News: Switching from .DOC to .DOCX files - 3/7/2025
Change in Compliance Report to use .DOCX file format - effective April 15, 2025
Dear Valued Customer,
We have been hard at work over the last year improving our site, adding new features, improving performance, and making the site friendlier and easier to use.
We have also been working on upgrading the server back-end of the site - all the code and database magic that powers the site.
Our Compliance Report feature - the heart of our service - today generates RTF documents named CompReport.doc.
RTF was the right choice when we started so many years ago, but since then, times have changed. In 2007, Microsoft introduced the DOCX file format for Microsoft Word starting in Office 2007.
.DOCX is now the de-facto standard for word processing documents. Over time, fewer word processors support RTF. And the software module we use to generate RTF is no longer supported under the latest server backend software we have been working to upgrade to.
So, we have made the decision to switch to the DOCX file format.
What is changing?
The Compliance Report will be a .DOCX file instead of a .DOC file.
What are the benefits?
- Better compatibility with modern word processors;
- The files are compressed so they will download faster and take up less space on your computer;
- .DOCX files will work better with your tablet or phone; including being able to edit them on a tablet or phone.
- .DOCX will work better with Google Docs and Microsoft 365 Online.
How will this affect me?
Chances are, it will not affect you at all.
Any version of Microsoft Word from 2007 or later should be able to read the .DOCX files no problem. .DOCX has been the Microsoft standard for almost 20 years now.
There will be no change to how you use our system to create the reports. It is simply that the downloaded file will be a .DOCX instead of a .DOC.
However, if you are using a -very- old version of Microsoft Word (before 2007), it will not be able to read the new .DOCX files.
Fortunately, if you don't want to spend the money on a new version of Word, there is a free alternative, LibreOffice. See below for where to get LibreOffice.
To give everyone plenty of time to adjust if needed, we have decided to deploy the change using the following plan:
- the new .DOCX files will go into effect on April 15, 2025.
- Until then, the system will continue to generate .DOC files. Or you can optionally enable .DOCX files in the User Preferences. (See below)
- Test the .DOCX files with your software to make sure they work; and, in event of problems, upgrade your Microsoft Word or LibreOffice.
- On April 15 2025, we will make the switch and only .DOCX files will be available from that time on.
How to enable .DOCX files now in User Preferences
If you want to try out .DOCX files immediately, you can enable them in the User Preferences.
- Log in to the site.
- Click 'Account'
- Click 'User Preferences'
- Scroll down to the section Compliance Report Format, and select the button next to 'Use DOCX files'
Where to get LibreOffice
LibreOffice is completely compatible with both our old .DOC files and our new .DOCX files, and is available for free at this link:
It runs on all major operating systems, including Windows and MacOS.