Microsoft recently announced that their support for Office 2007 will end in October 2017. That’s next month, folks.

In many ways, Office 2007 was a revolutionary package from Microsoft. It was the first Office suite to feature the ‘ribbon’ style toolbar instead of traditional menus, and also saw the birth of new ‘Open Office’ formats like docx, pptx and xlsx. This made Office even more useful as a tool as documents and spreadsheets could be imported and exported at the click of a button. Microsoft has been slowly winding down support for Office 2007 for a number of years. It was released to retail on January 30, 2007. Mainstream support ended on the 9th October 2012, and extended support will run out before the end of next month.

But what does this all mean?

In very basic terms, it simply means that Microsoft will no longer be releasing updates for Office 2007. While we don’t expect any additional functionality a decade on, support comes thick and fast in the shape of security updates and patches. These will now cease, meaning those who haven’t upgraded to a newer version will potentially be putting their businesses at risk. You’ll still be able to use the software as your normally would, but without anyone monitoring its vulnerabilities or releasing security patches you’re leaving your business wide open to cyber threats. Not too long ago the NHS experienced a devasting cyber attack which resulted in lost data and inaccessible machines. In case you’re not already aware, that breach occurred because the version of Windows XP the NHS was using had not received a crucial security update. They are extremely important.

If your business is still using Office 2007 or any of its programs, from Word or Excel to Outlook or Powerpoint, now is a very sensible time to upgrade. Office 2010, 2013 and 2016 are all standalone packages that will continue to be supported in the coming years, but Office 365 shouldn’t be overlooked and is an excellent way to future-proof your business. Eurotech Services offer a fully integrated and seamless rollout of Office 365, which offers several benefits over the standalone packages. Office 365 is a subscription service that gives your staff the freedom to work on documents anywhere, anytime and on any device. From Word and Excel to Powerpoint and Outlook, Office 365 puts the tools that drive your business into the palm of your hand. You can work in the cloud in real time, with instant backups and total peace of mind. It’s an excellent way to streamline your business as well as make your important documents more secure, and you never have to worry about pesky updates or security issues. Prices start for £3.80 (ex.VAT) per user per month, and we also have a free trial for you to get your teeth into with zero obligation.

If you have any of Microsofts other Office products, here are some helpful dates for your diary:

Office 2010 — End of Life on October 13th, 2020.
Office 2013 — End of mainstream support on April 10th, 2018. End of life on April 11th, 2023.
Office 2016 — End of mainstream support on October 13th, 2020. End of life on October 14th, 2025

Try Microsoft Office 365 for FREE for up to 60 days. Click here to get started.