Ever-changing Microsoft Office-why and When to Upgrade
| Publication year | 2013 |
| Pages | 97 |
Law Practice Management
Ever-Changing Microsoft Office-Why and When to Upgrade
By David S. Michel, Reba J. Nance.
Law Practice Management (LPM) articles provide information to assist lawyers in managing their law practices. To discuss a prospective article topic, to submit a manuscript for consideration, or if you have questions, please contact CBA LPM Director Reba Nance- reban@cobar.org.
Only a few things in this world are certain: death, taxes, and the release of a new Microsoft Office Suite. For the past decade, Microsoft has released new versions of Office approximately every three years. Interestingly, this seems to coincide with the duration of most Enterprise Agreements (or software maintenance contracts) that many larger companies have with Microsoft. Law practice managers are faced with several questions when new versions of software become available. For example:
• What does the release of a new Office version mean for users who may not have software maintenance contracts with Microsoft?
• When-and why-is it time to upgrade?
• What is the best way to stay up-to-date on new Office features?
• What are the challenges you face if you don't stay current?
• What is the best way to manage the long, expensive, and complex road of Microsoft Office versions for your PC or Mac?
This article discusses ways to help you decide whether and when to upgrade to the newest version of Microsoft Office. It also provides tips to manage the upgrade process-from planning to implementation.
Upgrading Can be a Smart Move
Let's face it. No one likes change. No one likes to spend money for new software when what they have works just fine. No one likes to learn a new software interface. We all know people who are using some ancient version of software for these very reasons. They began using it years ago and they have become very comfortable with it. If asked, they would say, "Why should I switch when what I'm using works just fine?" That is a valid sentiment. Things sometimes happen, though, that force us to look at new options. For example, the computer crashes, or there's an issue with the software and tech support isn't available because the version is older and is no longer supported. Maybe clients are using newer versions and it is impossible to open their documents or spreadsheets. These are situations where we don't have a choice; we have to make some sort of a change if we want to remain productive.
It can be more difficult, though, to upgrade when it's a choice rather than a necessity. For solo or s mall firm lawyers, the decision to upgrade has unique considerations. You have a lot on your plate or maybe you do it all. It's very difficult to find the time or acquire the expertise to look at how you use software in your practice, decide what would be the best for your needs, research your options, make a decision, figure out how to get the best price, implement the change, test the new software to make sure new problems aren't being introduced, get proper training on the new software, and continue to be as productive and proficient as you are used to being.
Making the Change
The biggest yet most basic reason to upgrade to a software's newest version may be that your clients are using the newest version of Office themselves, and you can no longer open their documents or cannot open their documents without losing content or formatting that was created using new features. Co-counsel and experts also may be using a newer version, which may create problems with formatting or even corruption.
Another reason to change is that your version of Office is no longer supported by other software programs you work with. At some point, every software manufacturer decides it will no longer support older versions. Sometimes, this is because the software has changed substantially and it doesn't make sense to continue training technicians on little-used versions (not to mention losing the income they would gain from selling newer versions). Sometimes, the operating system itself has changed, and that affects the software. Perhaps the manufacturer simply wants to move in a new direction with the software. For all of these reasons (and many others), upgrading may move beyond a choice and become a requirement.
It's a New Computer World Out There
If you haven't upgraded in a while, and depending on the version of software you currently are using, you may face a steep learning curve when you do upgrade. For example, moving from Office 2007 to 2010 or 2013 isn't nearly as daunting as moving from 2003 to 2010 or 2013. For one thing, the ribbon bar was introduced in 2007, and subsequent versions have been built on that. It might be more than one giant step, then, to traverse ten years of upgrades.
Perhaps your computer has died and you have to replace it. Your new computer probably will have a new operating system installed, so the old version of Office likely won't run on your new machine. This necessitates an upgrade. If you're in the market for new hardware, check to see whether it comes "bundled" with the latest version of Office. Some companies still do that as an incentive for purchase. If it does, that might be sufficient reason alone...
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