How do you know what all the new office 2007 extensions are?

I have just been sent an Excel document with an .xlsm extension and wondered what the heck this meant. With a bit of a search this is a 2007 open XML format with macros enabled, so an xlsx document is without macros.

This microsoft link clears up the what and why of the new extensions here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA100069351033.aspx?pid=CH102457411033

On a similar note if you need to open said new formats in an earlier version of Office you can do by using this compatibility pack here - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466 I have been using this with an Office 2003 installation and it does seem to work well. The only thing is there is a noticable time lag opening and saving the files - which based on the conversion work to bedone I guess this is no surprise.

Reading the above document, the Office 2007 release includes a feature to inspect a document for personal information. So within Excel if you load a document, click the Office button, selct prepare and then inspect document - it will then all you remove all personal references from the saved document, very neat. Have a look here for the complete details. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA100375931033.aspx

How do you get Outlook to download your hotmail/live mail emails and calendars?

I just wanted to download my live.co.uk emails in Outlook. Now I had managed to do this years ago using the Hotmail HTTP account type and thought easy, just repeat that account type of old and I would be away. You know guessed it, nope that didn't work. I did however find a solution....

Go to Microsoft and get the Outlook Connector - Outlook Connector

Now once this is installed it will automatically start up Outlook and request the account details that which to add:



So quite simply enter your email account, password and the name you wish to appear on your emails and bingo! Well nearly, whilst this now works on my machine I found that I had to close down Outlook a couple of time prior to the email working. Once over that hurdle it now works a treat!