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As home users and small businesses continue to buy new computers, they are also purchasing MS Office 2007.  This is fine, of course.  I do not have any problems with it.  It has a learning curve, but once you’re used to it, it makes sense.

As many users who are upgrading, there are just as many businesses and even home users who are not upgrading.  This is causing some headaches out there because MS Office 2007 introduces new file formats that are not compatible with older versions of MS Office.  Many don’t know this and assume everyone can open their files.  Not so!

The new file formats (quick summary):

View full list of Microsoft Office 2007 file extenstions

As a user of an older MS Office, you have 2 options:

1. Upgrade to Office 2007, or
2. Download and install this from Microsoft’s site:
   Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats
   This allows users with older versions of MS Office to open, convert, and save MS Office 2007 files.

As a user of MS Office 2007, you only have 1 option:

1. Don’t assume people can open your files.  If you have to send a file from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, save it in an older file format before sending it.

One last note… MS Office 2007 is backwards compatible.  It can open all previous file versions of MS Office programs.

Tags: computer upgrade, excel, microsoft office 2007, powerpoint, word