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If you’re using an older version of Microsoft Office, you could be doing yourself a disservice. While Office 2010 came out two years ago, many people are still using the older versions.
Maybe you’re happy with the version you’re using, or maybe you don’t want to incur the cost of upgrading. Whatever the reason, it may be in your best interest to upgrade. Here’s why.
Reasons to Upgrade to Office 2010
Almost every application in the Office 2010 suite received some big upgrades. From Social Media connection features, to real time co-authoring and collaboration tools, to built-in PDF support, the new office suite has features galore and something for everyone.
We regularly post about changes and features in Office. Here are some of the neat things you can do in the newer version that you cannot do (or can’t easily do) in older versions.
10 Nifty Excel 2010 Shortcuts: Some easy keyboard commands and shortcuts geared to save you time when you’re working in Excel.
Microsoft OneNote: Think of it as your spiral bound notebook in the cloud. OneNote, virtual note taking software, first appeared in Office 2007, but really came into the spotlight with Office 2010.
Outlook 2010 Quick Access Tool Bar: Put the buttons and features you use the most at the top of Outlook, so that they are always available to you.
Outlook 2010 Search Folders: Outlook 2010 is packed full of great features, like Search Folders which let you categorize and save particular search criteria, so that you can always find important emails.
And these are only a small sampling of some of the great new features available in Office 2010.
What You Should Know Before Upgrading
First, you should be aware that Office 2010 is very different than earlier versions, particularly if you’ve been using Office 2003, and skipped over the 2007 version. One of the biggest things you’ll have to get used to is the Ribbon (the large bar at the top of the Microsoft Office Suite) which replaces the traditional menus.
The Ribbon can be a little cumbersome to get used to at first, but with a little time you’ll find that it actually makes life easier, because everything you need is right out in front. No more digging through various menus to try and find what you need.
And, once you get over the look, you’ll find your programs so packed full of features that you’ll soon wonder how you ever got along without them.
Do you have a favorite feature in Microsoft Office 2010? Leave us a comment and let us know.
Julie Strier is a
freelance writer who wants to help you use your software more effectively. Email: [email protected]. Website:www.mybusinesswriter.com.
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