Mass convert of old Office files to 2007

[LinkBratwurst]

Is there a mass converter that will convert older Office 97/2000/2003 files
to the new 2007 format? I have hundreds of Excel and Word docs that I'd
rather not open and save individually.

 

[DL]

Is there a particular reason for wanting to convert old, probably little
used, files?

 

[LinkBratwurst]

"Older" meaning older format. IMO if MS is going to change the file format
they should create conversion apps to save people time (which equates to
money). Office 2007 is supposed to be a time saver. Speed is of the essence
in my business to retrieve information quickly. I'm currently saving them in
the new format as I go, when I have time.

 

[Jay Freedman]

Because Word 2007 will open, edit, and save files in Word 97-2003 format,
there's little reason to do any bulk conversion. If you want to insert items
that are supported only by Word 2007, such as Smart Art or content controls,
you can convert those documents as you open them for editing (the Convert
command is on the Office button menu when an older-format file is opened).

The only advantage to converting old files without editing them is that the
new format is compressed and takes less disk space. You can get the same
space savings just by zipping the existing files.

To answer the original question, though, Microsoft has not released a bulk
format converter for 2007.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[DL]

You still havent put forward a reasonable explanation as to why you would
want to convert, since 2007 can open old format, and save in that format if
you wish, you would appear to be creating a problem where none exists

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

There is a bulk conversion package as part of the Office Migration Planning Manager (OMPM) tool set for Office 2007.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc179179.aspx
=============
Is there a mass converter that will convert older Office 97/2000/2003 files
to the new 2007 format? I have hundreds of Excel and Word docs that I'd
rather not open and save individually. <<
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[Jay Freedman]

To answer the original question, though, Microsoft has not released a
bulk format converter for 2007.

Correction: As Bob Buckland said in another reply, there is a converter as
part of the Office Migration Planning Manager (OMPM).

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

Is there a mass converter that will convert older Office 97/2000/2003
files
to the new 2007 format? I have hundreds of Excel and Word docs that I'd
rather not open and save individually.

You do not need to convert anything. Early Office files can be read
perfectly well by 2007. You are just trying to make work for yourself..


--
Mike Hall - MVP
How to construct a good post..
http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=newswhelp&style=toc
Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

 

[Rod P.]

Actually I have the opposite problem. I did my wife's resume on my computer
that has Office Pro 2007, but she has Office 2000 on her computer and she
cannot read her resume. What do I need to do so that she can read her resume
using Office 2000? Thanks

 

[garfield-n-odie [MVP]]

..docx is the new Word 2007 file format. You can enable Office
2000 to open Office 2007 files by installing the Office 2007
compatibility pack as described in
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=923505 "How to install the
Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack so that you can use earlier
versions of Excel, PowerPoint, and Word to open and to save files
from 2007 Office programs".

 

[Echo S]

Just in case the compatibility pack that Garfield-n-Odie suggested doesn't
work, you can use Office Button | Save As to save a 2007 file as "97-2003
format." Your wife's system should be able to open those.

 

[GeorgeSJr]

You do not need to convert anything. Early Office files can be read
perfectly well by 2007. You are just trying to make work for yourself..

I am using Office 2007 (Small Bus.) and Excel will noyt open anolder
version. I am also affraid that Word, etc. will not either.

George

 

[GeorgeSJr]

So what happens when you try? ("will not open" is too vague to be of any use
in diagnosing problems). Is this just one file, or all files?

I get an error message "The file you are trying to open (name.xls) is in a different format than specified by the fioe extension. Verify....before opening. Do you want to open now"

I click Yes
The "Text Import Wizard" appears, stating that the data is deliminited. It
goes thru 3 steps, at finish back to Excell Book1 which is blank.
This happens with all the files I have brought over to test.

 

[Gordon]

I click Yes
The "Text Import Wizard" appears, stating that the data is deliminited. It
goes thru 3 steps, at finish back to Excell Book1 which is blank.
This happens with all the files I have brought over to test.

Sounds to me as if all the files are corrupted. They should just open
normally when double-clicked on.
With what version of Office were they created, and how are you getting them
onto your computer?

You /could/ try downloading and installing Open Office (Free from
www.openoffice.org) and see if that will open them - from thence you can
re-save as MS Office documents...

 

[Gordon]

Sounds to me as if all the files are corrupted. They should just open
normally when double-clicked on.
With what version of Office were they created, and how are you getting
them onto your computer?

You /could/ try downloading and installing Open Office (Free from
www.openoffice.org) and see if that will open them - from thence you can
re-save as MS Office documents...

For example, I've got an archive CD of spreadsheets from 1999 which must
have been created with Excel 97 - they just open normally in Excel 2007....

 

[GeorgeSJr]

For example, I've got an archive CD of spreadsheets from 1999 which must
have been created with Excel 97 - they just open normally in Excel 2007....

They were created using Office 2003 on a XP machine that has died. I don't remember how I transfered them. I will try another set of disks that were made by the Geek Squad. Thanks for all your help. I'll let you know if the others work.

 

[Gordon]

In that case I would almost definitely say they are corrupted - Office 2007
should open 2003 files absolutely fine...

 

[GeorgeSJr]

I had to use the program that The Geeks used to create the backup disc. Of
course they hadn't mentioned that before. Again thanks for your help.