NJIT: Information Services and Technology: Office 2007 Launch Information

Office 2007 has been tested and approved for release to the NJIT academic community. NJIT community members are able to download Office 2007 at the IST Software Download page, but are strongly urged to attend an Office 2007 workshop prior to installation.

Office 2007 offers a new user interface which will be time consuming for the average user to learn. Office 2007 also employs new file formats and has some significant compatibility issues with prior versions of Office. For example, certain Excel macros created in previous versions will work slower in Excel 2007, and previous versions of Access database files may not be compatible with Access 2007. IST recommends that everyone that does not use Office 2007 immediately install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. This pack will allow you to read Office 2007 files with Office 2003.

Office 2007 requires more system resources than any prior version of Office. Before considering installing Office 2007, you must first determine whether or not your computer meets or exceeds the minimum requirements. The best way to check your system specifications is to use the Direct X System Diagnostic Tool. Information on how to use this tool is located at http://ist.njit.edu/compreq/systemspecs.php. This website will explain how to use Direct X to view your current system hardware information and compare it with the requirements listed below.

Please Note: For users concerned with installing Office 2007, Outlook 2007 has been made available as a stand-alone application if your computer has at least 512 MB of RAM. IST suggests installing Outlook 2007 for it's minimal learning curve, category coloring features, Instant Search for emails, and more reasons listed below . You can install Outlook 2007 without installing the Office 2007 suite. Information about Outlook 2007 is available below, and on the IST Outlook 2007 software page.

Office 2007 Challenges		IST's Responses
Challenge: The Office user interface has been completely redesigned for Office 2007, and will require time for learning in order to use efficiently. Microsoft replaced the menu structure of previous versions of Office with what is known as the Ribbon, a unified toolbar located at the top of the Office window.		Response: TLT offers introductory classes at various times during the year via the TLT website. Web-based resources for Office 2007 support are also available. Additionally, Microsoft has numerous support options available on their Office Online website.
Challenge: Office 2007 utilizes a completely new file format by default. This file format is incompatible with older versions of Office.		Response: IST recommends that everyone that does not use Office 2007 should immediately install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. This pack will allow you to read Office 2007 files with Office 2003. For more information, click here.
Challenge: Access 2007 database files cannot be opened by any previous version of Access.		Response: IST recommends users who require compatibility with earlier versions of Access change the default file save format in Access 2007. IST has detailed instructions for this here. For more information on Access 2007 incompatibilities, click here.
Challenge: In some cases, Excel macros which worked in previous versions of Office do not work in Excel 2007.		Response: If your day-to-day needs include extensive use of Excel, IST recommends you first test your Excel files with Excel 2007 to ensure compatibility.

IST supports Microsoft Office 2007 for faculty and students. Anyone seeking general support for Office 2007 should consult IST's support pages and/or Microsoft's Office 2007 support pages (links below). For additional questions, please contact the IST HelpDesk.