Hands on Microsoft Office XP

##AUTHORSPLIT##<--->I have often looked upon new versions of Microsoft Office with some trepidation. It always seems as if a new version comes out just as I've finally gotten used to the last one. In fact, I had worn into a comfortable groove, refusing urges to upgrade from the seemingly ancient Office 97. All that finally changed with the release of Microsoft Office XP.

Office XP includes new versions of Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point and Access. While other updates to the Office family offered a few design changes and new features, XPis a quantum leap to a new level of functionality. Designed primarily as a collaborative tool, XP offers a great deal of new features to integrate with online resources and to help teachers, administrators and students create and share their work more easily.

One of the most helpful features in XP are the smart tags that flag questionable portions of text and give the user quick links to commonly-used commands. For instance, while typing in Word, the AutoCorrect function may unnecessarily capitalize a word. In the past, one would have to search through menus to make a change. Now, a simple right click brings up a smart tag that offers a command to disable the AutoCorrect. Smart tags also appear with names or dates, allowing you to share information quickly with Outlook's address book and scheduling features, or to link with information online.

A new Track Changes feature makes it easy to send a document to others, and easily collect and incorporate edits and comments. Comments can be merged into the original document, and the author can choose which edits to keep and which to discard. Another important part of XP is its Web integration. With an option called Refreshable Web Query, a user can select a piece of information online and set it to import and automatically update Excel spreadsheets.

Overall, I was very impressed by Office XP's functionality and usability. Educators will wonder how they ever did without the myriad of high-tech collaboration features, as well as simple things like a clipboard that stores up to 24 pieces of information.

-Jim Schneider
[email protected]

Contact Information

Microsoft Corp.
Redmond, WA
(425) 882-8080
www.microsoft.com

Featured

  • stylized human profiles, tablets, and floating icons

    From Feedback to Flexibility: 5 AI Tools Teachers Should Try

    As a fifth-grade teacher and AI School Champion in the St. Vrain Valley School District, I've seen firsthand how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming education. Here are five AI-enabled tools I've found especially powerful in my classroom and professional practice.

  • computer monitor with a bold AI search bar on the screen

    Google Rolls Out AI Mode in Search

    About a year after introducing AI Overviews for its flagship search offering, Google has announced broad availability of AI Mode in Search.

  • portable Wi-Fi hotspot rests on a stack of books and a laptop in a library

    Senate Votes to Rescind E-Rate Program Funding Loaner WiFi Hotspots for Schools and Libraries

    The Senate has passed a joint resolution to overturn "Addressing the Homework Gap Through the E-Rate Program," a July 2024 expansion to the FCC's E-Rate program that allowed schools and libraries to utilize E-Rate resources to loan out WiFi hotspots to students, school staff, and library patrons.

  • silhouetted student stands before the White House, surrounded by abstract digital graphics of brains, circuits, and AI elements

    White House Sets Sights on AI Education

    A new executive order from President Donald Trump aims to advance America's position in artificial intelligence technology by incorporating AI into education and providing AI training for educators.