Can I take advantage of my company’s licensing agreement with Microsoft to install a copy of Microsoft Office on my home computer?

Q: Can I take advantage of my company’s licensing agreement with Microsoft to install a copy of Microsoft Office on my home computer?

A: If you’re thinking about installing a copy at home of a software application from work, you need to take licensing into consideration. Most people just want to install and use applications as they need them. The End User License Agreement (EULA) is a legally binding agreement that the user, or an organization on behalf of the user, must agree to in order to use the software.

I’m often asked if it’s possible to install Office on a home computer as well as the one at the office. You’ll be glad to know that Microsoft recognizes the value in making Office available to employees outside of the office environment. For example, Microsoft Office Outlook is a comprehensive personal information management application. If employees can use Outlook away from the office, it might improve their productivity in the office. Companies that invest in training employees to use Office applications have the opportunity for those employees to spend their own time practicing what they learned without taking away from office productivity. If certain requirements are met, companies can extend Office 2007 or Office 2003 to their employees through the Home Use Program. . . .