Upgrading software can seem expensive and redundant. Why would anyone want to pay money to download a program they already have, just because there are a few new features that they will probably never use? When it comes to Microsoft Office, however, there are some good reasons to upgrade.
First of all, Microsoft only offers compatibility and support for the two most recent versions of their software. Thus, when Microsoft Office 2012 (the official name has not yet been given) comes out early this summer, Microsoft will discontinue support for Office 2007. It would be wise for anyone who uses Microsoft Office frequently and uses version 2007 or older to upgrade when the new software is released.
Another reason to upgrade comes when you use Microsoft Office to interact with clients. Your clients need to know that your business is important to you and that you are willing to spend the money to upgrade if that gives clients a better experience when doing business. For clients, their perception of your business is their reality. It is not necessarily easy to use a program like Open Office and make it look as if you have all the features of Microsoft Office at your fingertips. There may be an instance where you send a document to a client that will not open because you used Open Office and it was saved in the wrong format. Such a situation can give the client a sense of sloppiness and disorganization.
Lastly, when deciding if you should upgrade, you should look at the power of the new program. Are any of the new features those that you could use in your business? Are any of the new features such that they could actually give you more abilities to expand or be creative within your work? If new features are created, it is because Microsoft’s teams of experts listened to individuals who wanted these tools for their businesses. There is a good chance that the same tools could bring a boost to your business as well.
There are some reasons NOT to be in a hurry to upgrade. If your business doesn’t use Office in normal, day-to-day operations, the cost of the new software may not be worth the upgrade. This is especially true for those who can access Google Documents or a program like Open Office at work. While they do not have all of the bells and whistles of Microsoft Office, they include the ability to manage finances, construct a database and merge a mailing list with documents. But, according to Lifehacker.com,
“If you (want or) need every powerful number-crunching, presentation-making, email-managing, document-creating feature available only in Office, you rely on tools like Outlook or OneNote, you need rock-solid offline support (big one), or you have to traffic in Office documents for the work you do… then definitely upgrade.”
If you choose to upgrade, the best time to do so is anywhere between a few weeks and few months after the software is released. This gives Microsoft the time to fix any unexpected issues with the software. It also gives reviewers and early users time to tell you how to use the program best and take care of issues that will arise when you use it in your business.
