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What Free Office Suite Should I Choose for 300 Field Machines?

March 28, 2026 5 answers
Asked by TechieJoe92
I'm in the process of refreshing around 300 machines for basic end-users who are mostly out in the field. To cut down on the costs associated with Microsoft Office licensing, I'm considering shifting to a free office suite. While LibreOffice and OpenOffice are obvious contenders, I've also been experimenting with WPS Office, which seems to have an interface more similar to Word and Excel. One challenge we face is replacing Outlook, but since we use Google Workspace, our team can simply access Gmail via their browsers. The daily tasks on these machines are pretty straightforward—typically just opening simple spreadsheets, Word documents, and occasionally creating presentations. Has anyone implemented WPS Office, LibreOffice, or OpenOffice on a large scale? What should I be aware of in terms of file compatibility, user training, or managing updates?
Applications field machines Google Workspace LibreOffice OpenOffice software deployment WPS Office

Answers

GmailFan56
Honestly, if you're fully committed to Gmail and Google Workspace, I removed Outlook from our setup almost immediately after we switched. There's really no need for a client like Outlook when the web version works just fine.
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OfficeExplorer78
You might want to consider alternatives like Collabora Office. Also, OnlyOffice is another solid option, especially if you need PDF editing capabilities.
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SpreadsheetGuru24
We've had a lot of success with LibreOffice in our accounting department. OpenOffice is pretty much a dead project at this point, so I recommend avoiding it. LibreOffice works well with MS files using compatibility mode, and we've integrated MS fonts, so everything runs smoothly except for macros.
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CloudNichole
Since you're already on Google Workspace, why not make use of Google's productivity apps? They're tailored for your needs and integrate smoothly with your existing setup.
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ITWizard99
OpenOffice is basically a zombie project by now, so I wouldn't include it in your options. I'd definitely go with LibreOffice. If it supports Group Policy Objects, you can automate UI settings to mimic the ribbon interface of MS Office and set the default file formats to .docx and .xlsx.
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