Although most tech publications are reporting on Microsoft Office 2010, the reality is that a significant number of U.S. companies have yet to finish the Office 2007 upgrades they purchased before the recession hit.

Windows 7 is upon us. New operating system, new Office suite. Let the games begin.

According to a leading industry source, about 50 percent of enterprise-sized IT infrastructures are running mixed Microsoft Office end-user environments. That’s a whole lot of wasted investment.

Then there are companies who waited for that whole Vista debacle to blow over. They kept XP and Office 2003, with the aim of upgrading when Windows 7 was released.

Windows 7 is upon us. New operating system, new Office suite. Let the games begin.

We have compiled a list of the most common Office 2007 user questions and issues, and it was recently published by IT World. You can read it here. Take notes, and happy migrating.

PC Helps also recently published a white paper on the subject, titled “The Myths and Realities of an Office 2007 and Windows 7 Migration.” Download it for free http://www.pchelps.com/html/o2007mythsrealitiesroi.asp

MORE INFO IN: Desktop Application Support | Contact PC Helps

admin Office 2007, Office 2007 Migration Assurance Program, Windows 7 ITworld.com, Microsoft, Office 2007, ROI, Windows 7, Windows XP

Weather the storm by enlisting the help of Microsoft migration experts like PC Helps. PC Helps has successfully assisted in the Windows 7, Office 2007 and Office 2010 migration efforts for thousands of corporate end-users. The PC Helps Migration Assurance Plan is designed to minimize the learning curve and reduce downtime which allows end-users and internal IT staff to quickly regain the confidence and knowledge necessary to remain productive.
Learn more >> www.pchelps.com/emailweb/sd/O2K10_deplmnt/O2K10_lp.html

admin Uncategorized Help Desk, Microsoft, migrations, Office 2007, Office 2010, ROI, Windows 7

It’s the unofficial start to summer! It’s time to turn on your away message and get lost. But before you do, make sure you are covered. Here are some tips to keep your e-mail house in order while you enjoy the season: Read more…

admin BlackBerry, How To, Outlook, Time-Saving Tips BlackBerry, Fourth of July, Office 2007, Out of Office Assistant, Outlook

A random sampling of tweets about Office 2007 offers no surprises. Users are frustrated, desperate, confused, angry even. No matter where you are in your 2007 migration – research and planning stage; implementation; post-migration – you will hit some snags, to be sure. How you handle them may dictate future budget allocations, even the health of your IT department. Here’s what you should know before you choose a migration plan and partner: Read more…

admin Office 2007, ROI, Worker Productivity Office 2007, Office 2007 Migration Assurance Program, ROI, software support, Worker Productivity

Migrating to Windows 7 and Office 2007 is a massive undertaking, no matter your company size. Preparation is vital to a successful transition. Using the information and data points we’ve culled from many successful migrations with our mid- to enterprise-size clients, we have organized this collection of best practices and common occurrences:

Most Common Support Calls

Many corporate workers have been using Windows XP for some time now, so a learning curve with Windows 7 is inevitable. Below are some factors that will affect your employees’ productivity with the new operating system:

• Elimination of the Quick Launch toolbar and the Vista sidebar (if applicable)
• A new taskbar with icons only
• Changes to auxiliary apps like Windows Movie Maker and Windows Mail
• New features like Federated Search, Windows Mobility Center, Aero Peek, Jump Lists

Best Practice – Provide consolidated training on these features before deployment or make sure Windows 7 experts are standing by and are readily available the day of deployment. Downtime is costly.

As for Office 2007, its radically different interface will result in an even steeper learning curve. The design is such a departure that your employees will hit snags just trying to figure out how to perform basic tasks like saving and formatting. Here are some issues that may cause problems: Read more…

admin Office 2007, Windows 7 migration, Office 2007, Windows 7

With the imminent release of Microsoft’s newest operating system, Windows 7, the tech world is full of chatter about the new OS, the old OS, and that other OS. Windows 7, they say, is more polished and faster. XP, however, is getting its share of good ink; some publications have made the case for why businesses will stick with it.

Two words:
“Loads faster!”

Regardless of which OS you opt for, there is at least one guarantee — that is, that you will face a migration eventually. The more information you have, the better. Here’s our take on 7, from a user’s standpoint, and from IHD’s:

For the Windows 7 User:

What changes will potentially throw off users?

1. With the elimination of the Quick Launch toolbar, users will have to pin items to the Start Menu or the taskbar. Read more…

admin Windows 7 migration, Office 2007, Windows Vista, Windows XP

Consider the following scenario: The entire staff of an elementary school was recently upgraded to Office 2007. When Teacher A began creating a new lesson in PowerPoint, which is something she does on a regular basis, she couldn’t figure out how to align her text.

After more than an hour of trial and error Read more…

admin Computer Literacy, Office 2007, ROI, Worker Productivity Cat Stevens, Help Desk, Office 2007, PowerPoint, ROI, software support, Worker Productivity

You’ve already committed the company to an Office 2007 migration, and the learning curve alone promises grief. Factor in the current financial climate and the overwhelming pressure to pull off a successful migration, and you have full-on agita.

Software migrations will no doubt cause disruptions in at least three areas over several months. But if you approach it with a thought-out plan, you can lessen the sting.

Where’s the File Menu?

The first and most obvious impact will be on your employees. Read more…

admin Computer Literacy, Office 2007, ROI, Worker Productivity Office 2007, Office 2007 Migration Assurance Program

In the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball world they have March Madness. Since its 1939 inception, the tournament has built a legacy that includes dynasty teams and dramatic Cinderella stories.

History, though, has taught us that for all of the great underdog stories that exist, the top-seeded teams that have a firm strategic game plan and a strong foundation of raw talent and skill win more championships.

In the IT, help desk and end-user services world we face a similar big event, a Windows 7 and Office 2007 migration. Based on execution, IT leaders can come out a champion, creating their own Cinderella story by proving ROI, increasing productivity and demonstrating end-user confidence and early adoption, instead of assumed chaos. Conversely, IT leaders can end up the loser, crippling productivity, frustrating end-users and damaging help desk service levels if they show up with an inadequate team and insufficient game plan.

Champion your migration – click here for a top-seeded team and strategic game plan.

MORE INFO IN: Desktop Application Support | Contact PC Helps

admin Windows 7 & Office 2007 Migration basketball, March Madness, migration, Office 2007, Windows 7

I wrote a post last week titled “Six Reasons to Finish Your Office 2007 Upgrade” and received a comment that deserves repeating.

Depending on their game plan, IT leaders can come out champions, creating their own Cinderella stories by proving ROI.

The reader said she upgraded to 2007 but asked to switch back to 2003 because her company didn’t provide any training.

She began her comment with a question: “So, how do you propose to deal with user frustration?”

Here’s how I replied:

“I know how immensely frustrating Office 2007 can be without training and support. If it was installed on your work PC, and your company provided no training or assistance, then I suspect your CIO is either clueless or just cheap. Upgrading employees without any sort of assistance is shortsighted.

“For home PC users, that’s another story. The redesign is jarring, to say the least. As one commenter put it: It’s as if Office was an automobile, and the manufacturer put the steering wheel in the trunk and the gas and brake pedals on the ceiling.

“Here’s the thing: Microsoft’s intent was to make the user interface more intuitive. Whether they accomplished that goal is up for debate. However, a look at the Office 2010 beta version reveals that the Ribbon is here to stay, so sticking with 2003 will only lengthen the learning curve.”

In a recent ad campaign, my company framed it in basketball terms: Read more…

admin Finish What You Started, Office 2007 Migration Assurance Program basketball, CIO, Help Desk, March Madness, NCAA Men's Basketball, Office 2007, Windows 7