• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

ConverterTechnology Rescues the Oft-forgotten Assets of Microsoft Office Migrations: PowerPoint Files

Posted on: Monday, 11 May 2009, 08:29 CDT

Also scans for rogue ActiveX control-enabled files for added security

NASHUA, N.H., May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise-wide upgrades to the latest Microsoft Office software are huge threats to business continuity for unprepared companies. File links break, macros go haywire, spreadsheet formulas stop working, and revenue opportunities are lost. Fortunately, new automation tools help identify and fix problematic Word and Excel files during enterprise migrations. But pity poor PowerPoint users who have made significant development efforts in complex business presentations. Their files remain at risk.

ConverterTechnology today solved that problem by adding PowerPoint file support to its OfficeConverter 2007 software suite. The new OfficeConverter 9.4 accelerates the process of converting many types of Office files by automating many of the most labor-intensive, complex functions. It identifies all of the files that should be converted, flags files at risk of corruption or incompatibility and fixes problems automatically to ensure the migration goes as smoothly as possible. The software accomplishes these tasks at a fraction of the financial and resource costs of hiring outsourced code specialists or re-directing internal staff from core IT functions.

As with critical Excel, Word and Access files, many business users have invested huge amounts of development and creative energy in writing and incorporating Microsoft VBA code into their PowerPoint presentations. When these companies migrate to Office 2007, they risk compiler errors, runtime errors, commands that no longer work and file links no longer accessible.

For companies that have banned the use of ActiveX controls for security reasons, the new version also scans for any file containing rogue ActiveX control components so that they can be converted to Forms controls. ActiveX controls are components that add dynamic and interactive features to Web pages and files, but can be used to install viruses and malware.

"It's time IT departments start treating files as vital IT assets, with the same rigorous best practices and tools that they use to manage other vital IT resources," said Rob McWalter, CEO of ConverterTechnology. "OfficeConverter solves these challenges by its ability to automatically scan, identify and convert PowerPoint files during Office 2007 migrations. Companies can't afford the lost productivity and huge time investment in fixing broken files. The OfficeConverter suite eliminates the guesswork in planning and conversion, accelerating time to productivity."

With its OfficeConverter suite of products and comprehensive services expertise, ConverterTechnology has helped more than one million users securely identify, analyze and fix file conversion errors before they occur.

OfficeConverter 2007 version 9.4 includes four modules - DiscoverIT, ScanIT, ReportIT and ConvertIT - that help companies begin capitalizing on the benefits of Office 2007 quickly, efficiently and with a minimum of risk.

• DiscoverIT - identifies all files on the network so IT staff can determine which files need to be converted, as well as which files may contain ActiveX controls;
• ScanIT - marks known compatibility issues such as invalid Visual Basic for Application (VBA) references;
• ReportIT - generates detailed reports IT managers can use to make smart decisions about which files to convert, how and when; and
• ConvertIT - fixes 90+ percent of compatibility issues, increasing IT staff productivity by minimizing hands-on development effort to fix problems.

Some of the key new features in OfficeConverter 2007 automatically identify and fix such compatibility problems as: references to utility.mda from Access databases that are no longer needed; references to named ranges in Excel VBA code required due to the increase in number of columns and rows; and, VBA code which will not function in Office 2007 due to VBA object model changes.

OfficeConverter 2007 version 9.4 is available immediately.

About ConverterTechnology

ConverterTechnology provides software and services to help enterprises capitalize on the benefits of Microsoft Office 2007 without the migration risks of data corruption, reduced employee productivity and critical business application downtime. Founded in 1997, ConverterTechnology has helped more than one million users identify, analyze and fix compatibility errors before they occur, accelerating time to deployment. ConverterTechnology is headquartered in Nashua, N.H., with offices in Europe and Australia, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Powerlan Limited. For more information, visit www.convertertechnology.com.

OfficeConverter is a trademark of ConverterTechnology. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE ConverterTechnology

Source: PR Newswire

More News in this Category