Changing MS Office 2008 Default Document Format

Background

Last year Microsoft released a new PC version of Office called MS Office 2007. Further, this year MS also released a new version of Office for Mac, called MS Office For Mac 2008. Both new versions use a new file format when saving Word, Excel or PowerPoint files. The file format is known as “Open Office XML” (OOXML). The problem with this format is that it can only be opened by Office 2007 and Office 2008 for Mac.

However, the older MS Office format (97-2004) has become a de-facto file format not only for MS Office but also for most, if not all, Office programs from other vendors for the Windows, Linux and OS X platforms. As of now, no other vendor has adopted OOXML for importing and exporting. MS has promised to provide a converter for OOXML to the older Office format but so far has not been able to resolved all the issues and problems associated with such a program.

In addition the majority of large organizations has not upgraded to Office 2007/2008 since it does not offer any new features, except a new User Interface and new file formats. MS response to the complains by these large companies in regard to the interoperability issue has been to recommend the change of the default setting for saving files to the older Office 97-2004 format. The older file format is compatible and interoperable with allversions of Office and Office for Mac released since 1997.

Suggestion

Since there millions of Mac users that still use previous versions of MS Office (2004), as well as the need to communicate with external parties that most likely still use older versions of Windows MS Office, my suggestion is that Mac users who have a copy of the latest MS Office, to change their default file format settings as suggested by Microsoft. The new file format does not offer any new feature or advantages over the older one. It was created by MS to follow the trend of using XML over binary for storing the data.

How to change the default settings in MS Office for MAC 2008

Sadly there is no single way of doing it for all Office applications, nor is the process the same for each. You need to open each Office Application and change the default file format for saving a document.

Changing Word’s default file format

Start MS Word and select from the Word menu the “Preferences…” option

In the Word Preferences window, under the Output and Sharing heading, click on the Save icon:

The Safe Preferences window will open. Click on the up/down arrows to the right of the Save Word files as: option to display the selection list:

Change the option from Word Document (.docx) to Word 97-2004 Document (.doc):

Click on OK button to save the new settings.

Last step before using the new setting, Quit Word.

Changing Excel’s default file format

Start MS Excel and select from the Excel menu the “Preferences…” option

In the Excel Preferences window, under the Sharing and Privacy heading, click on the Compatibility icon:

The Compatibility Preferences window will open. Click on the up/down arrows to the right of the Save Excel files as: option to display the selection list:

Change the option from Excel Workbook (.xlsx) to Excel 97-2004 Workbook (.xls):

Click on OK button to save the new settings.

Last step before using the new setting, Quit Excel.

Changing PowerPoint’s default file format

Start MS PowerPoint and select from the PowerPoint menu the “Preferences…” option

In the PowerPoint Preferences windowclick on the Save icon:

The Save Preferences window will open. Click on the up/down arrows to the right of the Save PowerPoint files as: option to display the selection list:

Change the option from PowerPoint Presentation (.pptx) to PowerPoint 97-2004 Presentations (.ppt):

Click on OK button to save the new settings.

Last step before using the new setting, Quit PowerPoint.

FOR MS OFFICE FOR MAC 2004 USERS

If you receive files with the .docx, .xlsx or .pptx extension your system will not be able to open them. OS X may try to assign an application such as TextEdit for .docx files, or try to decompress, in either case it will not be successful. My suggestion is to reply to the sender and ask for the file to be resend in the older Office format. To do so, the sender should select the “Save As …” option with in the relevant Office Application and select the (XP or 97-2004 file format). 

UPDATE: Microsoft has made available a Open XML Converter that allows you to convert Open XML files that were created in Office 2008/2011 for Mac or Office 2007 for Windows so that you can open, edit, and save them in earlier versions of Office for Mac. Open XML Converter can convert Word documents, Excel workbooks, and PowerPoint presentations that are in the Open XML Format so that you can open and edit the files in Office 2004 for Mac and Office v. X for Mac. You can choose to convert and open one file, or convert a large number of files.

Click here to visit the MS web page to download the converter.