This document highlights some of the differences and enhancements from Office 2003 to Office 2007. It also contains links to relevant information at Microsoft Office Online.
New file formats
- More compact file size.
- Less chance of corrupted files.
Ribbon Interface
- Designed to improve productivity.
- What you need, when you need it.
- The Ribbon is comprised of several parts:
- The Quick Access Toolbar appears in the top left of the window and contains the Microsoft Office Button, and by default, the Save, Undo, and Redo icons. The Microsoft Office Button displays commands that were found in the File menu in Office 2003. This can be customized to add frequently used buttons.
- Command tabs contain groups of commands organized according to function.
- Command groups are the commands available for the selected tab that relate to what you're trying to do.
- Contextual commands appear only when an object such as a table has been selected. For example, if you click on a table in a Word document, you’ll notice that Table Tools appears above two new command tabs – design and layout. These are directly related to the table only. When you click outside of the table, the Table tools command tabs disappear.
For more information, view Up to Speed with the 2007 Office System.
The Mini Toolbar
The Mini Toolbar is a ghost toolbar that appears when you select text. You can move your mouse over it to choose one of the common text formatting options it displays. If you move off of it, the toolbar disappears.
Save as PDF
Our installation of Office 2007 will include the “Save as PDF” add-in. This will allow you to save files in PDF format without having Adobe Professional.
SmartArt
SmartArt is available in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. SmartArt allows you to add pre-define objects and shapes (such as organizational charts) and to your documents. For more information, view the SmartArt demo.
ScreenTips and KeyTips
- ScreenTips are displayed when you point at a command icon. The ScreenTip provides hints about using the command, along with a shortcut key, if there is one.
- KeyTips are designed to provide quick access to shortcut keys. Hit the ALT key once and the KeyTips will appear over the buttons and commands on the ribbon. For example, ALT+F is the shortcut to open the Office Button.
Status Bar
The status bar is totally customizable within each application. By right clicking on the status bar, a menu of options is displayed so that various elements can be displayed according to your preferences.
Word Enhancements
- Quick Style sets make it easy to format document text consistently from beginning to end.
Excel Enhancements
- More rows and columns – Excel has expanded its spreadsheet capacity to 1 million rows and 16,000 columns.
- Conditional formatting has been made easier. For example, you may want to highlight cell values if the balance falls below zero.
- Charting features include new special effects and templates.
Powerpoint Enhancements
- New text options, such as columns, wrapping, vertical text and special effects.
- Improved tables and charts.
- Presenter view allows you to run the presentation on one monitor while the audience views it on a second monitor.
- Ability to save in PDF format to make it easier to share presentations with those who may not have PowerPoint.
Access Enhancements
- New database templates.
- New grouping, filtering and sorting features to refine reports.
- Date picker to simplify entering dates.
- Alternating row color (think “greenbar”) report format.
Online Support and Training
The Microsoft Office web site has links to a wide variety of resources to aid your transition to Office 2007:
- Getting Started with Office 2007 – this page includes links to introductory information about Office 2007. The most useful link may be the interactive guides to the Office 2007 user interface. These guides will help you to find Office 2003 commands in Office 2007.
- Self-paced training courses – these 30-60 minutes courses cover many topics of interest and include practice exercise.
- Online demos – these online demos walk you through the steps needed to perform a specific task. They are usually just a few minutes long.
