Information Technology Services

Microsoft Office 2007 News

In the not-too-distant future ITS will begin the gradual migration to Microsoft Office 2007. Here is the migration / implementation plan

1. The first step in our implementation plan is to convert one of the teaching labs in Dailey Hall (Room 203) to Microsoft Office 2007. This will enable us to continue testing, and to conduct training sessions. If you haven't seen the software yet, it is very powerful, but it looks very different. These sessions are in the process of being scheduled. Keep your eyes on the ITS Web site, and the ITS newsletter for additional details.
   
2. For the short term, the remaining labs and individual user's computers will continue to have Office 2003. Microsoft Office 2003 with the 2007 add-on installed will continue to function just fine. All of the labs PCs have the Microsoft add-on that allows Office 2003 users to work with office 2007 files.
   
3. The newer version will not be forced upon individual users at this time as Office 2003 continues to be the most stable and reliable option.
   
4. The plan is for all ITS supported lab computers to be converted to Office 2007 during the summer of 2008. This is also when we plan to begin larger scale installations.
   
5. We will be looking for a handful of "Early Adopters." To be considered for installation of Office 2007 prior to the Summer of 2008 you must meet the following criteria:
1. You do not use the Outlook Connector or manage calendars of individuals that use the Outlook connector.
2. You do not sync Pocket PC or Mobile Device using Outlook currently – This functionality has not been fully tested yet. It is planned for the spring.
3. You must attend Office 2007 training workshop – Because of the drastic change in the look and feel of the software, we will only consider installation for folks who attend the training at this time

Note: There was an incorrect statement contained within the training workshop flyer that was sent out to the campus. We (ITS) are still in the early stages of our Office 2007 implementation plan and are not ready to install the software on individual campus computers at this time. Any updates or changes to this plan will be posted on the ITS Web Site.
 

Posted January 14, 2008