Office JS Public Preview is here!

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After months, years maybe, it is finally here: The new cross-platform Excel and Word JavaScript API’s in Public Preview!

Up to now the development of this was happening behind the screen, not available for the general public. At first with little snippets, test scenarios and try-outs to find the best way to work with this, not only on Windows platforms but also the other platforms like iOS or Android.

Until now the Office JS API’s were mostly limited to Office365 interfaces but not targeting file content. This now is changed, at least for the first and still somewhat limited version.

What this means is that you now get the option to actually interact with the file contents. For now only on Excel en Word and only for a small subset of the Object Model as you know it from VBA and/or VSTO, but it is a start.

As its now open into the public, go ahead, and take a look at the public preview of Office.js API’s in Office 2016 and try some of the samples to get an impression on how this works:

Increase the productivity of Users’ with enhanced Office.js APIs in Office 2016

I will go into some more detail in future blog posts. Hopefully a start to get the full object model available but now on multiple platforms!

Want to upgrade but what version of Office am I using?

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Now Office 2016 is available you want to upgrade, but you are not sure what version of Office you are currently running. In my blog post yesterday I already provided a couple of links where to go if you upgrade from Office365 Personal/Home or Business. But to do so you need to know what is installed on your machine today.

To help you a bit with this Microsoft put all the version information for the various versions into one location:

What version of Office am I using?

Now identify your version and upgrade to the right edition.

#TheNewOffice

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Today September 22 not only autumn kicked in, but it is also the day that Office 2016 is officially released:

The Office Team Blog: The New Office Is Here

There is a lot worth mentioning about this version. It now has the option to collaborate, work together in one (or more) documents at the same time. You see little markers appear when the other is editing parts of the document you are working on. Try it!

Too many things to go in to detail here right now: Skype for Business integration, Office365 Groups, Office365 Planner, Windows 10 integration, Office 2016 for Mac, Sway, mobile apps on Windows Phone, Android –and– iPhone, Enterprise features, new Visio 2016 and Project 2016

Go download the bits, and start working with it. Another Office Milestone … enjoy!

Links:

How do I upgrade to Office 2016 if I have an Office 365 subscription?

How do I update Office to Office 2016 using Office 365 for business?

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