Opening docx files in Word 2003

[InSutterWeTrust]

I've done some searching on the net and have been unable to get this issue resolved so I turn to CP for help.

My job as a recruiter requires me to read resumes and alot of resumes coming in are in the docx format from the newer version of word. I was unable to open these files so I downloaded the converter pack from Microsoft, this worked for a short time and now when I try and open these files I receive an error when word is trying to convert the file, the error reads "there was an error opening this file".

I have tried removing the converter pack and reinstalling, I have done defrags on the computer. I had contacted our local help desk which is absolutely useless, they tried to tell me that the people who send in the resumes were saving it incorrectly and causing the error- Total BS.

Does anybody have any recommendations I can try to fix this error or have another program that I can use to convert the files? I already tried convincing the boss on Office 2007 and was shot down!

[Kybosh]

Due to this issue, .doc is still the preferred format for business. I'm not sure how you can fix the problem but the people applying should honestly know better than to use .docx (or any 'x' format for that matter).

[calumniate]

You could uninstall Office 2003, and install the Microsoft Office 2010 Beta. This would probably work for a bit. Or you could download the latest copy of OpenOffice.
http://download.openoffice.org/

[photon]

Try clicking Help, Detect and Repair, and run that, and then reinstall the compatability pack.

[mykalberta]

Call your IT department and have them fox it for you.

PDF should be the default standard for everything IMO. They should never be sending you their resume in an editable format.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Call your IT department and have them fox it for you.

PDF should be the default standard for everything IMO. They should never be sending you their resume in an editable format.

Especially if track changes was turned on during the edits - always fun to see what the resume said two or three versions ago, and how dates/responsibilities/descriptions for the same work experiences change over time

[SoulOfTheFlame]

Can't you import .docx into Google Docs and then copy that into Word 2003?

You may lose a bit of formatting of course..

[Frank MetaMusil]

Remove the "x" from the .docx

[llama64]

Shot down for a software upgrade that costs ~300$? What is the cost of time lost dealing with this issue versus buying software that isn't nearly a decade old?

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by calumniate

You could uninstall Office 2003, and install the Microsoft Office 2010 Beta. This would probably work for a bit. Or you could download the latest copy of OpenOffice.
http://download.openoffice.org/

I agree that the quickest, easiest, and cheapest method is to just download and install OpenOffice. It'll handle .docx and then you can save it as a .doc if you wish. If you don't change your file associations so that OpenOffice handles all of your Word, Excel, etc. documents, you can still use MS Office as your main one if that's what the company wants, but keep OO on there for times like this.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Especially if track changes was turned on during the edits - always fun to see what the resume said two or three versions ago, and how dates/responsibilities/descriptions for the same work experiences change over time

HAH!

Good thing I always submit my resumes and cover letters in pdf...

You could just look at it from the point of view that if they're too dumb to submit in in .doc they're probably too dumb to work for you.

[InSutterWeTrust]

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. I was able to get the issue resolved thanks to the recommendation by Photon.

[photon]

\o/