Word 2007/2010 - migrating templates, toolbars and VBA macros
Word versions 97/2000/XP/2003 shared the same file format and user interface. The big jump is to Word 2007/2010 which themselves share the same file format and user interface but completely different to the previous versions:
- Native .docx and .dotm file formats based around xml
- Ribbon user interface - known as "Fluent"
Although .docx and .dotm file formats are incompatible with previous versions of Word, Microsoft supply filters to enable previous versions of Word to open them, see: Word Compatibility Pack
It is possible to modify your existing template set so that it all works reasonably well in Word 2007/10 as well as previous versions of Word. The advantage being one set of templates work for all versions of Word. The issue with that approach is than any custom toolbars are only accessible via the Add-Ins tab which is an awkward extra click for users. And their main complaint will be that they cannot find things.
In the picture below the custom Company toolbar is only available under the Add-Ins tab.
It is fiddly for the user to have to keep clicking the Add-Ins tab.
A better solution is to let us create you a new global addin for Word 2007/10 which provides a custom ribbon tab.
We can also add any of these buttons, say the most frequently used ones, to the main Home tab, eg:
In this way the main buttons are pretty much always visible to the user. We can put the Company Styles buttons here as well giving immediate access to the Company styles.
Buttons can be designed in keeping with Company brand.
Training
Word 2007/10 is a big leap for users. Not so much the content of the document but more the location of the content insertion and formatting tools.
It is difficult to find things in 2007/10. Usually once users have overcome this hurdle of unfamiliarity then they are happy with 2007/10. It is best to provide training to help users clear that hurdle.
Suggest 2hrs training and then 2 hrs working on a document they have brought along to the session.