What Did That Error Message Mean?
Word 2007 Resources
Word 2007 Books
A list of books that will help you get up to speed with Microsoft Word 2007.
Word 2007 Videos
A comprehensive suite of free video tutorials created by Microsoft.
What's Up Doc
Previous versions of Word used the file extensions .doc and .dot for documents and templates respectively. In Microsoft Word 2007, however, the following extensions are used:
| Extension | Use |
|---|---|
| .docx | A standard Word document with no macros or code |
| .dotx | A Word template with no macros or code |
| .docm | A Word document that could contain macros or code |
| .dotm | A Word template that could contain macros or code |
In the above extensions, the 'x' stands for xml.
Word 2007 can open files created in all previous versions of Word, 1.0 through 2003. Word will open older documents in Compatibility Mode and will display the words '[Compatibility Mode]' in the document title, after the name of the file.
In Compatibility Mode, some functions may not be available (e.g. no smart graphics). You should stay in Compatibility Mode if you are sharing documents with people who still use previous versions of Word. Hovering over a command that is exclusive to Word 2007 will display a tooltip explaining why the command is disabled. However there are some 2007 functions (e.g. SmartArt) that are available in Compatibility Mode but offer limited functionality.
You can convert documents using older versions to Word 2007 by clicking on the Office Button > Convert. Performing this action can sometimes half the size of our document! Word 2007 format also offers more features and enhanced security.
Older versions (up to 2000) of Word can open 2007 format if your office installation is updated with the latest patches and service packs. On opening, you are asked if you want to download a converter. Alternatively, you could save your document with an older format so that the older Word can open without a converter. However, in doing so you will lose the new feature set.
