Office 2007 – FAQ

How different are the applications in Office 2007 – 2011 from those in 2003?

Most of the 2007 applications “look and feel” different from the previous versions.  Many of the files these applications create are technically different and even have different “extensions” on the ends of the file names (i.e., documentname.docx for 2007 Word files compared to documentname.doc for 2003 Word files).

What happens if I try to open a Word (or other Microsoft application) file that was created in the 2003 version on a computer that has the 2007 – 2011 version installed?

The 2007 versions of Office applications are backward-compatible, meaning that the new version of the applications will open 2003 files with little or no problem. Most of the new applications will also save the files in the old format, but usually the user has to remember to select that menu option when saving a file.  Often saving in the older format brings up a warning that some of the 2007-specific features may be lost.

Can you help me do that?

Instructions for saving Office 2007 documents in different formats may be found on the UMW Office 2007 Support Site.

What happens if I try to open a Word file that was created in the 2007 version on a computer that has only the 2003 version installed?

For some, but not all, of the applications, a conversion utility exists – you simply install this utility on the computer with the Office 2003 suite already installed and the utility converts the 2007 files to the 2003 format (this does not work perfectly – some of the new features of Office 2007 applications are lost during this conversion, and not all 2007 files (notably MS-Access files) can be converted using the utility back to the 2003 version.  You’ll find the conversion utility here.

Is it possible to run both versions of the Office suite on my laptop or PC?

It is possible, but it is important to recognize the consequences of doing so. In most circumstances, Office 2007 applications will “trump” Office 2003 applications when they’re both present on the same computer.  This means that when you double-click on a Word 2003 file, the application that opens will be Word 2007.  It is possible to start the Word 2003 application and open a Word 2003 file from the “File” menu, but this is difficult to remember as you are working quickly, so we recommend that you use one version or another on your office and home PC, but not both.   If you must have both installed, Office 2007 must be installed last, and you must be prepared to deal with the many complications of trying to work in the multi-version environment.

But what about the computers in computing labs or classrooms?  How will I know what I will find there?

All of the Windows computers in labs and classrooms at UMW will be loaded with Microsoft Office 2003 for Windows only.

Are there Office 2007 – 2011 classes available?

Yes.  You can sign up by visiting the Technology Training site.

In addition to the classes, how can I get a sense of what is different with Office 2007?

DoIT Staff Members have built an Office 2007 support site. See the Microsoft Office tutorial site that is found here:  Microsoft Office Tutorials.

If you have Macromedia Flash Player 7.0 or later on your computer, you can see multimedia demonstrations of the new products at the Microsoft site.

In addition, all of the labs and classrooms on both campuses have the newer software.  Feel free to take a test drive!

Is there a site I can include on my syllabus where students can go for help with 2007 – 2011?

See UMW’s Office 2007 – 2011 support site:  Microsoft Office Tutorials or Microsoft’s multimedia demonstrations of the new products.

Okay – I’ve learned enough about Office 2007 – 2011 to be ready to have it on my office PC or laptop.  How do I get it?

Call the Help Desk at (540) 654-2255 and the staff there will help you schedule an installation on your work computer.

Do I have to upgrade to 2007 – 2011? By when?

It’s is highly recommended to upgrade as 2007 – 2011 has been growing in its use since it is release.

Is the University able to provide a copy of Office 2007 – 2011 for me to use in working at home on my own (not the University’s) computer?

Yes, our Microsoft campus agreement allows you, under conditions detailed on the form you’ll need to sign, to have a copy to use at home simply for the cost of the media (i.e., CDs) on which the install program is provided to you.  To get your home-use copy, follow the following campus-specific instructions:

Fredericksburg – Pay just under $7 at the Cashier’s office, and take receipt to the Help Desk that is located in the basement of George Washington Hall.  The Help Desk staff will provide the media.

Stafford – See Carolyn Chewning. You’ll pay just under $7 (cash or check), and Carolyn will provide the media.

Is there a new version of Office, or conversion tools, for Mac users?

Microsoft released Office 2011,  in January 2008.  More information about it can be found here.

Though not officially supported at UMW, NeoOffice ( http://www.neooffice.org ) can open many of the new Office 2007 – 2011 formats natively.  Use it at your own risk.

Does 2007 – 2011 support .rtf files?

Yes, it does.