The release of Office 2019 was just announced by Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and new features should be of particular interest to small businesses. While still a ways off, the new suit should offer these businesses the ability to dramatically scale their capabilities in a way that might have previously seemed impossible for small firms.
While the name indicates 2019, the new product is actually scheduled for release in the second half of 2018.
Office 2019 will include perpetual versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook Office apps as well as servers with Exchange, SharePoint, and Skype for Business.
The news was announced at the week long Microsoft Ignite 2017, going on in Orlando, FL through Sept. 29, 2017. Ignite is a conference showcasing Microsoft’s products, research, innovation, and training for everything the company offers now and in the future.
What Can You Expect in Office 2019?
Unfortunately, Jared Spataro, General Manager for Office, only wrote a three paragraph article on the Office blog. What he did say was, “Office 2019 will be a valuable upgrade for customers who feel that they need to keep some or all of their apps and servers on-premises, and we look forward to sharing more details about the release in the coming months.” He was addressing the current state of cloud computing, and the fact that not everyone has migrated.
Spataro offered very little regarding the features we will see in Office 2019. He continued with the issues facing cloud adoption, and said 2019 will have more tools for users who are still not ready for the cloud.
Beyond this, Spataro said new and improved inking features on touch screens will add pressure sensitivity, tilt effects and ink replay for a more natural feel. Your spreadsheets will become more powerful with new formulas and charts on Excel. And when it comes to presentations, Power Point will be able to access morph and zoom features for visual animation.
On the server side, small businesses with their own on premises solutions can expect updates to IT manageability, usability, voice, and security.
Small Businesses and Office365
Office 365 is central to the new way many small businesses work today. Being able to access the most used apps in business from anywhere has made the cloud version of this solution more popular than ever.
With Office 365 small businesses are more competitive. It allows their workforce to work from anywhere, improve collaboration, and save costs while giving the company a professional appearance.
Previews of the new products will start shipping mid-year 2018.
Images: Microsoft