Sarasota PC Monitor
Microsoft Excel 2007
A Software Review
by Sharon Rump
Member of the Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc.In my review last month, I touched on the installation of the Office Suite and a few features that overlap into each of the programs that are included. As I continue to use the different programs, I find that there are many similarities that make using Windows programs so easy to recognize features that you have already learned in another offering.
One feature that I recognize in Vista and all of the Office programs is the "Button". The start menu in Vista is gone and there is simply a round button that you choose to find what you are looking for to start using a program. In Office, the button replaces the file menu and offers the usual items that you find there including new, open, save, print, etc. There is also a Quick Access Toolbar which allows you to include some of these items so that they are always visible and just a click away.
I have included the ones that I use most to make it easier and one less click.
I continue to love the ribbon feature and in Excel it is really a big plus. One of the main reasons for using this program is to work with figures and there are lots of improvements in this area. The formula bar automatically expands when you are creating a long formula which is a plus for anyone working with complicated formulas. There are also more rows and columns (1,048,576 rows by 16,384 columns) which most of us would never use, but it is good to know that they are there if you ever are working on a super big project and need lots of room. These two improved features will probably not be something the average user would need, but this program is being used by many professionals and Microsoft has made strides to make it more functional for all users. One of the main features that I use in Excel is the ability to numbers crunch. The formulas that are in the Formula area of the ribbon make it so easy to add just what you need. There is no need to hunt through many file menus to locate the one that is perfect for you. They are all divided into logical areas and you might even find something that you didn't know that you needed to make the job at hand a bit easier. I have always found working with formulas a challenge. I know the basics, but when there is something a little more advanced that is needed, it was a bit of extra work to find out how to formulate the needed information to arrive at the desired destination. Now, it is so much easier and I look forward to more challenges in this area.
The themes and styles that are included in Office continue to be enhanced in this module of the suite. The predefined offerings make it so easy to create a very professional document that makes it look like you took a lot of time to get everything looking so great and it is really so simple once you become familiar with the functionality of themes and styles which are an integral part of all of the programs.
Data can be sorted and filtered by more levels than before and you can sort by color, dates or many more options in the AutoFilter drop-down list that is included.
There are new charting tools available which include tools that will let you create special effects like 3-D, transparency and soft shadows. Again, there are many templates available to make this job much easier.
The new and improved file formats for the suite cover all programs and Excel uses the XML-based file format (.xlsx) which will allow these files to be more easily integrated with external data sources. They also make the file sizes smaller due to the way that the data is handled internally. While this functionality offers the ability to be up to date with current technology, you can also save in the original file format of Excel so that your files are compatible with users who have not yet had the opportunity or privilege to upgrade to this fantastic offering.
There is also a new Page Layout view which will allow you to see just how the file you are working on will look when it is printed. You can more easily work with the headers, footers, margins and do exact placement of items that you want included in your printed project. When you have everything just the way you want it, you can also print the document as a PDF file from directly within the program without having an external program installed to handle this function. You do need to take additional steps to enable this function, but it is easy to accomplish and once completed, you will have it at your fingertips.
While I have not had much experience working with all of the new functions in Access 2007, it is so easy to open your existing database files in the new version. I did find that some of the functionality was turned off by default, but you are given a message as to what is not working and the ability to turn the function back on if you are sure that the data is free of anything that may harm your database. Microsoft continues to try and protect the average user from outside malicious content that may infect the user and cause a lot of damage.
Access also has new features added in all areas beginning with the much loved "ribbon". You can convert an existing database to the new format and begin to add features that are not found in previous versions. But, you must remember that others without the new suite will not be able to open these files. You can always save the file in an older format which makes file sharing that much easier. Of course, the new functions will not be enabled in the older functions, so it is important to remember this when you are working with the data.
I find that as I work with the existing files, I discover fresh features that I can investigate and learn how to use on an as needed basis. When you install a suite such as this with so many modules, it can be daunting to try and learn everything at once.
But the ability to learn step by step as you go makes it easy to want to go forward and improve your skills. There are so many templates included with each module that half of your work is done before you start.
I continue to be impressed with the amount of training and help that is offered by Microsoft online which makes learning the new functions of all of the included programs so much easier. They add more information as it becomes available and there are also other places that you can find help from users who have discovered a new and easier way of working with this program. The search function of your Internet browser can lead you in so many directions that you will spend hours soaking it all in and becoming more proficient with each encounter with the new programs included in the Office 2007 Suite.
To anyone who is trying to make a decision as to whether to upgrade or not, I find the new features and functionality of this suite warrants the plunge and am glad that I had the opportunity to work with these exciting new programs. The article that was in the May 2007 Monitor listed all of the different offerings of Microsoft Office 2007 with prices included. You can get more detailed information on each program at www.microsoft.com. :
Copyright 2007. This article is from the June 2007 issue of the Sarasota PC Monitor, the official monthly publication of the Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc., P.O. Box 15889, Sarasota, FL 34277-1889. Permission to reprint is granted only to other non-profit computer user groups, provided proper credit is given to the author and our publication. We would appreciate receiving a copy of the publication the reprint appears in, please send to above address, Attn: Editor. For further information about our group, email: admin@spcug.org/ Web: http://www.spcug.org/
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