Office 365 Upgrade

What is happening with Microsoft licensing?  

Licensing and support are ending for Microsoft Office versions 2016, 2013 and 2011, and 2010. 

• This includes all Office applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Publisher, and Outlook  
• Effective December 31st 2021, licensing for all older versions of Microsoft Office will begin to expire and the software will stop working or have very limited functionality

What is the reason for the change?  

• Microsoft is replacing older versions of the Office Suite with a user-based licensing model  

What do you need to do to prepare?  

In order to ease the transition to Microsoft 365, all Feinberg faculty and staff have the option of installing Office 365 on their own.  This process is very simple and requires only a few clicks. 

• How to upgrade Office 365 on Feinberg-managed computers
  • Self-service upgrade (please allow 15-30 minutes for the process to complete)  https://kb.northwestern.edu/77462  

• Installing Microsoft Office 365 on Personal Computers  
  • https://www.it.northwestern.edu/software/microsoft/office365.html 
    

How can I check my Microsoft Office version?  

• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/what-version-of-office-am-i-using-d21c5935-40b1-b117-122d-5e5f05a1a263  

What if I am already running Office 365?  

• There is no action to take  
  

What if I have received a new computer in the past year?  

• Feinberg IT has been installing Microsoft Office 365 on all new computers since March 2021. There is no action to take  

What if my computer is running an older version of macOS or Windows?  

• If your computer is running macOS Yosemite (10.10.X), El Captain (10.11.X), Sierra (10.12.X) or High Sierra (10.13.X) you will need to update to a newer version of MacOS (macOS Mojave or later). Newer versions are available in the Self Service application.  
• Computers running Windows 7  will need to upgrade to Office 365 as well, but may experience performance issues and limitations.  Similarly, Windows 7 is End of Life and planning to upgrade the operating system or replace the computer should be considered. 

What if I’m a temporary employee?  

• Temporary employees and contractors with a valid NetID will have access to web versions of Office at http://portal.office.com.  
• If access to the full version of Office clients is needed, then we will need to install a locally licensed version of Microsoft Office.  Please email us at fsmhelp@northwestern.edu for assistance

If you encounter technical issues when attempting to upgrade your computer, please contact the Feinberg IT service desk at fsmhelp@northwestern.edu.