Kurt Shintaku's Blog

[UPDATE December 21, 2024]
Copilot – We just published a blog article that lists the differences between Microsoft 365 Copilot Commercial & GCC. Here’s a general overview:

• Microsoft 365 Copilot GCC is built on the secure foundation of Microsoft 365 Government GCC
  • Microsoft 365 Copilot GCC operates within your Microsoft 365 GCC tenant compliance boundary
  • Microsoft 365 Copilot GCC is in compliance with FedRAMP, CJIS, IRS 1075 and other key regulatory frameworks
• Microsoft 365 Copilot GCC will be delivered with web grounding OFF by default
• Microsoft 365 Copilot GCC functionality is delivered in 2 phases & not all at once (see article for details)

[UPDATE October 25, 2024]
Purview – It looks like we published a document that lists many if not all of the differences between Commercial & GCC cloud instances of Microsoft 365 for Microsoft Purview Compliance.

[ORIGINAL February 16, 2024]
I’m frequently asked for the differences between Microsoft 365 Government Community Cloud & Microsoft 365 Commercial.

The differences are documented generally on the service description for each service or product.  Here’s a list of those services descriptions for GCC:

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GCC/COMMERCIAL MICROSOFT 365

1. Microsoft 365
   1. Microsoft 365 Apps – Office application and feature availability in Government plans
   2. Forms – Microsoft Forms features for U.S. Government Community Cloud (GCC) (aka Features missing from Microsoft Forms)
   3. Microsoft Teams – Microsoft Teams service description – Service Descriptions
   4. OneDrive for Business – OneDrive for US government environments – Service Description
   5. SharePoint Online – SharePoint service description – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn
   6. Exchange Online – Exchange Online for US government environments – Service Descriptions
   7. Bookings – Microsoft Bookings service description – Service Descriptions
   8. Planner – Microsoft Planner service description – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn
   9. Project
      1. 1. Project for the Web – Microsoft Project for the web service description – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn
         2. Project Online Desktop – Microsoft Project Online desktop client service description – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn
         3. Project Online Service – Microsoft Project Online service description – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn
   10. SharePoint Syntex – SharePoint Syntex service description – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn
   11. Stream – Microsoft Stream service description – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn
   12. Purview – Plan for Microsoft Purview Compliance and Risk Management Solutions – GCC Deployments
2. Windows 365
   1. 1. Windows 365 service description – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn
      2. Windows 365 Government – how to buy – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn
3. Power Platform
   1. 1. Power BI – Power BI for US government customers
      2. Power Apps – Power Apps US Government
      3. Power Automate – Power Automate US Government
4. Dynamics 365
   1. 1. Dynamics 365 – Dynamics 365 US Government
      2. Dynamics 365 Customer Voice (Forms Pro) – Get started | Microsoft Learn
5. Azure Information Protection, Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Sentinel, Defender for IoT, Azure Attestation – Cloud feature availability for commercial and US Government customers

Office 365 GCC Additional Details

1. GCC Compliance – https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/servicedescriptions/office-365-platform-service-description/office-365-us-government/gcc#us-government-community-compliance
2. Viva Engage – https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/servicedescriptions/office-365-platform-service-description/office-365-us-government/gcc#office-365-government-gcc-and-viva-engage
3. Customer Support – https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/servicedescriptions/office-365-platform-service-description/office-365-us-government/gcc#office-365-government-gcc-customer-support

(You can download a full government plan comparison table for Office 365 GCC here.)