When you install Microsoft Office for the first time, you are asked for a Product Key, which is a number that should have been located on something endemic to the software, such as on the outside of the CD case it came in or in the manual that came with it or something of that nature.
When you installed Microsoft Office, you were most likely asked to write down that Product key, but like most of us mortals, you figured,”I won’t bother since I still have this CD case and I am going to put it someplace safe so it will not be lost.
Yeah, I wish I had a nickel for every time I did that. Unfortunately, whenever I needed that product code it was when my system crashed and I was trying to revive it along with all the software and you guessed it…I put that CD case someplace so safe that I couldn’t find it! How annoying and aggravating is that???
And, another instance in which you will need that product number is if you need technical assistance from the good folks at Microsoft. They will not and cannot help you without that information!
So, follow the steps below to learn your serial number and for goodness sakes, write it down and put it where you know you can find it quickly and easily!
- In Excel 2007, click the Office button | Excel Options | Resources | About. Excel will display the About Microsoft Excel dialog box and it will contain your Product ID code.
- In Excel 2010, on the File tab or your Ribbon, click Help. Excel will display the Product ID code at the right side of your screen.