How Microsoft Office for Mac 2011's Document Connection Made This Mom's Life Easier

I?ve been testing Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 for the past several months, and I?ve a lot of great posts brewing in my head about it. That being said, the software has been out for a while, and chances are I wouldn?t say anything different than what those at CNet, MacWorld or PCMag have already said.

Using Microsoft software on a MacBook has traditionally been troublesome for me. When I had Office 2008 on my circa-2009 MacBook, it was the only thing that would grind my processor to a halt! In 2012 I got a new MacBook and with this version of Office, things are running much more smoothly.

I?ve discovered that I?m relying on this new version of Office?especially with some of its new features?to help me with my busy-Mom life. So that?s what I?m going to talk about: the several ways this new version of Office for Mac has made my life easier.

I?m going to start with Document Connection, an application that?s unique to the Mac-version of Office. It was designed after feedback about how difficult it is for Mac users of Office to have to go into a SharePoint through a web browser and collaborate on documents. SharePoints sometimes had trouble with migrating the Mac user?s edits with a Window user who might access the file immediately afterward. Document Connection originally became available during a Service Pack 2 install of Office for Mac 2008, and is now included with Office for Mac 2011.

Document Connection is a stand-alone application that allows users to connect to SharePoints, Office Live Workspaces and now SkyDrive without having to rely on a browser for the uploading and downloading of the collaborative files. I tested this capability last fall by uploading my entire folder with files about my local Cub Scout Pack committee.

Getting Around Document Connection

Upon installing Office for Mac 2011, if you choose to have your icons sitting waiting for you in your dock, you will see the icons for the traditional Office programs, along with some different looking ones.

Open up Document Connection and you?re presented with two options for connecting your computer: you may connect to any Microsoft SharePoint that has a public URL, or you may connect to a Microsoft SkyDrive if you have the login and password.

Since the only SharePoint I use is associated with my Air Force work, so I won?t be testing it here, but I do have a SkyDrive account (a complimentary 7 GB is available with every Microsoft Live ID, with upgraded storage amounts available for as little as $10 per year).

I chose the SkyDrive option and logged into my Microsoft Windows Live account.

I connected to my SkyDrive and then uploaded a test folder. Before this test, my SkyDrive was empty.

Once the contents of the folder uploaded, they became available to me through Document Connection, as well as through any SkyDrive browser window or mobile app.

By logging into SkyDrive through my web browser, I could see that my files had uploaded.

How Document Connection Saved my Hide

Once a month my sons? Cub Scout pack leaders get together for a Committee Meeting. This is where we discuss scheduling, policies, and budget?basically all the stuff that the kids won?t really want to hear, so during standard meetings we can completely focus on the Scouts.

I was sitting at one of the meetings and a question had come up about one of the awards that scouts could earn: called the ?Outdoor Activity Award?. In the middle of the meeting I was able to call up the planning files I had for this award through my SkyDrive app on my iPhone.

It was quick and easy!

Thanks to Document Connection ? and my testing it for GeekMom ? I had easy access to my planning files!

Since this test, I have uploaded all planning files for other things: the Air Force base spouses? club, GeekMom, and my sons? PTOs. It?s a nice way to have the files available.

A Couple of Caveats

I need to make it clear that Document Connection, when connected to SkyDrive, is not the equivalent of SkyDrive. Like SharePoint, it?s an access and collaboration point for files. Users can upload new files to SkyDrive through Document Connection, but I don?t recommend using it for widespread file management. Users?cannot make new folders, nor can you move files around your SkyDrive or SharePoint with Document Connection.

It?s recommended you go into your SkyDrive app or access your SharePoint through your web browser to make such file management changes.

Document Connection also does not sync with your SkyDrive or SharePoint periodically. In other words, if Colleague X was editing a file at 8am, and you had opened up your Document Connection at 7:30am, you have to manually ?Refresh? the folders and files. It does not do this automatically.

To conclude, the Document Connection app on Office for Mac 2011 is a welcome addition for the Mac fans who have to work in a Windows world (such as those of us in the military). It helps make collaborations easier, and help to keep your files connected in your cloud storage.

Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 is available at Apple retailers and through download at Microsoft.com.

Next time: How I used PowerPoint for Mac 2011 to make the most awesome birthday party invitations!

A complimentary copy of Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 was provided for review purposes.

Source: http://feeds.wired.com/~r/wired/gaming/~3/-YYb2GOl_XQ/

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