Opening in Different Versions

[Karen]

If I create a file in Project and I am using version
2003, will my co-worker be able to open the file if she
has Project 2000? I know with other Microsoft
applications that you can upgrade but not downgrade. Has
this changed?

Thank you

 

[JulieS]

Hi Karen,

Yes your co-worker should be able to open a Project 2003 file using Project
2000. Search in Help for "Project 2000" to see some additional details.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

 

[John]

Hi Karen,

Yes your co-worker should be able to open a Project 2003 file using Project
2000. Search in Help for "Project 2000" to see some additional details.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

Karen,
I'll add just one thing to Julie's response. Be aware that each new
version of Project has additional features. If you used some features
available only with 2003, they will not be available to your co-worker.
Generally this is not a problem with Project 2000 through 2003, but it
might be a consideration.

John
Project MVP

 

[Karen]

Thank you both for your help - My co-worker attempted to
open my 2003 file in her 2000 version and she received
the following message - Microsoft Project cannot open the
file. Try one of the following: Check the the file's name
and path are correct (They had to be correct, she opened
the file in Explorer) - Check that the file is in a
format recognized by Microsoft Project. Microsoft Project
files (.mpp) from a version earlier than Microsoft
Project 98 cannot be opened.
Any suggestions?

 

[JulieD]

Hi Karen

from help ----
About working with a current project in an earlier version of Microsoft
Project
Working with a current project in Microsoft Project 2000 or Microsoft
Project 2002

The file format of Microsoft Office Project 2003, Microsoft Project 2000,
and Microsoft Project 2002 are the same.
In Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project 2002, you can open a project
created in Microsoft Office Project 2003 and save it with any changes you
make, and then open it again in Microsoft Office Project 2003. Note,
however, that Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project 2002 do not
include all of the features found in Microsoft Office Project 2003.
Therefore, some information might not be displayed when you open a project
created in Microsoft Office Project 2003 in Microsoft Project 2000 or
Microsoft Project 2002.

When you reopen the project in Microsoft Office Project 2003, all
information will be displayed again. The project will retain all of the
Microsoft Project 2000 or Microsoft Project 2002 information as long as you
don't save the project with a new name. When you save the project with a
different name, all Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project 2002 items
are discarded.

----

which means that there's something else going on here

1) are you sure she's using ver 2000 (help / about from inside project on
her machine will give you this)?

2) can you still open the file?

3) can she open it if she uses file / open from inside project rather than
from explorer?

4) if you create a very simple project file in ver 2003 (ie two tasks / two
resources - assigned) can she open that?

Cheers

JulieD