Migrating to MS Office 97

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Microsoft Office 97 brings organizations the power of the intranet, enabling users to share information, collaborate on projects and be more effective in getting their work done.

Office 97 provides:

• Individual Efficiency Intelligent and integrated software helps users get organized and be more productive.

• Intranet Solutions Users can exploit the power of the intranet for sharing information throughout an organization.

• Improved Software Management Enhanced setup and administration tools translate to easier migration and reduced support costs.

This whitepaper will discuss in detail how organizations can make a successful transition to Office 97 through software management improvements over previous releases of Office. All of the capabilities mentioned in this whitepaper are fully documented in the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit from Microsoft Press®.

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Customer Requirements
Migrating to Office 97

Customer Requirements

Upgrading software for end users in a large organization is not a trivial undertaking. Most large organizations go through extensive evaluation of any software prior to purchase. In addition to providing capabilities end-users want, software is also evaluated for:

• Ease of deployment.

• Administrative flexibility in setting defaults.

• File sharing capabilities across different platforms and versions of the same software.

• Ability to get information and support for deploying the software.

Migrating to Office 97

Microsoft Office has an installed base of more than 22 million licensed users. Over 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Microsoft Office. The rise in popularity of Microsoft Office started with Microsoft Office 4*.x*, when many large organizations recognized the benefits of the ease of use and consistency of the products, and standardized their entire organization on Microsoft Office.

Microsoft works closely with large organizations to find ways to make it easier to deploy new versions of Microsoft Office. This includes making it easier for users to work together when they are using different versions of Microsoft Office, or using Microsoft Office on different operating systems. Following are some of the capabilities, tools and strategies in Office 97 that make it easier to migrate, and some pointers for deploying Office 97 in your organization.

Setup

Flexibility

Microsoft Office is a full-featured set of desktop productivity software tools with a wide variety of setup options to support Microsoft's broad customer base. It is designed to provide administrators with the same high level of flexibility and control whether end-users go through setup themselves, a technician goes out to the computer to set-up the software, or a fully-automated, hands-off process such as Microsoft Systems Management Server is used. All of the options discussed below work on all three platforms Office 97 supports: Windows® 95, Windows NT® Workstation and the Macintosh®, except where noted.

Options

• Physical Media There are a variety of media sources from which to install Office 97. Users who are not connected to a network can install Office 97 from a CD-ROM or floppy disks. For users connected to the network, it's easier to create a network installation (formerly called an administrative installation) of Office 97 on a server. Not only is it easier for the end user (no swapping disks), but the administrator retains maximum control and flexibility.

• What to Install? For simplicity, administrators can advise users to do a Typical installation. This installs the most frequently-used components without forcing users to make decisions they may not understand. Administrators can use the Network Installation Wizard (described below) to effectively create a custom Typical installation, to ensure users have all of the components they need. Since this customization allows for several different scripts, several Typical installation types can be used within one organization.

• Where to Install? Users can also choose where to install the software. For example, laptop users may want to install all the software on their hard drive to ensure they have all of the tools they need even when they are disconnected from the network. Some organizations may prefer to run all software from a network server for complete control and easier administration, even though it may increase network traffic and decrease performance.

A third option, making it possible to run the shared components from a server, reduces the install size on an end-user's computer without sacrificing performance. Individually, these components are smaller and used less frequently, but combined, they can save a great deal of hard drive space on the end-user's computer.

• Batch Mode Setup supports creation of one or more script files that work with the setup engine to customize an installation of Office 97. Switches can be used to specify the script file to use and to turn off any user-interaction dialog boxes. Switches also control whether the user's screen shows the progress of the installation or shows nothing (a "quiet" installation). In Office 97, batch-mode setup is supported on the Macintosh as well as Windows.

• Additional Setup Features It is not uncommon for a user to delete a vitally important file such as Excel.exe, to decide after the fact that they want a feature they did not initially install, or, to want to delete clip art to free hard disk space. To address these needs, additional setup options are available after Microsoft Office has been installed. These include Reinstall, Add/Remove Components, and Uninstall, which will completely remove Microsoft Office. Reinstall does not recopy files that are fine — it just fixes files that may have been deleted and makes sure all registry or preferences information is restored. A new feature in network installations writes to a network log every time a user installs Microsoft Office. This gives administrators a way to track users who have installed from each share point.

Technologies Supported

Many large organizations use tools to manage their users' desktops, so Microsoft has provided the technology to support these tools.

System Policies

Introduced in the Windows 95 operating system, and now supported in Windows NT Workstation 4.0, System Policies give the administrator control over custom settings for both the operating system and the applications on end users' computers. System Policies can be enabled for any user who logs on to the network. Through System Polices, the administrator can determine operating system options, the appearance of the Desktop and Start Menu, and options in Microsoft Office. Options in Microsoft Office that can be determined via System Policies include default file formats in which to save documents, default file locations, Office Assistant settings, the workgroup template location, and many of the options available in the Tools, Options dialog boxes in each of the applications.

Microsoft Systems Management Server

Microsoft Systems Management Server is one of the BackOffice™ server products from Microsoft. It provides the following services:

• Hardware and software inventory

• Software distribution

• Remote administration of end user desktops

Microsoft included support for Systems Management Server in Office 97 and individual applications to make it easy to deploy Microsoft Office throughout an organization without having to make a physical visit to each desktop. The appropriate Package Definition File (PDF) is included with the software. The PDF is the set of instructions Systems Management Server uses to distribute software. PDF and the many batch-file switches for Office Setup described below, make it possible to create a customized, completely hands-off method for distributing Office 97. At the end of setup, a message information file (MIF) is generated for Systems Management Server, so a report is returned on whether or not the installation was successful, and what error(s) occurred.

Administrative Tools

Most large organizations have worked diligently to establish a network and computing paradigm that works well for their enterprise and desktop computing needs. These models vary widely between organizations. Rather than providing solutions for the few common permutations, Microsoft has created tools that allow administrators to customize Microsoft Office to an organization. Following are descriptions of these tools.

Network Installation Wizard

Many organizations want to be able to create several types of custom installations to handle different departments and user populations. The most-frequently requested improvement to our Setup program is friendly interface for customizing batch scripts. For Office for Windows 95, we delivered the first version of the Network Installation Wizard, and we've improved it for Office 97. This is a tool that functions like a typical Office Wizard, stepping users through the process and options for creating a custom Setup Table File (STF) for Office 97. Options include choosing which features should be installed; whether users should install the software on their local hard drive or run it from the server; the default folder for installing Microsoft Office; the default location for the "My Documents" folder; and the ability to add additional files to Setup, such as custom templates. The Network Installation Wizard is available on the CD-ROM in the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit, which is available in book form and electronically on the World Wide Web.

Setup allows users to specify which STF to use during any given installation, so Network Installation Wizard lets users create one network installation of Microsoft Office 97 and several different STF files — one for each type of setup. Users simply give each type of setup a different name, such as accntg.stf or sales.stf, and use the appropriate Setup switch to point Setup to the correct STF file, without having to create another network installation.

The Network Installation Wizard runs on Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.51 or later. Custom installation scripts can be created for each of the platforms.

The Network Installation Wizard

Policy Template

Most users would find it very difficult to create a Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 System Policy entry from scratch. What really makes System Policies useful are templates with the settings and appropriate options defined by software developers. The Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit CD-ROM includes a policy template developed for the common custom settings for Office 97. It can be used with the Policy Editor utility that comes with Windows 95 or Windows NT to check off options that the user wants to set. For more information on implementing System Policies, customers can refer to the Windows 95 Resource Kit or the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit.

Windows 95 System Policy Editor with the Office 97 Policy Template

The Office Upgrade Wizard

One of the benefits of Office 97 is that nearly 50 percent of the code is shared by the Office 97 applications, so it uses less memory and disk space. In addition, many Office Family and Office Compatible applications, such as Microsoft Project, Microsoft Publisher and a variety of third-party products, also rely on this common code and won't install it if it's already available on the computer or network.

Because of this, when upgrading from Office 4*.x* to Office 97, it is not always best or necessary to remove all previously installed software. The Office Upgrade Assistant, available with the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit, helps end users and administrators remove all old Office 4*.x* or Office for Windows 95 software. It provides a variety of choices and is configurable by the administrator.

Other Office 97 Tools

• Batch file converters Convert entire directories of files to any file format supported by that application.

• Complete list of files A database with a complete list of files installed, including queries that show what feature installs which files, where they are installed to, version information, and whether they are included in Typical Setup.

• Project Deployment Planning Template A template created in Microsoft Project to help users plan and schedule the deployment of Microsoft Office 97, including resource allocation. There will also be a Microsoft Excel version of this tool.

File-Format Compatibility

File-format compatibility is potentially one of the greatest areas of concern for organizations moving to a new version of desktop productivity applications. Unfortunately, new features, which greatly enhance software, often also require changes to the file format. For example, additions such as Microsoft Excel PivotTable® dynamic views, Visual Basic® for Applications, an object model, and support for shared code such as for the new OfficeArt, have all required changes to the file formats.

Microsoft's goal is to develop file formats that do not need to change when new features are added. Until this goal is achieved, the groundwork is laid in Office 97 to eliminate converter issues, even when the file formats change.

New File-Converter Architecture

In a mixed environment of Microsoft Office users, sharing files can be problematic. Administrators don't want to expend the effort and cost of installing converters for older versions of software, and users of the new version don't want to give up new features in order to save in older formats. It is also annoying to end users to receive a Microsoft Word object, for instance, in email, but double-click, and have Microsoft Word fail to recognize the file or open it. These are the problems the new converter architecture should solve.

• File Format Detection Starting with the Office 97 applications, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint® will be able to determine if a file that is being opened was created in a newer version.

• Network File Converter Location Converters will be able to exist on a shared network location, even if the user has installed Microsoft Office on the local hard drive. This is supported via a registry entry which tells the applications where to look for additional converters.

• System Policy Template Support Administrators will be able to predetermine or change the location of the converter using System Policy. We will make it easy to set this entry by supporting it in our System Policy Template. This support is available only on Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.51 or higher, since these are the only two operating systems with this feature.

• Install from Web if the application detects that there is neither a converter stored locally for the given format nor a network location for the new converters, it will inform the user that this is a newer file format and that there is a converter available for reading it. If it detects that the user has a way of connecting to the Internet, it will invite the user to connect to the Web and download this new converter from the Microsoft Web site. If the user agrees, the application will start up the connection, allow the user to download the filter, install it, and end the connection. The user can then open the file successfully.

Migration to new versions of Microsoft Office will be much smoother since users working with different versions of Office will not have problems sharing files. Even better, there are no costs associated with this solution.

File Format Differences

There is a great deal of compatibility between different versions of Microsoft Office. The few incompatibilities that do exist are documented in the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit. There is also thorough documentation on file-format compatibility for those switching from applications other than Microsoft Office, such as WordPerfect® and Lotus® 1-2-3®.

Default Save

Another frequently requested feature from administrators is the ability to restrict users to saving in a particular file format. Since most large organizations do not upgrade everyone at one time, this is an effective intermediary solution for sharing files. Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint all support the new Default Save feature that only allows users to save documents in the file format of a previous version of the application. End users can specify the file format in which to save documents in the Tools Options dialog box in each of the applications. In addition, on the Windows 95 and Windows NT platforms, the administrator can set the file format using the System Policy. Administrators can set what file format to save in and customize the message users see when they save in a different file format. If users are not sharing files and want to save them in the Office 97 format, they can override this setting.

Batch File Conversion

Once users have migrated to Office 97, many administrators will want to convert all older files so end users don't have to do it one file at a time. Batch file converters provided with the software will convert entire directories of files from any given format to the Office application format.

Viewers

The ultimate compatibility tool, Viewers allow users who do not have Office to view and print Office documents. Although they cannot create or edit files, Viewer users can accomplish specific tasks such as following hyperlinks, using the various views in the Microsoft Word Viewer, showing a presentation in the PowerPoint Viewer, or using the AutoFilter feature in the Microsoft Excel Viewer.

32-bit Windows Viewers will be available for Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Excel. A 16-bit Windows Viewer will also be available for Word. Microsoft will work with third parties for additional viewing solutions, including INSO (Error! Bookmark not defined.) and Verity (Error! Bookmark not defined..

File Format Compatibility

The following section highlights ways users of different versions of Microsoft Office can share files and the compatibility between these versions. Full details can be found in the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit.

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word 97 can open and save documents created by earlier versions of Microsoft Word, back to version 2.0 of Microsoft Word for Windows, 4.0 of Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, and 5.0 of Microsoft Word for MS-DOS®.

In addition, users of Microsoft Word for Windows back to version 6.0 and Microsoft Word for the Macintosh back to version 6.0 can open Microsoft Word 97 files by using a converter that must be installed separately. If changes are saved in the earlier version, there may be loss of some features that are new in Microsoft Word 97, but data is preserved.

When Microsoft Office 97 shipped in January 1997 it became clear that customers had serious issues with they way Microsoft Word 97 implemented file coexistence. In August 1997 Microsoft will ship Microsoft Office 97 Service Release 1, which will contain a binary converter for Word 97. This converter enables Word 97 users to save files in the Word 6.0 and Word 95 file format, solving the following file coexistence issues that some large organizations have experienced while deploying Office 97:

• Eliminates user confusion over the ".RTF" extension when Word users choose Save As for a file that was previously saved as Word 6.0/95 with the original Word 97.

• Large RTF files will no longer be an issue since the new converter will save as binary Word 6.0/95 file format

Although the development environment and language have changed completely in Microsoft Word 97, almost all older WordBasic macros should work without problems.

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel 97 can open and save to earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, back to version 3.0 on both the Windows and Macintosh platforms. Microsoft Excel can save both the Microsoft Excel 97 and the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 format information into one file. The file will be larger than the average file, and will take longer to save, but, end users of Microsoft Excel 5.0, 95 and 97 can open and save files in this format. It is not necessary to install special converters for users of Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 95.

The older macro language, XLM, continues to be supported in Microsoft Excel, so older macros should run without problems.

Microsoft Access

Microsoft Access can open all older Microsoft Access files on the Windows platform only. (Microsoft Access is not available on the Macintosh.) Users can view all objects in the database and add, delete, or modify records. However, users can't modify the design of objects such as Forms, Reports or Modules. Earlier versions of Microsoft Access can not open Microsoft Access 97 files, but, Microsoft Access for Windows 95 users can use (attach to) data from Microsoft Access 97 tables and queries.

A solution for compatibility among Microsoft Access users is to separate the tables and queries from the application, put data in one format that all users can attach to, and then have more than one version of the application so users of Microsoft Access 97 can take advantage of new functionality.

Microsoft Access 97 can run both older Access Basic and older Visual Basic for Applications modules with very few exceptions.

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook™ desktop information manager replaces previous Microsoft Mail and Microsoft Exchange e-mail clients and Schedule+. The following information covers most compatibility scenarios. More information can be found in the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit.

Outlook 97 users will be able to participate in the following activities with users of Outlook 97 and all previous Schedule+ versions, regardless of whether the mail system is Microsoft Mail 3.2 or Microsoft Exchange Server.

• Send to and receive meeting requests

• View published free/busy information

• Import calendars from previous Schedule+ versions and other common formats (text, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel)

Schedule+ 95 introduced a new feature which, with permission, allows users to right-click on a busy time for another user in Planner View, and get the details of the appointment. Outlook 97 users will be able to view these details for all users. However, Schedule+ 95 users will not be able to see the details for an Outlook 97 user.

Delegate Access allows one user to appoint another user to act as an owner of a schedule — planning appointments, requesting meetings and accepting meeting. Outlook 97 supports Delegate Access, but only among Outlook 97 users.

The Microsoft Exchange client and Outlook 97 support the ability to create customized views of email messages, both for personal and public folders. Outlook 97 users will be able to use views created in the Microsoft Exchange client, and both will be able to use views created in Outlook, provided that the Microsoft Exchange client switch is turned on when the view is created in Outlook.

For electronic-forms compatibility between Microsoft Exchange client and Outlook 97 users, users should create forms with the Microsoft Exchange Forms Designer, which will run in Outlook 97.

Finally, the Outlook object model is very different from the Schedule+ 95 object model, so solutions created for Schedule+ 95 will not work in Outlook 97.

Microsoft PowerPoint

The PowerPoint presentation graphics program can open and save to older files back to versions 3.0 on both the Windows and Macintosh platforms. There will be converters that need to be installed separately for users of PowerPoint for Windows 95 and PowerPoint 4.0 on both the Windows and Macintosh platforms. These converters allow users of previous versions to open PowerPoint 97 files. PowerPoint also allows users to save files in a version that includes all information needed for both PowerPoint for Windows 95 and PowerPoint 97 formats. This will enable users of these versions to share files without being concerned about the version.

The object model in PowerPoint has changed extensively for more consistency with other applications and to include a host of new objects. Consequently, programs written for PowerPoint for Windows 95 will need to be updated.

Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit

In the tradition of the various Windows Resource Kits, the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit is designed to be the administrator's guide to Microsoft Office 97, and will be available when Microsoft Office 97 ships. Organized into five main sections, the resource kit covers the majority of IS migration issues:

• Deploying Office 97 Fully explains Setup procedures, including customizing client installations, optimizing Office 97, and troubleshooting.

• Upgrading to Office 97 Complete coverage of how to upgrade from previous versions of the Office applications, back to Office 3.0.

• Switching from Other Applications Similar to the preceding section, this is complete information on making the change from non-Office applications, such as WordPerfect, Lotus 1-2-3 and Lotus Freelance®.

• Using Office 97 Throughout Your Organization This section covers many topics, including supporting multiple versions of Office at the same time, workgroup functionality in Office 97, administering an Office Web, and interoperability with electronic mail.

• Architecture Detailed information on the architecture of the Office applications, including registry settings, and ways to exploit the architecture.

Resources

Microsoft Office is overwhelmingly the most popular suite of desktop productivity applications in the world and there are a variety of resources available to assist efforts to deploy and support Microsoft Office.

Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit Available Online

The Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit is continually updated after it is published. As accounts deploy Office 97, new information is learned that can help others. The up-to-date, electronic version of the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit can be found in the following locations:

• Microsoft Web Site: https://www.microsoft.com/ork/

• Microsoft TechNet CD-ROM

Solution Providers

A host of Microsoft Solution Providers are specifically trained to assist in deployment of and development with Microsoft products. Information about Solution Providers can be obtained by calling 1-800-SOL-PROV in North America or by calling your local Microsoft subsidiary.

Training Organizations

A variety of training organizations offer training to end users on Office 97. For information on Authorized Training and Education Centers, call 1-800-SOL-PROV in North America or a local Microsoft subsidiary.

Microsoft TechNet

Microsoft TechNet is a comprehensive information resource for anyone who evaluates, implements, or supports Microsoft business products. A survival guide for the technical jungle, TechNet includes more than 150,000 pages of in-depth information on CD — shipped to subscribers every month. The ultimate tool for supporting Microsoft products, this monthly CD-ROM includes all of the Microsoft Resource Kits, Microsoft's Product Support Service Knowledge Base of support articles, support information written by third parties, and much more.

Customers in the U.S. and Canada have three ways to subscribe:

• Contact their authorized reseller.

• To start a subscription immediately, call (800) 344-2121, dept. 3120 with credit card information any time between 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Pacific Time, weekdays.

• Fill out an electronic order form on our Web site.

Outside of North America, see the complete listing of phone numbers in the TechNet area of the Microsoft Web Site.

World Wide Web Site

The Microsoft World Wide Web site has everything from product information to free software and drivers, to electronic versions of resource kits and the TechNet CD.

• Microsoft Home Page https://www.microsoft.com/

• Microsoft Office Home Page https://www.microsoft.com/office/

• TechNet Home Page https://www.microsoft.com/technet/

Product Support Services

All Microsoft products are backed by an award-winning Technical Support group. Microsoft Office, Standard Edition, is the only desktop productivity suite with free, unlimited end user support (via toll lines). Microsoft Access includes two free support calls. Microsoft also provide some free developer support, with a variety of packages to fit user needs for additional developer or premium support. For more information on PSS packages for Desktop Applications, in North America call 1-800-931-4100, visit the Support area on the Microsoft Web site, or contact a local subsidiary.

Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.

WordPerfect is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc.
Lotus, 1-2-3, Freelance is a registered trademark of Lotus Development Corportation.