Microsoft provides numerous tools that most of the web conferencing services use as an additive with their own products, so it's obvious for the company to have its own virtual meeting tool that directly employ its product line. Lync, the Microsoft's conferencing tool, comes packed with Microsoft Office 365 suite. It smoothly consolidates with PowerPoint, Excel spreadsheets and Outlook calendar. You'd think this service would be the best product there is, but its inability to work with many other platforms such as the Apple OS, and browsers such as Chrome, Firefox and Safari, lessen the usability of services. 

Many features are available for the host and audiences alike. The host of web meeting can decide who will take over the meeting and can switch controls. The original meeting’s host can also take back control in just click of a button. This conference software that works with internet, enhances meeting participation with whiteboard tools, feedback indicators and user polling.

Lync's strength is its integration in the Microsoft suite of products. You will be quite satisfied with Microsoft Office 365, if you run meetings using Microsoft-compatible equipment and software as a business owner. Also, you will be able to schedule meetings with one of the best schedulers available, on Outlook

Microsoft Office 365 web conferencing manages to remain in line with advances in telecommunications, such as VoIP, and provides an impressive degree of integration between various webcams, video players and different modes of voice communication.

Microsoft Office 365 web conferencing has improved upon previous versions, particularly in terms of recording and playback. It’s also looks impressive that Microsoft has expanded its text and media file format compatibility, making it great for international online meetings.

Microsoft offers end-to-end 128-bit AES encryption for all web conferences, making it secure and seamless. However, in spite of its security measures, some improvements could be made to the program to make it more firewall friendly for presentation attendees.

Microsoft has a variety of training courses and tutorial videos, knowledgebase and FAQs sections for Microsoft Office 365 web conferencing users. The program itself has a comprehensive built-in help section, greatly reducing the need to seek help externally via the company's official website. The site itself, however, is not just for Office 365. Implies that the person seeking information for a particular Live Meeting features may get help-topic results for other Microsoft Office products.

Microsoft does provide various methods for contacting its support team directly, including instant chat, discussion forums, telephone assistance and a comment portal for feedback and inquiries.

The application for web conferencing is similar to other Microsoft software packages, which will help newbies to navigate through the program. We had a few problems getting everything to work the first time, so it takes some getting used to. Once you know how it works, you'll realize its great online conferencing tools.

The Office Online apps are entitled to get updates from time to time, that includes new capabilities and added integration with other cloud services such as Skype and Dropbox, now the Format Painter is also available for placing format from one section to another in Word and PowerPoint, and Excel Online has some extra number formats, more properties in Pivot tables and a high contrast view for accessibility.

The updates keep on adding features like Find and Morph transitions in PowerPoint, or ink annotations in Word, Excel and PowerPoint in mobile apps. You have a facility to record audio in OneNote on the web and on iOS app; that's better than Windows 10 Mobile’s OneNote in which audio can recorded only for a minute.

Conclusion

Microsoft Office has been an integral part of the workplace for more than a decade. But, the idea of a Microsoft web conferencing program within Microsoft Office 365, and its seamless integration with Office software seems like the perfect web conferencing solution, other virtual meeting services integrate well with Microsoft Office – and some even do it better.

PROS: The seamless integration with Outlook makes scheduling a child’s play.

CONS: It isn't exactly browser friendly, beyond Internet Explorer.

OUR VERDICT: If you are familiar with the Microsoft suite of products, you'll enjoy using Lync and Microsoft Office 360. However, it won't work very well with other platforms or web browsers other than Internet Explorer.

Also Read: How to setup Office 365