July 15, 2008 - Some of you may see the "Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007" installation screen during the network installation process. Even those of you that already have Office 2007 installed, should follow the instructions below if you see the installation screen.
Office 2007 - Network Installation Instructions (pdf document)
As you may be aware, Microsoft has launched its newest version of Office. There have been significant changes in this version that may impact your classes this fall. Because of these changes, we recommend that faculty and staff wait until summer 2008 to upgrade. This will allow us to explore issues and prepare training and support. In the meantime, please be aware of the following:
New File Format – Compatibility Issues with Earlier Office Versions
All Carlson School faculty and staff should have Office 2007 installed on their primary computer by the beginning of Fall 2008. However, anyone using a computer that does not have Office 2007 installed should be aware of file compatibility issues. The default file format is XML (Extensible Markup Language). The new format is indicated with an “x” in the file extension. For instance, Word documents are .docx; Excel are .xlsx, etc. Users who have previous versions of Office may not to be able to open files in the new formats. The two resolutions below should resolve this potential problem.
Resolution 1– Download and install the Compatibility Pack from Microsoft. Installation of this Compatibility Pack will allow users to open, edit, and save files using these new file formats. This download requires that previously released updates for Microsoft Office have been applied. NOTE: Users must have administrator access to install the update. Click to download Compatibility Pack
* * NOTE to MAC users – There is NO compatibility pack available at this time, however, MAC users have reported no problems with file compatibilty.
Resolution 2 – Use the "Save As" option to save files down to the Office 97 – 2003 version. To do so, click the Microsoft Icon (Office Button) in the upper-left corner of the application screen, select Save As. In the Save as type: field, select 97 – 2003 for the application you are using. This saves the file in compatibility mode so that others using older versions of Office can open and use the files. Be aware that there may be some formatting changes when saving a file to the Office 97-2003 file format.
New Interface
Office 2007 has a significantly different interface from previous versions. Instead of the menus and toolbars users are accustomed to, there is a new “Ribbon” interface.
Who is using Office 2007?
- All MBA students have Office 2007 installed on their laptops.
- All Undergraduate students participating in the Undergraduate Laptop Program have Office 2007 installed on their new laptops.
- Other students purchasing new computers will likely have Office 2007 installed.
- Some faculty and staff have begun using Office 2007.
- All students can download Office 2007 from http://www.umn.edu/ms4students
Features and Benefits of Office 2007
- The new file format makes files sizes smaller.
- New formats are easily applied in all applications.
- A document inspector can find and remove comments and user information.
- Microsoft has a download to allow saving files in .pdf format.
- Excel files are expanded to 1 million rows and 16,000 columns. Charting is simplified.
- Word has an enhanced document comparison feature. Improved and new features for creating tables of contents, managing sources, and creating bibliographies have been added.
- PowerPoint has new options for handling pictures and graphics.
Potential Problems
- Excel macros may not work as in previous versions.
- When you save in compatibility mode (97 – 2003), a screen displays indicating that some features may not work in the compatibility mode. This could waste time for some users and/or require additional testing to make sure it works properly in the compatibility mode on a computer with Office 2003.
- Learning curve to get users familiar with the new interface and features.
Script to Change Default File Format
We have created a script that will change the default "Save as" format for Word 2007, Excel 2007, and PowerPoint 2007 to the Office 97-2003 version. Please visit: https://www.carlsonschool.umn.edu/assets/91432.exe This will required a login. As this is an executable file, you will be warned about running the application. Click OK to run.
What version of Office is installed and where?
- The Podium Computers in the Classrooms-
The classroom podium computers are in the process of being upgraded to have both Office 2003 and Office 2007 installed by fall 2008. This avoids potential problems for users who are unfamiliar with Office 2007. Click Start, Programs, to open the desired version. Note: The computer may run through a short install process if you select a version different than the previous user.
- The Carlson School Lab computers-
The student lab computers will have both Office 2003 and Office 2007 installed for Fall 2007. If you find you have particular assignments that work best in the Office 2003 format at this time, those students that have Office 2007 may use the labs to work on those assignments if necessary.
- The Carlson School Computer Training Classroom (L-117)-
The classroom podium computer only has Office 2003 installed at this time. Anyone needing to use Office 2007 for classroom demonstrations should either bring a laptop with Office 2007 or remote desktop to a computer that has that version installed.
Training Options
Office 2007 - Getting Acquainted (Carlson School) Class
Microsoft Vista
Please be aware that we do NOT currently support Microsoft Vista as your computer operating system. At this time we recommend that all Carlson School users continue using Windows XP as their operating system.
For Questions and Support
If you have questions or concerns about Office 2007, please email: csmstrns@umn.edu
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