Firstline Worker Online Suites Repackaged

• Online services suite licenses for firstline workers were repackaged.
• Firstline suites offer lower pricing for workers with more modest needs for e-mail and other collaboration tools compared with knowledge workers.
• New eligibility requirements exclude workers who spend most of their time on a traditional computer.

Microsoft has repackaged its online services suites for what it calls firstline workers.The existing Microsoft 365 F1 User SL (Subscription License) was renamed Microsoft 365 F3, with its feature set and price unchanged (except for a somewhat expanded set of Teams capabilities). In addition, a new, less expensive (US$4 per user per month) Microsoft 365 F1 SKU containing a subset of F3’s capabilities became available, and Office 365 F1 was renamed Office 365 F3.

The accompanying diagram summarizes the online services and features included with Microsoft 365 F1, Microsoft 365 F3, and Office 365 F3 suites for these workers.

Suites Overview

Firstline workers are generally individuals in direct contact with customers, or workers involved in product manufacturing, package delivery or logistics, construction, or the operation or maintenance of equipment or other assets. Suites for firstline workers generally focus on communications, document and video content, and task and scheduling tools.