Microsoft 365 features to support research
Microsoft 365 provides tools to help researchers work more efficiently. You can transcribe interviews, schedule appointments, and collaborate on documents securely.
Transcribe interview recordings in Microsoft Word
Transcribe in Word lets you record or upload interviews and automatically turn them into text. You can edit the transcript and add it to your research notes or documents.
A researcher recently needed to transcribe multiple interviews conducted in Spanish. The Microsoft Word transcribe feature provided an accurate, automated solution directly within Word. It supports multiple languages, including Spanish, and saved around three hours per interview.
As it’s part of our Microsoft 365 offering, data stays secure, and researchers can focus on analysis instead of manual transcription. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with significant time savings reported.
Guide: Transcribe your recordings
Schedule appointments using Microsoft Bookings
Microsoft Bookings lets research participants book appointments online. It helps you manage study sessions, staff availability and reminders in one place.
Microsoft Bookings removes the back-and-forth by allowing others to book time directly in your calendar. You can set up office hours, dissertation feedback slots, or research consultations—and even create custom services like “Grant Review” or “Data Analysis Support.”
Bookings integrates with Teams, so every appointment includes a meeting link automatically. Instant confirmations and reminders reduce missed sessions and save admin time.
Guide: Create and manage bookings
Co-author research papers and grant applications in Teams
If you are collaborating with other institutions or companies, you can add them as guests within Microsoft Teams to keep documents and communication in one place.
You can share documents, co-author papers, and manage grant proposals without version conflicts. You can meet virtually using video calls, share and edit documents in real time, and keep everything organised in shared OneNote notebooks for notes and literature reviews.
To add a guest, go to your Team in Microsoft Teams, select Manage team > Members > Add member, enter the guest’s email address and select Add. They will receive an email invitation to join.