Lotus 123 to Excel and back again

Lotus 123 to Excel and back again

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A client needs to complete a weekly spread sheet and e-mail it to be. I have prepared the spreadsheet in Lotus 123, saved it as an Excel file and e-mailed it to client. Client can open it and fill in the numbers.
Now the problem starts.............
Client e-mailed me a 'test' version last week- just my original file and that came to me fine. However when she adds figures and then
does a 'save as' the file extension changes to .XLSx. When she then e-mails it to me I can't open it as it is 'untranslatable'

I only have Lotus 123 while client only has Excel. I get an option to save files as either Lotus 123 or Excel but client doesn't get an option to save as a Lotus 123 file. I saved the file as Excel in the first place as she can't open Lotus 123 files.

I think there must be a way to do this but haven't found the answer yet.
Does anyone have any tips please?
Thanks
Jane H

Jane H

Replies (6)

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By neileg
02nd Apr 2007 17:00

XLSX
Is that the new extension for Excel 2007? I think by now the save as 123 option may either have been dropped or may not be part of the basic install.

Go on, go wild, buy a copy of Excel. Bill Gates needs your money!

Alternatively, see if your client has an option to save as an earlier version of Excel which you may be able to read.

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By carnmores
02nd Apr 2007 19:38

TRY CHANGING THE EXTENSION
TO .XLS AND SEE IF IT CAN BE READ

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By listerramjet
02nd Apr 2007 16:00

have to say
I did not realsie anyone still used Lotus123 in anger!

Excel allows files to be saved in Lotus123 format so your client is mistaken.

I would suggest that you change your methodology and save the input sheet as a separate Lotus123 file, and send that to your client with an instruction to keep it in Lotus123 format and return it to you when complete. I have Excel 2000 which offers wk1 through to wk4 formats.

It would be much easier if you moved into the modern world, and migrated to Excel!

It is possible that the excel install defaults to not providing all the different file formats, which is perhaps why your client is mistaken. It should be a simple matter to rectify that.

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By User deleted
03rd Apr 2007 13:28

Keep your money!
There is a simple answer. Download OpenOffice from openoffice.org.

It is free and is a top class office suite. Version 2.2 was released last week. The spreadsheet is as good in almost every way as Excel, likewise the Word and PowerPoint equivalents. You don't even need much training etc. If you use OpenOffice, you can save in Excel format and your client will have no problems opening it and you will be able to open her file too.

I use Excel and Microsoft Office in work but never bothered to buy it for the home PC - OpenOffice can do all that I need.

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By Graham Bell
03rd Apr 2007 15:13

viewers available form Lotus
I also use Lotus 123 and Word Pro - excellent products. To help in translation I loaded down "wdviewer.exe" and "xlviewer.exe" from the Lotus site.

The only problems I have is where my clients link worksheets. This can be overcome with a little patience.

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By shando
07th Jun 2007 09:56

Lotus vs Excel
First of all the Lotus 123 and Lotus Symphony products were, are and will always be great programmes with their limitations as the company never thought of upgrading them. I still use them as the macro creation, range naming etc etc is simpler than in Excel

Excel 2007 does NOT read Wk and WR files no matter what sort of catalyst program is used or method of saving is done.

Micrtosoft Office 2007 to my view is an entirely new engine setup, with a patch to previous versions but no competitor compliance. One way of killing competition.

But I still use Lotus as I can still print on my Dot printer (cheaper).

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