Office 2007– What is XML?

Data you access daily comes from databases, Web pages, spreadsheets, PowerPoint files, PDF files, e-mail, and more. Not all of these sources offer compatible file formats because larger companies often create their own software, and ultimately, their own file types. Because of this, differing applications’ files and output aren’t always compatible with others’. This problem makes it difficult to pull together documents, assimilate data, and combine content from multiple sources. It is this problem that caused Microsoft to adapt the XML file format in the Office 2007 suite.

The term XML comes from the term “extensible markup language.” Basically, XML allows you to create a document in any program that supports XML, save it in XML format, give it to someone without the same program, and the recipient will still be able to read it, make changes and resave it – as long as they have an XML reader.

You really won’t notice any difference when saving files in Office 2007. You’ll only notice a problem if and when you send an XML Word, Excel, PowerPoint or other file to a pre-2007 Office user that has yet to install the required compatibility pack. Non-Microsoft users won’t be able to open the file until they download and install an XML reader.

If you or someone you know needs to open an XML file and cannot, there are a few work-arounds:

1. Open Word XML files (docx) with Older version of Office –Install the compatibility pack available here - download Microsoft Compatibility Pack

2. Compatibility with Open Office -If you have Open Office installed on your PC, install Open XML Translator to able to read XML Files (docx) files - download Open XML Translator

3. Convert the files with Online Tools –Try the docx converter.

4. Save the file in the Word 97-2003 format – [See Image 1]