New Features in Excel 2003

In addition to Excel s new look, which follows the Windows XP theme, Excel 2003 includes a number of features that extend the capabilities of the program and the data you prepare with it:

• Ink support Full support for the Tablet PC enables you to add data, annotate worksheets, draw diagrams, and hand-draw charts , even when you re away from your desk.

• Internet faxing A new offering in the Send To submenu of the File menu enables you to send faxes without leaving your Excel worksheet.

• Windows Rights Management Now Excel users working with Windows Rights Management (WRM) can protect sensitive data by assigning various roles to file recipients. Someone assigned as Viewer can view files as read-only but cannot make any modifications; Reviewer enables a user to make comments in a file and add information; Editor grants editing privileges so the file can be modified.

• Research while you work The Research task pane enables you to search specific resources to find information you need as you work. The Translation feature converts foreign phrases and words using multi-language capabilities.

  See Also  

  For more about working with Excel s new XML features, see the section, Using XML in Excel 2003, later in this chapter.

• XML support The Office System Professional editions provide full support for industry-standard XML, which enables businesses to prepare, save, and share information in the common XML format. In Standard and Home editions of the Office System, users can save Excel files in XML format but cannot perform high-end XML tasks .

• Links to SharePoint Team Services Another significant enhancement in Excel is its seamless integration with Microsoft SharePoint Team Services. Now you can import SharePoint list data directly into your Excel spreadsheet, and export that data back to SharePoint just as easily.