Office 2004 for Mac Tools Fact Sheet

Office 2004 for Mac Tools Fact Sheet

May 2004

Office

  • Project Center. This provides one simple way to view and stay on top of all e-mail messages, files, contacts, meetings and tasks related to a particular project. Users can share project information with others to keep them just as organized. A Mac first!

  • Compatibility Reports. Users can share information and ideas seamlessly with nearly anyone on any platform. These reports detail issues that may be problematic on another platform or with older versions of Office, giving users the option of fixing them. A Mac first!

  • Scrapbook. This allows storage, advanced searching and direct input into a document. Through cut and paste or drag-and-drop, the Scrapbook offers easy access to the most-often-used information –including bits of text, logos and pictures — and can be accessed from all four Office programs. A Mac first!

  • Project Palette. This section of the Toolbox offers at-a-glance access to key project information, much like the Overview tab in Project Center. With sections for e-mail, meetings, tasks, comments and files, the Project Palette is likely to be the primary way users access project information when they are not in Entourage.

  • Save as Picture. This feature allows users to save objects drawn in Office as separate graphics files.

  • Soft Shadows. New, fully adjustable Soft Shadows add a measure of elegance to every document.

  • Project Gallery. This feature now includes easy-to-use tabs that divide the gallery into distinct sections. The new Recent tab displays up to 100 recently used files that can be opened regardless of physical location. Integration with the Project Center means users can use the Project Gallery to open any file — Office or not — within a project and create new documents for a given project.

  • Formatting Palette. This becomes transparent so it’s there when users need it, but fades to the background when they don’t.

  • Unicode support. Office 2004 now supports input and display of more than 30 languages.

  • Long-file name support. File names are no longer limited to 31 characters.

  • Microsoft AutoUpdate. Office will be automatically updated when new patches or service releases are available.

  • Error Reporting. Users can now immediately report crashes to Microsoft for analysis and potential fixes.

  • AppleScripting. The AppleScript dictionary has been improved and expanded to allow better AppleScript programmability.

Word

  • Notebook Layout View. Designed to look like ruled notebook paper, this tool allows users to quickly take notes, search and flag relevant information, and even record audio directly into a Word document. A Mac first!

  • Smart Buttons. Smart Buttons give users control of automatic correction, paste recovery, and auto bulleting and numbering.

  • Track Changes. With comment balloons, easy acceptance or rejection of changes, and Messenger integration, tracking changes has never been this easy.

  • Reference tools. The dictionary and thesaurus and a link to the online Microsoft Encarta( encyclopedia are now conveniently centralized in the Office toolbox.

  • Navigation Pane. Users will easily find their way through long documents with a full Navigation Pane that includes thumbnail page views.

  • Styles improvements. Document consistency is easier than ever with dramatic enhancements to Styles, found in the Formatting Palette.

Excel

  • Page Layout View. This allows users to view and manipulate directly in the spreadsheet exactly what they will see on paper, including margins, headers, footers and page layout. A Mac first!

  • Charting improvements. New charting tools make quantum leaps in helping create amazing charts and graphs.

  • Smart Buttons. AutoFill buttons allow users to adjust how cells are quickly filled. Paste Recovery allows users to change or maintain the formatting of copied and pasted information. And Error Reporting buttons identify and explain potential formula errors.

  • Function ScreenTips. The latest addition to the Excel error-checking safety net, Function ScreenTips will instantly display correct syntax for more than 140 functions.

  • Rangefinder. This improvement offers a quick and colorful way to find and change formulas. Users can easily see what spreadsheet cells are being referenced in a formula and change those ranges by simply clicking and dragging new ranges.

  • XML support. Excel now supports XML files using the Excel Spreadsheet Schema, so sharing complex data is a breeze.

  • Preference improvements. These improvements help guide a user’s application customization by providing a helpful description of the feature and a clear indication of whether it affects any open spreadsheets.

Entourage

  • Three-Column View. This situates the reading pane to the right of the e-mail list, allowing users to view up to 40 percent more of the message on screen.

  • Junk E-mail Protection. With an updated junk e-mail detection algorithm, Entourage helps less junk e-mail get through.

  • Archiving. Users can now export PIM data — such as e-mail messages, contacts or schedule — into an Entourage archive package.

  • Improved setup. Entourage now automatically detects the server information and can import from Mail.app, making a user’s life that much easier.

  • Exchange support. Exchange client functionality now uses WebDAV to receive and send Exchange e-mail. Users will experience better performance in a low-bandwidth environment, and support for core Delegate Access to Exchange calendars and e-mail.

  • Calendar printing. Improvements to printing offer users better layouts and more control.

PowerPoint

  • New design templates, animations and transitions. There are more than 100 brand-new design templates and new, smoother transitions and animations.

  • Presenter Tools. PowerPoint 2004 Presenter Tools have an on-screen clock, notes pane and thumbnails of the entire presentation — all viewable only by the presenter.

  • Font formatting improvements. This feature now includes transparency and sliding size control, giving users more power over their presentations.

  • ClipArt Gallery. The updated and expanded ClipArt Gallery adds an easy shot of creativity.

MSN Messenger

  • Improved alerts. Users will receive alerts from Office and MSN Messenger so they can instantly act on information.

  • Better file sharing. MSN Messenger has improved file sharing, so users can easily send and receive files, even through a corporate firewall.

  • New emoticons. More emoticons give users even more great ways to express themselves.

  • Spam filter. MSN Messenger has added a spam filter to reduce the amount of unwanted instant messages users may receive from strangers.

  • Integration with Word. MSN Messenger is integrated with the Track Changes feature in Word 2004, so users can have real-time conversations with others regarding a Word document without leaving Word. A Mac first!

  • Integration with Project Center. Project team members can use MSN Messenger to stay in closer contact through real-time messaging and stay organized by saving conversations related to their projects.

  • Integration with Entourage. Users can now open MSN Messenger from any contact card in the Office Address Book. By simply clicking on the Messenger icon on the contact card, they can either start a conversation with that person or view recent instant message conversations.

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