Microsoft Works

Software Overview

Microsoft Works is a productivity suite designed for home users that was eventually replaced by Microsoft Office. Microsoft discontinued Works in 2009.

Works includes the following applications:

• Works Word Processor: Used for creating documents, brochures, resumes, letters, cards, and other stationery; includes several pre-built templates, a dictionary, and a thesaurus.
• Works Spreadsheet: Allows users to record and analyze personal data such as finances and home inventories.
• Works Database: Used for storing structured information, such as personal contacts.
• Works Calendar: Allows users to manage personal schedules and to-do lists; can combine several calendars into a single file.

Although Works uses its own proprietary file formats, the software is compatible with standard Office formats for Microsoft Word and Excel. For example, users can save Works Word Processor (.WPS) files as Word (.DOCX) documents and Works Spreadsheet (.WKS) files as Excel (.XLSX) documents. Works can also open most Office formats directly, though some Office-specific objects may not be supported.

Summary

Microsoft Works was a popular productivity suite for home users in the 1980s and 1990s. It came with useful applications to keep track of your finances, manage your schedule, and create documents. If you are looking for some of that same functionality, you can try Microsoft Office or the open-source Apache OpenOffice suite.

Primary File Type

.WPSMicrosoft Works Word Processor Document

Supported File Types

Additional Related File Types