The application also provides real-time messaging, including one-to-one as well as group messaging, and presence features, as well as monitoring workspace activities with alerts, which are raised when pre-defined set of activities are detected.

Groove also provides features for conflict resolution for conflicting edits. Schedules for a collaboration can also be decided by using a built-in shared calendar, which can also be used to keep track of the progress of a project.

However, the calendar is not compatible with Microsoft Outlook. The Document Theme defines the colors, fonts and graphic effects for a document. Almost everything that can be inserted into a document is automatically styled to match the overall document theme creating a consistent document design.

The new Office Theme file format. Similar themes are also available for data reports in Access and Project or shapes in Visio. Quick Styles are galleries with a range of styles based on the current theme.

There are quick styles galleries for text, tables, charts, SmartArt, WordArt and more. Microsoft Office Outlook can also include an optional Business Contact Manager included on a separate installation disc in Office Small Business and above which allows management of business contacts and their sales and marketing activities. Phone calls, e-mails, appointments, notes and other business metrics can be managed for each contact. It can also keep a track of billable time for each contact on the Outlook Calendar.

Based on these data, a consolidated report view can be generated by Microsoft Office Outlook with Business Contact Manager. The data can be further analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel. This data can also be shared using SharePoint Services. Microsoft Office SharePoint Server allows sharing and collaborative editing of Office documents.

It allows central storage of documents and management of Office documents, throughout the enterprise. These documents can be accessed either by the applications which created them, Microsoft Office Outlook , or a web browser. Documents can also be managed through pre-defined policies that let users create and publish shared content, through a SharePoint site. SharePoint Server allows searching of all Office documents which are being managed by it, centrally, thereby making data more accessible.

It also provides access control for documents. Specialized server components can plug into the SharePoint Server to extend the functionality of the server, such as Excel Services exposing data analysis services for Excel services.

Data from other data sources can also be merged with Office data. SharePoint also lets users personalize the SharePoint sites, filtering content they are interested in. SharePoint documents can also be locally cached by clients for offline editing; the changes are later merged. Microsoft Office Forms Server allows InfoPath forms to be accessed and filled out using any browser, including mobile phone browsers.

Forms Server also supports using a database or other data source as the back-end for the form. Additionally, it allows centralized deployment and management of forms.

Forms Server hosted forms also support data validation and conditional formatting, as does their InfoPath counterpart.

It also supports advanced controls like Repeating section and Repeating table. However, some InfoPath controls cannot be used if it must be hosted on a Forms server. Microsoft Office Groove Server is for centrally managing all deployments of Microsoft Office Groove in the enterprise.

It enables using Active Directory for Groove user accounts, and create Groove Domains , with individual policy settings. It allows Groove workspaces to be hosted at the server, and the files in the workspaces made available for collaborative editing via the Groove client. It also includes the Groove Server Data Bridge component to allow communication between data stored at both Groove clients and servers and external applications. Microsoft Office Project Server allows one to centrally manage and coordinate projects.

It allows budget and resource tracking, and activity plan management. The project data and reports can also be further analyzed using Cube Building Service. The project management data can be accessed from a browser as well. Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server allows creation of a project portfolio, including workflows, hosted centrally, so that the information is available throughout the enterprise, even from a browser.

It also aids in centralized data aggregation regarding the project planning and execution, and in visualizing and analyzing the data to optimize the project plan. It can also support multiple portfolios per project, to track different aspects of it. It also includes reporting tools to create consolidated reports out of the project data. Microsoft PerformancePoint Server allows users to monitor, analyze, and plan their business as well as drive alignment, accountability, and actionable insight across the entire organization.

It includes features for scorecards, dashboards, reporting, analytics, budgeting and forecasting, among others. Even though the ribbon can be hidden, PC World wrote that the new “ribbon” interface crowds the Office work area, especially for notebook users. As a result, users who were more familiar with the logic of the old menus would be somewhat frustrated with the new, more visually oriented ribbon. The ribbon cannot be moved from the top to the side of the page, as floating toolbars could be.

Some users with experience using previous versions of Microsoft Office have complained about having to find features in the ribbon. Others state that having learnt to use the new interface, it has improved the speed with which “professional-looking” documents can be created. Microsoft contractor Mike Gunderloy left Microsoft partially over his disagreement with the company’s “sweeping land grab ” including its attempt to patent the ribbon interface.

He says “Microsoft itself represents a grave threat to the future of software development through its increasing inclination to stifle competition through legal shenanigans. The new XML-based document file format in Microsoft Office is incompatible with previous versions of Microsoft Office unless an add-on is installed for the older version. PC World has stated that upgrading to Office presents dangers to certain data, such as templates, macros, and mail messages.

The new Word features for bibliographies only support a small number of fixed citation styles. Using XSLT, new styles can be added. Some extra styles, such as the standard Association for Computing Machinery publication format, are made freely available by third parties. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Version of Microsoft Office.

These four programs make up the Home and Student edition. Service Pack 3 Main article: Ribbon computing.

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For audio and video content, in addition to alt text, include closed captioning for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Instead of grouping objects in a diagram, flatten the diagram into a picture and add alt text to the picture.

If you group the objects, the child objects are still in the tab order with groups. People who use screen readers sometimes scan a list of links.

Links should convey clear and accurate information about the destination. For example, avoid using link texts such as “Click here,” “See this page,” Go here,” or “Learn more.

You can also add ScreenTips that appear when your cursor hovers over text or images that include a hyperlink. For example, this hyperlink text matches the title on the destination page: Create more with Microsoft templates. For the step-by-step instructions on how to create accessible hyperlinks and ScreenTips, go to Create accessible links in Word and Create or edit a hyperlink.

An accessible font doesn’t exclude or slow down the reading speed of anyone reading a document, including people with low vision or reading disability or people who are blind. The right font improves the legibility and readability of the document. For instructions on how to change the default font, go to Change the default font in Word. To reduce the reading load, select familiar sans serif fonts such as Arial or Calibri. Avoid using all capital letters and excessive italics or underlines.

A person with a vision disability might miss out on the meaning conveyed by particular colors. Add shapes if color is used to indicate status.

Note: These resources provide other suggestions: usability. The text in your document should be readable in a high contrast mode.

For example, use bright colors or high-contrast color schemes on opposite ends of the color spectrum. White and black schemes make it easier for people who are colorblind to distinguish text and shapes. To ensure that text displays well in a high contrast mode, use the Automatic setting for font colors. For instructions on how to change the font color in Word, go to Change the font color.

Use the Accessibility Checker to analyze the document and find insufficient color contrast. The tool now checks the documents for text color against page color, table cell backgrounds, highlight, textbox fill color, paragraph shading, shape and SmartArt fills, headers and footers, and links. Use the Colour Contrast Analyser , a free app that analyzes colors and contrast, and displays results almost immediately.

To make it easier for screen readers to read your document, organize the information in your document into small chunks such as bulleted or numbered lists. Design lists so that you do not need to add a plain paragraph without a bullet or number to the middle of a list.

If your list is broken up by a plain paragraph, some screen readers might announce the number of list items wrong. Also, the user might hear in the middle of the list that they are leaving the list.

For the step-by-step instructions on how to create lists, go to Create a bulleted or numbered list. They often see text merge or distort. To reduce the reading load, you can increase white space between sentences and paragraphs. For the step-by-step instructions on adjust the spacing, go to Adjust indents and spacing in Word. Rules for the Accessibility Checker.

Use the Accessibility Reminder to notify authors of accessibility issues. Everything you need to know to write effective alt text. Make your Excel documents accessible to people with disabilities. Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities. Make your Outlook email accessible to people with disabilities. To find missing alternative text, use the Accessibility Checker. Add alt text to visuals in Microsoft Add alt text to visuals in Office For example, instead of linking to the text Click here , include the full title of the destination page.

Tip: You can also add ScreenTips that appear when your cursor hovers over text or images that include a hyperlink. Use accessible text format. Use accessible text color. For example, organize headings in the prescribed logical order. And organize the information in your documents into small chunks. Ideally, each heading is followed by only a few paragraphs. Apply built-in heading styles.

Use bulleted lists. Use ordered lists. You can also visually scan your tables to check that they don’t have any completely blank rows or columns. The following procedures describe how to add alt text to visuals in your Word documents in Microsoft Add alt text to images. Add alt text to shapes or SmartArt graphics. Add alt text to charts. Make visuals decorative. For audio and video content, in addition to alt text, include closed captioning for people who are deaf or have limited hearing.

To enable right-click on your Mac, make sure that the Secondary click option is selected in System Preferences. Select an image and press the Alt Text button in the Picture Format ribbon tab. Tip: To spell check and correct a word you typed, just right-click the word and select from the suggested alternatives. Select a chart and press the Alt Text button in the Format ribbon tab.

Tip: To open the correct menu, right-click in Chart Area , that is, somewhere inside the frame that surrounds the entire chart, not inside one of its parts. Decorative objects add visual interest but aren’t informative for example, stylistic borders. People using screen readers will hear these are decorative so they know they aren’t missing any important information.

Select Edit Alt Text. The Alt Text pane opens on the right side of the document body. Select the Mark as decorative check box. The text entry field is grayed out. Tip: If you export your document as a PDF, any visuals you have marked as decorative are preserved by tagging them as artifacts.

Add alt text to SmartArt graphics. Add alt text to shapes. Note: For audio and video content, in addition to alt text, include closed captioning for people who are deaf or have limited hearing. Tip: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible. The following procedures describe how to make the hyperlinks, text, and tables in your Word documents accessible.

The text you selected displays in the Text to Display box. This is the hyperlink text. For example, this hyperlink text matches the title on the destination page: Templates and Themes for Office Online. On the Home tab, select a heading style, for example, Heading 1 or Heading 2. Ensure that text displays well by using the Automatic setting for font colors. Use the Accessibility Checker , to analyze the document and find insufficient color contrast.

Use the Colour Contrast Analyzer , a free app that analyzes colors and contrast, and displays results almost immediately. Add an underline to color-coded hyperlink text. The Paragraph dialog opens, showing the Indents and Spacing tab. On the Table Design tab, select the Header Row check box. Add hyperlink text. For people who have dyslexia or have low vision, reduce the reading load. For example, they may benefit from familiar sans serif fonts, such as Arial or Calibri.

Avoid using all capital letters, and excessive italics or underlines. Include ample white space between sentences and paragraphs. Use text spacing. And, organize the information in your documents into small chunks. To open the Home tab, at the bottom of the screen, at the end of the toolbar, tap the More button. If necessary, change it.

Add alt text to tables. The following procedures describe how to add alt text to visuals and tables in your Word documents. To open the Picture tab, at the bottom of the screen, at the right end of the toolbar, tap the More button.

To open the Shape tab, at the bottom of the screen, at the right end of the toolbar, tap the More button. To open the Table tab, at the bottom of the screen, at the right end of the toolbar, tap the More button. To open the Home tab, at the bottom of the screen, at the right end of the toolbar, tap the More button. Scroll down to the Link option, tap it, and tap Insert Link. The text you selected displays in the Text to display box.

The following table includes key best practices for creating Word for the web documents that are accessible to people with disabilities. Use the Accessibility Checker to find missing alternative text. To find headings not using built-in styles, visually scan your document for text formatted to look like a heading.

Select this text, and then look in the Home tab of the ribbon to check if a heading style has been used. To preserve tab order and to make it easier for screen readers to read your documents, use a logical heading order and the built-in formatting tools in Word for the web. Use the Accessibility Checker to ensure that tables don’t contain split cells, merged cells, or nested tables.

Blank rows and columns in a table could also mislead someone using a screen reader into thinking that there is nothing more in the table. The following procedures describe how to add alt text to images and tables in your Word for the web documents. Note: We recommend only putting text in the Description field and leaving the Title blank. This will provide the best experience with most major screen readers including Narrator.

The Format Picture pane opens to the right of the screen. The Alternative Text dialog box opens. You may need to select the Type your alt text in the Description box, and select OK.

The following procedures describe how to make the hyperlinks, text, and tables in your Word for the web documents accessible. Select Link. The text you selected displays in the Display text box. In the Address box, enter the destination address for the hyperlink, and select Insert. Select the Styles button and then select a heading style, for example, Heading 1 or Heading 2. Select the Bullets button and then select the style of bullet you want to use.

Select the Numbering button and then select the style of list you want to use. In the Paragraph group, in the lower-right corner of the group, select the Dialog box launcher button. The Paragraph dialog box opens, showing the General , Indentation and Spacing options.

Under Spacing , select the spacing options you want, and select OK. Use the Accessibility Checker to find accessibility issues. Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language.

Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region. If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk. Office Accessibility. Make your Word documents accessible to people with disabilities.

In this topic Best practices for making Word documents accessible Check accessibility while you work in Word Avoid using tables Use built-in headings and styles Create paragraph banners Add alt text to visuals Add accessible hyperlink text and ScreenTips Use accessible font format and color Create accessible lists Adjust space between sentences and paragraphs Test accessibility with Immersive Reader Best practices for making Word documents accessible The following table includes key best practices for creating Word documents that are accessible to people with disabilities.

What to fix How to find it Why fix it How to fix it Avoid common accessibility issues such as missing alternative text alt text and low contrast colors. Make it easy for everyone read your documents. Check accessibility while you work in Word In general, avoid tables if possible and present the data another way. Visually scan your tables to check that they don’t have any completely blank rows or columns.

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To make reading documents, emails, and notes easier, try Immersive Reader in Microsoft Office. With font, grammar, voice, focus, and other settings, you can customize and use Immersive Reader in Word, Outlook, and OneNote. As one of the Microsoft Learning Tools , Immersive Reader is a wonderful option for those with dyslexia or dysgraphia.

But this tool is actually ideal for anyone who wants to improve their reading experience. As of this writing, however, availability varies depending on your device. Note that some features vary by application and version. Additional applications and features may be added at any time. This displays the application window in a focused view. You can then customize Immersive Reader for text preferences, grammar options , and reading preferences. Although Immersive Reader offers the same basic features across applications, the interface for the settings currently varies.

In the desktop version of Word on Windows, the Immersive Reader tool has its own ribbon. This places all your settings in one handy spot. This highlights the number of lines you select for your focus while dimming the remaining parts of the page. Text Spacing : This option is simply on or off. Click again to go back to normal view.

Syllables : This setting is also an on or off option. This offers help with pronunciation as you read each word. When the toolbar opens, click the gear icon to open the settings. You can then adjust the reading speed and voice used. Then, use the play, pause, next, or previous buttons as needed. In the online version of Word , Immersive Reader immediately changes your page into a large, more spacious view.

You have similar customizations options, but these appear on the top right as three icons. Text Preferences : You can adjust the size of the text, spacing between letters and words, font style, and theme background color , all in one place. Grammar Options : This area gives you simple toggles for syllables and parts of speech. If you enable a toggle for one or more parts of speech, you can select the color. You also have the option to turn on Labels, which places an abbreviation for the part of speech above the word.

Reading Preferences : Like Word on the desktop, you can choose a Line Focus from one, three, or five lines. Here, you can also enable the Picture Dictionary and use the Translate feature with support for dozens of languages. Read Aloud : Different than the desktop version, the Read Aloud feature is available on the screen at all times.

Click the Play button to hear your document read to you and pause anytime. Click the Voice Settings icon to adjust the speed and voice selection.

As you read your document with Immersive Reader, you can click a word to hear it read out loud or see images if you enable Picture Dictionary above.

Using the arrow on the top right, you can put the page in full-screen mode. When you finish using the tool, click the arrow on the top left. For a better reading experience , tailored to you, check out Immersive Reader in Office. We select and review products independently. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission.

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