New Features in Office 2003, Part 1: Connecting People

OFFICE 2003 RECOMMENDED READING

Click here for more titles

Collaborating on Documents with Team Members

1. Document Workspaces
   Simplify the process of working with others to co-author, modify, and review files using Document Workspaces. Document Workspace are centralized sites where team members can access files, see lists of tasks, find helpful links, and collaborate. Team members can also send instant messages to each other.¹

2. Shared attachments
   Simplify the process of working with others to co-author, edit, and review files. When you send a file as a shared attachment with Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, you can create a Document Workspace.¹

3. Shared Workspace task pane
   Check for updated versions of files, see if team members are online, see lists of related links and files, and view file properties. The Shared Workspace task pane is available from Microsoft Office Excel 2003 spreadsheets, Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003 presentations, and Microsoft Office Word 2003 documents.¹

4. Integration with Windows SharePoint Services
   Create a team intranet site and then upload files using your browser or Excel 2003, PowerPoint 2003, or Word 2003. Integration with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services enables you to use the Shared Workspace task pane, Document Workspaces, and shared attachments.¹

Exchanging Contact Information

5. Synchronize contacts
   Using Outlook 2003 integration with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services, you can share your contacts with others to ensure that team members have the contacts they need to reach people and conduct business. Synchronize contacts on the Windows SharePoint Services site and view it from within Outlook 2003.

Organizing Meetings and Events

6. Meeting Workspaces
   Plan for and organize meetings by storing and sharing agendas, visuals, document links, attendee lists, and other documentation in a location everyone can access. Meeting Workspaces can be automatically created when you send meeting invitations from Outlook 2003.¹

7. Side-by-side calendars in Outlook 2003    IMPROVED  
   View multiple calendars next to your own. The calendars are color-coded and labeled to help you quickly compare schedules or schedule meetings. After you open another person's calendar you can easily show or hide that person's calendar.

8. Events    IMPROVED
   Team members can add and store information about an event in a central location, and then export the event information directly to an Outlook calendar.

9. Share Outlook free/busy information    IMPROVED
   More easily schedule meetings with Outlook users who don't share a Microsoft Exchange server by providing free/busy information over the Internet.

Managing Document Changes

10. Word 2003 editing restrictions
    Lock down portions of Word documents to prevent anyone from editing sections they are not authorized to edit. Choose to allow others to make changes with revisions marks, or make the entire document read-only.

11. Word 2003 formatting restrictions
    Lock down a document through the Protect Document task pane. Give coworkers permissions to edit content in a document, but not any of the styles that make up the document formatting.

12. Reviewing Toolbar    IMPROVED
    View changes by specific reviewers or by all reviewers, and then accept or reject changes one at a time or all at once.

13. Markup Balloons    IMPROVED
    Markups in Word 2003 and PowerPoint 2003 now appear in the right margin of the file. Balloons identify revisions and reviewer comments without obscuring the original document or presentation, or affecting its layout.

Controlling Access to Vital Business Information

14. Information Rights Management (IRM)
    in Office Professional Edition 2003 files
    Help reduce the risk of having confidential e-mail messages and files fall into the wrong hands, whether by accident, carelessness, or malicious intent. Specify who can receive files and set restrictions on copying, forwarding, or printing them. IRM functionality is available in Excel 2003, Outlook 2003, PowerPoint 2003, and Word 2003.²
    
    Note: Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 enables you to create IRM-protected content and grant other users the rights to access and modify your files or e-mail messages. With Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003, Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003, and Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition 2003 you can read IRM-protected files and e-mail messages; with permission, you can modify them as well.
15. IRM document expiration dates
    Give your files an expiration date, after which they cannot be viewed or shared.²
16. IRM organizational policy templates
    Create custom templates, geared for specific use, that help protect files. For example, an organization can create a company-wide "confidential" template that helps protect sensitive documents and e-mail messages from unauthorized use.²
12. Digital Signatures    IMPROVED
    Use digital certificates to enable access to files or macro projects. The certificate used to create this signature confirms that the macro or file originated from the signer. The signature confirms that it has not been altered.
13. File password encryption    IMPROVED
    Word 2003 and Excel 2003 offer improved password security through the addition of the Microsoft CryptoAPI standard. PowerPoint 2003 now includes password encryption.

¹ Requires Microsoft Windows Server 2003 running Windows SharePoint Services.
² Requires Windows Server 2003 with IRM functionality, or access to a Web service that supports IRM.

New Features, Part 2

Our staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.  Contact us online or by telephone at (305) 865-4918 to discuss your needs and schedule a free consultation.