Microsoft Office Applications

The initial version of MS office only comprised a few applications that included MS Word, MS Excel, and PowerPoint. However, other new applications were also added to the suite with the passage of time, such as MS Access and Outlook. In fact, Microsoft has also been developing Office Business Applications specifically to provide a platform for business owners. MS Office is installed in computers run on Microsoft Operating System and even in Mac Computers, iOS and Android OS. In addition, you can also get Office Online which is a web-based application for the office.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office is a set of vital applications primarily known as Office Suite, which Microsoft has designed to smoothly and easily carry out different office tasks. Bill Gates, the Chairman of Microsoft Corporation, first launched it on August 1, 1988at COMDEX in Las Vegas, US. Four years ago, the users of MS Office had already crossed over one billion worldwide and were steadfastly growing with time. Whenever you buy a new desktop computer or a laptop, you will find that the MS Office is already preinstalled in it most of the time. Recently, Microsoft launched its newest desktop version Office 2016, for Windows and OS X on September 22 and July 9, 2015.

Top 6 Microsoft Office Applications of Desktop

#1 Microsoft Office Word

Out of all the different components, the Microsoft Word Processor is the most common and widely used application all throughout the world. You can easily open the application on both Windows and Mac Operating Systems. Microsoft Office Word first came into existence in 1983 initially for the MS-DOS OS. That was when the mouse was added to the keyword, although there was no need for it. People could buy Word 1.0 with a bundled mouse. The word for MAC OS was introduced a couple of years later, in 1985. Previously, the Word Processor was in the Doc format, but when the 2007 version was released, the format changed to Office Open XML. This was the time when the Portable Document Format (PDF) and Open Document Format were first introduced in the 2007 version. The MS Word made typing of words and other documents very easy. Almost all content writing works and official documents or letters are typed in MS Word. You can save your written document, which can serve as a record.

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#2 Microsoft Office Excel

When Microsoft initially introduced Microsoft Office Excel, it had to face stiff competition from Lotus 1-2-3 but outclassed it eventually. It is an application based on a spreadsheet and available on both Windows and OS X. The Microsoft Office programs were launched for Mac OS in the same year as the MS Word. However, the first Windows version came in November 1987. It was much better than the earlier, offering more functions. It is used for storing data and usually helpful in preparing ledger balance and maintaining accounts.

#3 Microsoft Office PowerPoint

The introduction of Microsoft Office PowerPoint has made the work of presentations very simple. Thus, it is known as a presentation of Microsoft Office programs. With the help of the Microsoft Office Application, you can design creative and engaging slides by adding the texts and adding graphics and other files such as images and videos. You can decorate the slides and make them colorful and just put up a nice presentation to showcase your portfolio or sample in front of a client.

#4 Microsoft Office Outlook

Microsoft Office Outlook is another important and useful program that contains a number of vital features such as a client calendar, address book, e-mail and task manager. However, it is different from Outlook Express and so do not assume both to be the same. Its main purpose is Windows Messaging.

#5 Microsoft Office OneNote

Microsoft Office OneNote is a free unique program where you can easily gather all personal information such as bank account details, financial deals, medical details and store it safely. In addition, you can also note down small details and information about events and meetings. These notes can be typed or handwritten. This new feature has been recently added from the 2007 version and was not there in Microsoft 2003. You will also find this important application on your Windows and iOS phones.

#6 Microsoft Office Access

Microsoft Office Access is a database management system that acts as a merger of Microsoft Jet Database Engine and Graphical User Interface (GUI) and software developing applications. It can store the data in its own configuration. It can connect you with data from other applications.

Some Other Extensively Used Microsoft Office Programs

The above-discussed applications are some of the most important and widely used Microsoft Office Programs. These are as follows-

Skype

Most of you must be familiar with Skype, which has become exceedingly popular as a communication source, whether related to business or personal interaction. You can do a video chat with a person face to face even if he/she is in some other country or continent. You just have to make a call to the person and open your web camera to see the person on your screen. This means you do not have to spend heavily on your international calls.

Microsoft Office Picture Manager

It is indeed a vital tool developed by Microsoft to help edit or resize your images. You can resize your picture according to the dimensions you wish and increase or decrease the brightness and contrast of the image.

Microsoft Publisher

The Microsoft Publisher is yet another desktop publishing application predominantly used for designing broachers, calendars, banners, greeting or visiting cards, newsletters, company letter pad, and pamphlets etc., to promote any product or used as advertising for the business.

Microsoft Share Point Designer

Microsoft Office programs which are used as HTML editor for Windows developing the share point for the websites. You can download this application for free.

Microsoft Project

As the name suggests, it is a project management Microsoft Office Programs that can help develop network charts and Grant charts. You can also keep a track record of the projects.

Smartphone Applications offered by Microsoft

Microsoft is effective in providing some useful apps for your smartphones, specifically for office purpose. You can have easy access to them while you are not at your workplace. A few of them include-

Office Remote

With the help of this unique app, you can convert your mobile phone into a remote control for the desktop versions of Word, Excel and so on.

Office Lens

This application is mainly used for scanning images. First, you need to take a picture of the document or image through your mobile camera and then straighten the image. You can copy a file or image paste it into the word doc or the Microsoft Office Excel sheet and other desktop applications.

Now the Server Microsoft Office Applications

Microsoft offers some server applications in their office version. These include-

Microsoft Search Server

InfoPath Form Services

Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft Lync Server

Excel Services

Microsoft Project Server

The Chronological Versions for the Windows

The history of the Microsoft Office Application takes us back to the year 1990 when three different applications for Windows 3.0 were introduced. It included Microsoft Office Excel, MS Word, and c of versions 2.0, 1.1 and 2.0, respectively. However, later on, MS Office 1.5 was launched, which updated the set with Microsoft Office Excel 3.0.

Microsoft Office Applications 3.0

The Microsoft Office 3.0 was brought to the forefront in August 1992, and therefore, it is also known as the Microsoft Office 92. It had all the major office applications such as Word 2.0, Excel, 4.0, Microsoft Office PowerPoint 3.0, etc. The buyer could purchase it on the CD-ROM. A year later the Microsoft introduced the Microsoft Office Professional with additional features like Microsoft Access 1.1.

Microsoft Office Applications 4.0

Microsoft 4.0 was launched in 1993 with a little higher version of different Microsoft Office Programs, including MS Word 6.0, c 4.0a, and Microsoft Office PowerPoint 3.0 etc. One of the significant aspects of this application was that it excelled from 2.0 to 6.0. This was done to match the versions with the MS-DOS and Macintosh. Now it is important to remember that Microsoft kept on updating the versions, and hence very soon in the next year, it brought Microsoft Office 4.2 for Windows NT. The version for the Word processor was similar, but it increased to 5.0 in the case of Microsoft Office Excel.

Microsoft Office Applications 1995

Microsoft Office 1995 came into existence from August 1995. In fact, the company also released its logo in the same year with the introduction of Office 95, and it was later used in Office 97, 2000 and XP. Here the version of each and every application was raised to 7.0 as it was developed as a full 32-bit version. In fact, it was available in twin versions- Office 95 Standard and Office 95 Professional. The only dissimilarity between the two was that the 95 Professional contained an additional Microsoft Access 7.0 that was not present in the Standard version. This Operating System was also available on a CD.

Microsoft Office Applications 1997

Version 8.0 could be found with the successful launch of Microsoft Office 1997. It was here that the computer operators could see a much improved and advanced in the applications. A number of new features were also added. The user was provided with more options by the addition of new menus and tools in MS Word and Microsoft Office Excel etc. It also had Natural Language Systems and grammar checking,

Microsoft Office Applications 2000

The Microsoft Office 2000 came up with a more updated version of 9.0. It had adaptive menus and more options for the users. For the first time, the Microsoft Company took a significant step by introducing the digital signature to eliminate the security threats related to large-scale viruses.

Microsoft Office Applications 2002 or XP

When the Microsoft Office XP was launched in the year 2002, it becomes a huge success as by then the number of people using MS office had incredibly increased worldwide. Therefore, one could see XP being installed in a number of desktops as Operating Systems. This was version 10.0, which has much more advanced than the Office 2000. It introduced the option of Safe Mode for the first time, which enabled the users to boot the applications in case of any failure. This was an effective and useful feature which could identify the problem and then repair it. Another useful and effective tool added in the Windows XP was the addition of Smart tag, a technology to reduce errors in typing. Microsoft also introduced the Product Activation policy for the first time with an intention to curb the piracy which had spread throughout the world.

Microsoft Office Applications 2003

As time moved on, Microsoft kept on launching newer and faster versions of the MS office, and the Microsoft Office 2003 was the next in this series. The version was released with a new logo, and more importantly, two new applications were added to the suite. They were Microsoft Office Onenote and InfoPath. It also brought Windows XP style icons. The MS Outlook was made more functional, which made the task of the users much easier.

Microsoft Office Applications 2007

Credit goes to Microsoft for continuously offering new and advanced versions of the MS Office. The Microsoft Office 2007, which is still relevant and used widely today, is the 12.0 version of Office. It includes a new Graphical User Interface (GUI) which substituted the old menus and toolbars.

Microsoft Office Applications 2010

The Microsoft Office 2010 is the 14.0 version of the MS Office. It provides a number of new features such as collaboration of the tools, customizable ribbon, backstage file menu and much more. It is available in both variants- 32 and 64 bit. The logo is similar to the 2007 Office with a subtle difference.

Microsoft Office Application 2013

The version was released in January 2012, and its interface is based on Metro, similar to Windows Phone and Windows 8. It provides a different visualization with more modernized features in both Microsoft Office PowerPoint and MS Outlook. Not only that, but other applications have also undergone an emphatic transformation.

Microsoft Office Applications 2016

This is the newest version of Microsoft Office, which has been recently launched last year only in January 2015. However, it is in the process of development.

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This has been a guide to Microsoft Office Application is a set of vital applications primarily known as Office Suite, which Microsoft has designed to smoothly carry out different office tasks. These are the following external link related to Microsoft Office Applications.

Tomasz David
Tomasz David

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