Project Server 2007 is not only a worthwhile upgrade to Project Server 2003 from a stand-alone perspective, it also has the capability to change how teams work and get managed when used in combination with SharePoint Server 2007. There's a definite learning curve here for server administrators as well as a meaty planning process, but the benefits of that work can be huge.

Intuit QuickBooks Pro & Payroll 2008's documentation is concise and very clear, and this really is one program that even the occasional user will be able to get to grips with when running their business. Expert users may prefer to stick with Sage, but for anyone else QuickBooks really is the most intuitive application in this field. The only negative is that, compared to MYOB, this is a touch pricey.

Accuracy and speed are most important, and in these areas OmniPage Professional 16.0 performs very well. However, it is the inclusion of so many features - covering every aspect that advanced users may wish to consider - that makes OmniPage Professional 16.0 so appealing.

If you need to digitise and archive documents using a scanner, create secure, extensible electronic documents, produce professional marketing documents and other publications and automate form and questionnaire creation, Acrobat 8.0 Pro will definitely suit you.

The 2007 Office System is easily the most compelling Office upgrade seen in recent years, even if the 2007 applications do impose a more-demanding learning curve than their predecessors did.

Quite simply, a must for every Mac user. Office for Mac combines the best of Windows with a few brilliant touches to ensure its transition to the other side is a smooth one.

OpenOffice.org isn’t as refined as MS Office, but it’s certainly better value for money

This feature packed offering from ScanSoft has something for both beginners and advanced users alike.

There's plenty of work still to do on Office 12.0, and many features won't be finished until Beta 2.0. Outlook takes a big leap forward, and there are as many major advances to benefit home users as features aimed at big companies. The new interface will probably alienate some users, although we predict it's going to be popular in the longer term; once you're used to it you quickly start getting more done. And that's the real reason for productivity software in the first place.

For Outlook users, using Translution Light is a no-brainer. It's free, it's incredibly simple to use, it works and you should get it right now.

Home PC users looking for a low-cost alternative to Microsoft Office will find Works Suite 2006 a capable option, and its extras would make it a bargain at twice the price.