ITS Tech Tips: Office Tips

The Office 2007 suite has some great new features but also uses a different file format than the earlier versions of Office (1997-2003). This creates a problem for people still using the older versions as these versions cannot read the new formats without a special converter. This converter is not currently available for the Mac version of Office. There are some different options people can use:

1. Office 2000-2003 users can download and install the file converter so they can read Office 2007 files.
2. Office 2007 users can save in their individual files in the earlier file format.
3. Office 2007 can also set the default save format for earlier versions.

Special Note: There is no converter for Microsoft Access files. If you create an Access database with Office 2007, people using older versions of Office will not be able to open the file.

Option 1 - File Converter for Office 2000-2003 users

If you are using an older version of Office andtry to open a file created in Office 2007, a warning will appear. The following window is an example of a message that appeared while trying to open a Word document:

• Click OK.

This will open a web browser and take you to the Microsoft web site to download the converter package. Instructions for installation are at the site. Once installed, you can open Office 2007 files with older versions of the program.

If for some reason you don't get this prompt to download the compatibility pack you can go to the download center at Microsoft.com here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&DisplayLang=en

Option 2 - Save individual files in earlier format

If you are using Office 2007 and know you are sending/sharing a file with someone using an older version of Office, you can save that file in an earlier format.

• Click on the Office button then select Save As.

• Select the option for using the 97-2003 file format. This process is similar in Word, Excel, Power Point.With Access database files, a separate copyof the file will be created instead.

Option 3 - Default Save Format

If you want to just have all of your Office 2007 files always save in the earlier format until everyone either has the newer version or the converter installed, you can set the options of each program to do so; then you won't have to remember to click on Save As, and select the older format as it will be automatic.

The following illustrates how to set Word 2007 to automatically save in the older format. The process is similar in Excel and Power Point.The process for Access is slightly different; see below.

• Click on the Office button and select Word Options.
• Click on the Save link on the side.
• In the Save documents section, click on the drop-down arrow for Save files in this format and select the Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc) option.

• Click OK.

If you want to always save Access files in the earlier format (recommended since people using older versions of Access cannot open files created with the new version):

• Click on the Office button and select Access Options.
• Click on the Popular link in the side.
• In the Creating databases section, select Access 2002-2003 for the Default file format.

• Click OK.

Page last updated 03/16/07. Send questions or comments to ITS Training.