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Microsoft Corp.

Microsoft Announces Immediate Availability of Office 97 Small Business Edition Version 2.0

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Microsoft Corp. today announced the immediate availability of Microsoft(R) Office 97 Small Business Edition version 2.0, a suite of productivity applications specifically designed for small businesses. The new suite provides small businesses with the essential tools to manage and run their operations more effectively, including features that make it possible for small businesses to communicate, get information, and market themselves using the Internet. With new tools like the Direct Mail Manager, small businesses can use the Internet for targeted direct mailings and automate the process of direct mailing.

Key Takeaways:

  • Microsoft Office 97 Small Business Edition version 2.0 is a suite of productivity applications specifically designed for small businesses, providing essential tools for managing and running operations more effectively.
  • The suite includes features that enable small businesses to communicate, get information, and market themselves using the Internet, such as the Direct Mail Manager, which uses Internet and wizard technology to walk users through the process of creating and managing cost-effective direct mailings.
  • The Direct Mail Manager enables users to rent targeted mailing lists from vendors, verify address lists against the U.S. Postal Service ZIP+4 database, and work with a mailing service to print and send the mailing.
  • Office 97 Small Business Edition version 2.0 also includes Microsoft Word 97, Excel 97, Publisher 98, and Outlook 98, as well as unique small business management and marketing tools, such as Small Business Financial Manager 98.
  • The suite provides powerful, easy-to-use financial analysis and reporting tools, including What-If Wizards, business charts, projection reports, and comparison reports that allow users to make better decisions.
  • The Direct Mail Manager is a new feature that allows small businesses to use the Internet for targeted direct mailings and automate the process of direct mailing.
  • Small Business Financial Manager 98 is an ideal "what-if" tool for making pricing and inventory management decisions, creating financial projections, and industry comparisons.
  • The suite includes Expedia Streets 98, a street-level mapping and travel information product, which allows small businesses to find vendor or customer locations, map delivery routes, and add detailed maps to marketing materials.
  • The Microsoft Office 97 Small Business Edition version 2.0 is available immediately, with an upgrade price of $249 for current Office application users, and full product for new users available for $499.

Statistics:

  • 16,000 restaurants from the ZAGATSURVEY(TM) restaurant guide are included in Expedia Streets 98.
  • Over 1,600 professionally designed publication templates are provided with Publisher 98.
  • AutoConvert allows users to automatically reformat a publication to a new size, layout, or publication type with just a click of a button.
  • Outlook 98 adds industry-leading support for Internet standards, allowing users to perform tasks such as sending entire HTML Web pages through e-mail.
  • Small Business Financial Manager 98 includes What-If Wizards, business charts, projection reports, and comparison reports.
  • The U.S. Postal Service has provided an online reference guide with detailed information on direct-mail issues.

Sources:

  • PRNewswire, "Microsoft Announces Immediate Availability of Office 97 Small Business Edition Version 2.0" (March 23, 1998)
  • Microsoft Corporation, "Microsoft Office 97 Small Business Edition"

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