Virtually all professional application suites include at least the word processor and a spreadsheet element. Additionally to these, the suite will contain a presentation program, a basic database, graphics and communications tools. Recently variations on the professional applications suite include an email client, a personal information manager (or groupware package) and/or a graphics suite.

A presently dominant professional suite is Microsoft Office, the proprietary file formats of which have get the de facto standard for mainstream business use, resulting within vendor lock-in. When such, a ability to page through & write Microsoft Professional files in the formats is requisite for any professional suite shopping for to dislodge Microsoft Professional in the market.