Feature compatibility between Office XP and Office 2003
Updated: August 13, 2007
Applies To: Office Resource Kit
This Office product will reach end of support on October 10, 2017. To stay supported, you will need to upgrade. For more information, see , Resources to help you upgrade your Office 2007 servers and clients.
Topic Last Modified: 2015-03-09
In this article:
Office
Office Access
Office Excel
Office Outlook
Office PowerPoint
Office Word
The following tables list differences in the menu options user interface. This is not a complete list. The list provides the major menu grouping changes and some second-level and third-level menu changes.
In some cases, you can use the Customize option on the Tools menu to find menu options that were available in previous versions of the Microsoft Office Editions but that are no longer available in current releases.
Office
| Feature | Office XP | Office 2003 |
|---|---|---|
ActiveX Control Enablement |
Yes |
Yes—better security configuration options |
Collaboration |
Yes |
Yes—enhanced |
Help Content |
Yes |
Yes—enhanced and Internet available |
Language Translation Support |
No |
Yes (limited) |
Local Installation Source |
No |
Yes |
Office Art |
Yes |
Yes—enhanced |
Security Enhancements |
Yes |
Yes—new Very High security |
Office Access
| Feature | Office XP | Office 2003 |
|---|---|---|
Form/Report Error Checking |
No |
Yes—new |
Import/Export Wizards |
Yes |
Yes—enhanced and integrated |
Import/Export XML |
Yes |
Yes—enhanced |
Import/Export/Link to SharePoint |
No |
Yes—new |
Macro Security |
No |
Yes—new |
Smart Tags |
No |
Yes—new |
Table Analyzer Wizard |
Yes |
Yes—enhanced |
File > New… |
Yes (dialog) |
Yes—now a task pane |
File > Backup Database… |
No |
Yes—new |
File > Web Page Preview |
No |
Yes |
View > Object Dependencies |
No |
Yes—new |
View > Task Pane |
No |
Yes—new |
Tools > Macro |
Yes |
Yes |
Tools > Security… |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Tools on the Web… |
Yes |
No |
Help > Microsoft Office Online |
No |
Yes—new |
Help > What's This? |
Yes |
No |
Help > Contact Us |
No |
Yes—new |
Help > Office on the Web |
Yes |
No |
Help > Access Developer Resources |
No |
Yes—new |
Help > Check for Updates |
No |
Yes—new |
Help > Customer Feedback Options |
No |
Yes—new |
Office Excel
| Feature | Office XP | Office 2003 |
|---|---|---|
Excel Formula Auditing |
Limited |
Yes—enhanced |
Excel Goal seek |
No |
Yes |
Excel Scenarios |
No |
Yes |
Formula AutoCorrect |
Yes |
Yes—enhanced |
Natural Language Formulas |
Yes |
Yes—enhanced |
Updated Charting |
Yes |
Yes—enhanced |
File > Permissions |
No |
Yes—new |
File > Permissions > Unrestricted Access |
No |
Yes—new |
File > Permissions > Do Not Distribute… |
No |
Yes—new |
File > Permissions > Restrict Permission As… |
No |
Yes—new |
File > Send To |
Yes |
Removed—still available as a custom option. On the Tools menu, select Customize, and then select the Commands tab to activate these menu options in the menu of your choice. |
View > Toolbars |
Yes |
Yes |
View > Toolbars List |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Research |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Shared Workspace |
No |
Yes—new |
Data > List |
No |
Yes—new |
Data > XML |
No |
Yes—new |
Window > Compare Side by Side with |
No |
Yes—new |
Help > Show the Office Assistant |
No |
Yes |
Help > Check for Updates |
No |
Yes |
Help > Contact Us |
No |
Yes |
Help > Customer Feedback Options |
No |
Yes |
Help > Microsoft Office Online |
No |
Yes |
Help > Office on the Web |
Yes |
No |
Help > 1-2-3 Help… |
Yes |
No |
Help > What’s This |
Yes |
No |
Help > Activate Product… |
No |
Yes |
Office Outlook
The menu structure of Office Outlook changes dramatically depending on the configuration, profile, and add-ins that are installed. Several of the list headers (From, Subject, Received, Size, and so on) can be sorted by clicking the header (use the right mouse button for specific control access). Not all of the menu options or features are discussed in this comparison.
Overall, Outlook 2003 has significant changes in the UI and feature sets compared to Outlook XP. The following table highlights valuable information regarding how some features and menu options have transitioned into new features or options within Office 2003.
| Feature | Office XP | Office 2003 |
|---|---|---|
File > New |
Yes |
Yes |
Outlook Bar Shortcut |
Yes |
No |
Internet Fax |
No |
Yes |
Search Folder… |
No |
Yes |
Navigation Pane Shortcut |
No |
Yes |
Office document |
Yes |
No |
File > Folder |
Yes |
Yes |
Sharing… |
No |
Yes |
File > Cached Exchange Mode |
No |
Yes |
Download Full Items |
No |
Yes |
Download Headers and Then Full Items |
No |
Yes |
Download Headers |
No |
Yes |
On Slow Connections Download Only Headers |
No |
Yes |
Edit > Clear |
Yes |
No |
View > Go To |
Yes |
No—now a separate Go menu option |
View > Current View |
Yes |
Yes—changed to Arrange By |
By Follow-up Flag |
Yes |
No |
Flagged for Next Seven Days |
Yes |
No |
By Conversation Topic |
Yes |
No |
By Sender |
Yes |
No |
Date |
No |
Yes |
Conversation |
No |
Yes |
From |
No |
Yes |
To |
No |
Yes |
Folder |
No |
Yes |
Size |
No |
Yes |
Subject |
No |
Yes |
Type |
No |
Yes |
Flag |
No |
Yes |
Attachments |
No |
Yes |
E-mail Account |
No |
Yes |
Importance |
No |
Yes |
Categories |
No |
Yes |
Custom |
No |
Yes |
Show in Group |
No |
Yes |
Show Views in Navigation Pane |
No |
Yes |
View > Navigation Pane |
No |
Yes |
View > Reading Pane |
No |
Yes |
Right |
No |
Yes |
Bottom |
No |
Yes |
Off |
No |
Yes |
View > Refresh |
No |
Yes |
View > Folder List |
Yes |
No |
View > Outlook Bar |
Yes |
No |
Favorites |
Yes |
No |
Go > Calendar |
No |
Yes |
Go > Contacts |
No |
Yes |
Go > Tasks |
No |
Yes |
Go > Notes |
No |
Yes |
Go > Journal |
No |
Yes |
Go > Folder… |
No |
Yes |
Go > Mail |
No |
Yes |
Go > Folder List |
No |
Yes |
Go > Shortcuts |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Send/Receive |
Yes |
Yes |
Send All |
No |
Yes |
This Folder |
No |
Yes |
Send/Receive All |
No |
Yes |
Download Headers in This Folder |
No |
Yes |
Mark to Download Message |
No |
Yes |
Unmark Selected Headers |
No |
Yes |
Unmark All Headers |
No |
Yes |
Process Marked Headers in This Folder |
No |
Yes |
Dial-Up Connection |
No |
Yes |
Send/Receive Settings |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Send/Receive Settings |
Yes |
No |
Tools > Find |
Yes |
Yes |
Find |
Yes |
Yes—previously in Tools |
Advanced Find… |
Yes |
Yes—previously in Tools |
Find Public Folder… |
Yes |
Yes—previously in Tools |
Tools > Tools on the Web |
Yes |
No |
Actions > Follow Up |
Yes |
Yes |
Red Flag |
No |
Yes |
Blue Flag |
No |
Yes |
Yellow Flag |
No |
Yes |
Green Flag |
No |
Yes |
Orange Flag |
No |
Yes |
Purple Flag |
No |
Yes |
Flag Complete… |
No |
Yes |
Add Reminder |
No |
Yes |
Clear Flag |
No |
Yes |
Set Default Flag |
No |
Yes |
Actions > Find All |
Yes |
No |
Actions > Junk E-mail |
No |
Yes |
Add to Junk Sender’s List |
Yes |
No |
Add to Adult Content Senders List |
Yes |
No |
Add sender to Blocked Senders List |
No |
Yes |
Add Sender to Safe Senders List |
No |
Yes |
Add Sender’s Domain (“”) to Safe Senders List |
No |
Yes |
Add Recipient to Safe Recipients List |
No |
Yes |
Mark as Not Junk… |
No |
Yes |
Junk E-mail Options |
No |
Yes |
Help > Office on the Web |
Yes |
No |
Help > Microsoft Office Online |
No |
Yes |
Help > Contact Us |
No |
Yes |
Help > Check for Updates |
No |
Yes |
Help > Customer Feedback Options… |
No |
Yes |
Office PowerPoint
| Feature | Office XP | Office 2003 |
|---|---|---|
File > Pack and Go… |
Yes |
No |
File > Permission |
No |
Yes—new |
File > Package for CD |
No |
Yes |
File > Send To |
Yes |
Yes |
Routing Recipient… |
Yes |
No |
Recipient using Internet Fax Service… |
No |
Yes |
Edit > Reconvert |
No |
Yes |
View > View Direction |
No |
Yes |
Insert > Text Box |
No |
Yes |
Format > Alignment |
Yes |
Yes |
Distributed |
No |
Yes |
Format > Paragraph Direction |
No |
Yes |
Format > Font Alignment |
No |
Yes |
Format > Line Break… |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Spelling and Grammar |
Yes |
Yes—previously Spelling |
Tools > Research… |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Thesaurus… |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Typography… |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Shared Workspace… |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Meeting Minder |
Yes |
No |
Slide Show > Online Broadcast |
Yes |
No |
Help > Microsoft Office Online |
No |
Yes |
Help > Contact Us |
No |
Yes |
Help > Check for Updates |
No |
Yes |
Help > Office on the Web |
Yes |
No |
Help > Customer Feedback Options |
No |
Yes |
Office Word
| Feature | Office XP | Office 2003 |
|---|---|---|
File > Permission |
No |
Yes |
File > Send To |
No |
Yes |
Fax Recipient |
Yes |
No |
Recipient using a Fax Modem… |
No |
Yes |
Recipient using Internet Fax Service |
No |
Yes |
View > Reading Layout |
No |
Yes |
View > Show Paragraph Marks |
No |
Yes |
View > Gridlines |
No |
Yes—moved to Reviewing Pane button |
View > Thumbnails |
No |
Yes |
Insert > Number… |
No |
Yes |
Insert > Text Box |
Yes |
Yes |
Horizontal |
No |
Yes |
Vertical |
No |
Yes |
Format > Fix Text… |
No |
Yes |
Format > Asian Layout |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Research |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Language |
Yes |
Yes |
Japanese Consistency Checker |
No |
Yes |
Translate… |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Fix Broken Text… |
No |
Yes |
Tools > Shared Workspace… |
No |
Yes |
Window > Compare Side by Side with |
No |
Yes |
Help > Microsoft Office Online |
No |
Yes |
Help > Office on the Web |
Yes |
No |
Help > Contact Us |
No |
Yes |
Help > Customer Feedback Options… |
No |
Yes |
Help > Check for Updates |
No |
Yes |