authorized

Purchase Microsoft 365 directly from Microsoft or through an authorized Microsoft partner, then create your company account and assign one paid license to each employee who needs Office.

Purchase and set up Microsoft 365

1. Choose a business plan
   • Use the Microsoft 365 plan chooser to select a plan based on employee count, devices, applications, security, and IT-support needs.
   • The available business options include Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, and Microsoft 365 Apps for business.^1^
   • If you need installed desktop applications such as Word and Excel, verify that the selected plan includes the desktop apps before purchasing.
2. Buy directly from Microsoft
   • Open the Microsoft 365 Products site.
   • Select the required business plan.
   • Choose Buy now, or select the one-month trial if offered.
   • Enter your company country/region, contact information, administrator username, and payment details.
   • The country/region cannot be changed after signup, so select it carefully.^2^
3. Configure the company account
   • Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center using the administrator account created during purchase.
   • Add your company’s domain, or initially use the supplied companyname.onmicrosoft.com domain.
   • Add each employee as a user.
   • Select Add users and assign licenses and assign an available license to every employee who needs the service.
   • Download and install the Microsoft 365 applications from the guided setup when the selected plan includes them.^3^
4. Verify the licenses
   • In the Microsoft 365 admin center, open Billing > Your products.
   • Confirm that the subscription is active and that the purchased number of licenses appears.
   • In Word or Excel, open File > Account to check the product name and the company account associated with it.^4^

Buying through a partner

If assistance with purchasing, email, domain configuration, installation, or security is required, use Microsoft’s Connect with partners directory and filter by:

• Your location
• Organization size
• Services: Licensing or Managed Services (MSP)

Microsoft documents both direct purchase and purchase through an authorized solution provider.^3^

You do not need to register your new company as a Microsoft Partner merely to buy Office for your employees. Partner Center is for organizations participating in Microsoft partner programs or selling/managing Microsoft products for customers.

Avoid very cheap product keys, activation scripts, cracks, or unofficial installers. A legitimate Cloud Solution Provider subscription should appear digitally in Microsoft 365 admin center > Billing > Your products; a reseller cannot create its own Microsoft license.^4^

References

1. How to sign up for a Microsoft 365 for business plan - Admin Help
2. Try or buy a Microsoft 365 for business subscription
3. Sign in and set up Microsoft 365 Business Premium
4. License windows and Office for business - Microsoft Q&A