Google Apps, StarOffice and other competitors are becoming viable alternatives to the once unassailable Microsoft Office. And while cost is always a driver in purchasing decisions, IT has to be aware of other significant issues when implementing new software.

The cost, access and interoperability of emerging Office applications are causing Microsoft customers to consider other options when it comes to upgrading. For example, the City of Los Angeles and Jaguar dropped Microsoft in favor of Google and its cloud software.

This article will talk about the not so obvious costs of migrating away from Microsoft Office including security, access, support and collaboration.

Security

Moving from Microsoft Office to a competitor’s Office suite can have subtle, but important, effects on the security of your documents. The fairly obvious concern is whether or not the new Office applications meet all of the regulatory requirements of your business. A more subtle concern is how to control access to your information.

Moving to a Cloud based solution enables users to access all of the documents they need wherever they may be located. But what happens when an employee leaves the company? If access to a Cloud based solution is based on an employee’s email account, simply shutting off their access to the company’s domain is not sufficient.

The first step an organization must take is to meet with their vendor to discuss all aspects of their security model . Once the new Office suite security functions are understood, the necessary policies, procedures and checklists for your organization can be updated.

[continued] Switching From MS Office? 4 Things to Consider Other Than Cost.