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How to Save Office 2007 Documents in Office 2003 Format

New File Formats for Microsoft Office 2007

The default 2007 Microsoft Office file format is new, and incompatible with all previous versions of Microsoft Office.

For Word 2007, Excel 2007 and PowerPoint 2007, the new default extensions are .docx, .xlsx and .pptx. These formats are designed to provide the following:

• Increased file security 
• Reduced chance of file corruption
• Reduced file size
• Data sharing across a range of storage and retrieval systems.

When Working in Office 2003 & Earlier Versions

If you are a user of Office 2003, or an earlier version, and you are sent an Office 2007 document, you will get one of the following error messages when trying to open the file (if it is not saved in a format that is compatible).

Word

• Select the encoding that makes your document readable.
• Windows cannot open this file.

Excel

• The file is not in a recognizable format.
• Windows cannot open this file.

PowerPoint

• PowerPoint can't open the type of file represented by filename.
• Windows cannot open this file.

You will need to request that the sender re-save and send the file in a format that is compatible with your version of Office. Please refer to “When Working in Office 2007” for directions on how to save in a compatible format.

When Working in Office 2007 

In order to prevent the above error messages listed under “When Working in Office 2003 & Earlier Versions,” we recommend saving your documents in an Office 2003 (and earlier version) format.

To save an Office 2007 document in an Office 2003 (or earlier version) format, do the following:

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Save As.
2. Save files in this format:
   • Word 97-2003 Document (.doc)
   • PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation (.ppt), or
   • Excel 97-2003(.xls)
   format from the list of options. (Depending on the program you are saving from).
3. Select a destination to save the file (My Documents, C drive, Desktop, USB Flash drive).
4. Save.

Office 2007 can open files created in all previous versions of Office. Office 2007 will open older documents in compatibility mode. You will know this because at the top of the document "(Compatibility Mode)" will appear next to the name of the file. Compatibility Mode will ensure that enhanced new features of Office 2007 will not be available while working in the document.