OFF97: How to Set Office Programs to Save to a Previous Version (245701)

MORE INFORMATION

There are multiple methods for changing the default save file format for the programs listed at the beginning of this article. The methods are presented here in order of recommendation. Use the appropriate method based on your situation.

Method 1: Set the Option in the Office Programs

If you already installed Office 97 on your computer, follow these steps:

Microsoft Excel 97

1. Start Excel 97.
2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
3. Click the Transition tab.
4. In the Save Excel files as list, click Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook.
5. Click OK.

Microsoft PowerPoint 97

1. Start PowerPoint 97.
2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
3. Click the Save tab.
4. In the Save PowerPoint slides as list, click Microsoft PowerPoint 95 Presentation.
5. Click OK.

Microsoft Word 97

1. Start Word 97.
2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
3. Click the Save tab.
4. In the Save Word files as list, click Microsoft Word 6.0/95(*.doc).
5. Click OK.

Method 2: Use the Office 97 System Policy Templates

Regardless of whether Office is already installed, you can set the default save options for the programs listed at the beginning of this article by using Windows system policies. Typically, a network administrator uses system policies to configure default settings remotely for multiple clients. System policies allow you to provide greater consistency among client computers and to centralize support and maintenance efforts. System policies are enforced each time the Office program is started, regardless of the changes made by the user when they last ran the Office program.

NOTE: System policies are supported only by Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0.

For example, Microsoft Excel stores the value of the Save Excel files as option in a registry key. When a user changes the Save Excel files as option on the Transition tab in the Options dialog box (Tools menu), Excel records the new value in the registry. You can use system policies to enforce this setting.

For more information about how to use the Office 97 Policy Template Files, see the "Using Windows System Policies to Customize Office" section in the Office 97 Resource Kit. The Office 97 Resource Kit is found at the following Microsoft Web site: You can download the System Policy Editor and Office 97 Policy Templates at the following Microsoft Web site: For more information about Windows system policies, see the Microsoft Windows 95 Resource Kit or the Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit and Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Resource Kit.

Method 3: Use the Network Installation Wizard to Customize the Installation

If you have not installed Office 97, you can use the Network Installation Wizard (NIW) to configure the programs listed at the beginning of this article, so that files are saved in the file format of the previous version.

For additional information about how to obtain the Network Installation Wizard version 2.1, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: You can find documentation for the Network Installation Wizard in Chapter 6 of the Office 97 Resource Kit, or you can obtain the documentation from the following Microsoft Web site: NOTE: This method does not prevent the user from permanently resetting the default save option from within the Office program. Use system policies to prevent users from permanently resetting the default save option from within the Office program.

To configure the programs by using the Network Installation Wizard, follow these steps:

1. Start the Network Installation Wizard.
2. Select the Setup Table file that you want to customize (for example, Custom.stf), and follow the steps in the Network Installation Wizard until you reach the Add Registry Entries dialog box.
3. Click Add.
4. In the Add dialog box, set the following values, and click OK after each one:

   For Excel:
   ---------
   Root:       HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   Data type:  DWORD
   Key:        Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\New User Settings\Excel\Default Save
   Value name: Default Format
   Value data: 39
   
   Root:       HKEY_CURRENT_USER
   Data type:  DWORD
   Key:        Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Excel\Default Save
   Value name: Default Format
   Value data: 39
   
   
   For Word:
   ---------
   Root:       HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   Data type:  SZ
   Key:        Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\New User Settings\Word\Default Save
   Value name: Default Format
   Value data: MSWord6Exp
   
   Root:       HKEY_CURRENT_USER
   Data type:  SZ
   Key:        Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Word\Default Save
   Value name: Default Format
   Value data: MSWord6Exp
   
   
   For PowerPoint:
   ---------------
   Root:       HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   Data type:  SZ
   Key:        Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\New User Settings\Powerpoint\Default Save
   Value name: Default Format
   Value data: Microsoft PowerPoint 95 Presentation
   
   Root:       HKEY_CURRENT_USER
   Data type:  SZ
   Key:        Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Powerpoint\Default Save
   Value name: Default Format
   Value data: Microsoft PowerPoint 95 Presentation
   						

   NOTE: The "New User Settings" registry keys are only required if you want the same default save for new users who log on to the computer.
   
   You can find the Value Data for other file formats by using "Method 1: Set the Option in the Office Programs" and then examining the Value Data value of the previous registry keys.
5. Click Next, and follow the steps through the remainder of the Network Installation Wizard.