Integration concerns, the perception that implementing third party software may cause performance issues.

Among some IT professionals, there is a common feeling that the fewer applications, the better. It certainly doesn’t make sense to introduce software that causes more problems than it fixes. That’s why a third party macro package for Word must be integrated well, using quality technology and proven expertise.

Microsoft acknowledges the value of third party enhancements to Office (they call them add-ins) and is helping improve these applications through the continual evolution of Visual Studio Tools (VSTO) for Microsoft Office.

VSTO is an advanced development platform for third party add-ins written in .Net. A well-designed VSTO application is as well behaved as Word itself. Integrated add-ins for Microsoft Office are more solid than ever, and continue to improve.

When evaluating third party solutions, speak with vendors about their programming platform, philosophy, experience, and plans for future growth. How do they develop, test and maintain code? Do they assist with installation, implementation and training services? Do they offer reliable Help Desk support?

Budget, the pressure to minimize costs

When implementing (or upgrading to) Word 2010 (or 2007), there are many things to consider... planning, installation, customization, roll-out, and training, to name a few! Don’t forget, however, to look beyond the immediate implementation project to the future, on-going use of the software by your users.

Will a third party solution reduce training time? Will your users do more in less time, day after day? When you take these things into consideration, do you believe that a quality custom macro solution will pay for itself many times over?

Ultimately, the most economical solution is the most productive.

Next: Adding Legal Functions to Microsoft Word 

1. Legal Word Macro
2. More than Native
3. Integration-Budget
4. Legal Functions