X File Angst

Are you having problems opening Microsoft Office files on your Mac or PC from clients and colleagues? Join the club. Ever since Microsoft released MS Office 2007 for Windows PC last year, one of the biggest questions from clients is: Why can't I open this Word or Excel file?

New XML Format

These files are being created in a new XML format that Microsoft claims will "usher in a new era of openness and transparency for Word, Excel and Power Point." This is great in the long run but for now, it's a pain in the arse for PC/Mac users running older versions of Office. Especially when PC users share files with them and use the default save feature that keeps these files in .docx, .xlsx and .pptx formats.

The Good News for Mac Users

Microsoft has issued a free beta converter for Mac users running MS Office 2004 and earlier versions of Office v. X. See the screen shot of the Mac window to the right >>.

To convert these files you'll need to download the free application and then drag the files over a window that turns the files into Word, Excel or Power Point that your system can read. The converter doesn't seem to support Excel file conversions from xlsx. Download the converter.

I've used this on several PC Word document files and had good results, but please be aware, according to the Microsoft website: "The converter is a Beta release, and might be unable to convert all the data in Open XML files. After you convert a file, you should review the file carefully to make sure that it contains all of the information that you expect."

OS X System Requirements

To make sure your OS X system is compatible, you'll need to be running Mac OS X 10.4.8 (Tiger) or a later version of Mac OS. You'll also need to be running Office 2004 11.3.4 or later, or Office v. X 10.1.9 or later to open converted documents

Please note: This version of the converter is not compatible with Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac. If Office 2008 is installed on your computer, do not install this version of the converter as it might cause problems with Office 2008 applications.

The Better News for PC Users

By installing the Windows Office Compatibility Pack with Microsoft Office 2000, Office XP, or Office 2003, you will be able to open, edit, and save files using the XML file formats new to Word, Excel, and Power Point 2007. The Compatibility Pack can also be used in conjunction with the Microsoft Office Word Viewer 2003, Excel Viewer 2003, and Power Point Viewer 2003 to view files saved in these new formats.

PC System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems include: Windows 2000 Service Pack 4; Windows Server 2003; Windows Vista; Windows XP Service Pack 1; Windows XP Service Pack 2. You'll need to be running these Microsoft Office programs:

• Microsoft Word 2000 with Service Pack 3, Microsoft Excel 2000 with Service Pack 3, and Microsoft Power Point 2000 with Service Pack 3

• Microsoft Word 2002 with Service Pack 3, Microsoft Excel 2002 with Service Pack 3, and Microsoft Power Point 2002 with Service Pack 3

• Microsoft Office Word 2003 with at least Service Pack 1, Microsoft Office Excel 2003 with at least Service Pack 1, and Microsoft Office Power Point 2003 with at least Service Pack 1

• Microsoft Office Word, Excel or Power Point Viewer 2003

Download the Office Compatibility Pack

Questions or Comments

If you have any questions about this Office issue or anything else that needs tending to, please feel free to schedule a support call with tech+help. Call Russ Curtis @ (415) 533-1357.