Member Avatar for MidiMagic

I teach a class that includes the use of Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Access. Everything has been fine until recently.

Some of my students have been required by their employers to upgrade to Office 2007. The problem is that I now can't read their homework to grade it on the school computers.

I told them to save to 2003 compatible mode, but when I try to grade those, the colors and other formats are wrong when opened in Office 2003. I can't tell if the students did their work wrong, or if Microsift messed it up.

I hope that if Bill Gates ever has a serious illness, the doctor treating him can't read the files necessary for treatment, because they were in a format obsoleted by Microsoft upgrades.

THAT would teach him (maybe).

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by bobbyraw

Dani AI

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Short, practical fix list for and classmates who upgraded: Office 2007 introduced new file formats, themes and features that do not round-trip perfectly to Office 2003. That mismatch is why colors, styles and some layout elements look different even after using "compatibility" saves. It is a format/feature-mapping issue, not deliberate corruption.

Before grading, ask students to do these steps and hand in the result you can open:

  • In Word/Excel: Office Button -> Save As -> choose "Word 97-2003 Document" or "Excel 97-2003 Workbook". Then run the Compatibility Checker (Office Button -> Prepare -> Run Compatibility Checker) and fix anything it flags. Avoid theme-based colors, SmartArt, and new 2007-only table/chart styles if exact appearance matters.
  • For Access: save the database as an Access 2002-2003 (.mdb) file if possible, and avoid Access 2007-only objects (multi-value fields, attachment data types). Converting can strip or change newer features, so test the converted file first.
  • If appearance is critical, have students submit a PDF (Save As PDF or use a PDF print driver) in addition to any editable file. PDFs preserve look-and-feel and remove ambiguity.

If changing school machines is an option, IT can install the Microsoft compatibility tools or the Office 2007 file-format support so .docx/.xlsx/.accdb files open directly. Otherwise require the compatibility steps above and a brief checklist from each student ("saved as 97-2003", "compatibility checker clean", or "PDF attached") before you grade.

Ranting is understandable (see , ). Practical coordination wins here: give a short, enforced submission spec and the grading headaches go away. was right to warn about mixed workflows — pick a single target format for the class and enforce it.

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Member Avatar for The Dude

Yes M$ does suck (In every way)

Trying to force people to upgrade to the latest garbage which gives them the most control over them........

Member Avatar for caperjack

It called, having a monopoly,and an attitude! to boot.

Member Avatar for bobbyraw

this indeep a dilema, i had the same esperience, schol was using office 2003 i had 2007 at home, but i save in 2003 mode, to make sure the teach can opem my doc or xlm file because in 2007 the extentions are 4 letters. but if the student who have 2007 at work and do there home there they would be in a world of problem if they change the mode then do some work project and send to other at work they would be getting incorrect formats and data. probable be fired,,,,,,,,, i do feel your pain.

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