But, if your firm still uses computers with the 486 chip, it will have to replace the computers before upgrading. As noted above, if your firm plans to use Word, it can easily buy hardware that comes bundled with Microsoft Office. Therefore, consider at least some level of professional training for your employees. A number of books exist that do a good job of exploring the word processing software they cover. Your firm could also opt for multimedia training courses on CD-ROM or videotape.
Many junior colleges offer technology training courses as do technology consulting companies.
Modern word processing software comes with many features and capabilities that often go unused, not because of their superfluity, but because people never learn about them. With some training, your firm's employees will make use of these features and enhance their productivity. Fortunately for your firm, many other firms have already blazed this trail and mapped out the inevitable mine field that awaits every migrator. To avert disaster, consider hiring a technology consultant to assist your firm with its migration. A talented consultant will figure out how to preserve or at least recreate your firm's macros and how to deal with your firm's archive of documents in the previous word processor's format.