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My organization is currently running RE version 7.6. Recently, without looking into how it would work with our other functions, our admin dept purchased Office 2007. I read in the system recommendations that office 2007 is only compatible with RE 7.8 so boom...I thought I had a golden opportunity to force them to upgrade to a newer version. Only the cost of upgrading the sql server still has them balking...so they're ready to just shelve the plan is to upgrade half of the organization Office Suite (the half that doesn't use RE on a regular basis) and leave the rest of us on Office 03 and RE 7.6.
Now I've read the documentation on the differences in the newer builds but I'm having a hard time coming up with convincing arguements as to why we should upgrade sooner rather then later....Does anyone have any winning arguements they can share? Or should I just leave it be for now and stay with 7.6 for the time being. Is it just that I want the shiniest newest toys out there?
Not to rain on your parade, but we are on RE 7.70 and we are using Microsoft XP products. Sometimes having the latest bells and whistles is not the best thing. If you have the Events module and would like the latest and greatest version then that is a reason to upgrade or you know of other items that would make your live easier and better. As long as things are running smoothly and you can't afford to upgrade to a bigger and better server, pc's with more RAM, color laser printers, then be content with what you have. In your condition I would not upgrade until BB drops support on RE 7.6 or someone donates a lot of money designated for hardware replacemnt.
The Events Module is exactly what has me thinking upgrade....I'm definitely on the fence. I'll probably lose any arguement I posed anyway but it gave me something to think about (and 5 minutes away from updating 30,000 records with incorrect salutations.....)
Well, if you are recording credit cards, there is a very compelling argument for upgrading. In 7.6, the credit cards are stored UNENCRYPTED. Anybody who hacks into your server or has access to the back end can simply read all of your credit card information. In 7.81, all of the credit cards are stored ENCRYPTED.
Drew
__________________ J. Drew Allen
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Crystal Reports and SQL Server Consultant
It is better to live your destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection.
Several months ago I had asked our IT consultant to upgrade our machines. He came back and told me that we had to upgrade to SQL Server 2005 in order to move ahead. I wasn't aware that I could run 7.8 off of 2000.....
__________________ Maryanne L. Nigro
Database Administrator
American Jewish World Service
I have a very good reason for NOT upgrading half of your staff to Office 2007 and leaving the other half on 2003. Any documents created in Word 2007 CANNOT be opened by an earlier version. My CEO just bought a new laptop that came with 2007 and we can't open any documents he creates in it. He had IT uninstall it and bring him back down to 2003.
__________________ Jodi Rostek
Director, Donor Records Administration
Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey
It does say it requires 2005. I'm glad I didn't read that before I upgraded. It may be that BB don't support SQLServer 2000, but then they don't support SQL Server in general, in that they won't help you with problems.
Looking through the upgrade guide again it says
If you are using Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard/Enterprise Edition,
Service Pack 4 or higher must be installed. If you are using Microsoft SQL
Server 2005 Standard/Enterprise Edition, Service Pack 1 or higher must be
installed. Microsoft patches are required to keep your system current with
Microsoft’s security recommendations. If you have not installed the latest
Service Pack, you can download the latest version from Microsoft’s Web site:
Hmm...that does make it sound like we could potentially run it off 2000. I guess we could just download the service pack if we haven't already. Are you having any problems with 7.8? (other then the standard 9000 glitches that it seemed to have?)
Is anyone else out there using v. 7.8 with SQL 2000?
__________________ Maryanne L. Nigro
Database Administrator
American Jewish World Service
We have a lower version of RE - 7.61 - and we have Office 2007. I am not seeing any problems other than Office 2007 is GRUESOME. I DETEST it. I would do anything to go back to 2003. We didn't have a choice - we are being hosted by an offsite server, and our host provides all software except for RE and our event application - (AUCTION!).
So, be careful what you wish for....
Other than that, the only thing I am noticing is that when I generated a letter out of a gift screen before, there was a "Return to RE7" button on the letter, and now you just exit and it asks if you want to save BB_##. One thing that IS better - you can task out of a letter and check something in the RE record and then task back in without getting that box blocking you from doing so.
But I would definitely go back to Office 2003 despite the evil box if given a choice.
__________________ Andrea Shlasko
Database Manager
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Inc.
"Just another day in Paradise, where every meal's a banquet and every day's a holiday"
I have a very good reason for NOT upgrading half of your staff to Office 2007 and leaving the other half on 2003. Any documents created in Word 2007 CANNOT be opened by an earlier version. My CEO just bought a new laptop that came with 2007 and we can't open any documents he creates in it. He had IT uninstall it and bring him back down to 2003.
There is a compatibility pack that you can install for older versions of Office that allow you to access documents in the new format. Also in Office 2007 you can save for older versions as well - it is called compatibility mode.
I have a very good reason for NOT upgrading half of your staff to Office 2007 and leaving the other half on 2003. Any documents created in Word 2007 CANNOT be opened by an earlier version. My CEO just bought a new laptop that came with 2007 and we can't open any documents he creates in it. He had IT uninstall it and bring him back down to 2003.
Files created in 2007 can be saved as 2003 files and opened by everyone else. It's just a matter of the user of 2007 remembering to "Save As" when they save. You can tell the difference if you look at the file extension, if there is an "x" at the end, it is 2007 (i.e. .docx)
Other than that, the only thing I am noticing is that when I generated a letter out of a gift screen before, there was a "Return to RE7" button on the letter, and now you just exit and it asks if you want to save BB_##. One thing that IS better - you can task out of a letter and check something in the RE record and then task back in without getting that box blocking you from doing so.
quote]
The "Return to RE7" button you are looking for is now under a tab on the "ribbon" - I think it is the last tab and it might be called "Add-ins" or something like that (I have 2007 at work but not home, so I'm saying this from memory).
We have a lower version of RE - 7.61 - and we have Office 2007. I am not seeing any problems other than Office 2007 is GRUESOME. I DETEST it. I would do anything to go back to 2003. We didn't have a choice - we are being hosted by an offsite server, and our host provides all software except for RE and our event application - (AUCTION!).
So, be careful what you wish for....
Other than that, the only thing I am noticing is that when I generated a letter out of a gift screen before, there was a "Return to RE7" button on the letter, and now you just exit and it asks if you want to save BB_##. One thing that IS better - you can task out of a letter and check something in the RE record and then task back in without getting that box blocking you from doing so.
But I would definitely go back to Office 2003 despite the evil box if given a choice.
Andrea, could you elaborate a bit more about the "gruesome" part of Office 2007?
Or could anyone using it let me know how you find it? Compatible with RE? And also anyone using Vista with RE have any issues?
Thanks,
__________________ Anne Marie
I was born with nothing, and I still have most of it.
All menu bars have changed for the worst. Instead of the usual icons and headings, now you have to select tabs across from the following: In Word - home, insert, page layout, references, mailings, review, view. Now, how do I do a Save As? Make sure you have the Home tab selected. Then there is this round button on the top left, and you click that. It gives you SOME of the options you used to have when you just clicked File. How do I view the page properties? No cute little icon anymore. Go back to the Home, round button, and click Prepare, which gives you a new menu with encryption options, digital signature, and yes - Properties. I have been using Word since DOS (I think of it fondly as "blue word") and this is, by far, the most confusing iteration I have ever seen.
Bottom line - first, you have to learn where they have moved everything to. This took me a few days - and drove me nuts. Has anything changed for the better? Yeah - one thing. To print an envelope, you go to Mailings on the top tab, then Envelopes, then print. Everything else they can keep.
Access is a pain, Excel is a little better, FrontPage is now Expression Web and is even worse than FrontPage if you can imagine that.
PowerPoint - say you want to turn off guides. You go to Home, then to the Arrange icon, then scroll down to Align, then Grid Settings, then you can uncheck them.
Help? There is no Help button or icon or question mark or anything anywhere. Fortunately I remembered my F1.
Just shoot me.
__________________ Andrea Shlasko
Database Manager
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Inc.
"Just another day in Paradise, where every meal's a banquet and every day's a holiday"
Running RE with Office 2007 
