How to 'save' an Excel file so a Mac can read it?

[Speeddog]

Trying to send an Excel file to a customer who's got a Mac.

Customer said it shows up as a Zip file that opens another nested file. 

The file I sent is a *.xlsx .

[red baron]

have them download excel viewer from microsoft for free.

[mitt]

I am not a mac user, so I don't know for sure, but the .xlsx is the latest file format from MS, so it would probably be the least likely to import if they have an older apple.

First, I would try saving it in older excel format - .xls

Then, if that doesn't work, a .csv is a generic file type, that MAC spreadsheet software should be able to open into rows and columns, but you will loose any text/cell formatting.

Finally, as a last resort, a .txt file will give them a very generic text file with no formatting.

mitt

[Speeddog]

I've just sent it as an earlier version of Excel, and as a text file supposedly for a Mac.

We'll see if that does it. 

[red baron]

Scan it as a PDF

Fax it.

snail mail.

[yotogi]

I've just sent it as an earlier version of Excel, and as a text file supposedly for a Mac.

We'll see if that does it. 

my guess is that it will. i always downgrade to xls files when going back and forth between home and work.

[superjohn]

I have Excel for OS X so I use that, but Visual Basic macros will likely not work (at least the ones I was trying to use didn't)

[derby]

the compatibility issue between the excel 2007 xlsx (and the rest of the office 2007 docx, pptx documents) isnt a mac/pc issue, it's whether the application supports "open xml" formats. i even have a few non-user systems at work that have problems scanning these files properly.

these files are actually zipped "packages" of the xml-formatted document, plus supplemental files.

i've set all my office 2007 applications to default to "previous version" formats for maximum compatibility.