Microsoft 365 help for small businesses
Microsoft 365 runs the email, calendars and files for a lot of small businesses around Bairnsdale. When it works, nobody thinks about it. When it doesn't, it can stop the day. Most of the problems I see fall into a handful of groups, and many have a safe first check you can do yourself.
Written by Adam CurtisPublished Last updated
What Microsoft 365 is, in plain terms
Microsoft 365 is a subscription that usually includes business email through Exchange, the Outlook app, Word, Excel, Teams, OneDrive for files and SharePoint for shared folders. Each person normally has their own account and licence, managed from an admin centre.
Because it's all connected, one problem can look like another. An expired password can look like broken email. A full mailbox can look like Outlook failing. That's why the first checks matter.
The first check: try Outlook on the web
Before changing anything, sign in at outlook.office.com in a browser. If your email works there, your account and mailbox are fine and the problem is on your computer, usually in the Outlook app. If it doesn't work there either, the problem is with the account, the password or the licence.
It's also worth checking whether Microsoft is having an outage. Your administrator can see the service health in the admin centre, and Microsoft's own support site (opens in a new tab) has general troubleshooting.
Email not arriving or not sending
- Check the Junk folder, and the Other tab if Focused Inbox is on.
- Look in the Outbox for messages stuck there. A large attachment is a common cause.
- Check whether the mailbox is nearly full.
- Look for inbox rules that might be moving or deleting messages.
- Ask the sender to check their address is correct.
If messages are vanishing, or rules appear that nobody created, treat it as a possible security issue. My guide on how to tell if your email has been hacked explains what to check.
Outlook problems on the computer
Microsoft currently offers two Windows versions of Outlook, often called classic Outlook and new Outlook. They look and behave differently, and some features and add-ons only work in one. If Outlook suddenly looks different, it may have switched versions.
If Outlook works on the web but not on the computer, common causes include a damaged Outlook profile, a search index that needs rebuilding, a stuck update or an add-on. These are usually fixable without losing email, but it's easy to make things worse by deleting the wrong thing. That's a good point to get Microsoft 365 support.
Sign-in problems and MFA
Many sign-in problems are about multi-factor authentication. The most common one I see is a new phone. If the Microsoft Authenticator app was on the old phone, set it up on the new one before wiping the old one. If that's too late, an administrator can reset the sign-in method.
Be careful with sign-in approval requests you didn't trigger. If your phone asks you to approve a sign-in and you weren't signing in, deny it and change your password. Repeated prompts usually mean someone has your password.
If you're the only administrator and you're locked out, recovery is harder. It's a good reason to have a second admin account kept safely for emergencies.
Shared mailboxes and shared access
Lots of small businesses have an address like info@ or accounts@ that several people read. Sharing one person's password for that is risky and breaks MFA. A shared mailbox lets several people open the same inbox from their own accounts.
Shared mailboxes usually don't need their own licence, though Microsoft sets limits on size and use. Access is given in the admin centre, and it can take a while to appear in Outlook. When staff leave, removing their access is quick, and the mailbox stays.
When to call for help
Some jobs are worth handing over rather than experimenting with:
- You're locked out of the only admin account
- You suspect someone else has access to a mailbox
- You're moving email to Microsoft 365 from another provider
- Setting up a new staff member or removing someone who has left
- Licences and billing don't match the people you actually have
- Problems that persist after a restart and the Outlook on the web test
I help with these remotely, and you type in any passwords yourself. See Microsoft 365 support, email support, cloud and file support for OneDrive and SharePoint, or small business computer support for broader help.
Common questions
Why does my email work on my phone but not in Outlook on my computer?
That usually means the account is fine and the problem is in the Outlook app on the computer. Common causes are a damaged profile, a stuck update or an add-on. Try Outlook on the web to confirm, then get help before deleting the profile.
Do I need a separate licence for a shared mailbox?
Usually not. Shared mailboxes generally don't need their own licence, but Microsoft sets size and usage limits, and some features need one. If you're unsure for your setup, check before buying extra licences.
What should I do if I get MFA prompts I didn't ask for?
Deny them, then change your password straight away from a device you trust. Repeated prompts usually mean someone has your password and is trying to get past MFA. Ask your administrator to check recent sign-ins.
Can Microsoft 365 problems be fixed remotely?
Most can, including Outlook issues, mailbox access, MFA setup, shared mailboxes and adding or removing staff. You approve the connection and type in any passwords yourself. Remote support is $89 per hour with a one hour minimum.