Microsoft Office Language Packs are add-in products that can change the entire user experience of the 2007 Microsoft Office desktop programs by enabling desktops to support multiple languages. This includes Menus/User Interface, Help, Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Spell Checker. In addition to enhancing the user experience, a user can elect to use individual aspects of the pack, such as spell checker to proof a document in a language other than the default language set on their computer.

Individual Office Language Packs are available for the following languages:

Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Croatian, Chinese (Pan-Chinese), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian Latin, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Ukrainian.

In addition, there will be a complete set of the languages listed above available as the Microsoft Office Multi-Language Pack 2007.

An Office Language Pack enables a user or organization to add localized UI and document proofing tools for an additional language to their base 2007 Microsoft Office language deployment and to easily switch between them. An Office Multi-Language Pack enables a user or organization to purchase the complete set of language packs (37 different languages) at a discount for deployment on a single computer.

Language packs enable localized Menus/User Interface, Help, and document proofing tools for all the 2007 Microsoft Office desktop applications. These include Word 2007, Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Access 2007, Outlook 2007, OneNote 2007, InfoPath 2007, Publisher 2007, SharePoint Designer 2007, Project 2007, Visio 2007, Groove 2007 and Microsoft Office suites containing these products. In addition, UIs for Microsoft Office Tools, such as Clip Organizer, Document Imaging, Document Scanning, and Picture Manager are localized when language packs are enabled. Application localization varies by language. Consult the Office Language Pack feature comparison for more details.

Office Language Packs have a suggested retail price of $24.95 (U.S.) or their foreign currency equivalent; the Multi-Language Pack has a suggested retail price of $199 (U.S.). Please note that prices may be higher in other currencies due to additional taxes and/or transaction costs.

Office Language Packs are available for purchase exclusively on Office Online. To buy an Office Language Pack visit the Office Language Packs home page, click the “buy a single language pack now” link, and follow the instructions. Please note that individual language packs are not available through volume pricing and licensing programs.

The Multi-Language Pack is available for purchase in major retail stores and via their Web sites, as well as through Microsoft volume licensing programs.

Proofing Tools for Office 2003 were an add-in software package to Microsoft Office 2003 suites that installed language tools for over 37 languages for that client. It did not change the user interface or help system. It simply enabled the client to write and proof in different languages while maintaining the user interface language of the original product. Proofing tools could only be purchased as a suite of all of the proofing languages. Prior to 2007, Microsoft did not sell individual language packs.

No. Due to changes in application architecture, customers must purchase Single Language Packs or the Multi-Language Pack in order to get multilingual capabilities for 2007 Microsoft Office applications.

Yes. The Office Multi-Language Pack includes a DVD that enables you to install only the document proofing tools. This DVD is not sold separately and is only available by purchasing the Office Multi-Language Pack 2007.

Office Online covers 36 languages and geographies and allows users to further enhance their language experience by providing language- and market-specific assets such as Help, Templates, and add-ons which are continually being added to meet customer needs.

Yes. Microsoft is working with local language authorities around the world to provide free “Language Interface Packs” for languages not covered by the Office Multi-Language Pack 2007. The extent of localization is limited to the User Interface of the Office Standard applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Most of these languages include a speller. For more information about acquiring Language Interface Packs, visit the Microsoft Local Language Program Web site.