# Using Microsoft Office and $[officename]

/text/shared/guide/ms_user.xhp
Office;Microsoft Office and $[officename]
Microsoft Office;new users information
opening;Microsoft Office files
saving;in Microsoft Office file format
macros; in MS Office documents
Using Microsoft Office and $[officename]
$[officename] can open and save documents in the Microsoft Office file formats. Microsoft Office Open XML formats can be read, but not saved.
Opening a Microsoft Office File
- Choose File - Open. Select a Microsoft Office file in the $[officename] file open dialog.

MS Office file...
...will open in $[officename] module
MS Word, *.doc, *.docx
$[officename] Writer
MS Excel, *.xls, *.xlsx
$[officename] Calc
MS PowerPoint, *.ppt, *.pps, *.pptx
$[officename] Impress

Saving as a Microsoft Office File
- Choose File - Save As.
- In the File type box, select a Microsoft Office file format.
Saving Documents by Default in Microsoft Office Formats
- Choose %PRODUCTNAME - Preferences Tools - Options - Load/Save - General.
- In the Default file format and ODF settings area, first select a document type, then select the file type for saving.
From now on, if you save a document, the File type will be set according to your choice. Of course, you still can select another file type in the file save dialog.
Opening Microsoft Office Files by Default
Converting Many Microsoft Office Files into OpenDocument Format
The Document Converter Wizard will copy and convert all Microsoft Office files in a folder into $[officename] documents in the OpenDocument file format. You can specify the folder to be read, and the folder where the converted files are to be saved.
- Choose File - Wizards - Document Converter to start the wizard.
Macros in Microsoft Office and $[officename]
With a few exceptions, Microsoft Office and $[officename] cannot run the same macro code. Microsoft Office uses VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) code, and $[officename] uses Basic code based on the $[officename] API (Application Program Interface) environment. Although the programming language is the same, the objects and methods are different.
The most recent versions of %PRODUCTNAME can run some Excel Visual Basic scripts if you enable this feature at %PRODUCTNAME - Preferences Tools - Options - Load/Save - VBA Properties.
If you use macros in one of the applications and want to use the same functionality in the other application, you must edit the macros. $[officename] can load the macros that are contained within Microsoft Office files and you can then view and edit the macro code in the $[officename] Basic IDE editor.
You can choose to preserve or delete VBA macros
Open a Microsoft Office document that contains VBA macro code. Change only the normal contents (text, cells, graphics), and do not edit the macros. Save the document as a Microsoft Office file type. Open the file in Microsoft Office, and the VBA macros will run as before.
You may delete the VBA macros from the Microsoft Office file on loading or on saving.
- Choose %PRODUCTNAME - Preferences Tools - Options - Load/Save - VBA Properties to set the VBA macro handling of $[officename].