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SarbOx implications...
Any organization that is subject to requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley (and its equivalents as they affect other organizations) is going to have to take a hard look at "thousands of spreadsheets and documents embeded with countless amount of macros".

I have had some exposure to the issues raised by this legislation, and it is doubtful there is enough auditability in the spreadsheets and macros to pass the tests necessary for financial statement certification under SarbOx. This applies whether the tools are used to process data with direct financial implications (e.g. accounting information) or merely indirect financial implications (e.g. operational information).

In simple terms, if the data somehow filters its way into the financial statements, directly or indirectly, you need auditable, reliable and secure algorithms, formulas and calculations to generate consistent results. Many of the applications built on top of MS Access and Excel will not pass these tests without significant change and re-write.

If this functionality is important enough to the organization and you need to re-write these anyway, consider biting the bullet and making them real applications - not something dependent upon the whims of a single vendor who can announce new versions, abandon existing file structures and essentially force you to re-write your applications according to their timetable, not your own. After all, who's running your business?
Posted by: IT Makes Sense   Posted on: 09/20/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Hey, No_Ax  Letophoro | 09/20/05
In fact, they are in many cases.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
Even better  Chad_z | 09/20/05
Cool. $500 for a User Interface upgrade...  BitTwiddler | 09/20/05
The problem is, this is NOT what the end users want.  DonnieBoy | 09/20/05
If Office 12 can beat Office 97...  Anton Philidor | 09/20/05
True enough, but most customers want Office 97 features or, even less for  DonnieBoy | 09/20/05
Be careful generalizing...  Anton Philidor | 09/20/05
There is a huge group of employees that ONLY need simple word processing,  DonnieBoy | 09/20/05
Limited use is a problem for Microsoft.  Anton Philidor | 09/20/05
For 90%, MS Office is like using a sledge hammer to drive carpet tacks  DonnieBoy | 09/20/05
How simple are we talking? WordPad? wink (NT)  PB_z | 09/24/05
Absolutely correct....  shawkins | 09/20/05
Agreed, but  jumpa | 09/21/05
Sorry, but you could not be more wrong.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
people want enterprise level integration  theraven_z | 09/20/05
And that is where  Linux Guy 1000 | 09/20/05
Killed off?  Wolfie2K3 | 09/20/05
Man, a word processor is just a word processor.  DonnieBoy | 09/20/05
Stepping into the abyss...  IT Makes Sense | 09/20/05
I am looking for the counters but  Linux Guy 1000 | 09/20/05
Open Office Rules!  robinbare | 09/20/05
50,000,000? Hmmm...  dsentman@... | 09/20/05
Re: There are 300,000,000 people in the U.S ...  mbraincell@... | 09/21/05
You underestimate Microsoft, they are very shrewed about making sure that  DonnieBoy | 09/20/05
lock in  uno@... | 09/20/05
Wrong  Yensi717 | 09/20/05
Man, what percentage of workers are technical writers???  DonnieBoy | 09/20/05
Did you do a survey?  John Zern | 09/20/05
Technical Writers, Schmecknical Writers...  Wolfie2K3 | 09/20/05
Where do you get your percentages?  rapson | 09/21/05
SarbOx implications...  IT Makes Sense | 09/20/05
This IS what they want...  John Zern | 09/20/05
Word Perfect 6.0 had all the features I need  duclod | 09/20/05
Then stay with it and don't complain about your choice.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
Anyone can choose as they wish  duclod | 09/21/05
Office 12 Upgrade, Downgrade, or Lateral?  Dr_Zinj | 09/20/05
Old and sloppy GUI  F-16 Vet | 10/14/05
Sinofsky's Smoking the Cheap Shake Again  tbbrickster_z | 09/20/05
Don't Worry, Be Happy...  Wolfie2K3 | 09/20/05
"New" features of Office.  Anton Philidor | 09/20/05
Looking forward to seeing it  tic swayback | 09/20/05
By then, you should have a Mac native version of OpenOffice.  DonnieBoy | 09/20/05
Mac Version: NeoOffice?  dingletec_z | 09/20/05
As I recall, that is Apple's suite, nothing to do with OpenOffice.  DonnieBoy | 09/20/05
Why would a Mac user want to downgrade?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
That would be an upgrade, and who has 500 bucks to shell out  DonnieBoy | 09/20/05
It's actually FREE  John Zern | 09/20/05
yeah, but.......  pirate? | 09/20/05
Nothing more?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
Only IF...  Wolfie2K3 | 09/20/05
More Like Feature Diahrea  Geotopia | 09/20/05
Then stick with NotePad.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
Do Everyone A Favor And Shut Up  itanalyst | 09/20/05
Everyone or the idiots?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
No-Ax is the official MS censor.... didn't you know that??  shawkins | 09/20/05
Oh? Really?  pirate? | 09/20/05
More Like Feature Diaahrea  papgas@... | 09/20/05
office 12 issues  Lzardbeth@... | 09/20/05
Word 5.1 - Mac Version?  Geotopia | 09/20/05
Predicting User Needs  DaffyDuck | 09/20/05
HAve you ever bothered...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
wish list  sackbut | 02/17/06
Speaking of creeps  dragontiger | 09/20/05
Office 12  gusuar@... | 09/20/05
Not just the well-known features  CobraA1 | 09/20/05
MS should think "elegant"  dzash2000 | 09/20/05
Microsoft has mentioned "versions" of Office...  Anton Philidor | 09/20/05
There is a Basic Office if you buy a new system  John Zern | 09/20/05
They do, it's called Miscrosoft Works.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
Actually its called MS Office Student and Teacher edition  Jake M.D. | 09/20/05
Unnecessary to be knowledgable to be an MS shill, better if you aren't. nt  LoCal | 09/20/05
"Miscrosoft" Works : but it doesn't!  robinbare | 09/20/05
Just Move To Open Office  itanalyst | 09/20/05
So you have seen the new version?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
OOo 2.0 is available...  dayjm | 10/20/05
Hmmm, so your saying you can't manage it?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
Works is not elegant since v4.x...just an awkward, crippled v of Office  LoCal | 09/20/05
Does Works still use a different file format  Michael Kelly | 09/20/05
Word is now part of Works.  Anton Philidor | 09/20/05
That I knew  Michael Kelly | 09/20/05
OOo can save in MS formats...  dayjm | 10/20/05
Works?  sackbut | 02/17/06
Avoiding Bloat...  Wolfie2K3 | 09/20/05
Which user to target?  jp_z | 09/20/05
Bloat  robinbare | 09/20/05
Haven't used it yet....  ju1ce | 09/20/05
Me too!  Jake M.D. | 09/20/05
Follow Macromedia's ......  OmarHash | 09/20/05
Didn't apple do that like 10 Years ago?  rmiddle | 09/20/05
Works around longer the Apple offering  John Zern | 09/20/05
Office 12 makeover takes on 'feature creep' ..  michael_t | 09/20/05
Great - more functionality we don't need...  IT Makes Sense | 09/20/05
Who is this "We"?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
We ???  papgas@... | 09/20/05
You have that already  rapson | 09/21/05
Gee, more functions that people are too dim  Boot_Agnostic | 09/20/05
How would know what "Most users want"  John Zern | 09/20/05
They judge others by their own limitations.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/20/05
Microsoft Shill Number 2  pirate? | 09/20/05
neither is going to get a Nobel prize for  sackbut | 02/17/06
Socialists know what is best for us.  osreinstall | 09/21/05
I'd Prefer That They Just Fix The Broken Features  slingzenarrowzuvowtrayjissforchin | 09/20/05
Features features features  Martyman39 | 09/21/05
It's the nature of the beast  FilledOut | 09/22/05
A new Office  pmuller@... | 09/22/05
Office features  johnbe1234 | 10/24/05
Vista...?  anythingbutmine0 | 09/28/05
for writers or desktop publishers?  susancragin@... | 02/16/06
It’s About Time  Ringo_z | 02/16/06

What do you think?

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