Shopping for business office courses can feel like a version puzzle. Do you need the newest Word 2019 training, or will an older Word 2007 guide do the job? If Excel is your focus, an advanced Excel 2003 book might be the missing piece. The real challenge is deciding how much version and condition matter when prices run from about $14 to $56.
Quick take
Two copies of the same Office 365 & Word 2019 Comprehensive title are here: one Good, one Acceptable, both trade paperbacks and both near $14. The spiral-bound Word 2007 Intermediate guide is the highest-priced, and the Excel 2003 Advanced guide sits in the middle. If your course is built around Office 365 or Word 2019, the modern paperback is the clearer route. For an older Office curriculum, the Word 2007 or Excel 2003 guide may be worth more.
Listed price comparison
| Product | Listed Price | Price Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Illustrated Course Guide: Microsoft Office Word 2007 Intermediate | USD 56.14 | |
| Microsoft Office Excel 2003: Advanced | USD 28.05 | |
| Illustrated Microsoft Office 365 & Word 2019 Comprehensive (Good) | USD 14.07 | |
| Illustrated Microsoft Office 365 & Word 2019 Comprehensive (Acceptable) | USD 14.85 |
The price spread is wide, but the real difference is not just money. The two Word 2019 paperbacks cost less than the older Word 2007 guide, and the Excel guide lands in the middle. Condition matters too: the Word 2007 book is Very Good, the Word 2019 copies are Good and Acceptable, and the Excel guide is Acceptable.
Decision matrix
- Current Office curriculum: Choose the Office 365 & Word 2019 Comprehensive title in Good or Acceptable condition.
- Word 2007 intermediate training: The Word 2007 Intermediate guide is the only Word 2007 title here.
- Advanced Excel on an older version: The Excel 2003 Advanced guide gives you a spiral-bound option at a middle price.
- Cleaner used copy: The Word 2007 Intermediate guide is the only Very Good option.
Product notes
Illustrated Microsoft Office 365 & Word 2019 Comprehensive (Good)
This is the least expensive Microsoft Office course book in this group at USD 14.07. The trade paperback is a New Edition covering Office 365 and Word 2019, making it the most current option for a modern Word course. The condition is Good, so expect normal reading wear, possible highlighting or underlining, and perhaps a library label. If you are following a class built around Office 365 or Word 2019, this title delivers the full comprehensive scope at the lowest price in the comparison. It is not a pristine copy, but for a learner who simply needs the text, that trade-off is easy to accept.
Illustrated Microsoft Office 365 & Word 2019 Comprehensive (Acceptable)
At USD 14.85, this Acceptable copy costs only $0.78 more than the Good edition, so the small price gap does not buy better condition. It is the same New Edition, with the same author and ISBN, so the content matches the Good copy. The limitation is the Acceptable rating: the cover may have corner dings or stains, and pages may show heavy highlighting, handwriting, underlining, or even a cracked spine. Pages should remain intact and readable, but this is a working copy rather than a clean one. If you can ignore cosmetic wear, this copy can still serve your course.
Illustrated Course Guide: Microsoft Office Word 2007 Intermediate
This is the only Word 2007 title in the group, and it carries the highest price at USD 56.14. The spiral-bound guide is in Very Good condition, the cleanest condition listed among the four books. The Intermediate level of the Word 2007 course path takes lessons beyond basic Word skills. If your business office course is tied to Word 2007 rather than a newer version, this guide gives a dedicated training path for that software. The limitation is version fit: it will not help if you are preparing for a current Word environment. The price makes sense only when the older curriculum is a requirement.
Microsoft Office Excel 2003: Advanced
Placed in the middle of the price range at USD 28.05, this spiral-bound guide is aimed at advanced Excel 2003 work. It is the only Excel title in this comparison, so it stands out if your training focus is spreadsheets rather than Word. The authors are Lynn Wermers and Elizabeth Eiser Reding, and the spiral format is a practical choice for hands-on exercises. The condition is Acceptable, which can mean worn covers, folded page corners, minor stains, and possibly age-related browning. The guide also covers an older Excel version, so it is only useful if Excel 2003 is still part of your coursework or job.
Final recommendation
For most people, the Good copy of Illustrated Microsoft Office 365 & Word 2019 Comprehensive makes the most sense: it is the lowest-priced guide here and the most current, with a readable condition. If Excel is your focus, the Excel 2003 Advanced guide is the natural fit despite its Acceptable condition. The Word 2007 Intermediate guide is a niche buy for a course tied to Word 2007, where the highest price buys a Very Good spiral copy. Match the guide to the Office version your class uses.
