How do I open a newer version of Excel file from older version?

[spacedeveloper]

Hi everyone, I don't know if this is the correct forum for this question, but I'll try anyway and thanks for any help you can provide.

I have an Excel 2007 file that is password-protected that I created on my home computer. Unfortunately, I've been trying to open it on my work's computer, which happens to be a MUCH older version of Excel: 2000.

The real problem is the password length. In Excel 2000 they only allowed a password length of 15 characters, whereas in 2007 they allowed a longer one. The file I have has a password length of 17 characters.

So, how on earth will I be able to open the file in the older version of Excel?

I keep getting the "The password you supplied is not correct." error when attempting to.

Does anyone have any ideas?

BTW, I DO have the "Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office System" update installed on the older system.

Thanks!

 

[fisheromacse]

It sounds like you have 2 options:
1. use a shorter password
or
2. upgrade Office on the work computer

 

[spacedeveloper]

That's what I'm afraid would be the answer.

I wonder why Microsoft never thought of this possibility before releasing the newer version?

 

[fumei]

I wonder why Microsoft never thought of this possibility before releasing the newer version? "

You are being rhetorical I assume?


unknown

 

[spacedeveloper]

Nope...naive, I guess.

 

[fumei]

<grin> or young?</grin>

Us decrepit oldsters have seen this many times.

DOS 4.0 anyone?

"2. upgrade Office on the work computer"

Which is the point of releasing new versions. I defy anyone to point out the real benefits of Office 2007/2010 over 2003. I mean other than eye-candy.

Mind you, I am not trashing Microsoft alone. Adobe is in some ways worse. They almost never fix bugs. They have a "wait until the next release" - of course costing additional money - attitude that is deeply annoying.


unknown

 

[Lilliabeth]

Intuit forces me to upgrade Quickbooks every 3 years or it renders the product totally unusable. They simply have a timebomb built in that stops calculating payroll in 3 years. The upgrades are worthless; there has never been a worthwhile change as far as I'm concerned.

In addition, you must pay $262 each year to Intuit or else you can't receive data that is provided free from the government. Without this data, Quickbooks won't calculate payroll taxes, making the product useless for almost all businesses.

Why don't people change to another accounting software? You cannot get your data out. I've tried. Once you start using Quickbooks, you are stuck.



--Lilliabeth

 

[fumei]

Why don't people change to another accounting software? You cannot get your data out. I've tried. Once you start using Quickbooks, you are stuck. "

WHAT???? You have to be freakin' kidding. That is ridiculous. Are you saying there is no way to extract data out? Surely not. Maybe not in a useful format, but you have got to be able to something out....or....may be not.

Good heavens.


unknown

 

[papadba]

To get data out of QuickBooks, there are multiple alternatives. Here is a topic with a few mentioned:

http://community.intuit.com/posts/export-transactions-from-quickbooks-to-a-spreadsheet-or-text-file

As far as Excel and other products - most provide backward compatability (new product can open an old file). Very, Very few even try to provide forward compatabiliby. When the old code was written, it had not yet been completely determined the "rules" of the new formats. . .

 

[papadba]

Oops . . . Hit Submit too quickly

In the new version, save the file in the old format and carry to the computer with the earlier release.

 

[Lilliabeth]

My MCDBAs and MCSEs couldn't get it converted so we talked to a company that specializes in converting accounting packages. We ultimately decided against it though I hate Intuit.

It is difficult to convert from any accounting package to another, it's largely manual and it's ugly and some things will be lost. How much of this is Intuit and how much is the nature of the accounting beast, I don't know. But they definitely capitalize on the fact that is very very painful to change once you start using them. They have your butt and they know it.



--Lilliabeth

 

[Lilliabeth]

but papdba, and what will anyone do with it in a spreadsheet or a text file?

Changing accounting software is a very painful process.

--Lilliabeth

 

[fumei]

Ah, so as stated, you can get data out, but not in a standardized accounting practice format...yes?

Very, Very few even try to provide forward compatabiliby.

And this is not surprising. However, to cause a problem because you changed the lnegth of the string for a password from 15 to 17 characters, ummmm.

Hoo-hoo! Those extra two characters really beefed up security all right! ANDn prevents it from being opened! PERFECT!


unknown

 

[Lilliabeth]

Yes, I'll restate: once you start using QB, you are stuck because it is a pain to convert to a different accounting package.

I don't know how this overshadowed the fact that they charge an annual fee to do for you what you should be able to do yourself for free.

Or that their software is time-bombed to force upgrades every 3 years. Can you imagine if Office 2007 stopped working on a drop-dead date in 2010? People would scream. But for some reason, accounting-types have come to accept it.

--Lilliabeth

 

[fisheromacse]

my experience with accounting (not QB) and timekeeping packages both have been VERY painful.
they both like to lock data away in tables that are unintuitive and often unnecessary.
add in the problem of different businesses usign the same software in different ways, further muxing up any logic to the original designer's plan...we have a options in both accounting and timekeeping to add custom field labels and the data is just stored as a string...of course someone decided to use those fields instead of the fields designed in the software because they decided to put an insurance reference date in the 'start date' so now 'start date' is stored in a 'custom' field. If we ever have to migrate to another package, i will have to request 3 months just to export data, import data and test integrity. bleh!!

 

[fumei]

Good grief. I had no idea you folks had to work with such crap. The dropdead functionality seems bordering on criminal. This is like blackmail. Or drug dealers.

And I thought Office was bad.


unknown

 

[fisheromacse]

fumei,

LOL! I am told that with drug dealers you don't have to buy a new crack pipe if you change dealers, and that the crack they sell next year will burn using the pipe from 8 years ago.

software dealers often seem to have fewer scruples to prevent them from earning $$$ than drug dealers!

But...i have worked with a few software devs that have been amazing (i can count them on 1 hand with digits left over!)

 

[strongm]

>I defy anyone to point out the real benefits of Office 2007/2010 over 2003

Oh, I can name a few. Let's just look at Excel, for example: larger sheets (the increase in number of columns is particualrly welcome), pivot tables are much better (and can be larger), increased sorting levels (3 to 64), removed limits on conditional formatting, more colors (OK, granted that's technically eye candy ...)

 

[spacedeveloper]

Well, I've tried shortening the password to 15 characters and tried to open it on the work computer (with the older version of Excel), but the error still appears:

The password you supplied is not correct. Verify that the CAPS LOCK key is off and be sure to use the correct capitlization.

I've checked and rechecked my password. It is correct, but to no avail. Anyone have any other ideas as to what to do to open this file? (The dang thing opens fine on my - newer - home computer's version of Excel).

Thanks

 

[hawkdaddy]

Could it be saved at home with a different password?
Does excel 2007 have a backward compatibility function in the save as function?

Lillabeth, How many employees? Three options 1) A payroll service. 2) Enter the Federal and state withholding manually.
3) Knuckle under.