Microsoft releases Office add-on for Sarbanes-Oxley

Microsoft has released an add-on for its Office System products designed to help companies meet the reporting requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

The Office Solution Accelerator for Sarbanes-Oxley was created with the help of accounting companies and takes advantage of features in Microsoft's Windows SharePoint Services and InfoPath 2003.

Office Solution Accelerators are packages of components, templates and architectural guidelines designed to help users streamline specific business tasks using Office 2003 applications. Microsoft previously released accelerators for recruiting and for proposals.

Originally, the Office Solution Accelerators were only available to those customers who signed up for Microsoft's Software Assurance maintenance and upgrade plan. Last month, however, Microsoft decided to make the Office additions available to all Office users at no charge.
 
The Solution Accelerators require some configuration and customisation, which can be done by a Microsoft partner or by a customer's own IT department.

Office Solution Accelerators can be downloaded from Microsoft's website at:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/solutions/accelerators/default.mspx

Joris Evers writes for IDG News Service