WordPerfect has broken their new release cycle. For many years, there’s been a new release every two years in the Spring, up through version X9. Last Spring, there was WordPerfect Office 2020, and now there’s already a new version, WordPerfect Office 2021.

The feature list is here:
https://www.wordperfect.com/en/product/office-suite/

New features include enhancements to Microsoft Office compatibility, document stats, Quattro Pro search, PDF import, and corporate environment use, which they describe as improved performance and stability when using files directly on a server.

I’m testing the 2021 product. So far, here’s what I’ve seen:

The install worked, no issues. I ran my tests through a remote computer, editing documents and macros over a network, and it behaved as it should. The product layout is unchanged, and still has the very logical menu layout, mostly verbs, including View, Insert, Format, and so on that has been in-place since at least WordPerfect 7. Reveal Codes is still there, and the keyboard shortcuts are unchanged.

In the Help menu, Reference Center, I like the new Quick Reference Cards. The full manual for WordPerfect Office is also available there. Both are downloaded as PDF files. A smaller version of the manual is available here:

WordPerfect manual (pdf)
https://www.wordperfect.com/static/wpo/product_content/wordperfect/2021/wpo2021-user-guide-en.pdf

PDF import is greatly improved. There are a few import options to try for complex documents, and they mostly affect how graphics are imported, either as OCR (text conversion), or as an image (if WPG format), or as a box if they they’re JPG, with a “JPG2000 and JBIG2 image formats are not supported.” message. I loaded a complex instruction manual; the resulting document had the original formatting, and was editable. Embedded links in a table of contents did not transfer over, even when importing a PDF that was originally created in WordPerfect. PDF import is still only in the Professional and Standard editions, and is not available in Home & Student.

The improvement in document stats is that character counts are now shown with and without spaces. Not a major change.

The Oxford Concise Dictionary is included now, and listed as new, but it’s been in some WordPerfect editions for years. It’s now included in all editions: Professional, Standard, and Home & Student.

Graphcat

As in every version of WordPerfect since 5.1, all the way back in 1991, there has to be a photo catalog program that creates an image index as an editable WordPerfect document, and my Graphcat Photo Cataloger package has been the standard now for nearly 30 years. Last year’s version of Graphcat, version 6.6, added support for WordPerfect 2020, but an update will be required for WordPerfect 2021. There will be a new version, very soon. (Edit: Available NOW)

Buy the new WP?

My initial impressions are good. If you’re using WordPerfect older than X7 in Windows 10, yes, buy it. Check the Product Family list first to be sure you are buying the edition with the features you need. There’s a free trial (30 days) available at WordPerfect.com.

Compare product family, Pro vs Standard or Home & Student (pdf)
https://www.wordperfect.com/static/wpo/product_content/wordperfect/2021/wpo2021-version-matrix-en.pdf

For users of X7 through 2020, check the new features list to see what you gain:

Compare versions X7 through 2021 (pdf)
https://www.wordperfect.com/static/wpo/product_content/wordperfect/2021/wpo2021-version-matrix-en.pdf

*Links to WordPerfect are subject to change. If in doubt go directly to https://WordPerfect.com.