Chard Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 (edited) I don't know if any of you clever blokes can help me (I'm fairly thick on computers) One of my customers has emailed me an Excel spreadsheet. In the email, he's warned me that it's created in a new version of Excel and told me to save it as an old Excel doc and then I will be able to open it I've only got Office '97 Professional on my PC Well, I've tried all sorts and I can't read the ******* thing, I get a page of Greek writing B) :lol: Any ideas? I'd be very grateful :blink: Edited January 23, 2008 by Chard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piebob Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 You can't do anything unless you install new software - it's HIM that needs to save it as an older version to allow you to open it. How is he expecting you to save it if you can't open it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr W Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 I'm no expert but I would imagine that your client would have to save it as an old version of Excel and not you and then email that version to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 (edited) You can't do anything unless you install new software - it's HIM that needs to save it as an older version to allow you to open it. How is he expecting you to save it if you can't open it? Thanks Piebob and Dr W - that's what my wife thought. I'll email him back and tell him he's a *** Edited January 23, 2008 by Chard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the last engineer Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en see if the patch works for you in an upgrade, just a thought, id rather go forward than back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Thanks Piebob and Dr W - that's what my wife thought. I'll email him back and tell him he's a *** Yup, I'd second that motion - you can't save backward to new software from old.... or something like that, I'm getting dizzy but it could be the whisky... Customer.. *** - yes :blink: WGD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en see if the patch works for you in an upgrade, just a thought, id rather go forward than back Thanks for that, but it says "Users of the Microsoft Office XP and 2003 programs Word, Excel, or PowerPoint" I presume that means I can't use it with my steam-driven, coal-fired Office '97? :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en see if the patch works for you in an upgrade, just a thought, id rather go forward than back Thanks for that, but it says "Users of the Microsoft Office XP and 2003 programs Word, Excel, or PowerPoint" I presume that means I can't use it with my steam-driven, coal-fired Office '97? :blink: Chard you can't be that thick on computers cause you got that one right!!! WGD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petethegeek Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 If he insists that the customer is always right, then OpenOffice should enable you to cope with both formats and effectively provide you with a free upgrade at the same time. Mind you, if your PC is of the same vintage as your current software it may struggle a bit... Regards, Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Openoffice, whilst excellent, can't deal with many of the nuances of the "office XP" or later variants, mind it does all depend on the features used and embedded content in the workbook. It used to be possible to use a standalone viewer to see the file, however it depends on what you need from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the last engineer Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en see if the patch works for you in an upgrade, just a thought, id rather go forward than back Thanks for that, but it says "Users of the Microsoft Office XP and 2003 programs Word, Excel, or PowerPoint" I presume that means I can't use it with my steam-driven, coal-fired Office '97? :blink: B) hey give over, try and help a guy out with a link and you get one wrong, sue me, make sure its in excell pre 98 form, im still running a 286dx2 3.11 no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en see if the patch works for you in an upgrade, just a thought, id rather go forward than back Thanks for that, but it says "Users of the Microsoft Office XP and 2003 programs Word, Excel, or PowerPoint" I presume that means I can't use it with my steam-driven, coal-fired Office '97? B) :lol: hey give over, try and help a guy out with a link and you get one wrong, sue me, make sure its in excell pre 98 form, im still running a 286dx2 3.11 no problems. Cheers mate, and thanks to Pete and Pin. The guy has agreed that he's a *** and sent it to me in the old format, so I can at least see what he wants I think I'm going to have to look at upgrading some of my kit. My PC is over 5 years old and falling apart and I suppose I'm going to get hit with more and more unreadable Excel docs :blink: I'll have a look at this OpenOffice as a temporary solution as well. I've managed to cheapskate my way through replacing stuff for a while but I guess it's time to put my hand in my pocket The PCs here get a lot of stick and don't tend to last too well. The CD drive's knackered on mine as well, which isn't ideal :lol: Watch out Wall Street, the last of the big spenders is about to spend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Perfectly capable modern office PC's from about £199 including decent flat screen these days - doesn't have to cost the earth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the last engineer Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 know what you mean my newish bit of kit in the office here has added fans running constantly trying to cool the overheating drives, too many programming softwares packages and draughting units running all the time, actualy got an added switch at the rear to run the turbo fan, problem is it blows all the paperwork on the floor,,,,,,,,, could be a goo thing that,new out tray. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Perfectly capable modern office PC's from about £199 including decent flat screen these days - doesn't have to cost the earth That's good news :blink: . I was silly with the ones we've got. The business was doing better in those days and the Government had some kind of tax break on computer stuff, and I got Sony-itis I paid £1500 for my PC B) They must have seen me coming. Lesson learned though and business is bad, so £199 looks pretty good news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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