Microsoft Office 2007

Saving Documents For Backward Compatibility

Scenario:  an instructor types a syllabus using Office 2007.  He emails the syllabus to his students, but they email him back saying they can’t open it.  His students are using versions of Office ranging from Office 97 to Office 2003.

Explanation:  By default, Office 2007 saves documents using an XML format not available in earlier versions of Office.  This is reflected in the extensions used by the new documents (see pictures above).  In order to create a document in Office 2007 that is viewable in older versions of Office, follow these steps… (Note:  These steps use Microsoft Word 2007 as an example.  But the procedure is the same for Excel and PowerPoint)

1) Click on the Office button (the orange button in the upper left hand corner with a Windows logo in the middle) and hold your mouse over “Save As…”  A pop up will display showing several options.  Click on the option that says “97 – 2003 Document”

2) Choose the location where you want to save your document and give it a name, then click “Save”.  Your document has now been saved so that anyone using versions of Office from 97 through 2003 can open it.

An Important Note About Saving A Document For Earlier Versions Of Office…

Some bells and whistles available in 2007 will not be accessible in older versions of Office.  If you have created a document with lots of cool text and images, or other interesting style or font combinations, you may get a message warning you that these features won’t be available to someone opening the document in an older version of Office.

Plan ahead when creating your document.  Is this a document that will only be utilized by people using Office 2007?  Or is it a document you want people to have access to regardless of what version of Office they’re using?  If your goal is to share this document with several people who may have older versions of Office, take it easy with the bells and whistles and limit your document to only use the basics.