2007 Microsoft Office File Format
NEW File Formats for the 2007 Microsoft Office System
In addition to support for PDF and XPS,* the 2007 Microsoft® Office system introduces new XML and ZIP-based file formats, called the Office Open XML formats, as the default for Word 2007, Excel® 2007 and PowerPoint® 2007. The Open XML formats are offered under an open, royalty-free license managed by the standards body Ecma International. They enable interoperability, transparency and compatibility for the billions of Microsoft Office documents that already exist and those that will be created in the future. For Word 2007, Excel 2007 and PowerPoint 2007, the new XML 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.
Can Different Versions of Office Share the Same Files?
Users of Office XP and Office 2003 will be able to open, edit and save documents using the new Open XML formats just as they would using the current file formats. In other words, the new, supported file extensions (.docx, .xlsx and .pptx) are added to the File Open, Save and Save As dialog boxes in the Office XP and 2003 versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint XP. The new formats can even be set as the default file format for these applications. Enabling compatibility is a two-step process:
- Users can keep installations of Office current with security fixes and updates from Microsoft Update. Included in the current updates for the Office system is an update to enable Office XP and Office 2003 to recognize the new file formats of the 2007 Office system. Users may already have this installed if they have been keeping Office up to date.
- Users can install the Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office system file formats. This is a free download for anyone using Windows® 2000 with Service Pack 4 or later. When installed on a system running Office XP or Office 2003, the Compatibility Pack will enable users to open, edit and save documents using the new file formats; if they choose, they can even enable these formats as the new default for their applications. The Compatibility Pack can be downloaded here.
Office 2000 users are also able to share files with the 2007 Office system. By installing the Compatibility Pack, Word 2000 users will be able to open, edit and save 2007 Office documents from within the application. Excel and PowerPoint 2000 users will be able to open and save 2007 Office file formats from within Windows Explorer.
What Happens If Office Updates Are Not Current and the Compatibility Pack Is Not Installed?
If neither the Office Update nor the Compatibility Pack is installed when users of Office XP or Office 2003 attempt to open a 2007 Microsoft Office system file, they will be notified that the file cannot be opened and they will be presented with the standard Microsoft Windows interface for handling unknown file types.
By selecting the “Use a Web service to find the appropriate program” option, users will be directed to the Compatibility Pack download site that instructs them to first update Office with all the latest service packs and updates, and then install the Compatibility Pack. If the installation of Office XP and Office 2003 is current with security fixes and updates, Word, Excel or PowerPoint will direct the user to the download page for the Compatibility Pack. Office 2000 users will be directed to the Compatibility Pack download site as well.
The table below explains the expected behavior when a user attempts to open or save a 2007 Office system format from a particular version of Microsoft Office. The current binary document formats are fully supported across Office 2000, Office XP, Office 2003 and the 2007 Office system.
What happens when … |
The 2007 Office system | Word 2000, Office XP, Office 2003 | Excel 2000, PowerPoint 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| I open a 2007 Office system format? | The file can be opened and edited with no additional configuration. | After updating Office and installing the Compatibility Pack, users can open, edit and save the 2007 Office system format natively within the application. | After installing the Compatibility Pack, users can right-click on the document to convert to a supported format for editing. Double-clicking on the file opens the document. |
| I want to save a file using the 2007 Office system formats? | The file can be saved with no additional configuration. | After installing the Office updates and Compatibility Pack, the file can be saved using the 2007 Office system formats directly from these applications. | After installing the Compatibility Pack, users can save a file to the Windows operating system and then convert the file to the 2007 Office system formats by right-clicking the document and choosing Save As. |
2007 User Experience: Compatibility Mode and Compatibility Checker
A new Compatibility Mode has been added to Word 2007, Excel 2007 and PowerPoint 2007. Its purpose is to ensure that content not supported by previous releases can be converted or downgraded to be usable in a form that the earlier product understands.
A Compatibility Checker has been added to Word 2007, Excel 2007 and PowerPoint 2007 to detect features that are not supported by earlier versions of the respective products. This helps when users are saving a document they know they want to exchange with many Office versions. Users can convert the document from Compatibility Mode to full functionality by selecting Convert from the Office Start Button.
Additional Resources
- Introduction to new file name extensions and Office XML Formats
- Office Open XML Formats FAQ
- Open a Word 2007 document in an earlier version of Word
PDF and XPS conversions require an add-in. More information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=4D951911-3E7E-4AE6-B059-A2E79ED87041&displaylang=en
