Microsoft Works 8.0: Budget vs. Productivity

Author's Rating:

Pros: A lot of productivity software for very little money.

Cons: Limitations on productivity, not really good for use in a business environment

The Bottom Line: 
The bottom line draws chalk monkeys on the driveway.

Author's Review
Microsoft has been making productivity software for as long as they have been making Windows. Their flagship “Office 2003” and its variants are some of the most powerful business tools in use today. They are also priced for business and not necessarily for the home user or students on a monthly budget. So they have Works for people who need a productivity package but do not want to spend a corporate budget on the software.


Microsoft Works 8.0

Works is a productivity package vaguely similar to the Office line of programs. It includes a word processor, spreadsheet program, data base utilities, calendar, email program, and the new version (8.0) includes a PowerPoint viewer as well. The offering is well worth the money it costs, but don’t expect the same functionality that Office offers. This is mainly for light productivity and is somewhat lean on features for each program.


Word Processor

The word processor in Works is not unlike Word but its limitations show when you try to create professional page layouts. Works does have spell checking but it must be run manually. It also includes a dictionary and a thesaurus but they have their limitations as well.

I have also found that most of the time when I try to open a Word document with Works, it will open but Works changes the format and layout of the page. I usually do not use Works to open Word documents if I can help it. If you have embedded pictures in a Word document, you will find that they either do not display properly or are omitted altogether in Works. Works also does not have the image editor that I find extremely useful in Word.

Works Suite 2006 incorporates Word into the program and is a much better word processor. Works suite also costs a fair amount more ($50 more) than Works 8.

Spreadsheet

The functionality of the spreadsheet in works is also limited. You can input data and functions but some functions available in Excel are not recognized in Works. Also the form design is lacking quite a bit, but it is good enough to use for simple invoices and such. It is useful for household budgets and small inventories, but keeping a customer rolodex in a Works spreadsheet could be a potential nightmare if it gets too large because I believe there is a limit on how large the file can be. You may have to make several spreadsheets to encompass all of your customers.

I have found that the spreadsheet is useful but only for small tasks like keeping a time card, address books, gas mileage logs and things of this nature.


Data base

The data base program is also nothing to get excited over. It has very limited functionality compared to Access and does not contain any of the web-based server functions that Access has either. Really, I have little to no use for the data base program in Works and have never gone past creating the data base because of frustration. I much prefer Access. If you want to use SQL and integrate you data base, you definitely do not want to use Works.

The only templates available in the data base program are blank data base, recipes, home lists and home inventory; this sort of hints at its somewhat limited functionality.

Power Point viewer

This tool is useful for playing back Power Point presentations, but that is where the usefulness stops. You can play them back but you cannot create them. If you have Power Point on your home computer and create a presentation, you can play it back on your laptop at the meeting with Works and this is a nice feature of the software for the price but you will not be able to make any last minute changes to the presentation if you need to.


Internet and Email

The programs included in Works is Internet Explorer 6.0 and Outlook Express 6.0 which, to me, is quite absurd considering both are included in Windows XP and are a free download from Microsoft’s web site as well. I guess if you have an older computer with Windows 98 or 95, this may be beneficial to you but most people will already have both installed on their computer.

Internet Explorer is your basic web browser that is included with every Windows operating system. This is the latest version that is included with Works. Internet Explorer works relatively well and is compatible with all types of web media. It does have its shortcomings though, like security holes that are constantly being patched by updates. It is extremely susceptible to virus and spyware attacks but is the most widely used web browser in the world.

Outlook Express is your basic email program that has been included in every Windows release since Windows 98. It was even incorporated into the last retail version of Windows 95 which I believe was version C. Outlook Express works basically the same as Outlook. You have an address book, calendar (which is actually a separate part of Works), scheduler and you can customize your folders the same way you can with Outlook.

If you use MSN messenger or Windows messenger, your contacts will appear at the lower left of the welcome screen. You can send and receive instant messages right from the Outlook Express program.

Setting up an email account and sending/receiving email with Outlook express is very easy and almost identical to Outlook. It has a spell check feature and you can add background images to your email as well. You can send the email in standard text or in rich text/HTML format just like Outlook.

One big difference is with Outlook express you only have an address book (which is labeled contacts) where with Outlook you have an address book and a contact list which contains much more information and can be incorporated into your schedules as well.

You have an Inbox, Outbox, Sent Items, Deleted Items and Drafts. You can customize this as well by adding your own folders. There is no built-in Spam protection and no antivirus options. If you have Norton Antivirus, it will not integrate with Outlook Express like it does with Outlook.


Calendar

The calendar is pretty useful if you have a busy schedule. You can set appointments and color-code them for reoccurring events. You can set up to do lists and assign audible alarms for scheduled events. You can even have multiple calendars.


Templates

One thing can be said for Works, it has a lot of templates for common tasks. Letters, resumes, tracking homework, budget monitoring, email, contacts; there is even a template for managing or coaching a team sport. All of these can be altered to fit your custom needs and some are downright cheesy looking but they can help get you started toward the task you want to perform. Personally, I do not use the templates because I can usually do better with my own designs, but these could come in real handy for people who are not familiar with productivity software.


Works Launcher

Works Launcher runs at startup by default. I have turned it off so it only runs when I launch it manually. This is a kind of smart interface that you can start any template from. It opens on the calendar and shows any and all appointments for the day. From within this interface you can access all functions of Works with a simple click or two.

The Works Launcher looks strikingly familiar to the MSN Internet software. It is very colorful and fairly functional as well. Works 8 is definitely the easiest Works to use so far but it still does not compare with a full fledged productivity suite.


Personal Use

I use Works occasionally when I am on the road with my old laptop. Works 8.0 came with my new laptop (I actually got the installation CDs!) along with a trial version of Office 2003 standard. I installed Office XP (2001) on my new laptop since I have an extra valid full version copy of it so I installed the Works 8.0 software on my old laptop since I don’t use it as much anymore.

I use the word processor from time to time to write simple letters or to write a quick notation for an email attachment. I use Outlook Express to send and receive email when I am on the road if I have Internet access where I am at the time. And I have used the Power Point viewer to show family slide shows on a few occasions.

Other than that I have only played with the software to see what it could do and to tell the truth, I wasn’t that impressed. However, for the price of Works, it may be more attractive to people who only need limited productivity software and do not want to spend $300 on a full blown Office suite.

Microsoft Works 8.0 came with my new laptop, but it can be purchased at most retail stores for $49.99 and Works Suite 2006 sells for $99.99. This is way less than any version of Office; even the Student version of Office 2003 still sells for $149.99 at most places.

Conclusion

I personally prefer Office over Works, but if you are on a strict budget and need productivity software Works will get you through. If you need a solid productivity package for the Office, Works will most likely be disappointing.

If it came down to it, you could always download Linux for free and Open Office for free as well and you would have a full productivity package at no cost at all. Just had to throw that little elbow out there! The only downfall is the learning curve for Linux.
Thanks for reading,

Gr8ful :-)