Integrated software has been with us for some time. But the concept of several different program modules combined in the same package and sharing a common interface has only now gained in popularity. Perhaps is it the re-emergence of the “home” computer or the advent of the PowerBooks. Maybe we’re just in another software fad cycle. But the truth is that ClarisWorks, BeagleWorks, GreatWorks, and just plain Works are selling like crazy.
Microsoft Works is now in version 3.0 and has been around for a long time. I can’t even remember when version 1.0 first appeared — suffice it to say that it’s an old timer. Does anyone remember Lotus Jazz? It was Lotus’ first attempt at the Macintosh market, was an integrated package, and fell on it’s face. Maybe it was only ahead of it’s time.
Overview
Microsoft Works combines word processing, database, spreadsheet, business charting, communications, and drawing functions into the same application. Each module shares the overall common interface, several menus, and the tool palette. This is the appeal of integrated software; everything you need to get the job done is in one attractively priced application. One down side is that each module is not as powerful as its stand-alone cousin — the Works word processing module does not hold a candle to Word.
Version 3.0 has a new look for those familiar with the three-year- old version 2.0. Each module now has a floating tool palette; actually there is one tool palette that changes shape and contents as you change modules. The display of 256 colors is supported throughout.
Each module is good enough for the home user and very possibly a small business user. All the basics are there, you just can’t do advanced work. To get a feel for this balance of breadth versus power, let’s look at each module individually.
Word Processing
I would describe the feature set of the Works word processing module as MacWrite-like. There are no high powered thrills here, just a sound general purpose word processor. There is no need to describe here the routine features such as cutting and pasting, character styles, tabs, paragraph alignment, find and replace, or line spacing. These features are provided, and they work as expected.
There are special features. Footnotes can be created and automatically numbered; inserted footnotes renumber existing footnotes as expected. All footnote editing is done in a special footnote window, but the footnotes themselves are not displayed on the page in the normal WYSIWYG fashion. They can only be seen in the footnote window or in the print preview.
Writers will appreciate the ability to count characters, words, lines, paragraphs and pages with a simple menu command. Also available is a spelling checker that works well. There are options for custom dictionaries to supplement the main dictionary supplied. You can edit the custom dictionary by adding or removing your own words. There is also an easy-to-use thesaurus. I could not find the size of the dictionary or the thesaurus mentioned anywhere in the documentation, but they seemed adequate during my use.
Small businesses often have the need to print form letters — letters that are the same except for name and address information. Working together with the database module, the word processor can get information from a database and insert it into the right spots in the form letter. The process is much easier than with Microsoft’s Word; one menu command yields a dialog box of available database fields which are selected for use in the letter.
Headers and footers with automatic page numbers are easy to create. But they are also not visible except in their special editing windows or in the print preview. Microsoft has decided that WYSIWYG is not really that important. I can’t agree and hate to do a print preview just to see all the elements of my page.
The Works word processor can also use several features of the draw module. This is an unusual addition and could be valuable for some users. Draw tools work on a layer above the text information, but text cannot flow around graphics created in this way. Refer to the draw section below for more discussion of the draw tools provided. Graphics can be pasted from other sources but behave as special, large characters just as is the case with MacWrite. For page layout uses, the draw module gives more flexibility.
If you’re looking for such high-end word processing features as style sheets, text flow around graphics, tables of contents, and index generation, or automated citations, you’ll have to look to Word, Nisus, or WordPerfect.
Spreadsheet
After word processing, spreadsheets are the most common use for personal computers. Again, all the basic qualities expected in a spreadsheet application are here — dragging to set column and row sizes, plenty of functions, inserting or deleting rows and columns, cell alignment, and a choice of decimal places. Standard spreadsheet concepts such as relative or absolute cell references, mathematical operators, and formulas are supported in Works.
Some other niceties include multiple character style and sizes (but only of the same font), colors, cell borders, a nice variety of numeric and date formats, sorting in alphabetical or numerical order, and fill right or down. I’m very fond of notes attached to spreadsheet cells, and Works provides those too; they can be shown, hidden and printed. Splitting a window into panes is important for easy navigation; Works allows four panes by providing one horizontal and one vertical split. Along a similar vein, a single row or column can be frozen allowing the rest of the spreadsheet to scroll around it.
Page headers and footers are created in separate windows much like the word processing module. Page numbers can be included. Draw tools are available for labeling or enhancing dull spreadsheets but draw on a separate overlay hiding any spreadsheet data behind what is drawn.
There are enough functions provided for all but the most power- hungry spreadsheet designer.
All the usual suspects are there — mathematical functions (Abs, Log10, Sqrt, etc.), statistics (Average, StDev, Min, etc.), logical functions (And, Or, If-Then-Else, etc.), trigonometric functions (Sin, Pi, Tan, etc.), financial functions (FV, NPV, Rate, etc.), date and time functions (Date, Hour, Now, etc.), and specials (Lookup, Choose, Match, etc.). You’ll look a while before you find a function you need but is missing as there are 64 of them.
The real power spreadsheet features are missing from Works, but the spreadsheet is its most powerful module. What-if solver calculations, inter-sheet referencing, multiple views, and custom numeric formats must be found in Excel, 1-2-3, or Resolve.
Charting
The Works charting module is a separate part but is only used in combination with the spreadsheet module. As you might expect, the charting tool allows you to graphically display numbers from a spreadsheet.
Several chart types are provided including Bar, Stacked Bar, Line, Pie, Hi-Lo-Close, and a combination line and bar. There are no 3D charts, and bar charts are only vertical. Limited control is provided for axis scales, most of the labeling and fancy work is left to the draw module tools, which are available as always. The chart is dynamically linked to the spreadsheet data it represents; a change in the data will update the chart automatically.
Creating charts is quick and easy. Just highlight the data in the spreadsheet to be graphed and select the chart tool. Drag out the size of the desired graph and you have it. The chart floats on top of the spreadsheet layer and can be moved and resized. The Touch Up command in the Chart menu allows you to select individual parts of the chart and modify them with the draw tools. Changing colors, patterns, text size, etc. is easy to do. For extensive chart customization, you can unlink it from its spreadsheet data and go to work on it with all the draw tools.
Database
Works provides a capable flat-file database with the ability to create forms and reports. A form for display and input is created with the draw tools, and data can be viewed in this graphic form view, as a simple list, or in a report format. Multiple forms can be used to view the data in different ways or input only selected data.
Creation of the database starts with defining the field names and types. Works is limited in the types of fields it supports, providing only text, number, date, and time types. These fields are then assembled with draw tools into a display form that can be used for input and printing. Draw tools can also be used to liven up the form with graphics. Data input to these forms is done in a spreadsheet-like entry bar, not directly into the fields as you might expect.
All of the functions available in the spreadsheet module are usable in the database as well. This gives the database designer a wealth of tools to create self-calculating fields based on other data.
Once the data is in the database, Works has the usual search, sort, and select functions to find what you need and to organize reports of specific information. A collection of search criteria can be saved as a filter; up to 16 named filters are allowed per database document.
The best way to get this sorted and organized information in other people’s hands is through a report. Each database can have a number of reports defined for it; they are created in a list-like view that can include totals and subtotals. These reports are somewhat limited, providing only a single line per field. Somewhat fancier reports are available by creating custom forms for printing labels and envelopes. Header and footers with page numbering are provided.
Those needing more powerful database features must look to 4th Dimension, FoxBase, or Helix. Here the serious database designer will find such things as list, picture, and logical fields; relational data links; and powerful reporting missing from Works.
Communications
If you have a modem, the Works communications module provides basic smart terminal features. Each communications document is a protocol setup file to connect to a different computer such as CompuServe or your school’s mainframe. Included in the Works’ box are free offers for the online services of America Online and Compuserve.
Once logged on, this module works as a terminal, allowing you to type commands to the remote computer and to receive responses from it. Incoming text can be captured to a file for later reading. Support for protocol file transfers (such as XMODEM or Kermit) are provide through Apple’s communication toolbox. Several tools are included with Works which will satisfy all but the most discriminating user.
Draw
As we have already discussed, the Works draw tools are available in all modules except communications. There is also a draw module very much like MacDraw. By this time, most users are familiar with the basic drawing tools of lines, circles, boxes, polygons, arcs, curves, and text. The draw module has all of these. It also adds a text frame that can flow text from box to box like a page layout application.
Many useful commands are available for manipulating graphic objects. They can be grouped, locked, smoothed, and moved from front to back. Lines can have arrowheads at one or both ends. Curves are not PostScript, but can be edited point by point.
A neat function is the 3D effect tool. Any rotated object can be automatically adjusted to give the appearance of three dimensions. A drop shadow tool creates instant shadows. One sorely missed feature, however, is an alignment tool.
In the draw module, the junior page layout designer can create basic newsletters and flyers. The text frame tool creates great text columns and the drawing tools allow for reasonable freedom of creation. There are no fancy text wrapping or PostScript effects, and paragraphs in text frames don’t support tabs or separate justifications, but a most serviceable community newsletter could be published.
As usual, if the graphic designer is searching for tools more suited to his skills, FreeHand or Illustrator must be considered for true PostScript flexibility, layers, graduated fills, and elaborate text effects.
Macros
A powerful feature of Works, available in all its modules, is the ability to create macros. Macros are sets of recorded instructions that can be executed on demand. For example, a macro could be created to insert your name and address at the top of a letter or to insert frequently used functions into spreadsheet cells.
All that is required to create a macro is to turn macro recording on and then perform the steps desired. Turn recording off, name the macro, and you’re done. To replay this sequence, select its name from the macro menu, and off it goes.
The simplicity of creating macros conceal their power. Anything that you can do with the mouse or keyboard within Works can be automated. Let your imagination make repetitive tasks simple. You can even create a library of commonly used graphic items by recording the steps necessary to create the graphic and replaying them as needed.
Documentation
Considering the number of things this program does, I’m amazed that the User’s Guide is only 497 pages. Many single-function programs have manuals longer than that. But it does have an index, seems well enough organized, and has plenty of step-by-step instructions. This manual struck me as acceptable for learning the basic features of the program but fell far short of providing a good reference for detailed instructions.
There is also a 45-page Getting Started pamphlet that gets you up and running fast with installation instructions and an example from each program module. Overall, I believe the documentation is insufficient for any but the most self-reliant users. I would expect to see supplementary books on the market to fill in the gaps.
There’s lots of other goodies in the box. Registered Works users are members of ClubWorks, an organization providing news and information, as well as discounted upgrades to other Microsoft products. The intent is that if you outgrow the capabilities of a Works module, you will upgrade to the stand-alone Microsoft product. You also get a free membership to America Online, the excellent Macintosh online service, and CompuServe, a long-time leading online service. Microsoft maintains online support through both of these services.
Integration
Cooperation between Works modules is rudimentary. There are no “hot links” where changes in one place are automatically reflected in other, linked places. For example, text in the word processor cannot be linked into a drawing document and updated as the word processing documented is edited. Nor can a portion of a spreadsheet be linked into a report and updated with changing data in the spreadsheet. This is a shame as Works is supposed to be an integrated package and with System 7’s ability to publish and subscribe as well as support Interapplication Communication, it would have seemed natural for Works to take advantage of the technology.
Also missing is an integrated spelling checker. It would be very nice if the word processing spelling checker could be available in the database or communications module. Typos can occur there too. The same is true for the Thesaurus; creating a newsletter in the draw module would benefit from the same tools offered in the word processor.
The draw tools do work in every module other than communication and show how nice greater overall integration would be. But these tools are hampered because there is no provision to wrap around these graphic items, and they obscure those non-draw items behind them. I do especially like having the macro feature available all the time.
Integration with other applications is limited. Works can only read and write these formats: Works (Macintosh, Windows, and DOS), Word (Macintosh, Windows, and DOS), Excel (Macintosh and Windows), MacWrite, AppleWorks (Apple II and GS), 1-2-3, WordPerfect (DOS only), PICT, Text, SYLK, RTF, and CSV. You’ll notice many formats missing including EPSF, Canvas, WriteNow, and MacPaint. Is your favorite there? It would be galling to Microsoft to support the Claris XTND system for file translation, but it would be a welcome addition.
Needs
Works comes on five 800 KB floppy disks and will fill up nearly 5 MB of your hard disk. So you know right away that you need a hard drive to run Works. You also need 1 MB of RAM (2 MB if you’re running System 7, but more is better) and a Macintosh Plus or better. Works comes with a HyperCard tutorial stack, but no HyperCard — you need version 2.0 or later. While running, Works prefers 1536 KB but will accept 1024 KB.
Conclusion
Works seems well suited to the home or small business user. The large feature set under a common interface makes it easy for new users to get a broad and useful tool. Big disappointments are the lack of true integration throughout the modules and the distain for the WYSIWYG display we have come to expect in modern Macintosh applications. PowerBook users should take a look at Works for mobile computing. The competition is strong, however. ClarisWorks is smoother with better integration, and BeagleWorks is more powerful. The good news is that a once dead area of Macintosh software, the integrated package, is now alive and well.
The article above is reprinted from Mac Monitor, the newsletter of The Savannah Macintosh Users Group. It may be reprinted in a single issue of newsletters published by non-profit user groups. Payment shall consist of a single issue of the newsletter in which the article appears, sent to the following address:
