Operating System

• Office Professional and Office Small Business are both for the Windows operating system. As of April 2010, an Office suite called Office Business 2008, but no Professional or Small Business suite, is available for computers running Macintosh operating systems.
  
  

Programs

• Office Small Business 2007 includes the programs Excel, Outlook with Business Contact Manager, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word. Office Professional 2007 has all of the programs in the Small Business suite, as well as Access. Neither suite includes the Office programs OneNote, Groove or InfoPath, which are available in other versions of Office.
  
  

Functionality

• The only function that Office Small Business lacks in relation to Office Professional is the ability to create comprehensive and complex databases, which is the domain of the Access program. Excel is the substitute for Access in the Small Business suite, though it is only capable of small-scale and simple database work.
  
  

Availability

• Though their names may imply a business-volume pricing structure to some people, no proof of business ownership or employment is required to buy Office Small Business and Office Professional; the suites are available to anyone who is willing to pay for them. Prospective buyers may find Office Small Business and Office Professional at software retailers, technology retailers, and at numerous Internet stores and auction sites.
  
  

Pricing

• As of April 2010, the retail price at Microsoft.com for Office Professional 2007 is $499.95 for a full version, and $329.95 for an upgrade. Office Small Business 2007 costs $449.95 for a full version and $279.95 for an upgrade. Volume pricing is available and prices may vary depending on the number of licenses ordered. Lower prices may be available through other retailers. Academic pricing (pricing for students and/or faculty) is also available for Office Professional.