How to View an Excel 2007 Spreadsheet in Excel 2003

Dedicated users of Microsoft programs such as the Microsoft Office Suite, which includes Excel, enjoy the ease of use and the features that these programs provide. However, they may find it tedious to keep up with the regular release of updated versions of these programs, especially if they are attached to older versions, such as the Excel 2003. In such cases, there are ways to continue to use the older versions and yet have the ability to view and work with the newer releases.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Learn how to exchange files between Excel 2007 and Excel 2003. The programs in the Microsoft Office suite have been upgraded to use an open XML file format in the 2007 version in order to make the files smaller, more secure and easier to use with other programs. Microsoft has created a compatibility pack which ensures that in spite of the new file format you can use newer releases with the older programs.
2. Learn to use the compatibility pack. If you have the Office 2003 version of Excel or older, you can use the compatibility pack to view, edit and save an Excel 2007 spreadsheet. You can also convert the 2007 Excel spreadsheet from the open XML format to the older binary file format.
3. Prepare to download the compatibility pack. Make sure you have one of the following operating systems on your computer: Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP Service Pack 1 or Windows XP Service Pack 2. The compatibility pack file requires 25MB on your hard disk, so be sure you have enough space.
4. Install updates. If you have Microsoft Office 2000, Office 2003 and Office XP you will need to install high-priority updates from Microsoft.com before you download the compatibility pack (see Resources below).
5. Download and install the compatibility pack. Visit Microsoft.com to download the compatibility pack (see Resources below). You can save the executable file to your hard disk and run it at a later time or you can run it directly from Microsoft's website.
6. Open your Excel program. Click the "File" button on the toolbar, select "Open" and search for your Excel 2007 spreadsheet using the dialog box that pops up. Click the file to select it and then click the "Open" button to view it in your Excel 2003 program.

Tips & Warnings

• The compatibility pack will function better with Excel 2003 that has at least Service Pack 1.

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