The Windows version of Microsoft Office has always been the gold standard for office suites, in regards to the characteristics. Office also exists on other platforms, like mac, but those versions are missing some products and features.
RELATED: What is the difference between mobile apps, Microsoft Office web and desktop?
Microsoft recently announced a big office update 2016 for Mac. Check that link for a detailed list of updates, but the most important thing includes bringing in some features that were long overdue in the macOS version, such as collaborative real-time editing, automatic saving of documents stored in the cloud and compatibility with Google Calendar and Contacts in Outlook. (In summary). Having said this, there are still functions (and complete applications) that you might get lost if you are working with the Mac version.
If you are switching between Windows and Mac (maybe using one at the office and one at home), Or maybe you are thinking of moving from Windows to Mac, it is important to highlight comparing the functions available in the two versions. The big question is whether you need to install Windows on your Mac using Boot Camp or Parallels just so you can run the Windows version of Office, or you can get by just buying the Mac version (O, best, use one of the facilities that comes with your Office subscription 365)?
What products are missing from Microsoft Office Mac Suite?
RELATED: How to smoothly run Windows programs on your Mac with Parallels
Microsoft sells Office for Windows in various editions. Almost all editions come with Word, Excel, PowerPoint y OneNote. Depending on the edition you buy, you can also get applications like Outlook, Publisher y Access.
Despite this, if you are using a Mac, there are a couple of Office apps (and applications associated with Office) you just can't get:
- Editor: Publisher is an entry-level desktop publishing application, aimed primarily at home users. There is no Mac version. Although you can easily find comparable apps for macOS, it is unlikely that you will be able to port your Publisher files very well from the Windows version, at least not without having to get them back in shape.
- Access: Access is a relational database management system that comes with the Professional editions of Office for Windows. Can't get Access on Mac, so if you (or your company) works with Access databases, you will be out of luck.
And since we are on the subject, there are also a couple of applications “adjacent to Office” high-end not available on macOS:
- Visio: Visio is a vector graphics and diagramming application that enables you to visualize complex information in the form of diagrams, graphics, flow charts and other shapes. There is no Mac version, so if you need it to work, you will need access to Windows.
- Project: Project is a project management application that connects to a company's Outlook and Exchange Server settings. Enables project managers to develop project schedules, create and assign tasks and resources, and manage it all with real-time information from people's calendars. There is no Mac version.
If you really need any of the specific applications we have listed here, you will need to run Windows and Windows version of Office.
What features are missing in the Mac versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook y OneNote?
Then, What about the main Office applications that is it so available on Mac? Although some very small features are missing (things that impact very few people), Most of the features found in Windows versions are present in macOS versions. Despite this, these are the main things you will miss.
Amplia suite
There are a couple of pretty important features that, even though they are not completely missing in the Office suite for Mac, are not up to par with their Windows counterparts:
- Visual Basic: Visual Basic integration enables you to record and use macros to automate tasks in your Office documents. Although macro support is included in Office on macOS, that support is not as complete as in the Windows version. If you make extensive use of macros, or use complicated macros, you must hope that some do not work.
- SharePoint integration: SharePoint is an intranet product used for file sharing, deliver news and make the most of project collaboration. If you are using a Mac and connecting to your company's SharePoint servers, You may find that some aspects of SharePoint are not as supported as the Windows version of Office.
Decidedly, there are some other features missing throughout the suite, but in reality they belong to facilities that are part of a company's network. As an example, roaming (the ability to use Office on different computers and have your settings follow you) not enabled for macOS. Despite this, if your system is part of a company network, these things have probably been thought of beforehand.
Word
Key Word features missing from the macOS version include:
- Open and repair: Although the Mac version of Word may attempt to automatically repair a corrupted document, does not have the specific Open and Repair command that is included in the Windows version. This makes it difficult to recover files that Word may not recognize as Word documents..
- Insert fonts: When embedding fonts in a document, are included in the Word file. That way, when someone else opens the file, displays correctly even if they haven't installed the fonts you used. You cannot embed fonts in the Mac version of Word.
- Digital ink: This feature provides free-style drawing tools that you can use to draw, write or highlight areas in your document. Not enabled in the Mac version.
- Document inspector: Document Inspector scans your Word document and removes hidden data and personal information, which makes it safer to share documents with other people. This feature is missing from the Mac version.
Standing out
Fortunately, the disparity between the Windows and Mac versions of Excel is minimal. Both versions support all major functions. Despite this, here are a few things to pay attention to:
- Dynamic graphics: Although the Mac version of Excel fully supports pivot tables, its support for dynamic graphics has always been lacking (graphs derived from pivot tables). January update 2018 de Office 2016 for macOS makes the dynamic graphics support of the Mac version more in line with Windows versions, but it is possible that some charting capabilities are still missing.
- Built-in database connectivity: Excel for macOS does not support the built-in database connectivity alternatives that the Windows version does offer.
These are some of the functions of “advanced user”, so I probably won't miss them much.
PowerPoint
The versions of PowerPoint for Windows and Mac are also mostly at parity. Having said this, there is one feature that is important to note that remains on the macOS side: video and animation triggers. These triggers allow you to make an animation effect start to play when you click on the object being animated., or automatically at the beginning of an audio or video clip.
Note that the Mac version features the same animations and allows you to activate animations with a general click or by setting a timer. It just doesn't include the advanced triggers that the Windows version does have..
panorama
Most of the Outlook features missing from the Mac version have to do with advanced features that you see when you connect to an Exchange server. These include things like access to public calendars, distribution lists, retention and compliance functions, receipt tracking and various social tools like voting buttons.
There are also some other missing features that are important to note.:
- Save as for emails: In the Windows version of Outlook, you have access to a Save As command for emails that enables you to save them as messages, PDF or any other item outside the Outlook message database. You can't do that in the Mac version.
- Word as email editor: The Windows version enables you to use Word as an email editor, giving you full access to Word features like formatting and auto-correcting. Mac version does not.
- Parallel calendars: In Windows, you can see two calendars side by side. On macOS, you can not.
Those are not many of the missing features (unless you are part of an Exchange-based organization), but its relevance is up to you. Y, as we already mentioned before, the latest Office update 2016 for macOS now supports Google Calendar and Contacts, a fairly important feature that remains for many people.
A note
The basic functionality of OneNote is present in the Windows and Mac versions (Y, in mobile versions, for that matter), but there are still some differences:
- Extensible: The Windows version is extensible and provides an API that enables plugins and some advanced functions. The Mac version does not include this extensibility.
- Linking and embedding: The Windows version of OneNote is more robust when it comes to embedding and linking files. As an example, in Windows version, you can embed an excel file. Clicking on that Excel file in OneNote, a full and editable version of the file opens in Excel. In the Mac version, you can only open a read-only copy of the embedded files.
- Version control: Windows version keeps older versions of tabs that have changed. Mac version does not.
- More searchable: Windows version allows you to search for handwritten text, as well as audio and video recordings. This feature is not enabled in the Mac version.
If you are not using any of these functions, it will be fine if you use the Mac version of OneNote.
As you can see from our lists, the features that are mostly lacking on the Mac side are little features that are rarely used or actual features of “advanced user” used primarily in office environments. If you don't need those features and you don't need the few missing apps in macOS (and we suspect that applies to more than 90% from our readers), it's probably fine with the Mac version of Office 2016 o Office 365. And it sure beats going through the hoop to get the Windows version running on your Mac!!
