Microsoft will begin selling the latest version of its popular Office software, Microsoft Office System, in the Republic today at prices of between €149 and €450.
The upgrade to Office enables users to collaborate on documents, research information from within Word, Excel, Outlook or other applications and manage data over the internet.
It also features more advanced anti-spam technology.
The new system replaces Office XP, which was launched in 2001 amid a blaze of publicity but which analysts say largely failed to live up to the marketing hype.
Mr Joe Macri, general manager of Microsoft Ireland, said the product was much more than just word processing and spreadsheets. It would enable people to work more efficiently in teams and help firms with organisation.
He said the new product had already shipped to five customers: the Local Government and Computer Services Board, Irish Continental Group, Sherry FitzGerald, Department of Foreign Affairs and Softco.
At least some of these customers have an annuity relationship with Microsoft, whereby they automatically gain access to the latest versions of products.
But the challenge for Microsoft will be to convince users to upgrade from previous Office versions, which generate about $9 billion (€7.6 billion) annually, nearly a third of Microsoft's total.
Some analysts believe that the complexity of the product, which was developed by about 2,000 software engineers - 300 of them in Dublin - might make companies reluctant to upgrade until the new Office version is tested for security and reliability.
The new product includes support for XML (Extensible Markup Language), a method for converting computer documents into publishable Web pages that are structured to be shared across computers, networks and other software programs.
Microsoft's Irish operations, which employ 1,200 full-time staff, will manage the distribution of the Office software throughout the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Some 845,000 boxes have already been shipped to 45 countries.
