Many of the programs in the 2007 Office system feature a new look and feel, as well as a new way of interacting with the program that is designed to make the commands you need, in the context of the task you are currently performing, easily available. This new feature set is named the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface.
In the Home and Student Edition, the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface is available in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. (OneNote has the classic Office interface in which commands are presented on menus and toolbars.)
Special features of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface include:
The Office menu. This menu, which appears when you click the Microsoft Office Button located in the upper-left corner of the program window, contains commands related to working with entire documents (rather than the document content).
The Office Fluent Ribbon. Probably the most visible element of the Office Fluent user interface, the Ribbon replaces the menus and toolbars found in earlier versions of Office. Commands are arranged on the Ribbon on task-specific tabs.
The Office Fluent Quick Access Toolbar. This toolbar provides easy access to the commands you use most frequently. You can change its position, add and remove commands, and create custom command groups for specific documents.
Contextual command availability. Infrequently used commands, such as those specific to working with a table, a graphic, and headers and footers, appear only when you select one of those elements. A Mini Toolbar displaying formatting commands appears when you select text.
Office Fluent Live Preview. See the effect of a formatting change on selected text without applying the format.
Quick Styles, Layouts, and Formats. These features provide professionally designed color palettes, themes, and graphic effects.
SmartArt graphics. These graphics and new styles and formatting methods greatly simplify the process of creating and formatting a variety of documents.
Document inspection and finishing tools. This collection of tools provides a way to safely share information with other people.