Ribbon 2007 Vs. 2003

Checklists can be used for comparisons between products.

Microsoft introduced the ribbon bar in Office 2007 as part of its new Microsoft Office fluent user interface. The ribbon bar is an integration between the menu bar and the toolbars of Office 2003, which are eliminated in Office 2007. The ribbon has tabs where similar commands are grouped.

Applications

In Office 2003, all applications in the suite shared similar menus and toolbars. Microsoft implemented the ribbon bar in Word 2007, Excel 2007, Access 2007, PowerPoint 2007 and partially in Outlook 2007. The ribbon is displayed in Outlook 2007 when you open items such as Mail, Contacts and Appointments.

Office 2007 Button

In Office 2007, the file menu from Office 2003 was replaced with the Office button, which was a round shape in the upper left of the application window with the Office logo. The Office 2007 button could be found in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook.

Other Differences

The ribbon is not customizable in Office 2007, which frustrates many users accustomed to this feature in Office 2003 and previous. Users familiar with keyboard shortcuts in Office 2003 may continue to use these in Office 2007. There is a small toolbar located at the top left of the application window called the Quick Access toolbar, which is customizable.

References

• Microsoft Office: Use the Ribbon
• Microsoft Office: What and Where Is the Microsoft Office Button?