
• Don't reset passwords or change settings to try to fix the problem.
• Let customers waiting for a reply know briefly that you will respond later, for example by phone or WhatsApp.
• Work on tasks that don't need the cloud, such as files you have saved locally.

Beware of exploitation of the situation

During outages at major services, people are more likely to look for a quick fix. Scammers know this. If you receive an email during such a moment asking you to log in again, be extra alert. Our article on recognising phishing sets out six signs that will help you spot a fake email.

Have these checked this week

An outage is a nuisance, but it is also a good reason to review your preparations. Go through these points; it will take an hour at most:

• Who in your team manages the Microsoft 365 account, and does that person know how to get to the admin settings?
• Which files do you really need to keep working, and can you access them if OneDrive is unavailable?
• Do you have phone numbers for your most important customers and suppliers outside your email program?
• Is there a second way to hold meetings if Teams isn't working, such as phone calls or another video service?
• Is there a backup of your most important data somewhere outside Microsoft?

A first step

Not able to answer those questions yourself, or not sure who your administrator is? We are happy to help. Through ICT support we can go through how your email, files and meetings are set up and what you can arrange so that an outage doesn't halt your work. You can also directly get in touch.

Frequently asked questions