Microsoft Office License for MLS computers

[craiggsmith]

Thanks very much for this information!

[drepouille]

I know they have OpenOffice installed on them, but our Stake Presidency and clerks all use and are familiar with Microsoft Office (particularly Excel) and OpenOffice just doesn't have the funcionality or familiarity they need.

Sorry to comment on a stale thread, which I just found. As Russell said, familiarity with Office 2003 is irrelevant when discussing Office 2007 or 2010. I use 2003 at home and love it. At work, I am totally confused and confounded by Office 2010. Also, it is my experience that only the clerk, and maybe the executive secretary, create documents on the administrative computer. The presidency just uses their smart phones and tablets.

Dana in Omaha

[russellhltn]

With the introduction of Win7, there's another factor with older versions of MS Office:

Microsoft Office 2003 and 2007 Microsoft Office system are tested and supported in Windows 7. Microsoft Office XP is approaching the end of its support life cycle. Currently, Office XP is in the Extended Support period of the support life cycle. During this period, only security issues are addressed by updates. All support for Office XP will end on July 12, 2011.

Needless to say, that date has passed.

[nathangg]

Our Ward Council and PEC has moved to Google Docs... so the need for locally installed software has dramatically decreased. Usually we download a docs as a PDF to print it (or sometimes printing directly from within Google docs works okay, too)

[markverdera]

I am the executive secretary in our ward... And I have personal original copy of Microsoft Office 2007 professional (licensed), I just want to know if the church will approved this kind of Office to be installed in the MLS Computer of Ward.

[nathangg]

I am the executive secretary in our ward... And I have personal original copy of Microsoft Office 2007 professional (licensed), I just want to know if the church will approved this kind of Office to be installed in the MLS Computer of Ward.

Two things come to mind:

1) Usually those copies that you or I may buy are for "Home" or "Student" use, not for a non-profit use.
2) if the licensing was okay, you'd definitely have to uninstall it from your home computer

I still think that I would caution against doing this. I'm trying to put words to my thoughts but the only thing that I can come up with is that:
* Libre Office is free (or Open Office)
* Google docs has worked wonders for us ("us" being Bishop, Counselors, Exec. Secretary, and Membership clerk) - we just have everything online and we don't have to worry about who has what software installed on their Windows/Mac/Linux computers at home (and yes, we cover all three OS's with different people on different licenses of MS Office... moving to Google docs has helped get over all of this).

[russellhltn]

if the licensing was okay, you'd definitely have to uninstall it from your home computer

To be legal, you'd have to give your license to the ward so they'd have it on file. As stated, you wouldn't be able to continue to use it at home.

But you wouldn't be legally able to give the license to the church if you've used that license to qualify for a upgrade for yourself.

One of the responsibilities of the STS is to insure that all software is properly licensed. So if he found Office installed and the ward could not produce the slip of paper, he'd be obligated to remove it from the computer.

[failproof]

OK, I think I FINALLY have some definitive answers here. ... the church also has a separate SELECT agreement with Microsoft that wards and stakes CAN use (with appropriate approval from local leaders of course). Softchoice is the reseller who administers church Microsoft contracts. A stake/ward can set up their own account with Softchoice and make purchases on this SELECT agreement with charity pricing.

...If any one else would like to do this in their stake, the contact at Softchoice is Jon Brune. 1-888-607-7638 x4240. He is very good to work with and can get you set up with an account. I'm not encouraging wards and stakes to run out and abandon OpenOffice if that is working for you, but I AM encouraging you to use Microsoft Office in a legal and cost-effective way if you are already using it or have plans to.

Has anyone else used this approach since March 2011, when rolfejr posted this? As a recently called STS, this is the first "assignment" I have been tasked with and it sounds like exactly what I need. The new clerk support web pages on lds.org seem to continue to indicate that it is OK to purchase MS Office software, just not encouraged. This sounds like a very reasonable price, but curious if it is still working after a year and a half, and interested in some of the smaller details, for example: Do they mail physical copies of the license certs once purchased, so that they can be kept in the clerk's office as instructed on this page of the clerk support pages?

[craiggsmith]

I have not, but I have it on good authority that the Church is currently working on a license agreement with Microsoft for wards and stakes to purchase it on their own.

[rolandc]

As one who was given this task some months ago, I have two pieces of info for anyone who is interested.

1st. there is a very specific version of office that is suitably licensed for charity.

2nd. the easiest way to get that version for 59.00 (Office Standard 2010 for Charity) is simply call ccbnonprofits set up a free net 30 account.

This is how we did it in our Stake, all of our wards have it and its 100 legal. For XP when you set up the volume license it will let you backup to office 2007.

www.ccbnonprofits.com

Toll-Free: 800-342-4222

There, all the leg work is done.
http://www.ccbnonprofit.com