Collaboration software such as Groove Virtual Office and web-enabled work flow tools through Sharepoint Designer 2007 are amongst some of the new features users are set to experience when the next incarnation of Microsoft Office is unveiled at the end of this year.
Up until now the next version of Microsoft Office had been code-named Office 12 but it is understood the official title will be Microsoft Office 2007.
The company said today that the 2007 release is designed to increase an individual’s impact on the company or organisation they work for by simplifying collaboration between teams, streamlining business processes and content management and boosting overall business insight by executives.
“This 2007 release will deliver a major breakthrough in providing the tools Irish customers need to increase their productivity,” said Clive Ryan, business group leader of the information worker group at Microsoft Ireland.
“The new products offer the best productivity tools for individuals as well as opening major opportunities for improving collaboration among teams. In addition, the new product options give customers more flexibility in how they can purchase our products.”
On the desktop, the 2007 release will include new and improved software suites and applications for volume license and retail customers. The company said that major productivity advancements will be experienced through a new, results-oriented user interface.
For volume license customers, Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007, the new name for a significantly updated release of Microsoft Office Professional Enterprise Edition 2003, will deliver improved information management and teamwork solutions through integration with new Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 capabilities, as well as inclusion of Microsoft Office Communicator.
A new offering called Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 builds on the capabilities of Office Professional Plus 2007 by extending collaboration and mobility scenarios through inclusion of Microsoft Office Groove 2007 and Microsoft Office OneNote 2007.
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007, an updated release of Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition 2003, will be available for home users.
Office Groove 2007, an updated release of Groove Virtual Office software, will enable teams to work together dynamically inside collaborative work spaces regardless of location or network connection.
Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007, partially based on Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 technologies, is part of the next-generation web design tools that will help workers to create and customise Microsoft SharePoint Web sites and build work flow-enabled applications using SharePoint Technologies.
As part of the 2007 release, Microsoft is introducing a full range of new and improved servers that will integrate solutions across collaboration, enterprise content management and forms, business intelligence and enterprise project management scenarios.
The company said Office SharePoint Server 2007 will become the single server that unifies portal and content management, business insight and business process capabilities to enable customers to collaborate more effectively, make more informed decisions and control content across line-of-business applications.
By John Kennedy
