Microsoft Office Licence Confusion

Chugster

Can someone please help? I work from home (self employed) and want to get a licence for Word, Excel and Outlook. Can I purchase the Home Edition of Office and Outlook or do I have to buy the small business edition because I use the PC for business purposes? It seems a ridiculous extra amount of money to spend!

Marty_J

Are there license restrictions to Office Home and Student 2007?

Yes. Office Home and Student 2007 is licensed only for noncommercial use by households. It cannot be used in commercial (business) situations.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/suites/HA101655301033.aspx

busenbust

Can I purchase the Home Edition of Office and Outlook

Yes, if installed on a single machine .

Chugster

It still seems confusing - what is a "commercial situation"? My PC is used for personal and business use, but always in the home (i.e. not in an office at any time).

[Deleted User]

If you're able too, you might be better to delay your purchase until Office 2010 is released sometime around June, as there'll be a Home and Business version which includes Outlook and should be cheaper than Office Standard.

busenbust

Chugster wrote: »

It still seems confusing - what is a "commercial situation"? My PC is used for personal and business use, but always in the home (i.e. not in an office at any time).

That indeed would/could be the bone of contention here; I still think for your needs - from your description - the install on one machine would be legally sound . Others will probably disagree...

squeak24

I'm self employed, I use open office (https://www.openoffice.org) just as good, if not better the MS. You get the full package for free.

I have not had many problems with it, sometimes it freezes up, but so does MS, it always recovers if this happens, but this is very far and few between.

Marty_J

Chugster wrote: »

It still seems confusing - what is a "commercial situation"? My PC is used for personal and business use, but always in the home (i.e. not in an office at any time).

It's not confusing at all. If you're using it for a business (which you are), then you need Microsoft Office 2007 Small Business.

debitcardmayhem

anewhope wrote: »

If you're able too, you might be better to delay your purchase until Office 2010 is released sometime around June, as there'll be a Home and Business version which includes Outlook and should be cheaper than Office Standard.

Also you can download the 2010 Beta Trial free valid until about October and who knows they M$ might allow a pre-order promo like Win7
Addendum also available on PC Pro / PC Advisor mags

[Deleted User]

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Also you can download the 2010 Beta Trial free valid until about October and who knows they M$ might allow a pre-order promo like Win7
Addendum also available on PC Pro / PC Advisor mags

You'd have to accept that you were putting your business data at a certain degree of risk by using using software intended for testing and evaluation purposes, but if you were comfortable with that it's not an unreasonable suggestion.

I wouldn't expect anything in a similar vein to the heavy discounting of Windows 7 with Office. Office is already available very cheap to those who a promotional campaign would be targetted at, not to mention Office Web Apps being released which will be free to use online but supported by advertising.

DatabaseError

I also don't see any confusion...it's for commercial use, therefore business edition is appropriate.
My guess is that you claimed back on the PC as it's a business expense without thinking maybe you shouldn't as the machine is in your home?