How to Create a Microsoft Office Live Account
Microsoft Office Live is a suite of web based software and services focused primarily on small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. Its primary features include a company domain name, a hosted website to market your business, branded email accounts, a password protected private website for sharing information with key internal and external contacts and a growing number of Internet based applications to automate management of customers, projects and documents.
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Things You'll Need
- Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution display
- Broadband Internet access
- Internet Explorer 6.0* or later running on Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Vista
Instructions
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Review Your Business Software Needs
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Take inventory of your current eCommerce and business software programs, their features and additional features or functions that you need to make your business run more effectively and efficiently. Running an online business requires a domain name, a website, email, solutions for web design, accounting, shopping cart and other needs.
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Evaluate each of your existing programs as to its degree of integration with your other programs, its eCommerce compatibility (whether it advances your capacity to operate your online business) and whether it is a Microsoft product or otherwise compatible with Microsoft Office products.
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3
Visit the Microsoft Office Live homepage and review the offerings there for the three levels of service; Basic, Essentials and Premium (see Resources below). Take stock of the features you would use right away, those that would involve migrating from another program or service to Microsoft Office Live and those that you would not use at the present time.
Create a Microsoft Office Live Account
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4
Test drive Microsoft Office Live first by signing up for a free 30 day trial. While the free trial extends to both the Essentials and Premium packages, you may wish to create an Essentials trial account to reduce the chance that you will inadvertently invest time setting up features or tools that you don't wish to pay for in the future. It is often easier to upgrade your account service tier than to downgrade.
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Make a point of using the key Office Live features in the first week of your trial so that you will familiarize yourself with the program offerings.
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Create a permanent account at the end of your trial period if you wish to continue.
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Tips & Warnings
Microsoft Office Live does not include the Microsoft Office suite. You must purchase that product separately if you need it.
If you sign up for a free trial account with Microsoft Office Live, create a calendar entry reminding you the day before the trial expires so you won't be charged unless you choose to continue.
