Things to consider…

Everything you need to know before getting started

1 Compatibility is key

Make sure your preferred office suite has support for Microsoft’s .docx and .xlsx formats at least. RTF (Rich Text Format) is also desirable. Spreadsheets should be able to import and export platform-agnostic CSV (Comma Separated Values).

2 Multimedia matters

Documents really come alive when they’re illustrated. Consider how easy it is to incorporate images, graphs and, where relevant, audio and video in your work. Does your preferred office suite have the tools you need to manipulate non-text assets?

3 Should you pay?

Apple’s iWork is a first-class office suite and, for anyone with a recent Mac, it’s free. Along with LibreOffice and Google Docs (also free), it makes Microsoft Office look really rather expensive at £59.99 a year or £119 one-off if you’re not going to use Microsoft’s additional bundled tools.

4 Consider hidden costs

It’s all very well opting for free software, but if you’re rolling out an office suite in your small business consider whether you’ll need to pay for staff retraining or to accommodate slower working as your workforce get used to unfamiliar software.

5 Managing macros

Microsoft Office remains a core tool in many businesses thanks in part to its excellent macro tools and scripting, which allow users to automate many repetitive functions. Unless you’re buying purely for personal use, ask whether your choice can accommodate advanced functions that originate in any particular suite.