Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office suites help enable enterprise productivity across devices. For Volume Licensing customers, Microsoft Office delivers new ways of collaborating, making it easier to support flexible work styles. Use the interactive "Buyer's Guide" to find licensing-related information about use rights, upgrades, fulfillment, and product activation. See what’s new with Office and its licensing, learn how to buy, and get answers to frequently asked questions about licensing Office suites.
Licensing editions
Compare features in all editions to determine the ideal solution for your organization's needs.
The latest Microsoft Office gives you access to your familiar Office applications, email, calendar, HD video conferencing, and most up-to-date documents.*
For Microsoft Volume Licensing customers, the latest Office provides more business value in each product offering plus new, innovative integrated Microsoft Office Web App capabilities.* Software Assurance customers benefit from an efficient migration path to Office and can take advantage of training, deployment planning, technical support benefits, and more to get the most out of the software.
*An appropriate device, Internet connection, and supported Windows Internet Explorer Internet browser, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari browser are required. Use of some devices or functionalities may require the purchase of separate licenses.
Office in Volume Licensing
Licenses for Office Professional Plus, Office Standard, and Office 365 ProPlus* are available through Volume Licensing.
*Some Office 365 plans include Office 365 ProPlus.
Office Professional Plus offers a complete toolset for both individual and team productivity and connects users to key business processes. The enhanced Enterprise Server Integration features provide out-of-the-box integration with Microsoft Business Productivity server solutions—including Microsoft SharePoint Server, Microsoft Exchange Server, and Microsoft Skype for Business Server—creating new opportunities to collaborate within and across corporate boundaries, manage content more efficiently, and streamline everyday business processes.
Office Standard provides a comprehensive toolset for individual productivity including the tools you need to manage email and to create great-looking documents, spreadsheets, and presentations—quickly and easily.
Office 365 ProPlus offers the same application experiences as Office Professional Plus installed locally on your computer. It is offered as a subscription service on a per-user basis and each license allow installation on five devices at a time.
All Office licenses acquired through Volume Licensing include Office Web Apps Server 2013 and Commercial Use Rights for Office Home & Student 2013 RT for the primary user of the licensed device. These programs and online companion apps help people better manage their personal information and collaborate on documents and projects.
The following are included in the Office suites, available through Volume Licensing.
Office Professional Plus 2016 | Office Standard 2016 | Office 365 ProPlus | |
|---|---|---|---|
Microsoft Word |  | | |
| Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software | | | |
| Microsoft PowerPoint presentation graphics program | | | |
| Microsoft Outlook messaging and collaboration client | | | |
| Microsoft OneNote note-taking program | | | |
| Microsoft Publisher | | | |
| Microsoft Office Web Apps | | | |
| Commercial User Rights for Office Home and Student 2013 RT | | | |
| Microsoft InfoPath 2013 information-gathering program | | | |
| Microsoft Skype for Business communications software | | | |
| Microsoft Access database software | | | |
| Multilanguage User Interface (MUI) | | | |
Software Assurance for Microsoft Office
Microsoft Volume Licensing customers with active Software Assurance get more productivity value through their agreement by taking advantage of the new version software rights and by leveraging the deployment and productivity benefits included with Software Assurance.
Software Assurance migration
Volume Licensing customers licensed for Office Professional Plus 2013 with active Software Assurance coverage at the time of Office 2016 availability have rights to Office Professional Plus 2016. Office Standard 2013 customers with active Software Assurance coverage at the time of Office 2016 availability have rights to Office Standard 2016.
When you add Software Assurance for Office, you get additional benefits including the following:
Office Roaming Use Rights: Allow your users to access Office suites deployed on a network server from a third-party device by the primary user of the work licensed device. You can also install a copy of Office software on a USB drive and use it on a third-party device. Office Roaming Use Rights apply only for use off your or your affiliates’ premises.
Planning Services: Help streamline software implementation with structured planning services from Microsoft partners covering Desktop (Office and/or Windows), SharePoint, and Exchange.
New Software Versions: Upgrade every license covered under Software Assurance to the newest version when available.
Home Use Program (HUP): Increase efficiencies of users when they use the same software at home with low-cost home use licenses.
E-Learning: Prepare your users for new software versions with self-paced, interactive, online training that Microsoft experts develop.
Training Vouchers: Keep your IT staff up-to-date with classroom technical trainings.
How to buy
Learn about the benefits of the new licensing model and compare pricing and features for each edition.
Microsoft Office Professional Plus and Office Standard are licensed on a per-device basis. Office 365 ProPlus is licensed on a per-user basis.
Offerings by Volume Licensing program
The availability of Office varies by Volume Licensing program. Office Professional Plus is the platform offering for the Enterprise Agreement, Enterprise Subscription Agreement, Open Value, Open Value Subscription, and Enrollment for Education Solutions programs. Office Professional Plus is also available in the Microsoft Products and Services Agreement, Select Plus, and Open License programs. Office Standard is available in the Microsoft Products and Services Agreement, Select Plus, and Open License programs and as a non-companywide option in the Open Value program. Office 365 ProPlus is available through the Enterprise Agreement, Enterprise Subscription Agreement, Enrollment for Education Solutions, Microsoft Products and Services Agreement, and Open Programs.
Office Professional Plus | Office Standard | Office 365 ProPlus | |
|---|---|---|---|
Open Value | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Open Value Subscription | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Open License | | | 3 |
| Select Plus | 5 | 5 | |
| Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA) | | | |
| Enterprise Agreement | 1 | | |
| Enterprise Subscription Agreement | 1 | | |
| Enrollment for Education Solutions | 1 | 4 |
1Platform/companywide offering
2Non-companywide offering
3Office 365 Midsize Business User SL is available through the Open Programs and includes rights to Office 365 ProPlus.
4Under a Campus and School Agreement (CASA+EES)
5Select Plus has been retired for commercial customers. Orders through existing Select Plus commercial agreements will be accepted until July 1, 2016. The Microsoft Products and Services Agreement replaces Select Plus and offers an improved agreement structure, a more flexible and easy purchasing platform, and new systems and tools to manage assets. Learn more about Select Plus retirement.
Licensing Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 RT for commercial use
Microsoft Office provides the best Office experience across devices. The Windows operating system and Surface software and touch computing platform tablets come preinstalled with Office Home & Student 2013 RT software on the device for noncommercial use.
If you are a primary user of a device licensed with Office Professional Plus 2016, Office Standard 2016, or the licensed user for Office 365 ProPlus then you can use Office Home & Student 2013 RT for commercial use. You do not need active Software Assurance for Office to receive this benefit. You can also purchase perpetual licenses for Commercial Use Rights for Office Home & Student 2013 RT on a per-device basis through the Microsoft Open License or Microsoft Select Plus programs. If you use a Windows RT or Surface tablet to access Office Professional Plus or Office Standard software running remotely in a data center, the Windows RT or Surface device must be separately licensed for the corresponding Office suite.
Licensing Office for use with Windows To Go
Bring Windows and the latest Microsoft Office software to any device in your organization with Windows To Go. You can use Office Professional Plus or Office Standard installed on a USB drive with Windows To Go when you license the work device for the following:
Software Assurance for Windows or Windows Virtual Desktop Access subscription license; and
Office Professional Plus or Office Standard
As a result, a user can use a USB drive to run Office on any licensed work device while on company premises. If you also have active Software Assurance for your Office suite license, the primary user of the licensed device can use the USB drive to run Office on devices outside of the workplace through the Office Roaming Rights benefits.
You can use Office 365 ProPlus with Windows To Go when you license:
The work device with Software Assurance for Windows or Windows Virtual Desktop Access subscription license; and
The user of the work device is licensed with Office 365 Pro Plus
In this case, the licensed user can use one of the five permitted concurrent installs on the USB drive, plug it into any compatible device, and run the Office software on- or off-premises.
Next steps
- Contact your local reseller for assistance
- See if your organization qualifies for Microsoft financing options
- Volume Licensing Reference Guide for Microsoft Office (PDF, 366 KB)
- Licensing Microsoft Office Software in Volume Licensing (PDF, 308 KB)
- Licensing Microsoft Office Professional Plus for Office 365
Contact a local reseller to confirm availability in your area. Prices for licenses acquired through Microsoft resellers are determined by the reseller.
FAQ
Find answers to questions about features, licensing models, and determining which edition is right for you.
- How can I be licensed for access to the Office Web Apps?
The Office Web Apps are included when you purchase Office Professional Plus 2013 or Office Standard 2013 licenses and allow you to host the Office Web Apps on-premises. You can also access Office Web Apps with an Office 365 ProPlus license.
- Are the Office Web Apps included with the Office license or as part of Software Assurance?
The Office Web Apps are included with the Office licenses. They are not included as part of Software Assurance. If you have active Software Assurance for Office, you have the rights to Office licenses.
- When licensed with Office Professional Plus 2013 or Office Standard 2013, are Office Web Apps licensed on a per device or per user basis?
Office Professional Plus 2013 and Office Standard 2013 suites are licensed per device. The primary user of a device licensed for this Office software is licensed for access to the online companion Office Web Apps from any device. In these situations, the primary user is enabled for remote online access through Office Web Apps.
- What licenses are required from external users collaborating with licensed employees?
External users accessing Office Web Apps documents for viewing or editing are not required to license the new Office suites. External users are those users that are not either your or your affiliates’ employees or your or your affiliates’ on-site contractors or on-site agents.
- Do my employees need an Office Professional Plus 2013 or Office Standard 2013 license for viewing only Office Web Apps documents?
No. This new release of Office suite licenses are only required for those employees editing Office Web Apps documents.
- What is included in the Office Web Apps that are licensed as part of Office licenses?
The Office Web Apps licensed with Office Professional Plus 2013 and Office Standard 2013 include Word Web App, Excel Web App, PowerPoint Web App, and OneNote Web App.
- Can I install a copy of Office Professional Plus 2013 or Office Standard 2013 on a USB drive with my Windows To Go rights?
Yes. You can install a copy of Office Professional Plus 2013 or Office Standard 2013 on a USB drive and use either on any work device. Those rights only apply for using a copy of Office on a USB drive on company premises. Note that you must have active Software Assurance for Windows to be licensed for Windows To Go.
- Can I use a copy of Office Professional Plus 2013 or Office Standard on a USB drive outside of the workplace?
You can use a USB drive with Office Professional Plus 2013 or Office Standard 2013 outside of the workplace only if you have active Software Assurance with your Office suite license.
- Can I install a copy of Office 365 ProPlus on a USB drive with my Windows To Go rights?
Yes. Under Office 365 ProPlus, you use one of your five permitted concurrent installs on a USB drive, plug it into any compatible device, and run the Office software. Note that you must have active Software Assurance for Windows to be licensed for Windows To Go.
- How can I license Office Home & Student 2013 RT for use on my tablet at work?
Commercial Use Rights for Office Home & Student 2013 RT are included with Office Professional Plus 2013, Office Standard 2013, Office for Mac Standard 2011, and Office 365 ProPlus. You do not need active Software Assurance for Office to receive this benefit. You can also purchase a perpetual per device license for Commercial Use Rights for Office Home & Student 2013 RT on a stand-alone basis through an Open or Select Plus Volume Licensing agreement.
- What licenses are required to access Office remotely from my Windows RT or Surface tablet?
Office Professional Plus 2013 and Office Standard 2013 are licensed on a per device basis. Users can only remotely access a copy of Office Professional Plus 2013 or Office Standard 2013 running on a network server from a licensed device. Therefore, your Windows RT or Surface tablet would need the latest Office suite license assigned to the device for this use. For Office 365 ProPlus, you can use one of the five concurrent installs to run an instance of Office on a network server and access that instance from any device.
Review more Frequently asked questions about product licensing.
- If I am licensed for Microsoft Office 2013 through Volume Licensing, can I run a previous version of the software?
Yes. Downgrade Rights in Volume Licensing programs give you the right to use any prior version of the same product. For example, if you are licensed for Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2013 through Volume Licensing, you can use Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 instead. You may not, however, downgrade to Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2010 because it is a different product and not considered a prior version of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2013.