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Add a new employee to Microsoft 365

This article helps you onboard a new employee to Microsoft 365 for business. We assume you're an Admin and you've already completed Microsoft 365 set up, and now you have someone new joining your company.

You're in the right place if your new employee needs Microsoft 365, and you're using a Microsoft 365 plan that lets you install apps in Microsoft 365, like Word and Excel, on a computer.

Not an admin? Learn your way around Microsoft 365 helps business and home users with setup.

No Microsoft 365 productivity apps in your plan? Follow these steps, but skip the sections for installing apps. Instead, use the Get started at Microsoft365.com.

Here's a quick overview:

Step Why do this?
Step 1: Create a Microsoft 365 account for the employee
Each time a new employee joins your business, create an account for them so they can start using Microsoft 365.
Step 2: Give the employee their user ID and password
When you create an account, you get an ID and password that you can pass to your employee so they can sign in.
Step 3: Explain where to sign in
The sign in location is https://www.office.com
Step 4: Help your employee get started
Let your employee know how to use OneDrive or any team sites in your organization.

Step 1: Create a Microsoft 365 account for the employee

For instructions, see Add users and assign licenses at the same time. When you set up your new employee, you can choose to send sign-in details to the employee's personal account. This way, they receive an email from Microsoft Online Service Team that tells them how to sign in to Microsoft 365.

Step 2: Give the employee their user ID and password

Unless you sent it to their personal email address, print the employee's sign in name and password, and hand it to them. Or tell them the information over the phone.

Because they won't yet have access to their email, don't send the information to that email address.

Step 3: Explain where to sign in

Just like Facebook, Amazon, or Gmail, your employee signs in to use Microsoft 365. Give them the following sign in information:

Step 4: Help your employee get started

Share with them the Employee quick setup for Microsoft 365 to sign in, install software, set up email, and more.

And here's a quick reference to help get them started:

Task Find the details
Sign in to Microsoft 365
Go to https://www.microsoft365.com, select Sign in, and then enter your user ID and password.
Install Microsoft 365 productivity apps onto your computer.

When you sign in, the home page has a link to download and install apps like Word and Outlook. Select Install Microsoft 365. For instructions, see Download and install or reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office 2021 on a PC or Mac.
Set up your email in Outlook 2016 .
Once Microsoft 365 productivity apps are installed on your computer, set up your email. For instructions, see How to set up Outlook.
Set up Skype for Business so you can connect with coworkers or business partners in your company or around the world. You can start conversations with IM, voice, or video calls.
Install Skype for Business on your computer.

To learn how to use Skype for Business, watch a video.

Have you set up Skype for Business so your employees can contact people external to your business who are using the free Skype app? If not, tell your new employee so they know what to expect when using Skype for Business.
Install apps on your mobile device if you want to get email or use Skype for Business on your phone.
If you want to set up the Outlook mobile app so you can get email via your phone. For instructions, see iOS, Android, Windows Phone

If you want to use Skype for Business on your mobile device, download and install the mobile app. For instructions, see iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Complete the OneDrive training to help you learn how to store and organize your documents, presentations, and spreadsheets in the cloud.
Keep your business-related documents in the cloud by using OneDrive. You can always get to your content, even if you're signed in to Microsoft 365 on a different computer. Watch a video to learn how to use your OneDrive

Training: OneDrive training (Select OneDrive).
Complete the SharePoint training to help you collaborate with coworkers and share content.
The best place to keep documents that your coworkers will also access is in SharePoint.

Training: Video: Collaborate with team content using SharePoint

Find out: How is your organization using SharePoint, and what type of documents get stored there. Also, which documents are stored in OneDrive.

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Add users and assign licenses at the same time65 (article)