How do Word and Publisher compare and integrate?

[Bob]

Please direct me to information regarding using the new Word 2007 and
Publisher 2007 together. There seem to be a lot of overlapping functions in
the two products. Is there any good reason to use both for the same document?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Yes and no. I can see using Word for the spelling and/or grammar check. If
it's a basic word processing document, I'd stick with Word. If it combines
text with graphics, give me Publisher. (I have a 10 page document at work
that is making me truly hate using Word with pictures, etc. And we don't
have Publisher there. Grrrrrrrrr!)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Chuck Davis]

Bob,

It's as simple as this:
1) Publisher is a desk top Publishing program - brochures, newsletters,
greeting cards, business cards, gift certificates, postcards, programs,
signs, etc.
2) Word is a word processor. Use for lots of text. Features include (not in
Publisher); Table of Contents, Index, footnotes, tracking of changes,
captions, cross references, etc.

Yes, both have some overlapping functions. No, you can't use both for the
same document, other than you may wish to use Word for data entry, with its
grammar (weak) and spell checking. Then copy an paste it into Publisher.

I am writing this as a Word 2003 and Publisher 2003 user, but I haven't read
anything that should make my statements too far afield.

 

[Bob]

Thanks for the replies. My original post preceded a thorough review of the
whole set of related postings.

To be more specific, I self published several novels using the Win 95 era
versions of both Word and Publisher. It has been a decade since I used the
products and I have to rely on my memory on how I did it. I was able to
overcome several obnoxious incompatibilities before I stumbled on a procedure
that worked. I expect to try again with the 2007 versions -- or maybe not.

Back then, Word was great for the initial writing and organizing. I needed
Publisher to format the works into multi-page duplex print sheets (8 folded
pages per sheet).

Almost any text or paragraph formatting I did in Word was wasted time. I had
to reformat all the text in Publisher. Also, I had several sections in my
Word drafts that I didn't want to publish, such as TOC, Index and even an
Excel table that helped me organize the chapters. Of course, the most
worrisome task was to correct and make minor proofreading corrections in
Publisher, and hope the changes were automatically made in the Word versions
of the .doc files. (or less desirable, vice versa -- making the changes in
Word and have them automatically made in Publisher.) I vaguely recall
something about imbedded object files.

My correct question -- to MicroSoft if possible -- is: Do the new 2007
versions solve any of those difficulties? I certainly hope so. The idea
solution is for the two products to merge.

Thanks again,
Bob

p.s. -- I also have used PageMaker in other pro

 

[Ed Bennett]

My correct question -- to MicroSoft if possible -- is: Do the new 2007
versions solve any of those difficulties?

Not really. The Edit Story in Microsoft Word feature is, afaik, still
untouched. The Word Import Wizard may have been changed, but I haven't
used it (no reason to), so wouldn't know.

I certainly hope so. The idea
solution is for the two products to merge.

Over. My. Dead. Body.

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Let's make it a double funeral.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375