Today is an exciting day for the Microsoft community! Office 2016 is making its big debut. This release is the first major update Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other applications since Microsoft launched Office 2013 over two years ago. At Excel Consultant, we understand that figuring out how to implement new programs can be both exciting and daunting for businesses. Our team of Microsoft Certified Partners, Microsoft MVPs (Most Valued Professionals), experienced instructors, and expert programmers can help you make the most of Office 2016. In the following blog, we highlight some of its key features and explain how we can help you get oriented to your new Office.

What’s Different About Office 2016?

What does the new version of Office 2016 have to offer? Some of the most notable upgraded features include:

  • Improved DLP (Data Loss Prevention) capabilities to keep your company’s important files safe and sound.
  • Better BITS (Background Intelligence Transfer Service) to help your office computers share files and make important updates without clogging up your network.
  • Sway, a streamlined presentational application with a simpler, more intuitive interface.
  • Easier collaboration with co-authoring functions in Word and the integration of Skype for communicating with colleagues while working in Office.

Of course, our expert Excel enthusiasts are most excited about Office 2016’s improvements to this program, which is pivotal for business IT.

New Excel functions include:

  • Six additional chart options (including Treemap, Sunburst, Waterfall, and more) to help you analyze and display your data in diverse ways.
  • The Power Query tool, which allows you to pull up the information and statistics you need in seconds. In previous Office versions, this function was an add-on, but now it’s built-in to “Get & Transform” data group for ease of use.
  • The “Tell Me” tool, which allows you to search for specific features in Excel. This can save you the time and hassle of scouring search engines or watching lengthy tutorials just to figure out how to use the program. All you have to do is type your response into the “Tell me what you want to do” box and Excel will bring up the tabs and functions you need.

When Should Your Business Make the Switch?

Some “early adopter,” tech-savvy companies may want to dive right into Office 2016, while others may be more hesitant about learning new programs. If your company already has a monthly or yearly Office 365 subscription plan, you have two options:

  • You can upgrade your system today with the Current Branch program, which will then add each and every new capability Microsoft develops for Office 2016 as soon as it’s ready, or
  • You can choose a more conservative approach with Current Branch for Business, which updates your applications every four months, giving Microsoft more time to test out and improve them. If you pick Current Branch for Business, you’ll get all the new features of Office 2016 next February.

We can help you decide which model will work better for your business.

How We Can Help Your Company Excel

Excel Consultant is here to help you utilize, customize, and optimize everything Microsoft has to offer, including and especially Office 2016. We can teach you how to use its new features, program specific solutions for your business, and assist you with any questions you may have about these applications.

Take Your Office to the Next Level

Office 2016 could help your company realize its full potential. Contact Excel Consultant today to learn more about it or schedule an appointment.