Some administrators face complaints from users during a rollout of new software, usually because people resist change. The key techniques for a smooth Microsoft® Office XP rollout are using the Office Resource Kit tools, and communicating to your users at all stages of the process - planning, deployment, and maintenance.

Tools for a smooth rollout

The tools available from the Microsoft Office XP Resource Kit, including the Custom Installation Wizard and Custom Maintenance Wizard, make it possible to deploy Office XP to hundreds and thousands of desktops seamlessly for end users. For administrators, Microsoft Office XP installs much like Microsoft Office 2000, but the new Office Resource Kit tools make the process even smoother.

Wizards

A common scenario is to use the Custom Installation Wizard when you install Office XP, roll out new features or applications with the Custom Maintenance Wizard after Office XP is installed, and migrate or store user settings by using the Office Profile Wizard. The primary difference between Office XP and Office 2000 is that the Office XP Resource Kit tools have been improved to give administrators more control over deployment and configuration.

System policies

Depending on how you configure your network and deployment, and how proficient your users are with computers, you may want to use system policies to manage the use of some features of Office XP. You can easily roll out a feature of Office XP during deployment and prohibit the use of the feature with a system policy. Later, you can enable the feature by changing the policy setting and instructing users to log off, then log on again. This process eliminates the need to perform a more complex maintenance file update to each user's system.

For more information on various system policies and how to set and configure them, see Using System Policies.

Communication tips for a smooth rollout

One of the most important elements in a smooth Office XP rollout is regular communication between administrators and users at each stage of deployment and maintenance.

Planning phase

One of the best ways to encourage users about upcoming changes is to include them in the planning stage. A suggestion is to have one user collect and submit information on behalf of other users, such as the following:

• Features users need and do not want
• Scheduling conflicts, including major projects users are working on
• Problems or delays users have encountered during past deployments

Administrators should let users know what to expect in the upcoming deployment and make themselves available to users in some way. The following steps could help you achieve these goals:

• Inform users of upcoming changes in the configuration of their systems.
• Develop a deployment schedule so users can expect when the changes may occur.
• Provide an e-mail or telephone contact that will be available when users have problems to report.
• Provide an internal Web site that provides announcements for upcoming changes and answers to frequently asked questions and problems.
• Allow adequate time for users to prepare.
• Help users accept the new software by introducing them to its benefits.
• Announce new features you intend to deploy and provide a brief description of how to use them.

It is important to announce how and when deployment will occur. Even if you use a quiet mode install, users should know this is taking place; a quiet installation can still affect a computer's performance. If a system reboot is required, users should be notified in advance. If users are using Microsoft Windows® 98 or Microsoft Windows NT® 4.0, a system reboot should be expected.

Staged deployment and maintenance phases

If you are deploying the full suite of Office XP applications, much of the work of prepping users for the new software should be finished by the time deployment begins. However, you may need to communicate with users at other times - during staged deployments or regular maintenance intervals.

Maintenance requires consistent and early communication with users and the same feedback processes mentioned above. If you are staging a deployment, you might show your users how to use the Save My Settings Wizard, which will enable them to store their user configuration settings in a safe place before you introduce new software. Or, you can capture their settings by using the Office Profile Wizard prior to deployment. Saving these settings can make the process of rolling out new software more seamless for users.

In some cases, staged deployments can be a benefit to users; they can get used to the new software in smaller steps.

Migration issues

Administrators should be prepared to answer users' common questions about migration:

• Will my data and files still be available?
• Are there any data format changes that require me to convert my files or documents?
• Will any of the applications ask me to convert my data to a new format?
• Will I still have access to all my previous macros or templates?

The answers to these questions are much shorter than with previous releases of Microsoft Office. There are no new data and file formats between Office 2000 and Office XP. Furthermore, the System Files Update should enable older operating systems to run better than before, even though the System File Update requires a system reboot.